Cp9521

[Matthyro]

January in Kenora, Ontario
CP 9521

[Bob Collins]

Robin;

If my weak memory serves me correctly Kenora is not far north of the US-Canadian border. It brings to mind that my own recollection of Canadian railways seems to make them all go basically east-west and none are all that far north of the border. Are there active lines that run much farther north?

Bob

[Matthyro]

To be honest Bob, there is nothing much as you go further north. Most Canadians live close to the border. Usually CN operates further north than does CP but as they proceed westwards from Kenora to Winnipeg then the railways have to get closer to the border to pass around the southern end of Lake Manitoba then CN heads further north again to Saskatoon in Sasakatchewan and Edmonton in Alberta. CP stays closer to the border passing through Regina Saskarchewan and Calgary in Alberta. CP follows the Kicking Horse pass through the Rockies while CN follows the Yellowhead pass. They both meet up around Kamloops BC then down the Fraser Canyon and on to Vancouver.

[rockislandmike]

As an aside, I live in Edmonton, and we see a lot of both CN and CP. CN's main east-west intercontinental runs right through the heart of the city, while CP has a line that goes straight south from Edmonton towards Calgary, where it hooks up with their mainline.

The CP yard is only about ten blocks from my house, and there is a LOT of action there on a daily basis, including the weekends. In fact I had to wait for a CP intermodal heading south towards Calgary this afternoon.

As another aside, my grandfather lives in Kenora. Nice place - not too far from the border like you said, but access to it is ONLY from the east or west - south is Lake of the Woods, which takes up an enormous amount of area.