OmniTRAX Canada Inc. reopened its Hudson Bay Railway line to Churchill for freight service July 5. Service had been suspended more than two weeks earlier on June 20 between Gillam and Churchill because of "severe permafrost issues and its effect on railway surface conditions," the railway said.
In a July 5 update on its www.omnitraxnorth.ca website, OmniTRAX said, "The Hudson Bay Railway line reopened with freight Train 295 arriving in Churchill carrying supplies for the community. We are working towards resuming our regular freight service schedule, having met Transport Canada rules respecting track safety. We have implemented a plan for ongoing track maintenance throughout the shipping season, and we believe that the substantial resurfacing work completed over the past weeks will greatly improve the reliability of the line for all of our customers.
"We would like to thank our customers for their patience during the rail service suspension. We know it was a challenge for many, and for that we apologize. We work hard to provide Northern communities with access to the goods and services they need and take pride in being a link between communities.
"We would also like to thank our exceptional staff, contractors and industry partners for their hard work and commitment to restoring full service on the Hudson Bay Railway."
OmniTRAX said June 30 and in several earlier updates they did not expect the most recent track closure to "impact the start of the shipping season and related freight service."
Freight service to Churchill had also been suspended between June 2 and June 9 between Gillam and Churchill when 13 cars of a 50-car grain load on the OmniTRAX Canada-owned Hudson Bay Railway freight train derailed June 2, about 32 kilometres south of Churchill en route to the grain storage facility at the Port of Churchill. At 3 p.m. on June 11, freight Train 295 left the station at Thompson en route to Churchill with 28 cars carrying supplies and products for the North.
There has been no Via Rail service between Gillam and Churchill since the June 2 derailment. The last southbound Via Rail train - and the last passenger train to depart or arrive in Churchill - was Train 692, which departed for Winnipeg from Churchill at 7:30 p.m. May 31.
In its most recent statement June 25, posted on New York-based PR Newswire and its Canadian Toronto-based subsidiary CNW Group, as well as its own website, the passenger rail carrier said that it "will conduct a thorough safety assessment on the Hechmer [sic] subdivision when the line between Gillam and Churchill is declared open by OmniTRAX, the owners of the railway line in Northern Manitoba.
"The corporation intends to resume its passenger train service once its rigorous safety requirements have been met, in order to ensure the safety of all of Via Rail's passengers and employees. It is working with the track owners to safely resume the passenger service to Churchill.
"Following the safety inspections completed last week, Via Rail concluded that certain conditions would have to be met prior to resuming its passenger train service. All freight and passenger train services are currently suspended by OmniTRAX, which closed the line between Churchill and Gillam.
"The safety of Via Rail's passengers and employees is our first and foremost priority, says Denis Pinsonneault, Via Rail's chief operating officer. "We will resume the service between Gillam and Churchill once OmniTRAX has demonstrated that all our safety requirements have been met and that the track is once again deemed safe for passenger train operations."
"Passenger train service continues to be offered between Winnipeg and Gillam according to the normal schedule. Going south, departures of Train 692 from Gillam are scheduled on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Wednesday departures of Train 692 operate between Gillam and The Pas. Going north, Sunday and Tuesday departures of Train 693 operate between Winnipeg and Gillam. Friday departures operate between The Pas and Gillam. No alternate transportation between Gillam and Churchill is being offered.
"Via Rail thanks its customers for their understanding, and apologizes for any inconvenience caused by the suspension of service, which is beyond its control."
OmniTRAX Canada is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Denver-based short line railroad, which owns Hudson Bay Railway. OmniTRAX in turn is an affiliate of The Broe Group, owned by Pat Broe, who founded the company in Denver in 1972 as a real estate asset management firm.
OmniTRAX created Hudson Bay Railway in 1997, the same year it took over operation of the Port of Churchill. It operates 627 miles of track in Manitoba between The Pas and Churchill. OmniTRAX Canada, Inc. bought the Northern Manitoba track from CN in 1997 for $11 million.
It took over the related Port of Churchill, which opened in 1929, when it acquired it from Canada Ports Corporation, for a token $10 soon after buying the rail line.
Along the Hudson Bay Railway Bayline between Gillam and Churchill is Bird, Sundance Amery, Charlebois, Weir River, Lawledge, Thibaudeau, Silcox, Herchmer, Kellett, O'Day, Back, McClintock, Cromarty, Belcher, Chesnaye, Lamprey, Bylot, Digges, Tidal and Fort Churchill.
The Bayline reached Churchill on March 29, 1929.
