(HBRY) is a
Canadian regional
Railway operating over 810
Mile s of trackage in northern
Manitoba .
HBRY was formed in July
1997 to purchase former
Canadian National Railway (CN) trackage running north from CN trackage at
The Pas, MB on two branches, one to
Flin Flon, MB and on to
Lynn Lake, MB , the other to
Thompson, MB and on to the port of
Churchill, MB on
Hudson Bay . Operations began on
August 20 ,
1997 and the company is owned by railroad holding company
OmniTrax .
At the same time, OmniTrax also took over the operation and marketing of the Port of Churchill from the federal government's
Department Of Transport . Previous owner CN had limited tonnage on these lines as a result of the light rail and poor track base; however OmniTrax has been able to successfully operate heavier rail cars and longer trains in recent years without difficulty, resulting in increased business to the Port of Churchill and from various mines and pulp mills.
HBRY is a vital transportation link in northern Manitoba, hauling ores and concentrates, copper, zinc, logs, kraft paper, lumber, and petroleum products.
VIA Rail also operates remote services on HBRY using its ''Hudson Bay'' passenger train between
Winnipeg, MB and Churchill.
Major customers for HBRY include
Hudson Bay Mining And Smelting ,
Tolko Manitoba ,
Inco ,
Gardwine North ,
Stitcco Energy , and the
Canadian Wheat Board .
The original Hudson Bay Railway line was built in stages north from The Pas after a railway bridge was constructed over the
Saskatchewan River in
1910 -
1911 by the
Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR). Following the CNoR bankruptcy in
1918 and creation of
Canadian National Railways (CNR), the federal government undertook to complete the Hudson Bay Railway.
Political interference, financing difficulties, and engineering challenges by the large amount of
Muskeg and frequent rock outcrops on the
Canadian Shield led to inevitable delays. Although initial surveys were done to both the Hudson Bay ports of Churchill, MB and
Nelson, MB , it was decided to proceed to Churchill in
1926 and the line to tidewater was completed
March 29 ,
1929 .
CNR subsequently built resource railways from The Pas to Flin Flon, opening in
1928 , followed by an extension on this line from
Cranberry Portage, MB to Lynn Lake, opening
November 9 ,
1953 .
On ,
2005 , two days ahead of initial expectations.
(VIA)
- VIA Rail Canada (, 2005 .
- VIA Rail Canada (, 2005 .
