THE PAS, Manitoba — Disruptions to the remote train service between The Pas and Pukatawagan in northern Manitoba, along with the train’s limited capacity, have left some people stranded in The Pas for extended periods, the CBC reports.
The problems were highlighted last Monday, Dec. 5, when the train — which only operates only twice a week from The Pas to Pukatawagan, 152 miles north and reachable year-round only by rail or air — did not operate because of illnesses to the crew, Arctic Gateway Group CEO told the CBC. The train is operated by the Keewatin Railway Co., but crews are provided by the Hudson Bay Railway, owned by Arctic Gateway. It operates as a mixed train, with a single coach and a capacity of 40.
Because the flights between The Pas and Pukatawagan only seat seven people and tickets must be reserved a week in advance, that left passengers to wait for the next train. That train, on Thursday, Dec. 8, sold out before all those waiting for tickets could be accommodated. Some people told the CBC they have been trying to leave for three weeks or more; one woman said she’s been stuck for a month, has run out of money, and is panhandling for money to feed herself.
One of those stranded, Rebecca Linklater, called for an all-weather road between the communities and said the train needs to be updated to address issues with the equipment and to expand its capacity.
Arctic Gatway, in a Facebook post, apologized for service disruption and said it is “committed to working with the community, KRC, and others to see improved service.” While it does not own the equipment, it said, “we also recognize the importance of seeing improvements to the railcars and want to be part of a long-term solution to see rail service improved.”
Keewatin Railway Co. CEO Anthony Mayham has previously told the CBC refurbished locomotives and passenger cars are scheduled to be delivered next year.
Doesn’t seem it would be that difficult to borrow a coach or two from Via or even GO.
Maybe they could borrow the coach on the back of the Canadian’s observation.
Its a baggage car for the inevitable rear end collision?
Call his highness Trudeau and have him squeeze CN or CP for a helper set of executive cars to make a few trips back and forth until the backlog clears. He loves to squeeze companies when it suits his purpose, why stop now?
Add capacity to the existing 40-seat coach ? Find another coach or 2 to expand capacity? Can’t be that difficult or can it?
Surely some originization could provide an extra coach or two.? What happened to SRO?
Constructing an all-weather road would be quite expensive.
It’s too bad that crew shortages due to illness has caused such disruption to passengers. The only solution would be to qualify additional personnel to cover the route but that, too, has a cost.
P-10 in Flin Flon is the closest all-weather road at about 200mi as the crow flies. Building it is one thing, keeping it open year round would be something else.