The Forestburg and Halkirk Spur Lines
Forestburg Collieries
T
he railway spur was built in 1950 and put into operation by Canadian National Railways on February 15, 1951, to serve the Diplomat coal mine of Forestburg Collieries Limited.1 The property was acquired by the company in 1949, which introduced surface (strip) mining by shovel and dragline. The coal was shipped to various markets in western Canada for industrial uses.2 Due to declining reserves the mine was closed in 1986 and the railway abandoned in 1987.3
Alberta Coal Company
The Alberta Coal Company was incorporated in 1942 and received a provincial charter in 1951 to build a railway from Halkirk to its mine property at Cordel.4 The company financed the line which was built by Mannix, a firm from Calgary, which also constructed the Forestburg spur.5 The line was turned over to the Canadian Pacific Railway Company for operation in 1951.6 The mine tipple was decommissioned in 1976, though the railway was still used to transport parts for the draglines and the generating station.7 A lack of traffic led to the removal of service in 1981 and abandonment in 1983.8
Notes | Bibliography | Abbreviations
1. Canadian National Railways, CN Specification A53425–1.29–1.3, 9 April 1897; Drawing, Nos. A5–85–011, 2 April 1985.2. Forestburg Collieries (1984) Ltd. Paintearth Mine, Pamphlets, n.d., Re: Diplomat mine.
3. Letter from J. Keith Haddock, P. Eng., Chief Engineer, Paintearth mine.
4. Alberta, 15 George VI, Chapter 102, 7 April 1951.
5. Letter from Roy F. McBride, Halkirk, Alberta, 15 January 1993.
6. Letter from Robert Rice, Vice-President, Public Affairs, CP Rail System, 2 March 1993.
7. Letter from Gary G. Gnam, Director, Administrative Services, Manalta Coal Ltd., 22 December 1992.
8. Letter from Robert Rice, Vice-President, Public Affairs, CP Rail System, 2 March 1993.