The BNSF Manitoba Limited (BNML) is a BNSF Line from Emerson Manitoba to Winnipeg. As far as I know, it is the only BNSF owned line located fully within Canada.

Brief History:

• Midland Railway of Manitoba was incorporated in 1903 and built various lines around Winnipeg.
• Operations of the Midland Railway of Manitoba were acquired by Manitoba Great Northern on July 1, 1909.
• Later the Lines sold to the City of Winnipeg and then to CN.
• The Name changed to Burlington Northern Manitoba Limited in 1971.
• The Name changed to Burlington Northern Santa Fe (Manitoba) in 1999.

Route in Manitoba:

62 Miles, Emerson - Letellier - St Jean Baptist - Morris - St Agathe - Winnipeg

Interchanges:

Winnipeg: CN & CPR

Emerson: CPR & BNSF via Noyes MN

Operations:

The line is operated daily with a local freight in Winnipeg and heavy interchange traffic heading south to Emerson. There can be several trains per day on the line from Winnipeg to Emerson performing significant industrial switching along the route. Typically the southbound run is powered by several 6 axle CN units. Usually SD40-2w's or SD60's. The occasional GE is seen as well. All the motive power is CN equipment now. Until recently the line had a BN GP in Winnipeg for the local run.

The line services a Small ADM corn oil transfer facility at it's Winnipeg yard and several other industries in the city along the route.

At St. Agathe there is a large Canola processing plant and a small elevator.

In Morris there is a small yard and 2 Grain Elevators. One small elevator and an Inland Port. The inland port is serviced by both the BNML and CPR.

In St. Jean there is a large Seed Distributor a Team Track and another Grain Elevator.

At Letellier there is a large Inland Port (Massive Grain Elevator)

In Emerson there is a Team Track, an Interchange Yard and the interchanges with the CP/SOO & BNSF.

All along the route there are numerous farmers spurs which are used for loading grain cars during the harvest.

In Noyes, there is a small BNSF interchange yard and a farmers spur

The Layout:

My BNML will be a proto freelance following the BNML from Morris MB thru Noyes MN. There will be a good mix of heavy and small industry with long, straight, runs between towns. Prairie railroading here we come! The most significant embellishment will be the transplanting of the ADM transload facility from Winnipeg to Letellier (Hey, it could happen!)  ...Oh... and the Sand tower from Grand forks will somehow appear in Emerson, but we're not talking about that.

I have just finished building a new home and we did it right - I started with the track plan and designed the house around it. The layout will reside in about 850 sqft. on the 2nd floor of the house. There are no windows and 1 duckunder. Before you ask, there is no Basement. We have floods here.

My attraction to this line, besides it's proximity to where I live? Easy: There's NOTHING like switching with a pair of SD's every day

I plan to share my progress here as the project goes. I hope you will enjoy the journey with me!

Cheers!
- Bill