Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway

The Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway ( QNSL, French: Chemin de fer QNS & L) is a Canadian railway company, whose 261 miles (420 km) of track is located in northeastern Quebec and western Labrador. It connects Labrador City over uninhabited areas with the port city of Sept- Iles on the St. Lawrence River. The QNSL is owned by the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC ). Together with the range of Tshiuetin Rail Transportation, the Arnaud Railway, the Wabush Lake Railway and the Bloom Lake Railway, it forms an isolated route network with no connection to the North American rail network.

History

The railway line was built in 1951-1954 and joined originally Sept-Îles with the 359 miles ( 578 km ) away in Schefferville, Quebec. In 1958, the Wabush - ore deposit was opened on the border between Quebec and Labrodor in Labrador City by the IOC and Wabush the Mining Company. Then built the QNSL a 36 miles (58 km) long branch line west of the main line to serve the mines can. The train was recorded there in 1960. At the same time built the Wabush Mining Co. Wabush Lake Railway, the relatively short from their mines in Labrador City to QNSL - Zweigstrecke Wabush.

In the 1980s, the iron ore deposits in the Schefferville were exploited, so most residents moved to Labrador City. Nevertheless, the QNSL upheld a subsidized passenger and freight traffic north of the branch to Labrador City to provide the First Nations communities along the route. Known as Menihek Subdivision route was operated by the Company until December 1, 2005, when it was sold to the Tshiuetin Rail Transportation. In the remaining sections of Northern Land Subdivision and Subdivision Wacouna goods continue to be transported, including cars for the employees, various mining products, large items of equipment and the everyday consumer needs for Labrador City and the track construction camps along the route.

Opened in 2010, the Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines west of Labrador City, the Bloom Lake Mine. It was closed with the company Genesee and Wyoming a contract with the Bloom Lake Railway to transport iron ore from the mine to the Wabush Lake Railway. The Wabush Lake Railway on its part, the trains of the Bloom Lake Railway and transports them to Wabush Junction, where via the QNSL further transport to the south and from Sept- Îles on the Arnaud Railway for shipment to Point Noire.