In the spring of 2003 railway fans and modellers from across Alberta and S
askatchewan gathered in Lloydminster and Wainwright for a special event. Called "Borderrail 2003" the event featured workshops about modern railroading and modelling railroads.
Social events and tours of local points of interest as well as the 
Wainwright Rail Park Museum kept members of the group (The 6th Division of the Pacific Northwest Region of the National Model Railroad Association) busy. The weekend was capped by a public display at the Lakeland College Gym of a number of model railroad layouts of various scales and eras. When the event was over a small group decided to keep activities going in the area.
One small team built a display layout in the former museum space at the Lloydminster Cultural and Science Centre. Others started to track local events and research history while a third group worked to expand the number of model railroads in the area.
This website exists to document some of our research and to connect railroad modellers. Welcome to our study of a critical transportation element on the prairies and a hobby that combines many challenging and fun aspects.
Our location
Lloydminster sits on both Canadian Nationals Blackfoot Subdivision, and Canadian Pacific's Unwin Subdivision.
At one time, Lloydminster was the junction of CP's Big Gully Subdivision, running north to serve the agricultural communities of Hillmond and Greenstreet, as well as CP's Willingdon Subdivision, working its way northwest to Edmonton through Marwayne.
CP track ends just north of the Husky refinery with only the right-of-way remaining between Lloydminster and Marwayne. CP's McLaughlin Subdivision ran southwest off the Unwin Subdivision, serving the communities of Rivercourse, McLaughlin and Paradise Valley before being abandoned.
Significant rail activity still exists today in Lloydminster, as the Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) Canola Plant and the Husky Lloydminster Refinery, Husky Upgrader/Ethanol Refinery complex and Joint Venture Elevator are active rail customers. Check out the local action page for details.