National Transcontinental Railway

The National Transcontinental Railway was a Canadian railway project initiated in the early 20th century. It was part of a larger effort to create a third transcontinental line in Canada, alongside the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Canadian Northern Railway. The National Transcontinental Railway was intended to run from Moncton, New Brunswick, across the Canadian Shield to Winnipeg, Manitoba. From Winnipeg, it was to connect with the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, which would extend to Prince Rupert, British Columbia.1

This ambitious project, heavily subsidized by the government, faced significant financial challenges due to wartime inflation. Ultimately, both the National Transcontinental Railway and the Canadian Northern Railway proved unprofitable and were nationalized, becoming part of the Canadian National Railways in 1918.1