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Yesterday, Canadian National Railway Co. announced plans to discontinue seven Saskatchewan branch lines, which haven’t been used the past three years.

CN classified the lines totaling 329 miles as discontinuance candidates in its three-year network plan. After the lines are listed as discontinued for a year, CN is required by the Canada Transportation Act to offer the lines to third parties. If there are no purchasers, the railroad can abandon lines.

The branch lines include the Lewvan Subdivision between Minard Junction and Rowatt; Northgate Spur between Lampman and Northgate; Turtleford Subdivision between Hamlin and St. Walburg; Bolney Spur between Spruce Lake Junction and Paradise Hill; Robinhood Subdivision between Robinhood Junction and Glaslyn; Amiens Spur between England and Spiritwood; and Lillian Spur between Lillian and Preeceville.

“Over the past four years, farmers, grain companies and other grain industry interests have made major changes in the ways they market and move grain,” said Peter Marshall, CN senior vice president-Western Canada Region, in a prepared statement. “These changes have made certain sections of CN’s Saskatchewan network redundant.”