With a goal to draw more urban residents out to rural Alberta, a short rail line in east Central Alberta is offering the most rail excursions it ever has in it's 4 year history.
 
Friends of the Battle River Railway Society operates the fully functioning rail line out of Forestburg, exchanging usual box cars for a vintage passenger car, and offering theme based day excursions in Flagstaff County between the communities of Alliance, Galahad, Forestburg, Heisler, Rosalind and Kelsey.

Thanks to a Canada 150 community grant from the province, they're set to host 4 unique trips next month according to Business Co-ordinator Joanne McMahon.

“We’ve got two old time market days, and we’re having a family fun excursion on August 19th where we’ll go from Forestburg to Heisler and there will be old time games at the ball diamonds, we’ll have yummy snacks, all kinds of fun stuff going on that day. Then the Great Battle River Train Robbery is on August the 20th running from Alliance to Heisler,and there could be the possibility of bandits robbing the train, so it’s going to be a fun day”.

McMahon says they've had no trouble putting their $10,000 grant to good use.

“To hire special entertainment, to be able to keep our ticket prices lower to accommodate families, because when we run a train we always have to rent our engine because we don’t actually own an engine, we just own a passenger car, a gondola car, and a boxcar and a caboose, so we have to rent our engine from the Battle River Railway, so there’s always a price involved with that. With this grant we’re keeping our price low and paying for entertainment”.

For more information about the upcoming rail excursions or to book your tickets, head to https://friendsofbrr.com/