摘要：For over two decades a vigorous debate has been conducted regarding the effects that the removal of branch lines and/or grain elevators would have on Prairie communities. The intensity of the debate peaked with each committee or commission that undertook to study the "rationalization"-itself an emotive term-of the Prairie rail network or the grain elevator system. The Grains Group, the Grain Handling and Transportation (Hall) Commission, the Prairie Rail Action Committee and, more recently, the committees studying changes to the Crowsnest Pass freight rates have ail heard the argument that branch line abandonment, or other changes that would lead to consolidation of the elevator system, would have very detrimental effects on the communities losing these facilities.!
