First freight train arrives in Churchill, Man., Saturday night

The first freight train to arrive in Churchill, Man., in a year and a half rolled into town on Saturday night, according to Churchill’s mayor.

Freight and passenger service was halted in the town after flooding washed out portions of the railway in May 2017.

“On this first one, I think it’s vehicles coming in,” Mayor Michael Spence told Global News.

The first train made its way into the town on Oct. 1 and was greeted by an emotional crowd. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the trip to northern Manitoba to help celebrate the finish of the rail lines.

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Since the flooding, the only way to enter or leave Churchill has been by air.

Spence said residents have been “overly patient” and are excited for the first freight train as well as the highly anticipated passenger train.

“Everybody is pretty happy about that but everybody is looking forward to the first passenger train in,” Spence said.

“We’re waiting for that, and hopefully we’ll get confirmation of that next week some time in terms of when they will have the schedule up and running.”