The M Lead The M Lead is another recognizable rail line in Calgary. It's harder to spot than the J Lead, but it's definitely a unique and historic track as well. The M Lead is home to Calgary's only train tunnel within the city limits. It's also Calgary's most modern industrial lead, as most were constructed pre-1960, but most of the M Lead was built in the 1960s and 1970s.
*There's actually another tunnel just metres outside of the city limits - which you can learn about here.
General Information: Built: 1960 Removal: Ongoing (A little under half of the original track remains) Abandoned: 2016 Beginning Point: Mileage 2.07, Red Deer Subdivision End Point: End of track General Direction: East
Customers (c.1968) Northern Electric Woodwards Klassen Homes Johnston Terminals Christie Brown & Co. Alberta Liquor Control BD. Van Waters & Rogers St. Regis Consolidated Firestone Tire Canada Packers Crown Zellerbach Swift Canadian Federated CO-OP
Map See my full map of every rail line to exist in Calgary here! Trackage coloured pink/magenta indicates the M Lead
More on the M Lead Have you ever visited the Science Centre in Calgary and seen a big tunnel under Deerfoot Trail? It's the gateway to the M Lead, a historic railway line that served a massive area within the city, home to steep grades, a team track, and even where the one and only CP 8554 was once stored.
The M Lead was gigantic. A lot of it has disappeared over time as customers left, the last one being the Calgary Herald. The M Lead served the "new" Calgary Herald building, and I believe that the A Lead served the Calgary Herald in its downtown location.
BIGDoer.com has a great post on the M Lead if you want to learn more. You can read it here.