Mobil Grain: Integrated Rail Logistics Across the Prairies

Mobil Grain is a Saskatchewan-based agricultural logistics and infrastructure company built around the movement, handling, and coordination of grain and bulk commodities. Rather than operating as a single traditional railroad, Mobil Grain functions as an integrated system combining grain origination, short line rail operations, and grain handling infrastructure across multiple regions of the province.
Mobil Grain hopper cars can regularly be seen moving across both Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City systems as part of grain movements throughout Western Canada.

The company’s rail operations began in 2009 with the establishment of the Last Mountain Railway (LMR), a short line formed from former Canadian National branch line infrastructure between Regina and Davidson, Saskatchewan. The line operates approximately 85 miles (140 km) of track and continues to function as a key grain corridor between rural Saskatchewan and CN mainline interchange points.

LMR connects directly into the national rail network through interchanges at Regina and Davidson, linking prairie-origin grain movements into CN’s broader system. The railway also provides regional connectivity between the Regina area and the broader Saskatchewan rail network.

Communities served along the line include Regina, Lumsden, Bethune, Aylesbury, Craik, Chamberlain, Davidson, Girvin, Disley, and surrounding agricultural districts.

From an operational standpoint, Last Mountain Railway is heavily focused on bulk agricultural traffic. Grain is the dominant commodity, supported by fertilizer and seasonal agricultural inputs. The railway operates a mixed fleet of road locomotives and smaller switcher units, with equipment and resources shared across Mobil Grain’s operational structure. 

Building on this model, Mobil Grain expanded its rail footprint in 2011 with the creation of Big Sky Rail (BSR). Big Sky Rail operates approximately 400- 430 km of former Canadian National branch lines located southwest and west of Saskatoon.

The network is organized into multiple subdivisions:
• Conquest Subdivision (Delisle- Beechy corridor)
• Elrose Subdivision (Macrorie- Laporte corridor)
• Matador Subdivision (Wartime- Kyle corridor)

Big Sky Rail interchanges with CN at Delisle and provides CN network access into the Saskatoon region through established routing. It also maintains operational coordination with Last Mountain Railway through Mobil Grain’s shared logistics structure, including interchange of equipment and coordinated fleet deployment across both systems.

In 2024, Mobil Grain’s rail and bulk infrastructure assets including Last Mountain Railway and Big Sky Rail- were included in a broader corporate transaction involving Saskatchewan agricultural logistics infrastructure.

Together, Last Mountain Railway and Big Sky Rail form a coordinated prairie short line system. While geographically separate, they operate under a unified operational structure, with locomotives and rolling stock allocated between networks based on demand and service requirements.

In addition to rail operations, Mobil Grain supports a wider agricultural logistics network that includes grain elevators, loading sites, and rail-connected facilities across southern and west-central Saskatchewan. This structure allows grain to move directly from producer locations into rail shipment with efficient handling and strong network integration.

Lets Talk About Models

North American Railcar Corp is pleased to announce the Mobil Grain (MGLX) 4-bay cylindrical hoppers, available in both HO and N scale, scheduled for delivery in December 2026.
These models represent Mobil Grain reporting marks used in contemporary Saskatchewan short line grain service and are intended to reflect operations across both Last Mountain Railway and Big Sky Rail. The models are currently available for pre-order.

See the Upcoming HO Scale Mobil Grain Cars

See the Upcoming N Scale Mobil Grain Cars