To mark Rail Safety Week, the provincial government is investing about $100,000 into safety at a provincially regulated short line crossing.

The Wheatland Rail near Wakaw will be getting a flashing LED railway crossing sign and broken rail detection system at its intersection with Highway 41. This is the first time in history that this technology has been used at a provincial short line railway highway crossing in Saskatchewan.

The Province says the tech is designed to detect the presence of a train and trigger flashing LED lights to improve visibility and advance warning for nearby drivers. The system is also expected to be capable of detecting broken rails and provide notifications to the railway operator to mitigate derailments.

The plan is to install the system this month, with testing to be complete by September of 2026.

Also in the spirit of rail safety, Canadian Safety Train is hosting a youth safety class today at Wheatland Train Station in Wakaw. The elementary school class will hop on board a train as part of their course.