The working conditions for railway construction and maintenance work were comparable to other camp operations in the region: long hours, primitive accommodation, and wages that seemed good until deductions were made for transportation, board, medical care and even blanket rental. It was part of the annual work cycle for itinerant labourers, but many recent immigrants also encountered this difficult introduction to the prairie work force in their efforts to meet initial expenses or fulfil the requirements for a homestead.
The necessity of constructing main and branch lines to serve agriculture after the turn of the century strained seasonal manpower supplies; but some harvest excursionists were forced to accept railway work when much better paying harvesting jobs did not materialize due to bad weather in the fall.
In this photograph, taken just before World War I, the workers are ballasting a branch line in Saskatchewan.
