The first access to the outside world from Thompson was a railroad, completed ( as far as I can recall) in 1957. I worked on the crew that surveyed the roadway route in 1959 and the road was started the following year and completed in 1963. Prior to the railway, the start of construction was supplied via "cat trains" from the railhead at Pikwitonei (sp). A "cat train would consist of several tractors, each hauling six or seven trailers loaded with fuel and other supplies, and led by one with a blade that cleared snow only as necessary. Most of the route was over water for obvious reasons. One of the trailers held a kitchen and another a community sleeping quarters as the trip could take several days.

An Ice road as is known today is far different, as it would be designed to allow actual truck traffic.

Regards

K