The Cranbrook/Fort Steele division of Canadian Pacific has lost 46 running trade employees since the beginning of 2013 in a spate of layoffs.
The cuts represent 22 per cent of the running trade workforce – locomotive engineers, conductors and train men.
It does not include engineering, mechanical and management staff.
"Part of it is seasonal work ebbs and flows which occur every year," said Kevin Hrysak, media relations manager for Canadian Pacific, based in Calgary.
"In and around Cranbrook it is very commodity based. So if there is any fluctuation there when it comes to vacation and traffic flows it can have an impact, which is something that does occur every year."
But Canadian Pacific is also undergoing an overhaul of its operations, Hrysak added.
"Also part of it is the reorganization of operations we are going through as a company altogether — changing around traffic patterns as part of our ongoing efficiency and productivity efforts," said Hrysak.
No comment was provided by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference before time of print.