Herb, just to add to the excellent post you've just created, ANY road or rail line into the ROF, and I really belive ANY, will need the support of two levels of government at a minimum, Fed and Prov. That's not to mention local and First Nation. In fact I sincerely doubt the CLF would build something that expensive on their own, nor would any of the players in the ROF.

With Fed and/or Prov funding and support there would not be any exclusivity of use by any one player in the ROF.

Also, your assumption regarding rail lines being similar to roads is close, although not precise. I beleive all ROF players will have the line available to them but likely at a price and the said pricce would not be allowed (by gov't intervention) to unfairly favour one or two of the players up there.

Jeeper