Editing Mid-Canada Line (section)

===Deployment studies===
[[File:Mid-Canada_Line_with_dogsled.jpg|thumb|Unknown MCL radar and troposcatter communications antennas.]]

In February 1953 the Canada-U.S. Military Study Group (MSG) was asked "to study those aspects of the North American Air Defence System in general, and the early warning system in particular, which are of mutual concern to the two countries."{{sfn|Thorne|1979}} The MSG then asked the air defence commanders of Canada and the United States to prepare independent briefs on the subject. By July 1953, [[RCAF]] Air Defense Command had completed its brief, followed shortly thereafter by its [[USAF]] counterpart. Both reports suggested building a Doppler fence farther north, along the [[55th parallel north|55th parallel]], roughly at the entrance of [[James Bay]] into [[Hudson Bay]].{{sfn|Thorne|1979}}

In October 1953 the MSG recommended to both governments "that there be established at the earliest practicable date, an early warning line located generally along the 55th parallel between Alaska and Newfoundland",{{sfn|Thorne|1979}} and outlined their minimum operational requirements. By the end of November 1953, the Mid-Canada Line had been approved in principle. Unlike the jointly-operated Pinetree line and future DEW line, the Mid-Canada line would be funded and operated entirely by the RCAF. The DRB estimated that the system would cost about $69,700,000, while an independent RCAF report placed it at $85,000,000, {{inflation|CA|85000000|1982|fmt=eq|r=-5}}.{{sfn|Thorne|1979}}

In December an effort started to try to understand what sort of problems would be encountered during construction. Several "trains" consisting of tractor-pulled sleighs set out cross-country. One, manned by the RCAF, set out eastward from [[Fort Nelson, BC]] in order to link up with a second moving west from [[Flin Flon, Manitoba]], while a third crewed by the Army left [[Lake Nipigon]] near [[Thunder Bay]], [[Ontario]] for [[Neskantaga First Nation|Lansdowne House]] about {{convert|200|km}} further north. The missions proved that it was possible to build the new line, but only during the winter when the [[muskeg]] was frozen solid.{{sfn|Thorne|1979}} These missions also inspired the [[U.S. Army]] to invest in purpose-built [[overland train]]s which they experimented with in the 1960s but never put into production.<ref>{{cite book |first=Eric |last=Orlemann |url=https://archive.org/details/letourneauearthm00eric |url-access=registration |title=LeTourneau Earthmovers |publisher=MBI Publishing |date=2001 |isbn=0-7603-0840-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/letourneauearthm00eric/page/66 66]}}</ref>

While that was taking place, efforts were underway to start primary siting studies. It quickly became clear that the areas in question, at least in eastern Canada, were so remote that there was no really accurate topographical information. A huge effort to map the area in a 15-mile wide strip across the entire country was started by Transport Command almost immediately, and ended by the spring of 1954. With this information in hand a construction division was set up, the Systems Engineering Group (SEG), in February 1954, tasked with producing a final report on the system to be submitted on June 1.{{sfn|Thorne|1979}}