Author Archives: nfroese

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About nfroese

Neil Froese is a retired teacher residing in Ontario with his wife, Eileen. Growing up and living in southern Manitoba in the 1950's to the late 1980's, Neil's interest in trains was piqued by the visual and sound drama of early Canadian Pacific steam on cold, crisp winter mornings as the trains would dutifully deliver most anyone and everything to and from the towns and villages in southern Manitoba. The CPR station with its "agent" was the commercial and in many ways, the social hub of prairie towns until 1950's when train passenger service was terminated as more and more persons choose the independence of the automobile and the use of better highway infrastructure. However, a pre- Christmas winter ride on the CPR passenger train with his mother and brothers from Mather to Winkler in the 1950's to spend time with the grandparents was "as good a gift as was needed" as far as Neil was concerned. To a young boy 8 years of age, It was a great, unique experience - always to be remembered!

358 The Napinka Subdivision, Mile 0 to Mile 49.

Picture31954/55, CPR Napinka Sub. Mile 21.1 in the winter. Photo of the second trestle built in 1923/24 with Archie McAlpin as foreman. The first bridge was built in 1885 and according to blueprint, was 745’ in length, and 80’ from the ‘low water’ surface. According to a decision made in 1900, 180’ of fill was put in on the W. end and 260’ of fill on the E. end of the bridge. Fill was taken from N.W. of the village. A temporary spur was built to haul the fill to the trestle ends. View – looking N.W. along provincial road No. 342. (Information – “Prairie Pride Land-Looking Back” The Louise History Book Committee, 1998) (Click on photo for detail) © Photos exclusive copyright of N. Froese.