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!

242 The La Riviere Yard, mile 111of the La Riviere Sub. and mile 0 of the Napinka Sub.

Picture2July 16, 1965, A sand house, coaling tower and water tower at Spences Bridge, B.C. similar to the facilities in La Riviere, MB. Photo credit: A.H. Coverdale (David Shaw Collection). Note: The two coal chutes on the coaling tower have been removed, and the ball gauge on the water tower is at bottom, indicating that steam service at Spences Bridge is on the way to being over. (Click on photo for detail)