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!

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

Picture52011/05, CPR mile 111. Remnants of a once busy concrete step and handrail leading down to the former rail yard on the S. side of the Engineer’s/Locomotive Foreman’s bunkhouse. The steps and handrail (see post number 234), are now dominated by a fallen dead elm, – somewhat symbolic of the abandonment that has happened to prairie rail branch lines in Canada during the 1990’s and early 2000’s. (Click on photo for detail)  © Text and Photos exclusive copyright of N. Froese.