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!

502 The Napinka Subdivision, Mile 0 to Mile 49

Picture42011/05, CPR/Napinka Sub. Mile 42.8 West end of Holmfield Yard. View – looking E.  A “type 8” station similar to the La Riviere station , and a water tower were situated in the foreground on the right side of the track in this photo. The station was built in 1898 at a cost of $2600, and removed in 1964. “Canadian Pacific’s Western Depots” (Bohi and Kozma 1993).   Holmfield: Mr. C. Collis, CPR agent, has been awarded first prize for best kept grounds in the Portage division.  Information source:  ‘Southern Manitoba Review’ Nov. 19th, 2020.  Click on photo for detail. © Text and Photos exclusive copyright of N. Froese.