2021 Calendar Update

Calendar

I’ve been contemplating offering one or two 2021 calendars, featuring trains and/or grain elevators. I polled my mailing list and blog readers, and the results are here. People were most interested in large train calendars, but there was enough interest in any case for me to proceed. I ordered one large grain elevator calendar. After … Read more

Can’t Reach It

Along with trains and grain elevators, I like bridges. Back in the days when Google+ was still a thing, I ran the “Bridges Over Tuesday” circle where people posted photos of bridges on that day. I have a lot of photos tagged “bridge” in my Adobe Lightroom catalog. Manitoba doesn’t have a lot of significant … Read more

The British Are Coming!

Well, going, anyway… I received a hot tip that there was a CN train in Symington Yard in Winnipeg, waiting to go east, with a string of military equipment on flatcars. I gulped down my supper, grabbed my ready-to-go camera bag, and hit the road. I had to drive a quarter of the way around … Read more

The Chandler Subdivision in 2007

Back in August 2007, I traveled the length of the Gaspé Peninsula with my friend and fellow railfan David Morris, chasing the VIA Rail train. I wrote about it long ago in Steve and Dave’s Excellent Gaspe Adventure, but I thought I’d write about a piece of it here. Also, I think the links in … Read more

A Study of Signals

I got up early on my birthday to do some trackside night photography. I wanted to take some long exposures and maybe include a train or two in them. My alarm went off at 04:30 and I was out the door shortly after 5 AM. I had decided to visit the CN Rivers subdivision, as … Read more

VIA’s Churchill Train, Coming and Going

I was out looking for trains on my birthday this year. I spent the morning doing a little night photography and chasing the GWWD train. In between, I managed to capture VIA Rail’s Churchill-to-Winnipeg train and later the Winnipeg-to-Churchill train… by accident. Coming I was doing some night photography by the signal lights at mile … Read more

The GWWD From Above

I had my 53rd birthday this week. I know it’s not as impressive a milestone as passing the half century mark, but it’s something to be noted and appreciated. Every day is a gift, and I appreciate that I am still here and able to enjoy life to the fullest. That being said, the pandemic … Read more

Rail Safety Week 2020

September 21-27 is Rail Safety Week in Canada. Rail safety organizations, like Operation Lifesaver, will be working to raise awareness of rail safety and hopefully decrease the number of rail incidents and fatalities. Unfortunately this week is especially needed this year, as 5 people died at railway crossings in Manitoba in the past 5 weeks, … Read more

A Loram Grinder

Loram Grinder at Dugald Grain Elevator 20200426

This is more of a series of photos than a real “railfan story”. I went out on April 26, 2020 to look for trains. I really didn’t see much, but I did spot this Loram grinder in the back track at Dugald, Manitoba. I took a few photos from the ground, then flew my drone … Read more

Down to Rathwell

On April 25, 2020 I decided to take a run down the CP Glenboro subdivision. This track used to run between Winnipeg and Souris, Manitoba. In 2016 the center section between Rathwell and Nesbitt was removed, so now it is in two sections. I had been down to Elm Creek before but never to the … Read more