In early February 2024, I went on a road trip to refresh my images of some Manitoba grain elevators. In general I revisit elevators every few years – and the ones closer to Winnipeg, more frequently – but there have been some elevators that I have only seen once. It was time to take some updated photos.
I fear I am losing my mind. Or at least my words. I’m losing track of words.
“Sleepers and Ties” by Gail Kirkpatrick is a warm and unhurried book about a grieving museum curator Margaret, dealing with her sister’s death and final wishes. Like Canada, the book isn’t directly about railways, but they are intimately intertwined with the story. We follow Margaret as she arrives in Saskatoon to attend the reading of … Read more
One of the ways to turn a locomotive is by using a turntable. Unlike steam engines, diesel locomotives rarely need to be turned, but the need arises at times… and so there are still a few turntables around. This is the CN turntable at the Fairview Yard in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The last of the great streamliners rolls across this great land, carrying on a grand tradition started almost seventy years ago.
My joy at being included in the 2024 Trackside Guide was muted by the fact that this is the last one with Earl Roberts as co-editor.
The Victoria Pacific Railway was a short-lived tourist operation on Vancouver Island. It ran for two seasons on CN track just west of Victoria, in 1972 and 1973.
I really enjoyed True Biz by Sara Nović. In some ways it is a traditional coming-of-age story (three stories, I guess) – kids going to school, overcoming crises, experiencing love and loss – but with a serious twist. Most of the protagonists are deaf, and the action takes place at a school for the deaf.
Back in the days of steam, water towers were a common feature beside railway tracks. Steam engines used vast quantities of water and they needed to refill frequently. After the end of main line steam in 1960, these towers disappeared quickly. Only a few remain… like the one in Loggieville, New Brunswick.
