A Geologist went on the Railway

Diamond on Google Earth One spot that I haven't been to in quite some time is Diamond, just west of Winnipeg on Highway 427 which is the western extension of Wilkes Avenue.  At this location a CP branch line crosses the CN mainline at grade. It is a popular spot among local railfans (it even has a Mayor!) so I wanted to pop in to see what was happening. I had some time on the evening of August 4th between family events to venture out to (hopefully) do some railfanning there. I arrived to find that I was the sole resident of Diamond on this evening. Initially it wasn't looking too promising as there was no indication of anything coming in either direction.  Fortunately I had a good book so I parked so I could see in both directions and started reading, occasionally checking to see if there was anything coming.  Such is the life of casual railfanning without a radio scanner.   My patience was rewarded with a headlight to the east.  I set myself up and caught ...

Back in my youth I lived in the small Prairie town of Roblin.  We had the usual row of elevators along the railway, and I spent many hours in them with my dad when he delivered grain there.  Among these was Manitoba Pool Elevator #1, the first Manitoba Pool elevator built in 1925.  An annex was added in 1968.   Manitoba Pool Elevator #1 in Roblin was rebuilt in 1986.  This sequence of photos shows the before, during and after of the replacement.  The original #1 was replaced by Pool "C" which was on the northern end of elevator row in town.  It was a newer elevator than #1 so was selected to replace it instead of having a completely new elevator constructed. National and Pool #1. The National elevator was only used when the main Cargill elevator was at capacity. This shot has a boxcar loading. Circa 1985/86. Pool #1 was still the original elevator here.  The National elevator came down not long after this was taken. Pool "C" loading Manitoba ...