Sunday, April 26, 2009

CP's Colonsay Subdivision, 1986

CP's Colonsay Subdivision in Saskatchewan catches one's eye on a map due to its distinctively-named towns. Located almost dead-centre in Canada's prairie grain-growing region, I toured the line on a three-day exploration of 50 towns and their grain elevators in 1986.
Boxcars only: Although a new high-throughput elevator was built at Amazon after my visit, SWP No 225 was still loading outbound grain in boxcars when I was there.
At Simpson, more boxcars to load and four elevators:
A 1913 85-lb CPR splice plate belies the age of this subdivision, and its age is one reason tie gondolas were in many sidings. The line was being rehabilitated.
Unfortunately, the line no longer exists. It was transferred to CN ownership in 1987. A connection was built to the CN at Watrous, and the CP Colonsay Sub became CN's Imperial Sub. The red Pioneer and brown Sask Wheat Pool elevators made a colourful backdrop. Tie gons, a venerable wooden boxcar, and grain boxcars were at Imperial:
A low-profile CPR yard switchstand guards access to Imperial's elevator track. This view could just as easily represent 1976 or 1966:
At Stalwart, three elevators basked in the afternoon sun:The last, SWP in the middle, was demolished in November, 2023.
The sun also faded the ink on the shipping ticket attached to a pool boxcar of No 2 Red Wheat that was bound for Vancouver B.C.'s grain terminal:
More boxcars are spotted at Liberty. The lighting conditions are similar in many of these elevator shots, due to the north-south axis of the line. Elevator row at Stalwart looks somewhat similar to elevator row in Liberty:
The highway ran north-south too, and was probably one factor in the Colonsay Sub's eventual abandonment. There were two Federal elevators between these two SWP at Penzance. They were demolished in the early 1980's. No boxcars or pirates are visible at Penzance on this hot, dusty day:
Looking north at Penzance, CP Rail, script and stacked CPR schemes are visible on the grain boxcars spotted here:
At the south end of the line, Holdfast's three elevators are loading boxcars.
Looking north again, more boxcars are visible. I stopped in to the little store in Holdfast to buy a Mountain Dew and a Cherry Coke. The store clerk and another shopper helped me with directions as I headed for Davidson that night, then Rosetown the following night, before returning to Saskatoon and heading east on VIA Rail. This boxcar subdivision was abandoned by CN in 1999. I'm glad I was able to experience it on a sunny June day, thirteen years before its demise.
Running extra...
Another prolific blogger has been added to my Useful Collection of Railblogs. Robert McDonald's Oil-Electric has some interesting posts on Canadian railways and the Pacific Northwest rail scene.

11 comments:

  1. Great stuff - I found your blog through O-Electric and am really enjoying it. Thanks!

    -Leland

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  2. Great shots of those old elevators. Good location to shoot an "X-Files" adventure! Your readers may enjoy two short articles I wrote about my Dad and his crew riding the rails to Saskatchewan to seek their fortune!

    http://www.oil-electric.com/search/label/Saskatchewan%20-%20Part%201

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  3. Thanks Robert and Leland for your kind comments on my blog, and I'm glad you're enjoying it. If you like Canadian railroading with lots of photos, consists and train information, stay tuned for more.
    Eric

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  4. As the story goes in my family, my grandfather, Arthur Tomkins, was the 'station' master at the Penzance whistle stop over a hundred years ago. I'm not sure what kind of station they had. I loved seeing the photos of the grain elevators and tracks there.

    Darrell Tomkins

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  5. Great to have that additional informaiton, Darrell. The names of these towns caught my eye and their linear location led to me visiting the line, which I'm glad I did!
    Thanks for your comment,
    Eric

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  6. I noticed that there is no Mention or pictures of Young Sk along this CPR line and no pictures or mention of Plassey Sk. Young was one of main hub for this line with Section Managers house there tool sheds stock yards Train Station and at one time 2 elevators

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    Replies
    1. Kelvin, would those elevators u mention happen to have been where Victor Blackburns place was out by the young golf course?

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  7. noticed that there is no Mention or pictures of Young Sk along this CPR line and no pictures or mention of Plassey Sk. Young was one of main hub for this line with Section Managers house there tool sheds stock yards Train Station and at one time 2 elevators

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  8. Hi Kelvin,

    My route was Saskatoon - Bradwell - Zelma - Watrous - Young - Amazon. I didn't get to Plassey, and Young elevators that I photographed were on the CN line.

    Thanks for your comment,
    Eric

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  9. Also missed Dilke, SK that was the end of the line for the CN line.

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  10. I went by what was on my route to the next town. I would have liked to visit them all!
    Eric

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