An Afternoon at Portage la Prairie, 1984

CN and CP lines through Portage la Prairie, Manitoba were alive with trains on a partly overcast, very humid May 31, 1984. An enjoyable morning was spent photographing grain elevators at Burnside, Rignold, MacDonald, Westbourne and Longburn. A slow-moving CN eastbound along the Trans-Canada Highway east of Bloom was pulled by 9587, with 40-foot welded-rail cars and lumber in tow(above). Returning to Portage, I paced another CN eastbound into Portage then jumped out at the east end overpass of the Portage bypass. Unexpectedly, another CN freight westbound with 3 SD's was approaching on the north track of the Rivers Sub:
At 1150, 5100-5023-5168 powered the westbound across the prairie. Five minutes later, the eastbound appeared with still-black 5056 and 5163. The Fort la Reine Museum is visible above 5056. A variety of cars are in the consist, including Port of Tillamook boxcars 114 and 168 and caboose 79784.

After a hearty lunch, I tried to find some shade west of the station. The next train was a CP westbound at 1440 that had stopped to lift a cut of grain cars for Franklin, on CP's Minnedosa Sub.
5584-5793 and Angus Shops van 434319 "met" an eastbound CN freight just west of my location, as 5290-5360 smoked it up entering town. Their train included TGIX tank cars 592, 812, 776 and caboose 79588. CP's mainlines, siding, switching lead and CP Express track are visible. CN is loading grain on their spur behind Manitoba Pool's Portage 'B' elevator:
At 1452, VIA's Canadian was on time, pulling its 12 cars past a set-out CN outfit train. Yes, there is track under those work cars, and a track mid-foreground to the United Grain Growers elevator at right, hidden in that sea of grass.
VIA No 1's consist was: 6557-6612-6606-601-5622-3202-501-5738-Naiscoot River-Cameron Manor-Laird Manor-1364-Monck Manor-Chateau Richelieu-Revelstoke Park.

An hour-long lull meant that all there was to photograph was CN 53014, a nearby air dump car. Used to carry a clamshell bucket and other crane-related equipment, this car features an interesting array of air hoses:

Action resumed at 1540, with 9541-9566 lifting a westbound out of Portage up the Gladstone Sub, including CN boxcar 427354 with roof hatches, and caboose 79826. Little did I know I'd find myself in the cab of 9566 a few days later, watching VIA's Panorama speed by.

At 1604, 5980-5685 cruised across Eighth Street, horn blaring, with a CP potash train, including RNDX 166 Glasshopper II covered hopper and van 434567:

VIA No 2 slid into the station on the north track, with passengers gingerly detraining around 5107, seen backing up onto its train left in the yard. The head-end trainman is keeping an eye out along the platform, after setting out a flatcar for the outfit train. No 2's consist: 6501-6607-607-104-3240-514-5746-Deep River-Elgin Manor-Bell Manor-1338-Franklin Manor-Chateau Laval-Laurentide Park.

Jordan spreader CN 50937 looks ready to pull this train westward. 5107 has backed into the yard, and a crew does some rail rehab. Beyond them, a CN flanger, interchange, and CP's yard are visible in the distance:

A 105-car grain eastbound behind 9606-5205-5209 slipped by at 1650, and fifteen minutes later, it's another eastbound, off the Gladstone Sub. Flexicoil truck-equipped 4206-5560-4109 do the honours on the last train of the afternoon. CNWX 100072, an original brown & yellow government grain covered hopper is on the train, as is caboose 79233.

Care to spend another day watching trains in Portage? Things were hoppin' in June, 1980 too...

Running extra...

Railfanning often involves a visit to a local drive-thru. It's time for My Rules of Drive-Thru:

1. Don't order anything crazy - stick to basics and you'll keep the line moving. Go inside if you're feeling creative.

2. Pull up as close as possible to the vehicle ahead of you at all times.

3. Have your mode of payment ready - preferably cold hard cash. Don't be cheap, forget the change - leave a tip.

4. If possible, have a front-seat buddy to quickly hand the change to, plus the order. At least have your vehicle cup-holders cleared out and ready.

5. Once you've received your order, move off smartly - pull ahead at least one carlength if you need to settle up or stabilize things in your vehicle.

6. If your power windows are frozen shut, it's OK to 'kick it old-school' by pulling just past the window and completing the transaction through your propped-open door. Hey, this is Canada.