Winnipeg Whiplash and Manitoba Mishaps

Rail-vehicle collisions, derailment and fires have made the pages of Winnipeg newspapers over the years.  Being a railway city, it's not surprising to find these images tucked in my files from decades past. I guess you could say these are the genuine article!

I CAUGHT THE 11:05 (top photo) On February 6, 1989 a Honda Civic ecomes a flanger for CN. Pushed 40 metres after crossing Chevrier Boulevard in the train's path. 

SPEED THE PLOW (below) City of Winnipeg grader in plow service crossing crossbuck-equipped Mollard Road between Ritchie and King Edward Streets - cab noise may have drowned out the sound of the approaching CP freight. The grader was a $150,000 writeoff. The locomotive sustained $2,000 damage.

CAT's A TONIC: Undated, for these eight stranded boxcars. The CP switcher switched off the track, so a nearby Caterpillar bucket loader pushed the errant cars across King Edward Street, averting a cat-astrophe!

BUS RIDER: On December 21, 1987, a CN movement on King Edward Street collided with a Winnipeg city bus. The bus may not have come to a complete stop at the crossing before becoming wedged against the transfer van:

SUBURBAN SPRAWL: On February 8, 1986, on the same day as the Hinton, Alberta CN-VIA collision, a much more minor collision occurred, between a CP freight train and a 1982 GMC Suburban on Jefferson Avenue.

SPERRY THE GORY DETAILS: On February 9, 1996 a westbound Fastrax transport truck met a southbound Sperry Rail Service 131 on the Perimeter Highway between St. Anne's Road and Lagimodiere Boulevard.

A BUNCH OF HOSERS: On June 23, 1988 this CN work car aboard flat car CN 665477 was smouldering in CP's Winnipeg Yard north of Henry Avenue, between Arlington and Salter Streets. A CP Police constable covers the Company's assets. The aged car was likely heading for scrapping, its numbers removed.

MESSIER AND MESSIER: CN road-rail crane lifts one of two derailed boxcars that left the track at 1305 at a crossing between Messier and Archibald Streets after leaving Maple Leaf Mills.

HADASH SMASH: Greater Winnipeg Water District's Mack railbus was struck by a transport truck hauling canola down Highway 11 near Hadashville:

BOXCAR HERE, BULKHEAD THERE:  CN No 201 derailed eight of 85 cars in Transcona, at Mi. 251.3 of the Redditt Sub on April 26, 2002. Ninety percent of the train's tonnage was behind two empty centre-beam bulkhead flatcars; slack action run-in caused the derailment.

CP TRUCK SMUCK: C:P 5914 hit a transport truck west of Austin. Damage to the locomotive was estimated at $100,000. It was returned to Winnipeg for repairs. The truck and trailer were totally destroyed.

Running extra...

The last week of October was a busy one in Canadian railway history. Thanks to Bill Staiger and his Tortoise Tattler: