tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post5279996730005330066..comments2023-07-02T09:22:57.566-05:00Comments on Confessions of a Train Geek: The Piney Train StationCanadian Train Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-13203357695846337782021-11-06T23:48:00.477-05:002021-11-06T23:48:00.477-05:00It was great to see the Thompson Garage. I am a re...It was great to see the Thompson Garage. I am a relative of the THompsons of Piney. It is a small world indeed when you consider I now live in The Philippines my son In Australia and we would love to visit one day post Covid. Please look after it. Thanks again. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12484844054603315729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-25505228438937465712021-05-31T13:33:09.048-05:002021-05-31T13:33:09.048-05:00Family had a farm in Woodridge in 50 -70’s. Loved ...Family had a farm in Woodridge in 50 -70’s. Loved it out there. Razzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04511709683347225341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-2977956438988000372017-09-10T12:43:33.070-05:002017-09-10T12:43:33.070-05:00You have to remember that in the 1940s the only Ro...You have to remember that in the 1940s the only Road the Winnipeg was to go on the Sprague Morton Road so I think it was much quicker to catch the train travel to and from Sprague to Winnipeg didn't get easy until the number 12 Highway was built and that was in the 1960s if I recall correctly<br />Roger Nelsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12356379719486066892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-17000791706790647272017-09-10T06:58:13.521-05:002017-09-10T06:58:13.521-05:00Hi Steve, Just catching up on old posts. My 1945 ...Hi Steve, Just catching up on old posts. My 1945 timetable shows the same timings. Eastbound passengers had to wait just under 5 hours in Sprague if they wanted to head to Fort Frances or Duluth. Westbound the connection was much shorter - only 1h20min in Sprague from the Duluth - Winnipeg train.<br /><br />Hard to imagine small towns like that with daily passenger trains!<br /><br />WesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-82356809507035963322017-04-14T09:47:51.009-05:002017-04-14T09:47:51.009-05:00Steve - just to let you know - the book is called ...Steve - just to let you know - the book is called Pine Valley Echoes and it is a history of Badger, Menisino and Piney - It was published in June, 1988 by The Piney Area History Book Committee, in Piney<br />It was printed by Derksen Printed Ltd.. in Steinbach - if that helps you in your search at all. the book is blue in color and has an etching of the old Piney train station on the cover.<br />I know there was a garden, but I cannot for the life of me remember where it was and as for the fruit trees, the odds of any of them still being there are slim, but who know - one or two may have survived. Worth a look to see anyway.SLDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15465088627714821176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-44335650008622209072017-04-13T21:26:47.655-05:002017-04-13T21:26:47.655-05:00Thanks, Michael! It is surprising that it is still...Thanks, Michael! It is surprising that it is still standing.. let's hope it has a few more years left.Canadian Train Geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-86950431239284517012017-04-13T18:47:45.472-05:002017-04-13T18:47:45.472-05:00This is a fascinating post. I'm amazed that a ...This is a fascinating post. I'm amazed that a structure like that old station is still standing, given that it appears to be a wooden building. I guess we can't save them all, but at least we have images. Nice find.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07917230984518214781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-40263966887953535742017-04-05T21:20:15.372-05:002017-04-05T21:20:15.372-05:00Hi Anonymous I imagine that was a great place to p...Hi <b>Anonymous</b> I imagine that was a great place to play. I wonder if any of those fruit trees still exist and bear fruit? Was there a station garden?<br /><br />Thanks for the confirmation about the Piney book. I will have to check out some used book stores to see if I can find it.Canadian Train Geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-41399850484160550002017-04-05T20:59:43.049-05:002017-04-05T20:59:43.049-05:00Hi Jenn, definitely visit your family.. and the st...Hi <b>Jenn</b>, definitely visit your family.. and the station.. but especially the station. We have a few nice grain elevators too! ;)Canadian Train Geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-34075532697884528012017-04-05T20:58:28.594-05:002017-04-05T20:58:28.594-05:00Thanks CdnBlueRose, I'm glad you liked the pho...Thanks <b>CdnBlueRose</b>, I'm glad you liked the photos and the information. Thanks for commenting!Canadian Train Geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-32089313323804099012017-04-05T14:51:55.838-05:002017-04-05T14:51:55.838-05:00In answer to Steve Boyko -on April 4th - there is ...In answer to Steve Boyko -on April 4th - there is indeed a History book on Piney and all surrounding areas. I have a copy of it myself - and read it often - Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-27912791050000290852017-04-05T14:48:01.427-05:002017-04-05T14:48:01.427-05:00I spent many, many hours visiting in the Piney Sta...I spent many, many hours visiting in the Piney Station House back in the 1950's and 60's. Mr. Foster was the Retired Station Master at the time and our families were very close friends. He had a beautiful orchard out in the yard of the station house that he took a lot of pride in, and every fall he always had a bumper crop of fruit. It was a great old house to play in and to see it now brings tears to my eyes when I think of what a wonderful place it used to be. How sad that nobody seems to care about preserving the past anymore. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-51647642249487567722017-04-04T20:34:02.441-05:002017-04-04T20:34:02.441-05:00WOW.....love this!! Great photos, great old stati...WOW.....love this!! Great photos, great old station. I have family in Manitoba and may have to visit that train station, and the family. But mainly that train station. Jennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12021355195598601028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-72392041559909690012017-04-04T20:29:00.585-05:002017-04-04T20:29:00.585-05:00I love this! Both the pictures and the info. Than...I love this! Both the pictures and the info. Thank you!CdnBlueRosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01195187923033619752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-51698487387729758582017-04-04T14:19:53.179-05:002017-04-04T14:19:53.179-05:00Terry thanks for that detail on the double track.....<b>Terry</b> thanks for that detail on the double track.. hard to imagine the line being busy enough for double track but I guess it was a lot more common then. I imagine a LOT has changed since then.Canadian Train Geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-25579713316671093182017-04-04T14:18:40.817-05:002017-04-04T14:18:40.817-05:00BW Bandy plenty of back roads to explore between A...<b>BW Bandy</b> plenty of back roads to explore between Alberta and Piney! :)Canadian Train Geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-26754736426249495082017-04-04T14:17:53.341-05:002017-04-04T14:17:53.341-05:00Hi Anon, welcome to Piney! I think there is a loca...Hi <b>Anon</b>, welcome to Piney! I think there is a <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/history-of-piney/oclc/419459427" rel="nofollow">local history book on Piney</a> but I haven't found a copy yet.<br />Canadian Train Geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-53929102123875717992017-04-04T14:09:40.068-05:002017-04-04T14:09:40.068-05:00Hi Steve. At one time there was double track which...Hi Steve. At one time there was double track which I think went from Hickey west thru Sprague to South Junction. At the west end of the double track there was a switch that had to be turned to allow trains to get on to or off of the Ridgeville Sub. At some point there could have been a passenger train that took the Ridgeville Sub to Emerson and then the Letellier Sub into Winnipeg and to the CN Station. Probably less train traffic on the Ridgeville Sub. was the reason parts of the south track were torn up. The result was a passing track(siding)at Hickey, Sprague, and South Junction with a switch to access the Ridgeville Sub at the west end of S.J. Sprague was a small yard. It had a pump house and water tower west of the station and a coal dock beside the west leg of wye.The Canada Customs was housed in the station.Then came the diesel era.I grew up in Sprague 1950-. My Dad worked on the track, starting in Sprague in 1926. I started working on the track in Sprague in 1968. Railroading has changed quite a bit since 1926. Terry Viddal.Terry Viddal - Winnipegnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-52036730659240067092017-04-04T09:34:17.626-05:002017-04-04T09:34:17.626-05:00This is not good at all. After seeing these I am g...This is not good at all. After seeing these I am getting incrementally obessive about driving out to see this. Definitely not good since I live in Alberta. BWBandyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15435259893321037788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-9077854692526582942017-04-03T23:10:51.547-05:002017-04-03T23:10:51.547-05:00Hi. Thanks for the info. My partner and I just mov...Hi. Thanks for the info. My partner and I just moved to Piney and we're wondering about the history of the town. One question answered more to research!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-69870608491286652262017-04-03T22:53:36.009-05:002017-04-03T22:53:36.009-05:00Hi Chris, a lot of the rail line has been oblitera...Hi <b>Chris</b>, a lot of the rail line has been obliterated in the last 40 years. You can see a bit of it in town forming a triangle with highway 89 and the east-west road that the station is on. The line paralleled the station road for a bit then crossed in an arc to the south about a mile east of the station. You might be able to pick up the line if you go to South Junction and work west.Canadian Train Geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-12785858942923955122017-04-03T22:17:54.189-05:002017-04-03T22:17:54.189-05:00Great post! You inspired me to do a streetview tou...Great post! You inspired me to do a streetview tour of the town. It's small but I could spend some time there. Looks like the old hotel in "downtown". Nice. Looked on Google Earth for the old rail line but darn if I can see any signs of it. Like it was never there. Or am I missing it? Chris BIGDoer Doeringhttp://www.bigdoer.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-48019381378385497782017-04-03T21:17:06.208-05:002017-04-03T21:17:06.208-05:00Hi Patrice, thanks for your comment! It's pret...Hi <b>Patrice</b>, thanks for your comment! It's pretty hard to see Winnipeg from Ottawa :)<br /><br />I've seen the fence going up at Central Grain to protect the street against debris. It'll be coming down soon. I hope to get out there tomorrow afternoon to shoot a few photos, and I'll have to get out in the morning to get a trackside view too.<br />Canadian Train Geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-26395875286506569442017-04-03T20:30:25.653-05:002017-04-03T20:30:25.653-05:00Hi Steve. I just came across your blog. Great pi...Hi Steve. I just came across your blog. Great pictures of the Piney station and great overall blog. I too am a Winnipeg train geek. The problem is that I now live in Ottawa... :-( Whenever I'm back in town, my brother and I try and track down whatever we can.<br /><br />Were you aware that Central Grain on Archibald Street in St. Boniface is currently being demolished? There will soon be great views of the Emerson sub from there. A few picks of the demolition might be interesting too. Too bad they demolished the old CPR station that used to be right at the end of Provencher some years ago. Cheers,<br /><br />PatPatricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07381586104480924655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-42990972505117444382017-04-03T20:19:50.055-05:002017-04-03T20:19:50.055-05:00Hi Mel, thanks for your comment. I guess the owner...Hi <b>Mel</b>, thanks for your comment. I guess the ownership is still up in the air..<br /><br />Yes, please feel free to share on your page, just link here, please.<br /><br />Thanks for the information on the Sprague museum. I will have to get there sometime soon!Canadian Train Geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.com