Harry Fuller
Harry Fuller, deceased Machinist, was elected Mayor of the City of Transcona and served 6 consecutive terms spending a total of 20 years on the Transcona council. He was the last mayor of the City of Transcona when the City of Winnipeg amalgamated into one metro area. His wife was Harvey Hosfield's aunt so Mr. Fuller was an uncle. It seems to Harvey that he heard that he came from England in the very early 1900s. Jim Fuller, a cousin was his youngest boy and owns Top Hat Florists on St. Mary's Rd.
Harvey Hosfield's Dad lost his life in a switching accident at Portage on Jan. 5/43. He lost both legs and right hand, and did not want to live that way because his sister, Aunt Mary Fuller lost a leg at the curve at the East end near Water Ave. When going to work in the 20's she was coming in from Transcona by train and was in the vestibule when there was a surge behind her and she was pushed out.
Mary's sister-in-law also lost a leg crawling under the train at the elevator yard at Transcona. She lived in the South Side and was crossing at the mid-way at CN's main shop while on her way to work.
Vern McGregor
Originally named Nokomis, SK, Vern McGregor, retired Signals, was recognized by CN with the siding renaming and extention to 12,399 feet.
The "Woods-Lewis" Switch Point Protecting System
Samuel T. Lewis, Grandfather of Janet Lewis Anderson, and Benjamin S. Woods developed the "Woods-Lewis" Switch Point Protecting System in 1915. Efficiency, safety and economy were the benefits of this system.
Safety features included:
- no derailments, account of split switch points
- no broken switch points
- no worn switch points
- lost motion in switch adjustments care for
- switch points will suffer less on account of ice and snow
- all danger to rolling stock at switch point removed
Economy included:
- Costs less to install than one new switch point
- slots are cut in rails in track to suit any make of switch point
- switch points last as long as the stock rail
- sixty per cent of switch points now in service can be saved
- maintenance of switch points reduced to the minimum
The Gray Family Story - Jasper, AB
An excerpt from the book, "Jasper Reflections". The Gray Family Story as written by Janette Gray Lewis.Dining with Sir Henry Thornton
A dinner invitation to Alex (Sandy) Gray and wife to join Sir Henry Thornton for dinner at Jasper Park Lodge following the laying of the cornerstone of the new Seton Hospital in Jasper 1927.
Canadian National Railway Magazine 1920
An excerpt from the Canadian National Railway Magazine, featuring a write up by A. Gray, Correspondent. Check of the picture of Janette Gray Lewis at age 3.
Lucerne, BC
Notes on the history of Lucerne from a slideshow by the Late Alexander Torrence Gray, Locomotive Foreman.
Alexander (Sandy) Phimister - Canada's Scottish Comedian
Margaret Emek recently wrote a four-page article on her family. Her father, the late Alexander (Sandy) Phimister, emigrated from Scotland in 1909 at the age of 23 and settled in Winnipeg. He was a born entertainer performing at many functions and venues here in Winnipeg and became well known as Canada’s Scottish Comedian. He found work as a CN Carpenter, fought in France in W.W. War 1, was wounded and repatriated to Canada siring two sons and a daughter. His son, Marsh Phimister was a well know entertainer in his own right. Many will remember Marsh as the bandleader at the Winnipeg Beach dance pavilion. He also played at the “Cave” in downtown Winnipeg, owned “Jacks’ Place’ on Pembina Highway.
John Almdal - A Short Story About Riding an Engine at Age 9
A lot of Manitobans do not know that the GNRW (now the BNSFRW) "own" the CN Lettelier Sub, Noyes, Emerson to Portage Jct, (Pembina Highway / Jubilee), and on the Gladstone Sub, to St. James Jct. (Lanark St.). CN still has a running rights agreement over these portions. It is named the Midland Railway of Manitoba, jointly owned with the NP. From its Yard on Lanark St., (which is still there and their offices are there now), it used to run to just north of William Ave, and then east to Salter St. That is where they had their Manitoba offices and freight sheds. Winnipeggers knew it as Fruit Row. For years overpasses remained after the tracks were removed from Arlington, McPhillips, and other streets for this railway to make its way to Salter Street.
The majority of freight handled was refrigerated cars, (ice in those days,) with fresh fruit and vegetables. There were daily trains as the RR handled 95% of all fruit and vegetables from the states for sale in Manitoba. In my school years we peddled our bikes from Elmwood over to fruit row, sometimes on Friday night, mostly Saturday and Sunday, and were given the job to help unload the boxes of fruit and vegetables, and after six hours work, plus or minus, would be given a box of fruit or vegetables for our work, no money, no labour laws in those days, at least no one came around to tell anyone different. My mother would tell me which fruit or vegetable to bring home each time I worked.
I was nine years old when I went on my first "trip" to fruit row with my brothers and their friends. The people on fruit row did not care how old I was, only that I could do the work without getting hurt (they never asked me my age). There were so many that "kids" showed up, they soon learned to know who were the "workiest", and I soon had a reputation as the "workiest" as one foreman called me. I had to be the “workiest” because if I didn't come home with a box of fruit or vegetables, I was in trouble. I had to "earn" my bicycle.
This was during the depression days, so our mothers never complained about child labour. I might add this was a 24/7-day operation due to the perishable nature of the goods. The only thing my mother worried about, was riding our bicycles home in the dark with a box of fruit or vegetables on the handlebars.
It was while I was at fruit row I had my first ride in the cab of a steam engine. When we had a short break, which was rare, I would go over to a steam engine parked close by, waiting for empties to return to Lanark Street. One evening getting to know the crews, they were requested to go down to the CP interchange near Arlington St., (behind the old Burns Packing plant), and pick up loaded refrigerated cars. They asked me if I wanted to go along. Do horses love oats?!! I was so excited that I didn't sleep for a whole week!
More John Almdal
My "fifteen minutes of fame", was that I had the honour of being one of the members of the running crews selected to handle the Royal Trains in Manitoba in 1967 and 1970. The VLS & PDCRW did not exist in 1967. In 1970, The Federal and Provincial Governments planned to have the Queen travel on the Paddlewheel Queen from Winnipeg to Lower Fort Garry. The Federal and Provincial Cabinets would travel on the PDCRW via CP Rail Winnipeg to Lower Fort Garry July 1st and hold a mock Parliament to celebrate Manitoba's Centennial Year. The Federal and Provincial Governments provided $25,000 to refurbish #3 (included retubing) which was completed in Transcona Shops. Crews consisted of Engineer Ralph Grant, Firemen Ed Kowlson and Wilf Hendrickson, Trainmen Doug Louden, Lloyd Marshall, Conductor John Almdal & CP Engineman Pilot Bill Barr. CP Vice-President George Allison from Calgary also accompanied them. He was dressed in cowboy attire (ten gallon hat, high boots, etc). It was a great experience!
To see a photo of John, visit our photo section under CN People in the Workplace.
A Shot In The Dark - 1972 by John Almdal
It was a typical early November evening, light drizzle, chilly, when the Thunder Bay Ontario 23:00K Neebing Tramp Yard Assignment, crew reported for work. The crew consisted of the Foreman, (Fieldman, Footboard), Switchmen, Engineer, and Fireman / Helper. All crew members were experienced railroaders with the exception of the Footboard Switchman having only several months experience.
While performing their duties, the Fieldman usually accompanies the Foreman, who, according to the switch list, uncouples the cars, the Fieldman lining the switches, while the Footboard Switchman remains with the locomotive, or applies hand brakes on cars allowed to run free to designated tracks.
After reviewing their switch list of chores to perform for the shift with the Yardmaster, the Foreman and Fieldman proceeded out to the Locomotive, which had been brought out of the engine service tracks by the Footboard Switchman, and parked in front of the Yard office.
The locomotive consist was made up with two units back to back, with the Locomotive Engineer sitting on the south side of the cab, operating from the east unit, as their first chore, was transferring a train of grain to Thunder Bay North located on the east side of the city.
They picked up a caboose on the nose of the diesel, from the caboose track located at the east end of the yard. The intent was to proceed through to a clear track to the west end of the yard, shoving the caboose ahead of the locomotive, instructing the Footboard man to line the switch to track number three on the lead and informing him that the numbers of each track are stenciled on the target of each switch. The Foreman and Fieldman boarded the unit and rode in the cab. All switches on the lead were located on the north side of the lead.
The Footboard man proceeded down the lead, riding on the leading steps of the caboose, counting the switches from the east end of the lead to the third switch, lined same, and gave the Engineman a signal to proceed down the track. He took up a position just inside the door of caboose, where he could observe the track ahead and stay out of the rain. The Engineman dimmed the headlight to assist in viewing the track ahead as it was only shining through the windows of the doors of the caboose.
After proceeding about 30 cars lengths, moving at approximately 10 mph, the movement came into collision with a standing grain train.
The ensuing investigation, revealed the Footboard Switchman, instead of observing the track number on the switch target, counted the number of switches located on the lead from the east end of the lead, and lined the third switch, instead of observing the track number on the target, as instructed by the Foreman lining the movement into track two.
The problem was that there was a crossover switch at the top of the lead. Therefore, the switch for track three was the forth switch from the top of the lead.
The collision resulted in minor injuries to the crew in the cab of the locomotive, while the Foot board Switchman received a broken arm and other non serious injuries.
The Foreman received a reprimand for not properly supervising and remaining with the junior Yardman during the movement. The Yardman, as he did not have six months service, received a letter of caution to his file related to his responsibility to the incident.
An interesting controversy followed as between the investigating Trainmaster, Engineering Officer, and the Equipment Officer, as to whether it was a collision / derailment, or just a collision.
Close scrutiny revealed that only one pair of wheels on the caboose had raised slightly above the rails in the collision. Therefore, the Trainmaster stated, as the wheels had not made contact with the ground, it was not a derailment, just a collision. The Engineering Officer and the Equipment Officer both stated as the wheels had left the rails, it was a collision / derailment. They finally agreed it was a collision / derailment.
The point is really mute as it was a costly, frightful accident, and fortunately more serious injuries were not incurred.
On recommendation of the Investigating Officers, the crossover switch was relocated to the north side of the lead which ended the confusion of the switches.
To view some photos from this collision, please visit our Photo Section in the album "Wrecks".
(From the memoirs of John K.T. Almdal submitted March 6th, 2012)
Symington Train Crew Line Up, March 1st, 1977
More pages from our past received from John Almdal include this CN Symington Train Crew Line Up from 1977. What is interesting about this crew line up is that this was the last line up issued by the CN Crew Office for Passenger trains as VIA commenced all operations and responsibilities for passenger trains and the crews prior to October 1st, 1977, and thereafter issued all crew line ups for passenger trains. Click on Crew to view the line up.
History Bits from Ochre River and Area
Jeannette Grzadka, a CN Pensioner who is working on her family tree, came across this bit about the C.N.R. Station in Ochre River in a book called "Between Mountain and Lake" a History of Ochre River written in 1970. To read some of the history bits, please click here.
Historical Review of The Winnipeg Union Station
To read about the history of the Winnipeg Union Station as sourced from the Histoirc Sites and Monuments Board of Canada Railway Station Report, please click here.
