Riding the Rails in SW Saskatchewan – Part Two

On the first day we “rode the rails” from Climax Saskatchewan to Shaunavon. What an amazing time touring this part of the province in a little railway speeder. After all these months there’s still an afterglow. So we jump to day two, our itinerary taking us from Shaunavon to the little community of Ponteix, where we’ll pull a u-turn and retrace our steps back to where we started many hours earlier. Here’s a day of fun about to happen.

We have plethora hosts this adventure. The railway allowing use of their line is the Great Western. The organization putting it all together is North American Railcar Operators Association (NARCOA, lead here by Michael Ford). Lastly the people hosting us, the folks whose speeder we’ll ride in, Doug and Lori MacDonald. A big thanks to all. We’ve never been treated so well and it’s gone down as one of the most memorable trips ever.

We wake up that morning dreams of the previous day’s adventure still playing in our heads (see:
Riding the Rails in SW Saskatchewan – Part One). We look at each other and grin, then rush out to the meeting point, take in the briefing, get things together and jump in the speeder.

Heck yeah, let’s head out…

1) One of two wood grain elevators found in Shaunavon. It’s so big it blocks out the sun. This structure dates form the 1950s and once belonged to the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, traditionally the province’s, nay the nation’s, largest grain handler. They ceased to exist some years back. If you want to know more, see: Shaunavon SK – railyards and grain elevators.

2) When the snow flies and drifts block the tracks, the railway calls on this plow. With a couple locomotives pushing it makes short work of any blockages. It used to belong to the Canadian Pacific Railway and dates back to the mid-1920s. Yup, it’s an oldie. But since they see little use, they last a long time. The old boxcar beside it (Grad 2003!) is used by the track maintenance department.

3) Clickity-clack, clickity-clack, clickity-clack…cruising along at about forty clicks an hour.

1) A Saskatchewan Giant.

4) John Sharpe trees! A dear friend and a most amazing photographer, he’s been gone a few years now, and had this strange obsession with solitary trees or small groupings of them, standing alone on the prairies. These were one of his most favourite photo subjects and so we shoot them in his honour every chance we get.

2) Snow doesn’t stand a chance.

5) Big skies! Siding leads to a frac-sand unloading site. The stuff is used to liberate oil or gas from stubborn impermeable rock. In the past, they used to load oil tankers here, but was told it’s been a while since that happened.

6) Stopping at the “Scotsguard Bridge” (named after the nearby village), which once carried the highway over the tracks but today is unused. It’s some eighty years old. The entire convoy is seen below it. Specks in the sky are swallows which nest under the structure. They fly about catching insects on the wing, a most chaotic looking dance if there ever was one.

7) It’s a bridge from nowhere to nowhere. Being made of concrete, it was too expensive to remove when the highway was realigned (in the 1970s we think) and so was simply left in place. Good for us photographers, as it’s quite photogenic. In addition to the railway, it also spans a creek.

8) Looking east. And down there, half of team BIGDoer.

9) There are a good number of these “bowstring” bridges across Saskatchewan, at one time hundreds in fact, so many they’ve become an iconic symbol of the province. Many are still in use, but a lot have been bypassed and abandoned. Few have been torn down and should stand as moments to the past for some time to come. To know more about the one seen here: Bridge Hunting – Scotsguard Saskatchewan . Here’s another in the area: Bridge Hunting – Highway 37 Saskatchewan.

10) Little details that capture our attention, here, a reflection. This particular speeder once belonged to CP Rail.

11) Fairmont seems to be the most common make of speeder. This one is topless, which is a nice bonus on a fine day. In back, the flags they do fly.

12) The stop gives everyone the chance to stretch their legs and chat. Here’s a good look at the wheels and brake system.

13) We cross an endless number of lonely back roads devoid of any traffic. The area is lightly populated which explains why things are so quiet. There’s a farm here, a farm there, and once in a while a tiny village and that’s pretty much it.

14) Crossing over a meandering creek. Track once belonged to the CPR and dates from the 1910s. The Great Western has owned it for coming on a couple decades now and keep it in fine shape. Trains run on this section of line a couple/few times per week. We rode on a off day. The track was all ours.

15) Toot-TOOT! Bet it’s pretty deafening.

16) The pilot truck is just at home on the road as it is the rails. Drive is via the road wheels which partially rest on the track. GW Rail was a most gracious host. Here’s we’re in Cadillac (it was a a fuel stop), the town’s grain elevator off in the distance.

17) Yellow seems to be a popular colour. Here we can see the many variations that speeders come in.

3) Just cruising along.

18) Heading out again, the crossing, one of the “busiest” seen this day, is flagged for safety. One car! It’s total gridlock! Anyway, speeders do not set off crossing lights – not a big deal since there’s only a few along this line that have them, where as most are simply marked with crossbucks. I think we could count the cars we saw this day on a hand, maybe two. The shoes can stay on.

19) Downtown Cadillac, and in back the local watering hole. The town dates back to the 1910s, was named after Cadillac Michigan and is home to just shy of a hundred people.

20-21) Connie sees and old farm house and a resultant photo. We saw more abandonment the previous day, but then it was a longer trip.

22) We arrive in Ponteix. Quickly the speeders are spun around in anticipation of the return trip, prior to hitting up a local eatery for lunch. Once again, we’re invited to chow down. We make an offer to help foot the bill but are turned down flat. Now there’s some hospitality.

23) We’re right next to a golf course. The odd looks we got. ”What, never seen a speeder before?” Mumbled under our breath…”damn golfers”. Under theirs…”damn train people”.

24) Everyone helps as best they can. You push, I pull and in no time they’re back on the tracks and pointed in the right direction. Safety vests are mandatory. And oh so stylish.

25) Speeders are manhandled using these extendable handles (a few are equipped with retractable turn tables). The one seen is our ride and once belonged to Canadian National Railways. It was used to ferry work crews about, a job now done by road/rail trucks much like the one piloting us this trip. In the past, near every railway rostered these little rail cars – some lines might have hundreds – but most today are in the hands of enthusiasts or museums.

26) Ponteix was founded in the 1910s by French Settlers and today is home to some six hundred souls. There’s a huge church here, Notre Dame d’Auvergne (Catholic), which dates form the late 1920s. I think you could fit every single person in town into it, with room to spare. What a simply amazing structure! Looked to be a funeral happening on our visit. Would so love to tour it some time.

27) Seen while wandering the dead-quiet main street. Anyone named Aunty M’s has to be a good cook.

28) There’s two grain elevators in Ponteix – an in the past there used to be lot more of them. These ones used to belong to the “Pool” (remember them?) but today are privately owned. The elevator siding was oddly not stuffed full with stored rail cars. Near every other one was.

29) “The Best Safety Device Known is a Careful Man. Safety First. Stop Accidents. Fairmont Railway Motors, Inc.” Words to live by. Fairmont made all manner of railway maintenance vehicles. Today, the firm they evolved from (Harsco) makes road/rail adapters for trucks. Maybe they made the ones seen on our pilot vehicle?

30) In motion again, zooooom! Speed is exaggerated by a slow shutter. Looks like we’ve made the jump to hyper-space, but in reality were barely moving.

31) Flags are like brake lights. Now sure how they signal a turn…

4) Thinking of John Sharpe.

32) This is a signal box controlling crossing lights. Most roads had passive cross-bucks but those few that were paved were lit.

33) They stood still for a moment, sized us up, got this fearful look, then turned tail and quickly ran off. Guess the noise was a bit too much.

34) Grain elevators…the building that defined a province. And while there’s a lot less of them here when compared with long ago (several thousand vs four hundred or so today), they’re still such an iconic symbol. This particular one is found in Cadillac and dates from the 1950s. There used to be many others here. To know more about it, go here: Prairie Sentinels – Cadillac Saskatchewan.

Tank cars are stored on the elevator siding. Small railways can supplement their income doing this and any old disused siding can now be turned into something that makes money.

35) One of our workhorses, this Panasonic (GX85) is small in size but a powerhouse in abilities. And they didn’t even pay us to say that. A good number of the photos seen on this here site come from it. That’s one elaborate Henna design.

36) At a rest stop, a local drops by to chat up some of the NARCOA members. Bet this happens a lot.

37) Few people have seen it or even know it’s exists, your author’s “Angry Locomotive” Tattoo, the anthropomorphic design reflecting both my drive and dogged determination. If you know me, it makes complete sense.

38) Speeding along, at times lost in a daydream. Open door was not just for a better view but helped keep it cool. It was hot as Hades. Hearing protection is a must.

39) The big orange grain elevator in the community of Admiral. Dating from the 1960s, it still wears the colours of its previous owners, Pioneer Grain (today Richardson-Pioneer), a long time player, and a good sized one at that, in the Canadian Grain Industry. Today it’s privately owned and from time to time is used to ship out grain by rail. To know more: Prairie Sentinels – Admiral Saskatchewan.

40) Bridging another little stream. Inner rails protect the bridge should a train derail. They hold the wheels in “check” keeping the car from tumbling off and causing further damage. Think of them as a cheap insurance policy.

41) Back at the Scotsguard Bridge, one of the highlights of the trip.

5) The vast & wonderful expanse that is Saskatchewan.

42) Bunching up during a slow order. North American Railcar Operators Association members come from all over. Many of the ones this trip were in fact from the US. This tight-knit group tours rail line all over the continent, a more fun and interesting hobby difficult to imagine (if I had the money). Everyone had us feeling so welcome and we were treated like royalty. We’re feeling lucky here.

6) A stop to view the Scotsguard Bridge.

43) The name of the town in which an elevator stood was always displayed on its sides. It was tradition. Shaunavon was founded in the 1910s and is the biggest community seen this trip (population about 1700). There used to be upwards of a dozen grain elevators here, now there’s two. To know more about them go here: Shaunavon SK – railyards and grain elevators.

44) After dinner with our hosts, we make our way back to where the speeders are parked for the night, and say our goodbyes. Early that next morning we’ll be on our way back home and the NARCOA group will retrace their steps back to Climax, load up their speeders and disperse to the four winds. It’s a bit of melancholy moment, a most amazing adventure over. The finality of it all. This is something we’ll never forget. And we’re deep in dept to all those who made it happen.

Postscript. There’s a chance we might release more photos from this trip. There was so many good ones that there was no way we could include them all in the two articles. Perhaps we’ll do a follow up piece sometime.

The first instalment…
Riding the Rails in SW Saskatchewan – Part One.

Let’s see some locomotives…
Under Wraps.
Class of ’63.
Aspen Crossing’s new locomotive gets delivered.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date: July, 2017.
Location: Southwest Saskatchewan.
Article references and thanks: Doug & Lori MacDonald, Michael Ford, North American Railcar Operators Association Members, Great Western Railway, Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Records, Canada Census.

7) It’s no longer used.

8) Connie’s down there.

9) There are many like it in the province.

10) The photographer is reflected.

11) The Fairmont make seems to be the speeder of choice.

12) Soon to be on the way.

13) Empty backroad after empty backroad.

14) Crossing over some lazy little creek.

15) Little speeder, BIG horn.

16) The pilot truck of the hosting railway, the Great Western.

17) Stopping in Cadillac.

18) Flagging a crossing.

19) The Cadillac Hotel.

20) Connie sees an old farm…

21) …And here’s one of her shots.

22) Destination Ponteix.

23) Golfer crossing.

24) One by one, they’re spun around.

25) Extendable handles make the job easy.

26) Notre Dame d’Auvergne Parish Church.

27) Down on main street.

28) In the distance, the town’s grain elevators.

29) Safety First!

30) The world zipping past…

31) Flags signal a slowing down.

32) A signal control box.

33) Seconds later they were on the run.

34) The building that defined Saskatchewan.

35) It might be tiny…

36) A local drops by to chat.

37) Rarely on display, the “Angry Locomotive”.

38) Lost in a daydream.

39) In Admiral, it’s big and orange.

40) Check rails are an insurance policy.

41) Back at the bridge.

42) Speeders belong to “NARCOA” members.

43) You always knew what town you were in.

44) Later that night, one last look.