Carrying refugees from the flood-stricken town of Emerson, Manitoba, the last train out forges ahead slowly over tracks deep in flood waters. Men ride at front testing with poles to see if the tracks ahead are not washed out - May 1950.

15 April 2011

Canadian Pacific Reopens Flooded Rail Line

Winnipeg Manitoba - Canadian Pacific Railway has reopened a flooded section of track on its main line in western Manitoba, after rising water levels damaged track and forced it to reroute trains.
 
The Red and Assiniboine rivers, along with their tributaries, are flooding in Manitoba because of snow melting on saturated ground.
 
Floodwater washed out part of CP's railbed east of Brandon, Manitoba, early on Thursday, but traffic was restored Friday morning, said CP spokesman Mike LoVecchio.
 
The CP main line handles about 20 trains a day in both directions combined. CP diverted traffic at reduced speed onto branch lines, LoVecchio said.
 
BNSF Railway Co, the biggest freight carrier in North Dakota, has also had to close branch and secondary lines in that state this week due to Red River flooding.
 
Some roads and highways in Manitoba and North Dakota are also closed because of flood water.
 
Rod Nickel.