CN LINES V12N3 - Canadian National Railways Historical Association

elow: By the early 1960s the Bodo Subdivision had become grain dependent. As with other prairie branches the Canadian Wheat
Board implemented the grain block system in the 1969 crop year. At the time the Bodo Subdivision was on the Alberta District.
Locomotives and crews for train operating on the line were based in Calder Yard-Edmonton. By the mid-1980s the line was operated
an average of once every two weeks. Due to deferred maintenance, the line was restricted to lightweight GMD1 units in the 1000series,
rebuilt in 1988-89 into the 1600-series. Typically, the three units used in this wayfreight service were moved in an eastbound
train from Calder to Biggar. Over the next couple of days these units would make Turns from Biggar peddling empties and grain loads
up and down the Porter and the Dodsland Subdivisions. The following day these same units would pick up grain empties at Biggar,
spot them at the elevators on the way down the Bodo Subdivision and lift the loads on the return leg. Once back at Biggar, the units
and grain loads would be cut into a westbound train and return to Calder Yard. In January 1990 jurisdiction over the Bodo Subdivision
was transferred to the Prairie Region Saskatchewan District. In the final years of operation on the Bodo Subdivision, two units were
usually sufficient to handle the local traffic. Here GMD1u’s 1612 and 1614 leave the elevator track at Reward after spotting 13 empties
at the 1930s-vintage elevators on 19 September 1989.—L. S. Kozma photo
left: The trailing shot looking southwesterly shows the Extra Mixed stretched out across
the trestle and the coulee in August 1957. The 23 cars in this train were likely all this
single SW1200RS could handle, even with the moderate grades (westbound maximum
0.4%, compensated) on the Bodo Subdivision. Two tank cars (likely lubricating oil and/or
gasoline bound for the bulk oil plants at Reward—Imperial Oil and B-A—and at Cactus
Lake—Imperial Oil—but their location in the train suggests both were for Reward) were
marshalled right behind the locomotive (now a “no-no,” for safety reasons). Following the
tank cars were an empty flat car, two stock cars, a mixed bag of seven single-sheathed
wood and eight steel boxcars, a wooden express reefer, an ancient mail-express car
(possibly of CNoR heritage) and, finally, the caboose. The loaded boxcars likely carried
merchandise and domestic coal. The empty boxcars were likely for grain loading at some
of the 13 country elevators or the numerous grain loading platforms along the branch.
Clearly, stock was also to be loaded. The reefer and the mail-express car were for lessthan-carload
lot (l.c.l.) freight for distribution to the local stations along the line.
Passengers desperate enough to catch this train presumably rode in the caboose. This
unscheduled Mixed likely met its demise by 1960. Freight service continued on an asrequired
basis.—Bill Johnston photo
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