A new book hits the rails...

In case you didn't know, or had forgotten - Minnedosa is a train town!!

For well over a century trains and the men and women who run them have moved, people, freight and almost everything imaginable back and forth across the tracks that intersect the townsite ... Over the last few years the vestiges of a proud railroader history have fallen by the way side ...

Gone are the elevators, the round house, the coal and water towers, the cafes, the Tremont, and almost everything else associated with the Railroad in Minnedosa ... all except for the historic Minnedosa CPR Train Station that was saved by a small dedicated group of people who range across the spectrum of Minnedosa.

Tomorrow the Save Our Station Committee are gathering in the Minnedosa Regional Library to launch a book of Railroad history ...

Called Trails to Rails, and written by Minnedosa's own Bob Mummery (the editor of the Minnedosa Tribune), the book is a wonderful account of the history of Minnedosa that is intertwined with the twin metal rails that have been the life line of this town for well over a Century.

Filled with personal stories, photos, mementoes and reminders of a proud and storied history, Bob has done justice to the many generations of railroaders who kept the Minnedosa and Braedenbury Subdivisions running smoothly. I commented to one of my fellow committee members that the book has everything - it has train wrecks, adventures on the high seas, war stories, humour ... the only thing it is lacking is sex ... He smiled and thought for a moment and said - "well, I'm sure that was happening in town, but Bob just didn't write about it ..." The third member of the committee said, "I'm pretty sure that was happening, otherwise there wouldn't have been second or third generations of railroaders ..."

So, tomorrow at 4pm we launch the book that chronicles the history of railroads in Minnedosa - Trails to Rails is a wonderful read, and informative book and a marvelous accomplishment by a gentleman and a fine, fine writer. Thanks Bob for doing this, and sharing what you have learned and gathered with the rest of us ...

(oh, just in case you're wondering - the train at the top of this has absolutely nothing to do with the CPR of Minnedosa - it was the only train picture I had ... I took it last spring in Ontario visiting a train museum in St Thomas ... and I thought it made a nice lead in to announcing the book launch !!!)

Hope to see you tomorrow !!!