As we pulled west through the Glenwood Yard, it was only a few minutes before a goal of riding the Canadian Pacific Railway line from Glenwood to Winnipeg would become a reality and I rode in the open door baggage car.
Canadian Pacific 2816 started pulling me up the track that led to Thief River Falls and Winnipeg and brand new rail mileage.
We diverted from the route I had travelled to Portal in 2004.
Canadian Pacific 2816 rounding the new curve, now on its way north.
Typical Minnesota farming country.
Passing a lake in the National Waterfowl Protection Area.
We passed under the northernmost east-west Interstate Highway, 94, in Minnesota.
Farm buildings.
Passing through Alexandria at Milepost 136.8.
Passing Lake Geneva.
Rant Lake.
A hay-rolling machine.
Cora Lake.
Portage Lake.
Buchanan Lake.
Ottertail Lake.
I saw the first good autumn colours.
Beneath the Ottertail grain elevator at Milepost 179.5.
Mud Lake, after which we took the siding at Vergas, Milepost 201.1
We met Canadian Pacific 6015 East here and once he cleared, we continued on our way north.
Water, water, everywhere!
Round Lake.
Marian Lake.
Some beautiful trees before we approached Detroit Lakes.
Entering Detroit Lakes, Milepost 213.9.
We took the siding again for another freight train where we met Canadian Pacific 5942 East.
The city's water tower. We slowly made our way to the BNSF crossing of its Staples Subdivision, which was once guarded by a brick interlocking tower.
Canadian Pacific 2816 waited for BNSF 7704 East to clear the crossing.
Once BNSF 7704 East cleared, we crossed the BNSF with a green signal.
Climbing out of Detroit Lakes.
The train ran through Ogema, Milepost 234.5. "Ogema" means "a chief" in the Ojibwa Indian langauge.
We had an unexpected stop at Waubun, Milepost 240, to check the fluid level on one of the engine's parts and sat for about twenty-five minutes.
A view of Waubun while we sat. Its Ojibwa Indian name means "the east", "the morning" and "the twilight of dawn". When the SOO Line built through the county in 1903-1904, the general manager and his chief engineer named the stations as they moved north. All the towns on the rservation had to have Indian names.
Once on the move again, ne and my shadow in the late afternoon sun of the baggage car.
The author in the open door baggage concession car.
Sunset was a beautiful experience from the steam train. It grew dark before we crossed BNSF's former Great Northern Grand Forks Subdivision at grade at Erskine. We ran through Brooks, Plummer and Hazel before arriving at the former Soo Line station at Thief River Falls at 8:32 PM. I boarded the first shuttle out to the Seven Clan Casino and Hotel, which was about ten miles east and checked in, receiving a room on the ground floor. I called home to check in with my mother before she departed on a New York-to-Quebec City Princess Cruise tomorrow morning then watched a little television before calling it a night after another fantastic excursion with Canadian Pacific 2816.
