Images by poshell

Paul O'Shell — Wed, 04 Nov 2026 07:47:08 +0000

Big power in Churchill
After arriving in Churchill the morning of October 22, 2026 I dropped my bags with the VIA station agent for safe keeping and immediately headed out to the HBR yard to snap some pics before the sun swung around creating even more shadows.
The yard at Churchill was much busier than on my four previous visits in the past five years.
Two of the yard tracks were filled with loaded grain hoppers waiting to be pushed through the dumper building at the grain elevator/silos north of the station.
HBRY was one of four of HBR's newest locomotives sitting in the yard when VIS 693 The Hudson Bay backed into the station track on this chilly +2C, feeling -2C morning. ' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	Hudson Bay Railway
Date:	10/22/2026
Location:	Churchill
Province:	Manitoba

3 Comments | 13 Favourites

Smithers this station stop! Smithers!
VIA 005 The Skeena has glided into Smithers, BC for its scheduled station stop enroute to Prince Rupert, BC.
There is plenty of time for passengers to detrain and walk about the premises while the head end crew is changed out. :-)' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	09/03/2026
Location:	Smithers
Province:	British Columbia

Comments | 9 Favourites

Quiet for the time being
Having arrived a few hours earlier in the morning, the consist of VIA 693 rests on the station track while HLCX 1083 idles away in the yard prior to beginning its day pushing grain hoppers through the dumper building at the elevator/silos at the port of Churchill north of the station.
I captured this image while standing on the rubble around a collapsed building.
The consist for VIA 693 The Hudson Bay this day was,
VIA 6418 F40PH-2 locomotive
VIA 6415 F40PH-2 locomotive
VIA 8612 baggage car
VIA 8144 economy coach
VIA 8106 economy coach
VIA 8503 Skyline dome
VIA 8229 Chateau Viger sleeper
The consist would begin its return journey to Winnipeg as VIA 692 later this same day at 20:30 hrs.' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	10/22/2026
Location:	Churchill
Province:	Manitoba

1 Comments | 12 Favourites

Parked Park
VIA 8715 Tremblant Park on the tail end of eastbound VIA 006 The Skeena is parked on the main just east of the station in Prince George, BC.
As soon as VIA 005 the westbound Skeena departs, this consist will back up to the station platform and board passengers headed for Jasper, AB.
I snapped this photo through the rear door window of VIA 8718 Yoho Park that was bringing up the markers on VIA 005.' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	09/03/2026
Location:	Prince George
Province:	British Columbia

Comments | 10 Favourites

Wye you ask?
VIA 6418 and VIA 6415 lead VIA 693 The Hudson Bay through the south leg of the wye at Mile 505.0 on HBR's Herchmer Sub. completing the turning of the passenger consist prior to making the 4.8 mile reverse move to the station in Churchill, MB.
It was a chilly +2C (feeling -2C) when the train arrived in Churchill, but it would warm up to a pleasant +9C by the afternoon providing a comfortable, sunny day for my 11 hours in town.' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	10/22/2026
Location:	Churchill
Province:	Manitoba

Comments | 10 Favourites

Trouble on the Dunnville Sub. 55 years ago today on October 28, 1971 CN's Dunnville Sub. was blocked by a freight train derailment near Canfield, ON.
Working on the Jarvis section crew at the time, we worked three consecutive days to repair the track damage from the derailment and cleanup process.
It was great working with a pair of CN wrecking cranes at the site.
In today's world, the line would have been cleared in just a few hours.
' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	10/28/1971
Location:	Canfield
Province:	Ontario

5 Comments | 11 Favourites

Crew change at Smithers
VIA 6424 leads VIA 006 The Skeena and sits at Smithers, BC Mile 125.2 CN Telkwa Sub. while the Park car on the tail end is at Mile 0.0 on CN's Bulkley Sub. on a beautiful September 4, 2026.
Head end crew members exchange information with each other next to the power as passengers mill about the platform and inside the nicely restored station building.
Even though it is early September, ice and snow can still be seen on the high mountain peaks in the distance.
Great ride, great scenery.' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	09/04/2026
Location:	Smithers
Province:	British Columbia

Comments | 12 Favourites

The Skeena at Burns Lake
VIA 6424 leads VIA 006 The Skeena eastbound out of the town of Burns Lake and skirts the shore of the namesake Lake.' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	09/04/2026
Location:	Burns Lake
Province:	British Columbia

Comments | 15 Favourites

The Canadian
VIA 001 The Canadian is rolling along the station track in front of Jasper station.' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	09/09/2026
Location:	Jasper
Province:	Alberta

Comments | 11 Favourites

McBride or McFride
My journey on VIA 005 The Skeena from Jasper, AB to Prince Rupert, BC is underway and a mid-day stop at CN's immaculate looking station in McBride, BC is an opportunity to snap a few pics.
Unfortunately, the 'taggers' are everywhere doing their destructive 'art'. :-( ' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	09/02/2026
Location:	McBride
Province:	British Columbia

1 Comments | 14 Favourites

Waiting for the new crew
CN 2231 and CN 2292 are ready to continue west out of Jasper Yard as soon as the new crew boards.
There was non-stop train movement during my 4 days in Jasper this past first week of September.
Not a bad place to hang out the last long weekend of summer. :-)' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	09/01/2026
Location:	Jasper
Province:	Alberta

Comments | 8 Favourites

1956 or 2026?
The March 1930 built single track snowplow sits in the barren HBR yard at Churchill, MB among standard flat cars, box cars, and TOFC loads that could easily place this photo in the mid-1950's.
The big give-away as to the timeframe of the pic is the modern Bobcat loader at the right of the frame.
HBRY 55376 (ex-CN 55376) single track snowplow is tied down in front of the station at Churchill, MB Mile 509.8 HBR Herchmer Sub. on April 30, 2026.
At 96 years old, this classic snowplow soldiers on!' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	Hudson Bay Railway
Date:	04/30/2026
Location:	Churchill
Province:	Manitoba

Comments | 15 Favourites

Can I get you a coffee or sandwich?
No meal service today in ONT 1407 Moose River as it sits in a deadline at the ONR yard in North Bay.
ONT 1407 is ex-VIA 1368, exx-CN 1368, nee-CN 908 Luster Lake, a Class PC-79-A, 79' 2'' Buffet Parlor Car.
The car was built new by Pullman Standard in July 1954.' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	Ontario Northland
Date:	09/30/2008
Location:	North Bay
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 9 Favourites

If you want to run trains, you have to do maintenance
The crew of CN Construction Gang CW55 takes a break to conduct a roll-by inspection, and wave at the passengers aboard VIA 005 The Skeena as it rolls past their worksite at CN Wynd, AB Mile 2.57 Albreda Sub. just a few miles west of Jasper.
A nice day to be retired and riding a train. Also a nice day to be working on the railroad.' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	09/01/2026
Location:	Wynd
Province:	Alberta

4 Comments | 12 Favourites

Serene setting
The consist of VIA 692 The Hudson Bay is parked on the station track in Churchill this late September afternoon waiting for passengers to arrive for the journey to Winnipeg.
In a few hours the station will open, and the platform will be busy with baggage vehicles, VIA staff, and anxious travelers.' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	09/28/2023
Location:	Churchill
Province:	Manitoba

1 Comments | 10 Favourites

Wyed and waiting on the station track
VIA 005 The Skeena with VIA 6457 on the point has been turned on the wye in CN's Jasper Yard and is being serviced prior to pulling in front of the station to entrain passengers for the two-day trip from Jasper to Prince Rupert.
' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	09/06/2026
Location:	Jasper
Province:	Alberta

1 Comments | 15 Favourites

Work train at the ready
GREX 2400 is the power and unloading conveyor car for the loaded ballast train ready to head out and dump more stone for the continuing rehabilitation of HBR's tracks to the port in Churchill, MB.
Having taken the VIA 693/692 round-trip from Winnipeg to Churchill twice a year for the past four years I have witnessed the incredible improvements in the roadbed and other infrastructure all along the line.
My next trip is coming up on October 19-25, 2026 and I will be looking to snap some more interesting sights along the remote route for posting to RP.
At the right of the frame, sleeping car VIA 8202 Chateau Bienville brings up the tail-end 'paddle' and rear-facing white light on VIA 693 The Hudson Bay during its scheduled multi-hour station stop in Thompson.' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	Maintenance of Way
Date:	09/27/2023
Location:	Thompson
Province:	Manitoba

Comments | 16 Favourites

Clear signal notch-up
The headend crew calls a 'Clear Signal' at Mile 10.3 on CN's Albreda Sub. followed by a couple of notches on the throttle as VIA 005 The Skeena makes it way west, 10 miles into the two-day journey from Jasper, AB to Prince Rupert, BC.
The searchlight signal at Mile 10.3 is well aimed and provides a crisp clear indication for the two engineers.
Upgrades along the CN subdivisions from Jasper to Prince Rupert are gradually replacing the decades old searchlight masts and heads with new state-of-the-art LED fixtures.' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	09/02/2026
Location:	Geikie
Province:	Alberta

3 Comments | 15 Favourites

Forlorn Van
BCOL 1884 sits abandoned on an overgrown backtrack in the BC interior along CN's Bulkley Sub. near Andimaul, BC.
Searching the internet, I read that BCOL 1884 was the cab on the last caboose equipped train on BC Rail that departed Fort St. John for Fort Nelson on August 12, 2004.
My photo is 22 years later on September 4, 2026.
BC Rail, CN, and VIA Rail all represented in this photo. Location approximate.' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	BC Rail
Date:	09/04/2026
Location:	near Andimaul
Province:	British Columbia

2 Comments | 14 Favourites

The light is on, but the operator is not home
The station agent/operator is long gone from this location.
This space is now occupied by Parks Canada employees and a VIA Rail station attendant at this remote Manitoba location.
VIA 8205 Chateau Closse sleeper brings up the markers (paddle) on VIA 692 just prior to departing Churchill, MB three years ago today on September 28, 2023.' height='150' width='200' />

Name:	Paul O'Shell
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	09/28/2023
Location:	Churchill
Province:	Manitoba

6 Comments | 13 Favourites

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