Railroaders' Nostalgia > Stopping at the "Oasis"

The date was June 17th,1977 and the train is the westbound CP Nelson to Midway BC freight 53, the Monday to Friday freight that served the Boundary Region of British Columbia via CP's southern route across the Province.

Most of the business took place at Grand Forks, however the train would carry on to Midway BC to switch a sawmill there before tying up for the night. All in all, a productive and busy train which kept its crew busy.

However, a daily ritual took place a mile or so east of Grand Forks BC. Beside the adjacent BC Highway 3 was a large produce stand well famed for its potatoes and onions.It was called the "Oasis"

Virtually every westbound 53 would stop, and the crew from the locomotive would purchase sacks of produce, not only for themselves but for friends and family back in Nelson too.

The day I took this picture, I was railfanning with friends, but having worked out of Nelson a couple of years previously, the crew recognized me.

We helped load sacks of potatoes onto the locomotive, and one of our group got to ride to the end of the line.

This line closed and was removed in 1988, but the Oasis farm still prospers beside the highway and the empty right of way.

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June 17, 1977 was my fortieth birthday.
😀
C

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

Nice story and photo Phil. Unfortunately the Grand Forks area is experiencing catastrophic flooding this spring.

http://canoe.com/news/national/catastrophic-flooding-in-grand-forks-b-c-dozens-rescued
http://www.news1130.com/2018/05/13/bcs-flood-season-one-100-years-says-premier-horgan/

In one of the flood articles I read I saw a railroad track. is there still an active RR in Grand Forks?

Great story, very well told! I've heard quite a few similar tales about stopping to pick up something for human consumption. But a huge percentage of those tales were not exactly about picking up something a crew would willingly divulge to the Trainmaster...

;^)

Two active railroads in Grand Forks still. The Grand Forks Railroad operates a small section of former CPR trackage, mostly to switch the Interfor sawmill. Power is an ex-CP SW8, #6703.
The other line is the ex-BN exx-GN line from Kettle Falls WA, the KFIR (Kettle Falls International Railroad). It's part of the Omnitrax group of shortlines, power is a variety of GPs based out of Kettle Falls.

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Darren Boes
Lethbridge, AB
Southern Alberta Railfan

The Grand Forks Railway Company tracks stop a hundred or so feet west of the location in the picture.

Given that the Oasis Farm is right beside a river, perhaps it is underwater now.

Great story and photo. Sad to report that the flooding has washed out the Grand Forks trackage south of the border.

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Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

what an outstanding shot
-DJS