The 2012 Winnipeg river skating trail has been shifted to the Red River from the Assiniboine River this year. The unusually mild temperatures have caused thin ice on the Assiniboine. The river levels are also very low. In the middle of January there is open water on both rivers, unheard of!
Open water under the Main street bridge on the Assiniboine.
The skating rinks at the Forks by the train bridge. Those boxcars must have been built-in the 1950′s.
The start of the skating trail on the northeast side of the Norwood Bridge. More open water in the distance.
The view of the trail on the other side of the bridge. It appears to go on forever. A person could go for a never-ending skate. A guy would have to take a taxi back as exhaustion could kick in.
Hi Markosun,
I’ve just notice that in the 3rd picture there is our art installtion – Winter Garden –
http://www.talmonbiran.com/images/WG01.jpg
http://www.talmonbiran.com/images/WG05.jpg
is there anyway to get an high-res copy of that image?
Best,
River level is not low, it is about 2.25 feet above normal winter level.
http://winnipeg.ca/publicworks/pwddata/riverlevels/
Boxcars were much smaller in the 50s, those are 80s vintage.
What I meant by the river being low is the level compared to last year. Did they still make wooden boxcars in the 1980′s? All new grain cars starting aroung 1980 were the metal hopperbottoms I thought.
Those are all steel, I don’t think wood was used for structure post war at all except for cattle cars. In the 70′s I worked for CN rebuilding boxcars from the 50′s (They were riveted steel construction with wood floors.) to be used for Churchill, during the early era the 100 ton (bottom unloading) cars were considered too valuable for Churchill. Now the hoppers are a dime a dozen so they are used on the Churchill run, albeit 1/3 full.