Clickety Clack, Clickety Clack,

The Old Iron Horse going down the track,

Through many feet of fallen snow,

Onward to Churchill and off we go.

A 9:10 departure and it’s all uphill,

Its dependent on Old Iron Horse’s will,

Collecting trappers who count on this line

Moving their canoes for other times,

Stopping, dropping food to eat,

Time for the Pullman to meet and greet,

Old Friends for years along this trek of land,

 Difficult lives deserve a helping hand,

Clickety Clack, Clickety Clack,

Old Iron Horse going down the track,

Through many feet of fallen Snow,

Chugging to Churchill, its off we go.

Inside the cars…people go to the mind,

Only occasional words were spoken in kind,

Goose-down parkas, formed into pillows,

As we whiz by frozen Manitoba Willows,

Arctic boots keep my tootsies warm,

Closing our lids, snuggling on my arm,

Clickety Clack, Clickety Clack,

Old Iron horse running down the track,

Chugging through many feet of fallen snow,

Plowing paths to Churchill,  and off  we go.

The Aurora Borealis trips across the sky,

Non stop lighting helps Iron Horse fly,

Clickety Clack, swaying to and fro,

Iron Horse’s on time, and the word is “All Go.”

Windows iced as thick as my arm,

The train is slowing, patience lost their charm,

Temperature dips to 45 below,

Freezing put a stop to our “Up and Go.”

We sit musing…for hours on the train,

Playing games, trying to stay warm and sane,

Long time inhabitants living out this way,

Tell us, “Do not worry, It won’t be long,

This always happens on our way back home.”

Eight hours later to deadly moan,

A new water pump was being flown,

To a siding a little down the way,

They would have it to us by the end of the day,

Helicare stopped on the landing pad,

Dropped the pump to the C.N. lads,

Jumping on the rail car and forward ho,

Dropped it to us and onward go,

Clickety Clack, Clickety Clack,

Old Iron Horse going down the track,

Plowing many feet of fallen snow,

Its 50 below in Churchill, in the freezing cold.

Grounds are soft, in perma-frost terrain,

Heaving our tracts for the Iron Horse train,

Ice covered bridges,  suspensions 50 feet in the air,

Steam over the Nelson, clacking 50 mph not a care,

Rock and Roll, 50 below,

I witness full strength of our Nelson River flow,

Round the bend, Caribou did roam,

On their paths, new skills being honed,

Our Pullman screeched to a halt,

Caribou were there first, it’s not their fault,

We sat in wait for the herd to disperse,

Learning new words from the conductor in curse,

Clickety Clack, Clickety Clack,

Our old Iron Horse going down the Track,

Through many feet of fallen snow,

Steaming onward to Churchill we go,

Twelve hours late, the train is slowing down,

Looking out the window, I saw a tiny town,

A multi colored rainbow, roofing over like a dome,

Ice crystals all pervading, walled the town as if made by God,

Driving into the station, friends expressing rounds of applaud,

They had been waiting, 12 hours such a wait,

If Iron Horse Runs had Icy walled closed gates,

Churchill community is just isolate,

A trip remembered in fondness, with no doubt,

Because when in trouble and coming out,

A closeness that’s not ordinarily known,

All become equals, no one has the throne,

Clickety Clack, Clickety Clack,

Old Iron Horse back on the track

Plowing many feet of fallen snow,

Up to Churchill and onward ho,

Spent with friends anew, those special times are few,

We laughed and sang, lots of hugging arms,

The meals were superb with collective charms,

Stories of firemen had collective yarns,

Friends were made with no luxuries,

Beer can made angels, paper made wheels,

Home strung popcorn & cranberries made me feel,

That our friends loved us more than anyone could tell,

Those were friendships made in heaven, not of hell,

It wasn’t long before,

Clickety Clack, Clickety Clack

Old Iron Horse was going down the track

Through Many feet of fallen snow,

It was homeward bound to the The Pas we go.

Carolyn d Hogarth wrote this poem on December of 2002.

There are times when a window of time comes along with new friends, that have lots in common, and are fire department life styles. These times are never repeated, and never the same again. It is so special with people you just learn to Love quickly, and without a doubt, it was one of our best Christmases ever spent with others. I will never forget the trip, or the people because many of them are gone now. Bless our friends, Bless that moment in time, and bless the people who took us in, and hugged us with their Love of community. We felt so at home and so blessed. With the deepest Gratitude  I write this from my heart to yours. If   one of you read this, pass thank you on to everyone left. Bless us All.

Carolyn d Hogarth from Canada.