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Riding VIA Rail Train #1 "The Canadian" from Toronto to
Vancouver.
Thursday, May 1, 2025
Eastbound and Westbound Canadians Meet.
It's 0145. We are in the middle of nowhere. It is pitch black. There is no
internet signal.
Canadian National's track is very rough. Sleep is fitful, but
at least I’m laying down.
0230 arriving @ Hornepayne, Ontario. A double stack train departs ahead of us,
as we come to a halt. According to my schedule, we are "waiting for time",
finally departing at 0309. OT. Somewhere in that span of stillness, I fall back
to slumber.
By 0500, trying to sleep further is useless, so I get up, hit the shower, get
dressed, and fold my "Murphy Bed" back into the wall. Outside, there's a light
drizzle as we pass frozen lakes, pine forest and swamp. Gray and Bleak.
0745 I left my still-asleep brother a note and headed to Frontenac for morning
chow. I missed a meet shot with a monster double stack, but had a wonderful ham
& cheese omelet. Priorities. I overheard we are 1 hour late.
After vittles, I tried the dome. Why is it empty? Oh. No forward or rear
visibility. We need to roll out of this weather.
Excuse me, I have to go PASCOPEE.
Finally, some color outside.
CN #3085 (a GE ET44AC) flies by us on the main eastbound.
Back to the dome. More folks are upstairs despite the precipitation. An
announcement is made, we're about to meet our opposite number, VIA #2. I can't
miss that.
Here she comes. VIA #1 (our train) is standing on the main. As VIA #2 takes
siding, notice how rickety the track is. Our head end crewman is giving #2 a
proper rollby inspection.
VIA 6429 is a rebuilt F40PH-2D locomotive leading the eastbound.
Domes galore curve alongside; Four domes in shot; an unidentified Park Series
dome observation carries the markers for #2.
Sioux Lookout, ON. We are now on Central Time. The depot is a two-story, English
Tudor affair, quite fancy for out here in the boonies. We depart one hour, five
minutes late.
I think we opted for Second Sitting today (1230). Lunch was Chicken Rice Soup
(not shown), Shrimp Cobb Salad and fudge brownie with ice cream. The variety and
meals continue to impress.
1350. We are in the siding at CN Sunstrum. An announcement is made we will be
holding here for TWO eastbounds. Also said we’d be late into Winnipeg. No
kidding.
I'm beginning to understand why #1 keeps getting stabbed. CN runs these 15,000
foot (roughly three miles long) Monster container trains -- which won’t fit in
any siding. So we wait.
1405 The first train had colorful overseas boxes (the units flew past before I
could raise my camera). I like the turquoise 20' container in the third frame.
Dong? DONG? Where is grandfather's automobile? LAKE! BIG LAKE!
1430 The second train (domestic 53' containers) has CN 3033 fogging past my
window. Gotta find a Canadian Tire box out there somewhere....AH, there we are!!
And we’re on our way again. Nap time!
Still in Ontario, but closing in on Manitoba, we happen upon this rustic,
backwoods railway station called, "Ottermere". Apparently, its a real station --
a flag stop maybe? -- got their own baggage cart and everything.
Meanwhile, with gritted teeth, my poor brother tries to capture an elusive wi-fi
signal.
1830 Crossing into Manitoba, we halt at the 307 Road crossing near Brereton
Lake. Apparently we have a medical emergency on board with RCMP and ambulance in
attendance outside. I hope they recovered quickly!
Welp, seeing as I have more than enough fuzzy, gloomy photographs today, it's
time to head for the diner and another excellent repast....which I forgot to
take pictures of. :(
After supper, it's back to the dome as we trundle into the setting sun.
We finally reached Winnipeg @ 2100. I tipped Hayley our car attendant (and crew
chief of onboard service) and headed to my bunk.
Tomorrow, The Sunny Prairies await!
 
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