On a siding in Hornepayne

The Train was making decent time until Hornepayne. I moved to the forward dome car to look ahead where I saw that there was only one coach car before the baggage car but two Château cars beyond that. Train gossip suggests that they are being deadheaded back West after hauling a tour group to Toronto.

After an hour and the sighting of the first wildlife so far (three crows) train shunted itself off the main line onto a siding. It was announced that the track ahead was blocked by a single-car derailment. There were crews dealing with the situation but we would be delayed for at least another two hours. Three container trains have joined us on the sidings. I explained to a fellow passenger that while only one car had derailed, given that freight cars often weigh over 100 tons when loaded, it still took time and equipment to get a car back on the track.

So here we are at least three hours late, and still no definitive word from CN as to when the track will be clear. The doors have just been reopened for the benefit of the smokers!

The only plus is that Hornepayne has cell coverage.

9.22 PM Moving again, with luck, this isn't just shunting to make space.

9.26 PM No such luck.

9.39 PM Moving. Feels definitive.

Brief update

Toronto was almost entirely devoid of snow when we left banging time. However, the morning found the Canadian rolling through a snowy, "winter wonderland" forest with snow falling on the dark green conifers and bare birches interspersed with lakes. From the dome car, you can see the light fluffy snow blow off and around.

Now just leaving Foleyet.

On board the Canadian again

Union station's platforms are covered, sort of by partial roofs held up by iron girders that likely date from from when the station was built in the 1920s. In theory, the roof would protect waiting passengers, but give the boarding policy, precious little waiting happens at platform level. Are these roofs all that useful then?

For some reason my car, number 113, is located in front of cars, 110, 111 and 112 and indeed in front of the dining car, just behind the comfort (read "economy" or "steerage" class Skyline car. This train only has two dome cars, the other being the Laurentide Park car bringing up the rear. The later and the Château car in front of it are the newly tarted up "Prestige" versions of those car types. I must try to weasel a visit into one of the cabins. I may have an in as I was chatting with a couple from Vermont which includes a self described "foamer" which is an American term for a rabid railway fan. ;-)

On the motion of the LRC train

The last train I was on was the Canadian on my last train to Clearwater back in September 2014. This excludes the Metro. For some reason, possibly anxiety, the motion of the LRC car I am seems rushed, as if the train is sprinting, running for home. There is a lot of shaking and a lack of smoothness. I am finding it hard to relax. Ah well.

On the train again

Well, I'm on train to Toronto catch the Canadian to Clearwater. As a winter vacation I must confess this is both eccentric and self-indulgent, but I got a nice discount from Via Rail and will soon get a nice raise courtesy of legislation introduced by the Province at least a decade ago. There is a light snowfall happening as I zoom through the flat lands.

My supervisor on hearing I would be taking the Canadian from Toronto asked without a trace of sarcasm how I would I be getting to Toronto? Driving? Flying? I gave her a disbelieving stare as I thought she would have twigged to the idea that taking the train from Montreal was the most obvious way for me to go. Then again she lives in suburban Laval.

On Margo and Chris making the news

Margo and Chris' radio interview on the CBC was rebroadcast and given a more detailed blurb on the web. Yay Margo and Chris!

On an achievement I could have done without

I biked to work today.

It was the last day of my work year and there was no snow and temperatures well above zero. In fact, I have biked to work pretty much every day this month except for one day where there was a very limited amount of snow threatening and another where I discovered my bike had a flat tire just as I set off, so I decided to BMW (Bus-Metro-Walk) instead.

I probably jinked things by getting a bus pass for December. I have used it a few times to so as to have an alternate BMW (Bike-Metro-Walk) to work. However, I can only do that one day a week when my commuting times fall outside of rush hour.

Either climate change or El Niño has given Montreal a very warm December.

I find this makes the seasonal darkness even more depressing than usual. At this rate, I will be biking in January.