On an indifferent day

I woke up a little to the East of Sioux Lookout and was up in time to take some pictures. The day was dominated by anticipation of Winnipeg and matters related to it.

At lunch, one of my companions spotted a trio of deer by the side of the track. Which made a nice change. The forests have seemed pretty empty.

Winnipeg was reduced to about a 45 minutes stop meaning we were only about three hours and twenty minutes behind schedule when we left. Among the crowd waiting to get on was a woman with an adorable husky puppy.  Also adorable was a family with three small children. I first made contact with them when I walked into the Skyline car and saw a two or three year-old asleep in a parka on one of the activity tables. I latter saw him up and in company with a ten or eleven month old sitting happily in the middle of traffic looking cherubic.

Late in the afternoon, I was in the Park car when it began to lurch back and forth in an unpleasant motion that sent me forwards to my car where the motion wasn't noticeable. After supper, I went back to find was even more unpleasant due to the lack of outside reference points. My theory is the cause is a combination of poor rail conditions combined with a crosswind and the dome acting like a sail. I can't help but wonder how the Prestige passengers are feeling about their deluxe but bouncy accommodations!

The lateness of the train means I missed the Qu'appelle River Valley. That was a disappointment as the Valley was really nice.

However, the skies have cleared and I have cabin on the North side of the train so I might get Northern Lights!

Current location

The train got to Sioux Lookout around 7:15 AM. It was light enough for a few pictures.

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.