A Little About Trains

Our first morning, when we headed to breakfast, we discovered that more of our fellow travellers had arrived ahead of us and so the dining car (ours, anyway!) couldn't accommodate us all at that moment.  But there was another car (Lounge car) and a Dome Car (Activity?), where we could have coffee, tea, or juice, fruit, cookies, etc., while waiting to have our breakfast.

When we did arrive in the dining car, it was to discover that we had a choice of 4 breakfasts, all freshly made, and adjusted to individual taste, by the chef and assistants who travelled with us.  No prepackaged meals for us -- but fresh choices every day!  Because it was all freshly made, food sensitivities or preferences could be, and were, readily accommodated.

We also learned that ViaRail is operated independently of CN, and that part of their agreement is that freight trains take priority.  As we sat on sidings in odd spots, we grew to understand why there are times that the train runs late ... 

Apparently, and this was confirmed by the staff on the Rocky Mountaineer, there was a willingness for freight trains to sit on the siding, but in the interests of economy and efficiency, freight trains often have double engines so that that they can pull twice as many freight cars, and they are too large for most of the sidings ... and there were other complications ... so the reality is now that passenger trains sit and wait for the freight trains to clear the area so that they can continue.  It made for our entertainment as there was one volunteer who would stand at the front of the dome car and count how many cars were in each freight train as it passed.  Many were over 150 cars long.  The record, last I heard, was 178 cars ... and that did not take into account that some were double cars, where the loads were piggy backed.

I confess that as I sat and watched tanker car after tanker car ... many new, but so many that were not, all headed east, I wondered how many Canadians have any idea of how much bitumen is already crossing our country ... 

But most of the time I simply enjoyed watching northern Ontario go by outside my window.  Our first night, as we slept, we headed north.  Our first full day we continued across northern Ontario.

Taking pictures from a moving train, through a window, is a challenge ... just when you think you have a gorgeous shot, there's a burst of speed and you wind up with a different view entirely!  There's also the challenge of reflection ... in some of my photos I have a perfect reflection of the person sitting behind me!  In others, a reflection of the checkerboards painted on the tables in the activity car.

When we reached Hornepayne (late), we were given a 10 minute stop to stretch our legs.  The station is close to the public library, which was closed for the day.  But it also showed those of us who complain about the number of choices we have each day for trips to London or Toronto food for thought.  I'll try to get my friend's photo, but in the meantime let me just say that if you live in Hornepayne you can choose to travel west on two different days of the week, or you can choose to travel east on two other days of the week.  Three days of the week there are no train options at all ... It certainly made me reconsider the choices I take for granted.

Need I add that when we went to bed that night we were still in Ontario?!