Interesting VIA site on the Don Valley
#1
Two days ago, in the late morning, I was driving north on the Don Valley Parkway in Toronto. I was just about to go under the northernmost train bridge near Wynford Drive and I was delighted to see a very long VIA train just coming across the bridge. It was heading southbound (i.e. travelling east across the Don Valley).

It had 3 engines -- two F40PH's and one "non-cab" diesel (sorry, I forget what they are called!). The train consisted of about 12-15 (maybe more?) coaches and it had one domed observation car in the middle and another one at the end. It was quite a sight but I obviously had to focus on my driving!

Does anyone have any further info, i.e. what this train might have been or where it had come from or was going? I believe it was on the track that goes from downtown Toronto to Richmond Hill and Newmarket. I've seen GO Trains, freight and Ontario Northland trains on this line before.

Thanks,
Rob
Rob
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#2
Sounds like it could be The Canadian or whatever they're calling the cross-Canada train these days. And it isn't really cross-Canada either 35 but that's another discussion.

Andrew
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#3
MasonJar Wrote:Sounds like it could be The Canadian or whatever they're calling the cross-Canada train these days. And it isn't really cross-Canada either 35 but that's another discussion.

Andrew

Thanks, Andrew. That makes sense. I guess it goes from B.C. through to NB or NS?

I just googled and found this <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/trains/rockies-and-pacific/toronto-vancouver-canadian?gclid=CLfM0Mea874CFeIWMgodjiIAzw">http://www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-de ... MgodjiIAzw</a><!-- m -->

Rob
Rob
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#4
Rob:
The Canadian now is a train from Toronto to Vancouver, running 2 or 3 days a week.
It started as a train from Montreal and Toronto to Vancouver, sections joining at Sudbury. In those days the Toronto section left through Weston and Woodbridge. After Sudbury, it travelled along the North shore of Lake Superior through Lakehead to Winnipeg, Regina, and Calgary. After VIA, it combined with the Super Continental and the Toronto section followed the CN to Winnipeg while the Montreal section followed the CP. They traded a few cars and then one followed CP and one CN (through Edmonton) to Vancouver.
When cuts were made, the CP route was lost. Briefly, IIRC, the train ran Montreal, Toronto, North Bay ... missing the whole Ottawa Valley.
There was a time when the train ran around Lake Simcoe -- missing Barrie on one of the legs. This let them avoid turning the train in Toronto. Before that, the train was looped around the CN Spadina roundhouse and coachyard. When the line through Barrie was cut, they did some odd manoeuvres near York University.
David
Moderato ma non troppo
Perth & Exeter Railway Company
Esquesing & Chinguacousy Radial Railway
In model railroading, there are between six and two hundred ways of performing a given task.
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#5
Thanks for the extra info David.

Rob, it's a far cry from what it was. There aren't even rails in all the provinces any more. Sad The stretch west from Ottawa to meet up in Sudbury is all but gone, with the tracks being pulled in the Ottawa valley only in the past couple of years. Curse In my opinion though, the greatest loss was the shoreline route along the east and north edge of Lake Superior. VIA was forced inland during the Mulroney era I believe.

Still spectacular, but only magnificent if you don't know what you missed.

Andrew
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#6
BR60103 Wrote:Rob:
The Canadian now is a train from Toronto to Vancouver, running 2 or 3 days a week.
It started as a train from Montreal and Toronto to Vancouver, sections joining at Sudbury. In those days the Toronto section left through Weston and Woodbridge. After Sudbury, it travelled along the North shore of Lake Superior through Lakehead to Winnipeg, Regina, and Calgary. After VIA, it combined with the Super Continental and the Toronto section followed the CN to Winnipeg while the Montreal section followed the CP. They traded a few cars and then one followed CP and one CN (through Edmonton) to Vancouver.
When cuts were made, the CP route was lost. Briefly, IIRC, the train ran Montreal, Toronto, North Bay ... missing the whole Ottawa Valley.
There was a time when the train ran around Lake Simcoe -- missing Barrie on one of the legs. This let them avoid turning the train in Toronto. Before that, the train was looped around the CN Spadina roundhouse and coachyard. When the line through Barrie was cut, they did some odd manoeuvres near York University.

Thanks, David. This is really interesting history. One day, my family & I would like to take this train, as long as it goes through the Rockies during the daytime! (I think my wife took it about 20 years ago, and it was night when it went through the Rockies!).
Rob
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#7
MasonJar Wrote:Thanks for the extra info David.
Rob, it's a far cry from what it was. There aren't even rails in all the provinces any more. Sad The stretch west from Ottawa to meet up in Sudbury is all but gone, with the tracks being pulled in the Ottawa valley only in the past couple of years. Curse In my opinion though, the greatest loss was the shoreline route along the east and north edge of Lake Superior. VIA was forced inland during the Mulroney era I believe.
Still spectacular, but only magnificent if you don't know what you missed.
Andrew

Thanks, Andrew. So the Lake Superior route is still there, but VIA is not allowed to use it? I'd still love to take this train some day, but I'm sure it costs a lot.

I believe the only provinces that no longer have tracks are PEI and Nfld. -- I'm sure NB and NS still have tracks?

Cheers,
Rob
Rob
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#8
Not completely sure, but a lot of the re-routing may have been political, or just CPR getting rid of the passenger stuff. Except for a bit of co-operative trackage, I don't think any of The Canadian runs on CPR.
I don't have a current map, but It seems that all the routes between Sudbury/North Bay and Montreal go through Toronto. (that may belong in the re-route the oil trains thread).
David
Moderato ma non troppo
Perth & Exeter Railway Company
Esquesing & Chinguacousy Radial Railway
In model railroading, there are between six and two hundred ways of performing a given task.
Most modellers can get two of them to work.
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#9
Via often has seat sales throughout the year with up to 50% off the price. http://www.viarail.ca/enDepending on the class of service, the price is quite reasonable.
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