In late September, I rode the VIA Rail Sudbury-White River train service as part of a tour group. This unique and necessary remote passenger service is well worth the trip! In part 1 I covered the segment from Sudbury, Ontario to Chapleau. Let’s finish the trip.
I had the opportunity to experience the VIA Rail service between Sudbury and White River, Ontario recently. This isolated and remote passenger trip uses two or three Rail Diesel Cars (RDCs) to serve remote areas between the two end points. It’s a little bit of an oddball service, but it has persisted to this day.
The book “Dominion Atlantic Railway” by Gary Ness is a must-read for anyone interested in Nova Scotia railway history, or indeed Canadian railway history. Gary’s extensive research shines through in this lavishly illustrated book.
I was very sorry to hear of the passing of Bruce Chapman. I never met him, but I felt I knew him (somewhat) through his many contributions to Branchline magazine.
My wife and I traveled to Portugal in May 2022. Portugal was one of those countries that are a little off the European tourist beaten path, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. All I really knew about Portugal was that it wasn’t Spain and they don’t speak Spanish. Our plan was to fly into … Read more
It’s hard to overstate the importance that the band Journey had in my teenage life. I lived and breathed the band, although I never saw them in concert. They were by far my most favourite band, and I was devastated when they broke up.
I had the pleasure of riding the Agawa Canyon Tour Train recently. I was working with Rail Travel Tours as a co-guide for almost 50 guests touring railway and other attractions in northern and western Ontario. For me, and I think many of our guests, the Agawa Canyon train was the highlight of the trip.
The Blues Brothers is a book by Daniel de Visé about the movie of the same name, and the band, and its two founders, Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi. Mostly, though, it’s about the comedic, talented and self-destructive force that was John Belushi. It’s chock full of detail, from the obtuse to the titillating. The … Read more
Sometimes I feel words stirring below the surface of my mind, little word minnows darting about, seeking to join together into sentences and paragraphs. Now and then a phrase jumps out, flashing silvery in the wan mind-light, before splashing down and wriggling under the surface again, leaving rippling rings of thought and inspiration. Over time, … Read more
