For the first time in my life, I’m going to ride VIA Rail’s Canadian train!
I’m not going to ride it very far, mind you – Winnipeg to Sioux Lookout, Ontario, and back – but I’ll be on it!
This was one of the things I said I wanted to do in 2022 in my Looking Back, Looking Forward post at the beginning of this year.
With two Canadians running, if they are on schedule, they meet near Allanwater Bridge or Collins, ON on Monday morning.
My 20 hour itinerary is:
- 23:30 Depart Winnipeg
- 06:01 Arrive Sioux Lookout
- 11:55 Depart Sioux Lookout
- 19:30 Arrive Winnipeg
Of course, I will keep an eye on the VIA Rail tracker page to see how on time the Canadians are. If the eastbound VIA 2 is super late and I won’t get to Sioux Lookout in time, I won’t leave Winnipeg. If the westbound VIA 1 is late, well, I guess I spend more time exploring the town!
The last time I rode a VIA Rail train was way back in October 2005, when my son Nick and I did a similar “out and back” trip from Miramichi, NB to Amherst, NS and back on the Ocean trains. This was back when the Ocean ran six days a week, so there were lots of opportunities to do something like this.
I’ll probably be posting about it on Facebook and Instagram, if you want to follow along.
Expect lots of photos afterward!
Have a fun and safe trip, Steve! I’m not a social media user, so I’ll watch for your posts here. I have many fond memories of riding the old Canadian between Vancouver, Calgary, and Winnipeg. Never made it east by train. Looking forward to a vicarious vacation.
Thank you, Jeff!
Steve
Enjoy – Its a great train – fun – great scenery – and good food in the Dining car providing you can still purchase meals aboard – Travelled from coast to coast in 86 and enjoyed it. The train was always late sometimes – more than often – but you always got to where you were going usually later than sooner !
All the best
Richard
I’m not sure I’ll be able to use the dining car but I’ll camp out in the dome!
Halve a great trip. Looking forward to your photos. Part of the fun is riding in the Park cars, sleeping on the train and dining. Have a great trip.
Thanks, Jim, no Park car for me this time but maybe another time..
Have a good trip Steve. I’ve taken the Canadian 5-6 times since 1980. Unless VIA changed the train’s number, I guess you meant westbound VIA 1 and eastbound VIA 2. Cheers
André St-Amant
St Paulin Qc
Thank you André, I’ve corrected the east/west VIA 2/1 mistakes.
GREAT WAY TO CELEBRATE OUR FOURTH…..HOPE IT WORKS OUT. FONDLY REMEMBER MY TWO TRIPS. ONE FROM TORONTO TO TO VANCOUVER IN SEPTEMBER AND THEN A WINTER RUN FROM VANCOUVER TO TO TORONTO ARRIVING ALMOST 17 HOURS LATE! I RECALL THE FALL TRIP WHEN FIRST NATION’S FOLKS GREETED THE TRAIN AT THE STOP….GREAT MEMORIES INDEED. HAVE A WONDERFUL TRIP
Thanks, Bob, I’m not really celebrating the 4th of July by taking the train but it’s a nice coincidence.
You could find a fishing rod to help pass the time in Sioux Lookout. There’s lots of good fishing in northern Ontario. Unfortunately though, the black flies will be out too.
I was going to say, “what do you do with the fish once you catch it?” but I suppose you could always release them.
Didn’t you say you may not use the dining car? 🙂
I’m sure the cooks on board the train would be delighted to cook random fish brought to them! 😉
Hello Steve, I purchased a copy of Terry Gainer’s, “When Trains Ruled the Kootenays” today at the Nelson Train Museum and Visitors Center and your name was mentioned in his book. In February 2018 I traveled from Vancouver BC to Halifax. I chose to travel in February because the leafs were off the trees and the big animals come down from the mountains. I made a number of stops along the way starting at Jasper then on to Banff where I spent spent several days before boarding the train again at Jasper and headed east. As I recall the total trip including stops was about 2+ weeks. It was quite the adventure and I look forward to doing it again in 2 or 3 years. I’m new to your website and look forward to reading more. Best regards, Jerry Arnold, Fairview, Oregon
Hi Jerry! It sounds like you had a great adventure traveling from Vancouver to Halifax. I love the Banff-Jasper area and look forward to going back there. Thanks for visiting and enjoy the book!