Riding the Budd Cars – Sudbury to Chapleau

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.

Review: Dominion Atlantic Railway

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.

RIP Bruce Chapman

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.

Riding Portuguese Rails

Interior of a Portuguese railway station

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

Faithfully

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.

Riding the Agawa Canyon Train

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.

Review: The Blues Brothers

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

Gloom

Shadowy figures clustered by scuffed walls / Dampened silhouettes backlit by lurid neon