Perhaps it is a little out of this group's geographical area, but I'd like to recommend a great Canadian train ride. Steve Patterson and I have been trying to ride all of the VIA routes for over 20 years. While we had ridden this particular route years ago on the CANADIAN, we had not ridden the route in recent years.
I am referring to VIA trains 185 and 186 between Sudbury and White River, Ontario, 484 kilometers. The trains, which now carry the name LAKE SUPERIOR, operate six days a week: three days one direction and three days the other. The consist is a pair of RDC's, the only RDC's operating in Canada outside British Columbia. One of the cars is RDC4 6250, the only RDC4 operating in Canada. (RDC4's are all baggage...no seating.) The other car is either RDC2 6215 or 6205. They swap out each trip. The train serves the very remote area between the two aforementioned towns, stopping here and there to pick up hunters and fishermen, or others who live in the bush and small towns along the way. This is CP's transcontinental main line, so the track is excellent and there are a number of meets. James Cockburn is the regular conductor on these trains and he is very accommodating to railfans and others who travel his train. I won't put in writing as to just how accommodating he was, but suffice to say that the trip was unusual and quite rewarding, photographically speaking. He maintains a small photo display inside the Sudbury station, and he is always looking for more prints to pin up. James is also looking for more passengers and wanted us to spread the word about his trains. Here is a guy who really likes his job!! Train 185 leaves Sudbury at 09:40 on Tue, Thur, and Sat, arriving White River at 18:00. Train 186 leaves White River at 09:30 on Wed, Fri, and Sun, arriving Sudbury at 19:00. The cars are serviced at the Ontario Northland shops in North Bay and are deadheaded between North Bay and Sudbury and the beginning and end of every trip. Because of the geographical location, these trains are not easy to ride. White River is out in the middle of nowhere and Sudbury isn't that easy to get to. (We rode a bus--terrible trip--from Sault Ste. Marie.) There are plenty of motels/hotels in Sudbury, but only a couple in White River. White River boasts of having the coldest recorded temperature in Canada - minus 72 degrees, so if I were you I'd probably wouldn't choose a winter trip. White River is also the home of Winnie-the-Pooh.......if your interests lie in that direction. Now, to tie this write up to our recent film discussions: we journeyed at the height of the fall colors and used Provia film with great results. Joe McMillan Arvada, Colorado --> SPORRS: Serious Photographers of Railroad Related Subjects
