Five shillings for a journey in time

One of the foundations of my 7 year old self which cost 5/- (shillings) or 60 old pennies is this little book which holds many childhood memories. In particular one illustration is etched into my 'reminiscence bank'. It portrays the apparent length of 'The Canadian' train and its suggestion of epic adventure caught my imagination. I dreamed of riding it but never really believed I could.

So it was a surreal moment when last week I sat in one of the observation domes for real as the 20 car train snaked its way across Canada. The long held imaginings reinforced by many YouTube videos of the trip meant it all felt very familiar, yet equally a sort of 'imposter syndrome' kept kicking in - could I really be here? Given that almost all of the trains featured in my little book have been consigned to history or heritage, with only The Canadian remaining a regular working train using the original rolling stock I felt like I was riding in another world and another time.

Twice each week train #1 leaves Toronto Union station for a 4 day, 2775 mile voyage to Vancouver (train #2 operates in the opposite direction). No longer sporting Canadian Pacific livery and following a slightly different route, the stainless steel clad Budd 'streamliner' cars are looking a bit scruffy on the exterior but at nearly 70 years old and still travelling over 5000 miles every week that is forgivable. In any case coupled together 20 at a time they still make a truly impressive sight. Inside they offer glimpses of faded grandeur and practical and somewhat  utilitarian comfort. Meanwhile the views along the journey are as epic as ever - from the bustling cities at either end, to the autumnal (other seasons are available) colours in the trees 
of the east, the wide open prairies under big skies to the magnificent lakes and snow capped Rocky mountains. 

Most passengers undertake the whole trip or big chunks of it, sleeping in berths which come in various combinations - curtain sided seat conversions, 2 bunk roomettes, roomette for 1 or even the luxury of the double bedded prestige class. The train also offers a vital lifeline for remote communities across Canada and the journey is punctuated by 'request stops' where small groups alight or join the train for shorter distances as they go about their everyday business. The economy seating cars are at the front of the train removing the real life of these remote stops far from those fulfilling a bucket list ride or indulging their passion for all things train, 

Each trip on this train begins with the service of sparkling wine and canapes in the iconic Skyline Dome cars, setting the scene for the shared experiences and spaces which define the journey. Communal gasps at the beauty, pointing out scenic highlights and the moments of human connection over shared meal tables are vital ingredients of this trans-continental odyssey. The food is pretty good too!

The alternating pattern of movement and stillness soon becomes exciting and comforting in equal measure. The train frequently picked up quite a pace, forward motion accompanied by anything from a gentle swaying side to side to roller-coaster worthy turbulence, not to mention the occasional lurch as the engineer hit the brakes a bit sharply! (My phone app confirmed speeds close to the maximum 80  miles an hours on some sections) Often that braking was the precursor to a period of quiet and stillness, as we waited in passing loops for priority freight traffic to pass. The freight trains make a spectacular sight which humbles even the mighty Canadian. Some carrying double height shipping containers, other oil or chemicals, many we saw on the latter part of the trip being empty grain wagons on their return trip after taking the fruits of the prairies to the Pacific coast. Each train hauled by at least two powerful locomotives can stretch to over a mile long - I lost count at 185 freight cars on one train. 

The longest wait saw us looking out of the window for over four hours at the changing light on our first glimpse of the Rockies. The engineers (drivers) had run out of allowed driving hours and we had to wait for a new crew to be dispatched to our incredibly remote location. Lots of time to watch the passing freight trains. 

Through the nights the rhythm of movement and stillness continues unabated, the deep, penetrating sound of the train whistle reminding passengers of the hazards and challenges of the line. Sleep in the fold down bunks came easily as I recalled the The Seekers hit lullaby 'Rocking rolling riding out along the bay, all bound for morning town, far far away.' My favourite moment of the day came before breakfast, sitting in the darkened dome car, the outside world still featureless before dawn. As we rattled along our progress was marked as we passed the bright red, amber and green of the signals, their colours reflecting on the corrugated roofs of the carriages ahead.

The other icon of The Canadian is the Park Car. The rocket shaped rear coach is where luxury meets the space age. For most of the year reserved during the day for the high roller Prestige passengers the rabble rousers from the lower classes are allowed in during the evening. Here the early grandeur of the train is still found, even if the original grand writing desk has been replaced with a coffee station. Making our way to it will stick in my memory, walking back through the second dining car, an activity car, several sleepers and then the Prestige corridors which with their narrow corridor and rows of locked doors felt just like walking into a certain Agatha Christie novel! What mysteries lay beyond?

Four days of time travel - not just about the 96 hours spent on a train, this was a trip from and in a past time, yet very much alive today.

5/- worth of foundational pennies - brought to life.

The Canadian at rest in Saskatoon October 2024

A little gallery of images as we sped through time: