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Very sad that Amtrak and VIA could not get their act together over the funding of this train. I used to work the train to Pt.Huron and change off with the Amtrak crews and then bring the Toronto bound train home.
Back when you first worked for VIA? Didn’t know you had a previous stint there
It is a shame, Sarnia’s actually a bit screwed right now, there is no public bus service to Sarnia, VIA is all they have and two trains are replaced with “RobertQ” bus connections, only serviced upon demand. Eastbound train out of Sarnia at 0610 and westbound arrives around 10 PM.
There was twice the ridership and thensome out of Sarnia and now it’s cut waaay back. Even after the International was axed lots of Michigan license plates were found in the Sarnia parking lot – not any more..
Hey Stephen, yes and no. When I hired on at CN in 1981 passenger trains were still operated by CN crews and I worked in the corridor as a brakeman, assistant conductor and eventually conductor on the VIA trains. I think it was 1988 that VIA Rail decided to have their own crews and split from CN operating their trains. So at that time CN employees had to decide to go with VIA or stick with CN. Most of the “old timers” stayed with VIA. Actually technically I considered a VIA employee when I went for training as a locomotive engineer in 1987. Once I qualified as an engineman in March of 1988 i was sent back to work for VIA until the separation date where i went back to CN. LOL, a bit complicated but I would not chage a thing. I just wish I had recorded on film all the first generation cab units and RS18 and LRC trains back then.
Thanks Phil. It’s even sadder that Sarnia is cut to one train a day – there is NO public transportation options to Sarnia otherwise – VIA is all they have, same for Strathroy and Wyoming..
They could use the service, and once you give it up, it’s hard to put it back..
Well I am hoping that eventually the politicians will finally see the error in their ways and get more service to the western part of Ontario. Its very sad actually how many trains used to run up the “back way” or up the Dundas and Strathroy Subs are now just a memory.