Caption:
This was a typical Sunday night at Bayview Junction some 40 years back;taking in the enjoyment of watching impressive passenger trains snake their way up and down the line. Typical in this time frame is #75, shown here, westward, with VIA 6534, 6612, 6870 and 6516 and 18 coaches; a period when passenger trains really looked like passenger trains. It is a shame how the service has been neglected, chopped up by various governments and incompetent management. Note that, compared to today; the hillside is clear, there is little trash; the parking lot is full as once it was free to come and enjoy the parkland settings your taxes paid for. This was a wonderful area to enjoy the sweet light of the evening....back then.
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I should have added: Now we know when ribbon rail came to Bayview.
18 coaches.. my god. So this train probably had 1,000+ customers aboard??
I didn’t know just how full they were, but one could see a lot of people; but maybe they just liked window seats. ) The weekend train #75 often was between 14 and 20 coaches, tops.
Weekdays it ran about 8. To me it is truly amazing how much we have lost over the years when it comes to good passenger service.
I rode the Agawa Canyon when it had 25 coaches and 5 Fs up front one time. I think the record is 27. Last time I saw it a few years ago with CN diesels there were 8 cars.
Sunday was the day all the university students were heading back to class.