Via Rail to Churchill
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jamesontheroad
OBS Chief
Hi Bill...
The 'Hudson Bay' (Winnipeg - Churchill) does not have a Park Car in regular service. One was introduced for the duration of October 2007 to coincide with both the start of the Polar Bear viewing season in Churchill and the Northern Lights, which are often clearly visible en route. There's a VIA Rail press release about the temporary enhancements to service here, but although VIA has enough Park Cars (14 in service I think) it was just a temporary addition.
As you probably know, VIA Rail is a crown corporation, and the 'Hudson Bay' is classified as an essential service by the Government of Canada. So although the train is exceptionally popular with tourists during the winter polar bear season and the summer whale watching season, it runs for the rest of the year as a pretty modest working train. When I rode to Churchill and back in May 2006, the train consisted of two locomotives, a baggage car, two coaches, a restaurant and just one sleeper, of which I and the on-board crew were usually the only occupants. I believe VIA Rail pay the Hudson Bay Railway a per-car fee over the track, and since there's not a lot to see but extremely flat tundra for much of the train's route, there is very little economic sense or tourist appeal in running a high level observation car beyond during the short period when the Northern Lights are likely to be visible.
In answer to your other question, every VIA sleeper service with the exception of the 'Ocean' (Montréal - Halifax) uses heritage stock, with what are known as the Chateau sleepers. These have been rebuilt to a very high standard, and although could probably do with a mid-life refurb soon, are very comfortable and solid pieces of kit. For a while the 'Hudson Bay' ran with a fleet called the 'Northern Spirit' - brought in from Florida I believe, but they were soon pulled because they simply couldn't cope with the extreme sub-zero conditions of the northern Manitoba winter. That would certainly make sense if they were more used to life in Florida :lol:
*j* :blink:
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jamesontheroad
OBS Chief
Sorry - a few extra things I just thought of...
- to clarify, the 'Hudson Bay' stock is the same Heritage fleet as the 'Canadian' but service is not as luxurious - sleeper fares don't include meals, for instance, but the restaurant car is very reasonably priced. But if you compare dollar per kilometer, the 'Hudson Bay' is much cheaper in sleeper accommodation than the 'Canadian'
- the 'Chateau' sleepers have three kinds of accommodation: single bedrooms (purple in this plan, comparable with Amtrak roomettes), double bedrooms (dark green in the plan) and upper and lower berths (yellow) in plan. The berths convert from wide banquette seats during the day time and privacy from the corridor is offered by thick curtains that can be buttoned closed. You might not appreciate the lack of a door, but berths are the cheapest beds on VIA Rail, and also the widest!
Here are some photos from my trip...
Above: a blurry (sorry) shot of my upper berth. The corridor is passing on the right. The upper berth is cheaper than the lower berth, but doesn't have a window. Access is by a small step ladder. The shower is across the corridor, off to the right of the picture.
Above: a daytime shot of the berths folded away to form wide seats that are open to the corridor. The seats fold flat, the upper bunk is hinged above the window and folds down. A mattress for the lower berth is stored in the closed upper berth during the day.
Above: On the right is the northbound 'Hudson Bay' calling at The Pas. Just visible on the left are the very distinctive blue and yellow ex-CPR cars of the train to Pukatawagan. This is another 'essential service' train that uses very old coaching stock that didn't seem to be in great shape. It goes to some very remote First Nation reserves, and at the time I was there, was not recommended for tourists for reasons of personal safety and lack of either accommodation or things to see at the other end.
Above: northbound 'Hudson Bay' at Thompson.
Above: northbound 'Hudson Bay' at Thompson.
Above: Churchill station
Above: Thompson again, this time heading south
Above: The northbound 'Hudson Bay' passing my southbound train near Sipiwesh
- to clarify, the 'Hudson Bay' stock is the same Heritage fleet as the 'Canadian' but service is not as luxurious - sleeper fares don't include meals, for instance, but the restaurant car is very reasonably priced. But if you compare dollar per kilometer, the 'Hudson Bay' is much cheaper in sleeper accommodation than the 'Canadian'
- the 'Chateau' sleepers have three kinds of accommodation: single bedrooms (purple in this plan, comparable with Amtrak roomettes), double bedrooms (dark green in the plan) and upper and lower berths (yellow) in plan. The berths convert from wide banquette seats during the day time and privacy from the corridor is offered by thick curtains that can be buttoned closed. You might not appreciate the lack of a door, but berths are the cheapest beds on VIA Rail, and also the widest!
Here are some photos from my trip...
Above: a blurry (sorry) shot of my upper berth. The corridor is passing on the right. The upper berth is cheaper than the lower berth, but doesn't have a window. Access is by a small step ladder. The shower is across the corridor, off to the right of the picture.
Above: a daytime shot of the berths folded away to form wide seats that are open to the corridor. The seats fold flat, the upper bunk is hinged above the window and folds down. A mattress for the lower berth is stored in the closed upper berth during the day.
Above: On the right is the northbound 'Hudson Bay' calling at The Pas. Just visible on the left are the very distinctive blue and yellow ex-CPR cars of the train to Pukatawagan. This is another 'essential service' train that uses very old coaching stock that didn't seem to be in great shape. It goes to some very remote First Nation reserves, and at the time I was there, was not recommended for tourists for reasons of personal safety and lack of either accommodation or things to see at the other end.
Above: northbound 'Hudson Bay' at Thompson.
Above: northbound 'Hudson Bay' at Thompson.
Above: Churchill station
Above: Thompson again, this time heading south
Above: The northbound 'Hudson Bay' passing my southbound train near Sipiwesh
James, most of the the images are not working right.
jamesontheroad
OBS Chief
Probably blogger chasing after me. You can see them all at my ontherails blog, which is in the sig.
*j* :blink:
*j* :blink:
