Page 28 - November December 2014

TRAINS ON TRAINS
from Coast to Coast and back again Dave Gunn
eight cars apart. The skyline cars were well suited for my display. The table I used provided seating for four with my back against the end wall leading to the dining car. I was facing the stairs to the dome and also the corridor of the car so I was in full view of everyone coming to and through the car. I spent the mornings in one and the afternoon in the other, each time having to pack away all my items and tools etc and take them back to the bedroom before the start of the next session. Sounds simple, but on a moving train it’s not easy. I would grab the opportunity to use a station stop to get off and walk the platform rather than through all the coaches whenever I could! I set up the first morning in the lounge area of the forward Skyline dome car. I had large colour photographs of my layout with me, together with an iPad displaying a continuous loop video of my layout at home. I was working on three different projects: a wooden kit of an old-style wood caboose, a trestle bridge and a scratchbuilt structure, all in HO scale and all items being constructed in bass wood. I varied the work I was doing during each session and was amazed by the number of people stopping by to check out what I was doing and to ask questions. I designed the structure so that it could be dismantled and flat- packed and would still fit in the case I was using. I had three sets of the caboose, one completely finished, painted and lettered, the second partially built (the one I was building during the sessions) and the third as the basic kit so that passengers could see the work involved from start to finish. The same applied to the trestle bridge. I also had some other finished models of rolling stock on display.
I stopped for lunch and set up in the rear dome for the afternoon. VIA staff announced each workshop so that people knew where I would be and what time I would be there. I was constantly busy and spent so much time talking that progress was slow. I’ll tell you it is NOT easy building on a fast-moving train, especially with super glue!
I finished the workshop in time for dinner but found I was being asked questions during mealtimes and often when Pam and I were sitting up in the dome car during the evening. I became known as the “train guy” but maybe that was because the vest I was wearing was covered in railway pins and badges; at least people knew who I was.
We had stops at several stations but also had to pull into sidings many times to let the freight trains pass by. This often gave me time to do some serious modelling while the train was stationary! I was amazed by the number of freights, and esti- mated we saw one every 30 minutes out west. I counted 166 double-stack container cars on one particular train.
The approach into Jasper was breathtaking and we had a stopover for approximately two hours when I was lucky enough to get an engineer to autograph the book “The First Twenty Five years of VIA” I had with me (on display) for a friend of mine.
The journey through the Rockies was remarkable and understandably I wasn’t kept quite as busy during this part of the journey as most people were either up in the domes or in the “Panorama” car that was set in mid-train in Edmonton. This is an extremely comfortable car to travel in, with windows all around from floor to ceiling giving a fantastic view of the mountains.
The engineers throughout the journey were very accommodating and if they saw any wildlife ahead would radio back to the staff and slow down if possible to allow passengers to take photographs. “Bear to the right” was often shouted out, and everyone would take their pictures.
The approach to Vancouver is very interesting, as the train has to reverse into the station. I was up in the dome during this operation but ended up giving an impromptu workshop to the passengers sitting around us.
In June this year, my wife Pam and I set out on an exceptional journey, crossing Canada by train from coast to coast and back again. That is from Halifax Nova Scotia to Vancouver British Columbia, some 6000 kilometres each way!
I had been asked by VIA Rail if I would like to take part in their “artists on board programme”. They have musicians, writers, poets, artists etc on board from time to time on some trains as a means of entertaining the passengers. I was invited to provide entertainment for the passengers by way of building and dis- playing model trains on board a moving train. Last September, Pam and I travelled from Halifax to Montreal and back courtesy of VIA Rail, providing the same kind of entertainment (which appeared to be very popular), so this time I was asked to travel coast to coast and back again. What an opportunity! I didn’t hesitate to say yes. This was the first time this type of entertain- ment has been provided. It is a great way to interact on a one- to-one basis with individuals or small groups interested in or fascinated with the hobby of model railways. Some passengers spent a long time with me and had to apologise to others for taking up so much of my time. I was certainly kept very busy. We left Halifax on 15 June and returned on 28 June, two whole weeks on a train doing what I most enjoy. What could be better! I set up in the bar area of the “Park” car on The Ocean (VIA’s train from Halifax to Montreal) and spent several hours talking to passengers from all over the world about my hobby and trains in general. It was very relaxed and informal and I was amazed how many fellow travellers were train enthusiasts. We were provided with a bedroom on board for the overnight jour- ney to Montreal and the food was excellent. What a way to travel!
In Montreal I was able to meet the VIA Rail representative who had arranged the trip for us, and it was good to put a face to a name. Five hours were spent in Montreal before departing on the corridor train to Toronto. Due to the seating arrangement on this train I was unable to set up my workshop and spent the journey looking through the window at passing freight trains. We spent one night and a day in Toronto before departing from Union Station on board VIA Train #1, “The Canadian”, to Van- couver at 10.45 pm. Upon departure we were served champagne and canapés. I was able to introduce myself to the Service Manager before leaving Union Station and he gave me the names of the VIA Rail staff I would dealing with on the journey as far as Winnipeg. The staff change over there and another Service Manager and staff come on board for the remainder of the journey to Vancouver.
There were four dome cars spread throughout the length of the train, three “Skyline” cars and one “Park” car on the tail end. The full train consist was 24 cars plus the two locos. I was asked to do my workshop in the two mid-train Skyline cars, some
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