Riding Northern Ontario's Budd Car – RDCs from Sudbury to White River
RDCs! VIA 6217-6219, the equipment for our trip to White River, arrive at Sudbury station.
I know I’m overdue to finish up the return reports for last
year’s cross-Canada adventure, but I’ve decided to let that wait just a little
while longer so I can dive into a more recent and rather exciting trip.
This April, at the time of year when many people are still
heading south to tropical destinations for a reprieve from the long-winded
Canadian winter, I joined up with a group of friends to head to the not-at-all
tropical city of Sudbury, Ontario.
Why Sudbury, you might ask? Well, knowing me, the answer was
of course – “to ride a train!”
First off, some background. VIA’s current network across
Canada includes a number of distinct groups of train services. There’s the busy
Quebec City-Windsor Corridor, that covers the bulk of VIA’s annual passenger
volume between major Canadian cities in Ontario and Quebec. Then there are the
last of the iconic named long distance trains – the Canadian, and the Ocean.
Finally, there are a group of trains that VIA classifies as their “regional and
remote services”. These trains are less glamorous than the main long distance
routes, and carry far fewer passengers; but they fill an important niche by
providing transportation options to communities with few other options, and in
some cases, provide the only access to remote communities. These trains are, in
many ways, a holdover of what much of Canada’s rail network used to be, back at
a time when trains stitched together the fabric of the nation.
There are five train routes that fall within this “regional
and remote” service umbrella, each of which has its own distinct flare. There’s
the Winnipeg-Churchill train (formly dubbed the “Hudson Bay”), which is a long
distance train with sleepers, dome cars, and sometimes a dining car, similar in
many ways to the Canadian and Ocean, but serving as a lifeline to communities
in Northern Manitoba. Out west, there’s the Jasper-Prince Rupert train
(formerly, and still to many, the “Skeena”), which runs a 2-day all daytime
schedule (with a stopover in Prince George), typically operating with a
pocket-streamliner consist of a baggage car, single coach, and Park car. In
Quebec, there are the two Northern Quebec services from Montreal to Jonquière
and Senneterre, simple baggage car plus coach day trains which operate joined
for part of their run and then split off to their respective end points.
Finally, what is arguably the most unique of these trains operates
in Northern Ontario, from Sudbury some 484km northwest through the wilderness
to the tiny village of White River. That’s what we’ll be riding in this trip
report.
So what exactly makes this train so unique?
First off, the route. Aside from a few small sections of
track that they own outright, VIA’s trains travel predominantly on Canadian
National (CN) track. There are a few sections in Ontario and BC where the
Canadian travels on Canadian Pacific (CP - now Canadian Pacific Kansas City, CPKC, post-merger) track in one direction due to
directional running agreements, but the only train that VIA operates entirely
over CP trackage is the Sudbury-White River route. This particular stretch of
track is also one remaining piece of the route of the original CP version of the
Canadian, which VIA operated up until the switch to the northern CN route
happened in 1990. Back when the Canadian operated on this route it provided a through
train connection between Sudbury and Thunder Bay. Now, the remaining train
covers just a part of the route where other transportation options are largely
or entirely non-existent.
The other thing that makes this train truly one of a kind in
both VIA’s network and the modern North American rail scene is the equipment.
This train is the last example of a mainline passenger train operating with
RDCs.
RDC stands for Rail Diesel Car. Built by Budd (the same
company that produced VIA’s stainless steel fleet) and often simply called
“Budd Cars”, the RDC was a novel concept designed to facilitate low-cost
passenger rail service on lesser used lines. Unlike a conventional passenger
train, RDCs are fully self-propelled rail cars, with a pair of engines mounted
under the floor, and a driving cab at each end. They could be run as
single-units or grouped as multiples to assemble longer trains. They were
built in different configurations including full coach (RDC-1), coach with a
small baggage section (RDC-2), coach/baggage/mail(post office) (RDC-3), full
baggage car (RDC-4), and even a cab-free version just for use mid-train
(RDC-9). This concept eventually fell out of favour in North America due to
the gradual dismantling of much of the passenger rail network in both Canada
and the US, but the general concept of self-propelled diesel multiple units has
remained a mainstay of passenger railroading through much of the world. There
are even a few examples working their way into commuter operations here, like
the various diesel O-Trains and Toronto’s UP Express.
At its inception, VIA inherited a huge fleet of RDCs from CN
and CP and operated them on lighter routes all across the country. They were a
mainstay all over Canada until the sweeping cuts in 1990, which eliminated most
of the services where the RDCs were used. Much of the fleet was sold off or
retired, but two services soldiered on: Vancouver Island, until the line shut
down in 2011 due to the poor state of the infrastructure, and Sudbury-White
River. Some RDCs stayed running in commuter service in the US into relatively
modern history and a few remain active on tourist railways, but by this time
the Sudbury-White River RDCs are the last of their kind running in proper
inter-city service. There have been plenty of rumours that these remaining RDCs
may be into their final days, potentially to be replaced with conventional
locomotive-hauled equipment. So that’s exactly why we decided it was worth
making the trip up to this frigid part of the Ontario wilderness to ride this
train!
At this point, VIA’s RDC roster is down to 5 units. All of
these units were fully rebuilt at IRSI in Moncton NB in the early 2010s, which
included updating the interiors and mechanical and electrical systems, and
notably, installing a driving cab at only one end of the units so the other end
can be dedicated for passenger boarding/unloading. Here's a VIA backgrounder on the rebuild program, which provides some interesting information.
One unit (6208) was sacrificed as part of the HEP fleet
teardown inspections/testing in recent years so that VIA could be sure whether metal fatigue issues were affecting these cars. So the remaining fleet is:
6105 – RDC-1 (all passenger space)
6217 – RDC-2 (baggage + passenger space)
6219 – RDC-2A (baggage + passenger space + accessible
washroom)
6250 – RDC-4 (all baggage)
6251 – RDC-4 (all baggage) *Currently stored in Montreal
The Sudbury-White River train gained some prominence two
years ago when it was featured in a TVO documentary program called “Tripping
Train 185”. Inspired by the Scandinavian “slow TV” concept, this documentary
follows the train from Sudbury to White River during the summer months,
showing off the route, the operations, and the kinds of people using this train
to access remote places on the line. It includes extensive onboard and exterior footage, including views of the line from a camera mounted on the front of the train and spectacular overview shots from a helicopter.
It’s worth a watch for sure. I’ll include the link here to both the main feature and a shorter web exclusive, and
let you decide if you’d like to watch it as a primer for this report, or watch
afterwards to see more about what the train is like at a very different time of
year.
Now, before we get to the details of our trip on that train,
let’s take a step back and work through this trip from the beginning.
As I mentioned earlier, this trip was planned with a group
of friends to go ride the RDCs; but the exact details worked out conveniently
to couple this trip along with something else I needed to be in Ontario for at right about the same time.
Transport Action Canada was holding its Annual General
Meeting in Kingston on April 5th. I had already planned to travel to
Ottawa, stay with family, and go to and from Kingston for the AGM on the 5th.
By happy coincidence, it turned out that the ideal week for this Sudbury
excursion would be immediately following this, with a plan to ride that train
on April 8th and 9th. So the itinerary would be:
April 4th: Fly to Ottawa (Porter)
April 5th: Train to and from Kingston for AGM
April 6th: Join up with the group who had driven
up from Halifax, drive to North Bay
April 7th: Drive to Sudbury, with a planned visit
to the railway museum in Capreol on the way
April 8th: Ride Train 185 Sudbury-White River
April 9th: Ride Train 186 White River-Sudbury,
then drive back as far as North Bay
April 10th/11th: Drive back to
Halifax, with a few train-related stops on the way
To Ottawa
The plane for my flight, waiting on a crew as an EHS Lifeflight plane taxis in the background.
I would have loved to start this trip on the train, but
available time dictated that I’d need to fly instead. Among the extremely
limited options for off-season Halifax-Ottawa flights (pick your flavour of
Dash 8!), I went with Porter. Unfortunately, they have reallocated their nice
Embraer jets to seasonal routes through the winter, so it’s all Q400 Dash 8s
for Ottawa at this time of year. I’m still always happy with Porter for their
overall service, but ever since they revamped these planes to cram in more (and
lousier) seats, they’re not the most pleasant experience.
The flight was delayed by about 90 minutes due to a crewing
issue, which they acknowledged as a “controllable” delay. It wasn’t long enough
to require compensation, but they did seem to be doing an excellent job of
accommodating passengers who would be missing their onward connections.
The "joys" of the tiny closet of a bathroom on Dash 8s. I suppose dropping the water from the sinks helps cram in extra seats, a nice lose-lose for the passenger experience...
The flight was perfectly fine, less turbulent than one I’d
had a few weeks earlier, and the landing in Ottawa was pleasant and smooth.
One thing I always enjoy (well, at least in nice weather) is getting to disembark directly down the stairs. The major drawback is that Porter insists on waiting until all gate-checked baggage is unloaded before letting anyone off the plane.
The new highlight of flights into Ottawa, as I related in my
last post, is being able to hop right on a train from the airport to head into
the city. Smooth, and much better than the bus from the Halifax end!
O-Train C-9 arriving at the airport terminal.
Almost perfect timing! The new O-Train Line 2 includes a flyover across the VIA line, and as we headed over there was a VIA train on its way - a few moments later would have been spot on.
To Kingston and Back
Ottawa Station, before opening hours.
On April 5th, I had booked a train first thing in
the morning to get to Kingston. The arrival time in Kingston seemed like a
great idea; the departure time from Ottawa, not so much… I was booked on Train
41, which would depart at 5:21am. Too early for public transit, I took a taxi
to the station (excellent service with Blueline, which I was able to pre-book
the night before), and realized when I got there that I had arrived before the
station opened – the doors weren’t unlocked on a Saturday until 4:45am! Despite
the early hour, there were a decent number of people boarding – a half dozen in
Business, and about 25 in Economy. Boarding started at 5:05am, and we were
underway at 5:20.
Early morning departure boards.
Boarding at Ottawa, our train on the right, an increasingly ubiquitous Venture set on the left.
The train ride itself was smooth. The consist was all HEP2,
and I was pleased to be seated in one of the non-refurbished cars (4108),
though I was quickly reminded of how much lousier these seats are compared to
the old (and seemingly very similar) LRC seats. There was a good crowd boarding
at Fallowfield and a few at Smiths Falls. We encountered what seemed like a
lengthy slow order north of Brockville, which we’d get more information on
during the return trip.
Classic HEP2 interior in 4108, old school red seats with tray tables in the armrests. Similar to the old LRC seats, but somewhat less comfy.
We were just a few minutes late arriving in Kingston, and I
was able to snap a quick photo of our train as it started to drizzle, before
heading off with my ride.
Head end of train 41 at Kingston.
After a productive day in Kingston, I headed back to the
station to board train #46. I was able to spot 2 other trains - #645 westbound with Venture set 2219+2318, and #66 eastbound with LRCs before
my train arrived. In this direction, I was seated in car 3, which happened to
be a second Business class car operating in Economy service. This offered a
nice treat with the 2+1 seating, even if only economy service.
VIA 645 at Kingston, with cab car 2318 leading. Running late courtesy of ongoing CN speed restrictions on Venture equipment.
VIA 66 at Kingston.
Heading back, we again had slow orders north of Brockville,
and were informed that this was due to high water around the tracks through
that boggy area, thanks to recent spring rains and snow melt. We were a while
late getting back to Ottawa, but it was still a smooth trip once on board.
VIA 46 arrives at Kingston as the rain picks up. Note the 4-car 2-coach+2-club consist, bracketed by an F40 and P42 combo.
Arrival back in Ottawa, in the dark again but on the nice high platform. Note the pair of Business cars, with one in Economy service.
Ottawa to North Bay
The next day, I met up with the rest of our group for the
main event. Three friends had picked up a rental van in Halifax, and made the drive
through to Ottawa (with two of them hopping on a train from Dorval to Ottawa
while the third drove). I would join the group in Ottawa, along with one other
who happened to have been in town already, and we headed off towards North Bay.
Stopping to photograph VIA 47 departing Ottawa.
Well, not quite directly. We made a detour south to
Merrickville, for a visit to the always-impressive Lark Spur Line, then a quick
swing through Smiths Falls. Unfortunately the railway museum had closed by the
time we got there, but we were still able to get some photos from outside the
fences. We also dropped by to check out the new (circa 2010) VIA station, and
then head off into the Ottawa Valley and up to North Bay for the night.
CP equipment at the railway museum in Smiths Falls.
Smiths Falls railway museum.
The "new" (15-year old) Smiths Falls VIA station. Not that impressive, but better than many of the shelters on the VIA network.
Inside the Smiths Falls station.
VIA - Smiths Falls
By this time, something concerning had been brought to our
attention. There had been a concerning number of trips of train 185/186 over
the winter months that had been cancelled, reportedly due to mechanical issues.
We had been watching the trains regularly because of this, and we got word that
the Saturday/Sunday return trip had been cancelled. There were also rumours of
a possible derailment being the culprit, and evidence that Friday’s 186 never
made it back to Sudbury. Yikes! Could this whole trip be a waste? We got to
discussing contingency plans, and decided that we’d make the sojourn
regardless. For now, all we could do was hope and plan some backup options.
Sunset in the Ottawa Valley - views once available from a train, but not for many, many years.
North Bay to Sudbury
The next morning, still somewhat concerned about the
prospects for our train trip, we awoke to more immediately concerning news. The
forecast for the day had shifted from some snow, to full-blown snowfall
warnings and the potential for heavy snow along our drive. Ah, the joys of
“spring” in Northern Ontario!
Our plan for the day involved some touring in North Bay,
then a drive to Capreol to visit the Northern Ontario Railroad Museum, where we
had a tour arranged. With the updated forecast and warnings from the museum
folks about how bad the roads could get, we decided to play it by ear.
Our tour of North Bay involved a few stops. First, a visit
to the Ontario Northland station, which is expecting to see train service again
by some time in 2026 with the return of Northlander service between Toronto and Timmins/Cochrane. Great to see some signs of progress at the station
itself, and work underway on the new bypass track that will allow the Northlander to bypass
the freight yards when getting to the station.
Signs of the coming return of the Northlander at the North Bay station.
Inside the North Bay station - an impressive facility, currently used only by busses, but soon to see rail traffic return.
Ontario Northland has some great marketing materials.
Working going on outside the station - note the new platform going in further down.
Work on the North Bay by-pass track, which will allow Northlander trains to avoid having to go through the yard to get between CN and ONR track to the station.
New track! Concrete examples of the Northlander return work.
More new track for the bypass, extending beyond the end of current CN track.
Speaking of the Northlander, we also found a fantastic piece
of history, albeit in rough shape. In the 1980s, the Northlander operated with
a group of second hand ex-Trans Europe Express (TEE) trainsets. A unique piece
of European railway equipment, each TEE set had a locomotive, compartment
coach, dining car, and cab-coach. The locomotives were soon replaced by
modified F units, better suited to Canadian operation, and the trainsets
themselves lasted a little over a decade in Northlander service. Some of the
equipment has been repatriated to Europe and restored, but two cars are still
in North Bay, off track and rusting away but retaining their Northlander paint.
I wasn’t aware these were still here, so this was very cool to see! In some
ways, the new Siemens Venture equipment being built for the restored
Northlander will be reminiscent of these trains, with 3-car sets including cab
cars, though now with a Business class car and at-seat food service, rather
than sit-down dining.
Last remnants of the old TEE Northlander equipment, with its incredibly unique cab car and European car profiles.
Very interesting end and couplings on these cars. They were semi-permanently coupled, with gangways offset to one side.
Some Ontario Northland graphics still intact. Other ageing signage indicates the train is owned by "TEE Classics"
A steam locomotive also on display alongside the old Northlander equipment.
If you're curious about those old Northlander sets, there's a great video on YouTube showing off the final days of that operation.
Last up, we made a visit by the Ontario Northland shops,
which are a reliable place to find all kinds of interesting railway equipment.
You never know what interesting things you might see, like these former New
Brunswick Southern SD40-2s, or a bunch of ex-Metrolink F59PH and F59PHI units.
GO Transit has much of their equipment rebuilt here, so GO equipment is a
regular sight.
North Bay shops - there's a lot going on over on the other side of those buildings. Note the GO Transit car over to the left, a very common sight here.
ex-New Brunswick Southern SD40-2s, a long way from home!
OVR units switch the yard, with lots of interesting stuff in the background.
With that wrapped up, we got out on the road. We were still entertaining
the prospect of a Capreol visit, but mid-way through the trip we hit the heavy
snow and quickly decided it was out of the question. We were lucky enough to
get stuck behind a pair of snow plows, but it was still a long and slow drive.
We were happy enough to settle for just getting to Sudbury, and once we did we
decided it was best to stick around town.
Spring driving in Northern Ontario. Yeah, we're not going to make an extra detour!
After arriving in Sudbury that afternoon we spotted RDC-1
6105 by the shops. VIA’s RDCs are maintained by what used to be Diesel Electric
Services, now Mansour Canadian Rail, at their shops not far from the station in
Sudbury. With uncertainty about what would be happening with our train, we were
curious to see what might be visible. There’s no train on Monday, so we
expected any equipment would be somewhere around the shops, either outside or
inside. We knew that 6217 and 6250 had been the operating pair for quite some
time now, so that’s what we were most interested in finding. Later on, when we
checked into our hotel (the Days Inn), we realized we had a partial view of the
shops from one of the hotel rooms. Somewhat to our surprise, we spotted two
RDC-2s, which we figured must be 6217 and 6219, coupled up on that side of the
shop. Later that afternoon we noticed them start up and move over to another
track, so we started to wonder if this might be the equipment for our train. In
any case, encouraging to see RDCs on the move!
VIA 6105, viewed through a centrebeam. Our first RDC sighting!
We had gone by the station at one point to scout out the
situation for the next morning, and noticed a hand-written sign posted in the
window from the previous trip, stating that there would be no train due to
mechanical issues.
A sign we don't want to see... this was up for the previous Saturday/Sunday train, and we were hoping not to see anything similar by the next morning.
Sudbury station sign, which has clearly seen better days. At least the departure time is still accurate, though information for 186 is absent.
A rather important sign on the Sudbury station door - noting that Departures/Arrivals to/from Toronto and Vancouver are at the Sudbury Jct. station, not this one! I'm sure that confusion comes up regularly.
Through the remainder of the day, we did manage to spot one
train – the daily Huron Central train heading for Sault Ste-Marie – and
otherwise got something to eat and went to pick up supplies for the next day.
We knew the train would have very limited food available, so we made sure to be
well prepared. With that done, we settled down for the night and hoped the
morning would bring the ride we had travelled all this way for.
Huron Central train to the Sault, with Southern Ontario and Ottawa Valley Raillink units leading, plows across Martindale Rd.
Train 185 – Sudbury to White River
White smoke! Viewed from the hotel room, a plume of exhaust signals that we will have a train!
We awoke early on April 8, with the sun shining and the
thermometer showing a temperature far below zero – minus 16 degrees Celsius,
with a wind chill around minus 26. Looking out the hotel window, I could see
the pair of RDC-2s still in the yard by the shops. Still no email or notice
from VIA, and the booking system would still allow bookings on 185 and the next day's 186, so that was encouraging! Much to my delight, just before 7am I
spotted a plume of smoke from the top of one RDC, followed a minute later by
the same from the other – engines started! It looks like we have a train.
After breakfast, we packed up and got ready to head to the
station. While loading the van, we heard a bell and noticed that the pair of
RDCs was making its way around the yard tracks to start heading for the
station. They have to cross back and forth through a few switches to get from the yard
tracks to the station track. This gave us enough time to get to the station before
they arrived. Parking at the station is free for passengers, you just need to
get a pass from the station agent.
As we were loading up the van, we spotted the two units navigating the yard crossovers to get set to head for the station.
Arriving at the Sudbury station there was no sign warning of
train issues, the doors were unlocked, and a staff member was there at the
ticket office. There were two other passengers already there waiting for the
train. There was a sizeable snow drift on the platform, so I did my best to
navigate it to get in position on the platform (regretting my choice not to
pack winter boots), and watched our 2-car silver train roll up at 8:17am, nearly
45 minutes before scheduled departure.
Sudbury station platform, with snow drifts that are a bit deeper than they look.
Sudbury ticket counter.
Sudbury station interior.
Sudbury station.
Baggage policy - this train has a one of a kind policy that's unlike most VIA trains.
On board we found this poster, which lists the prices for the many things accepted on this train, and normally handled in the RDC-4 - this really gives a sense of what kind of service this train provides.
"The Year of the Ox" - artwork by Heather Topp, 2009.
Old signage in the Sudbury station. Some of this clearly goes back many years, especially with the reference to train conductors.
VIA #185 – April 8, 2025
6219 – RDC-2A
6217 – RDC-2 *
Our train arrives - 6217 is leading into the station, but will be trailing as we will head back out in that direction to leave town. Note the red paddle in the coupler.
RDC-2 6217, looking sharp.
RDCs, looking splendid in the morning sun. Strange not to see the RDC-4 on this train.
6219, about the embark on its maiden run after many months sitting idle.
The service manager – Robin - made his way into the station,
and greeted the group of us. Before boarding, he asked us where we were staying
in White River. When he found out we’d booked the White River Motel (one of
only two options in town), he chastised us – the crew all stay at the Continental
(owned by the mayor of White River), which would have made things easier for us
to get rides to and from the station - “Rookies!”, he calls us. Now we know
better for the next time! He did warn us that the staff at the White River Motel have sometimes been late getting passengers to the station in the morning, so during the trip he gave us his number to call in case we ran into any issues.
Having learned one lesson already, we were invited to board
the train at 8:24am. Passengers would be seated in 6217, the trailing RDC. This
seems to be in part because the crew like having their own space in the lead
unit, and also because there were more exhaust smells in 6219 on this initial
run.
Our ride awaits - ready to board 6217! CP logo peaking through the far window gives a reminder of whose territory we're in.
As we found spots and got settled, we had a look around inside. We also
encountered a mechanic on board from Mansour, who maintains the RDCs at the
Sudbury shops on a day to day basis. We got chatting with him and discovered
that he would be riding with us for the whole trip out and back as a mechanical
rider, watching for issues on the way since 6219 was on its first trip in many
months. He was an absolutely lovely guy, and seemed to enjoy chatting with us
as much as we did with him. He was incredibly generous with his time and
knowledge, and this gave us an opportunity to learn a lot about these RDCs, as
well as some of the issues that had been going on.
One thing we found out right away was that the Saturday/Sunday trip had indeed been cancelled due to a derailment on the previous run. The train,
being led by 6250, encountered a crossing with snow and ice packed in after the
heavy snowfall. Being a lighter, shorter unit, the lead truck on 6250 rode up
off the rails. The derailment was at low speed and minor, but Transport Canada
rules require that the axles on the truck that went on the ground be replaced
before it can operate in service again. So with 6250 down, they had to get a
second unit ready before running again.
Couldn’t they just run with a single unit? Well, yes and no.
It is technically possible, though they’d have to turn the unit at White River
since there is only a cab on one end of the rebuilt RDCs. The bigger issue is
that they’re limited to a top speed of 40mph when operating a single unit, which is considerably slower than
the top speed on a lot of this run (60mph on many sections, and up to 75mph on one stretch).
6219 hadn’t been in service for quite some time, so it needed
some work and a few parts replaced before being ready to go. They also had to
rotate one of the units on the turntable to get them back-to-back. I asked
about 6105, and was told that the main reason they don’t use it is because the
crew prefer to have the baggage area up front, which gives them more space and
access to other supplies through the trip. So they prefer to use 6105 as the
third unit during the summer months, sandwiched between the usual RDC-4 and
RDC-2. It is still serviceable, and they expected to have it running by late
May.
Speaking of the crew, this train normally operates with a
3-person crew: two engineers, who run in quarters, swapping duties at Cartier,
Chapleau, and Missanabie; and a service manager, who handles things on board.
The engineers are mostly based out of Capreol, in the same pool as those who
operate the Canadian. Only one is currently assigned to the Sudbury-White River
run full time. The service managers work a week-on-week-off model, so they'll make three consecutive round trips and then swap for the next week. Canadian Pacific
used to provide the crews for this run, but that ended a number of years ago
with a switch to VIA crews.
So with all that said, back to the trip! We departed Sudbury
exactly on time at 9am. In addition to our group of 5, there were 6 other
passengers boarding at Sudbury. We quickly noticed that most of them appeared
to be local regulars, who the SM knew well.
As we get underway, let’s have a look inside our train. These
RDCs were refurbished at IRSI in Moncton around the same time that the LRC
fleet was being worked on. This is very evident inside – the cars share the
same upholstery, carpets, curtains, and similar window frames. The seats are quite
comfortable, with a decent amount of leg room. There are foot rests, fold-down
tray tables, and power outlets at all seats. There is plenty of overhead and
end of car luggage space. Another change with the refurbishment is more
actively closing off the baggage and cab areas at the end of the car, though
the doors were often left open so we could get a glance inside.
6217 interior. The partition in the middle of the car actually houses the conduits between the engines under the floor and the radiators and exhaust on the roof.
Closed door to the baggage section. Economy menu, in so far as you can call it that, taped up on the door.
Baggage section in 6217, which houses some baggage storage room, a small galley, and other equipment storage.
Seating - most (if not all) seats can be turned, so there's a combination of forward and rear seats and facing quads.
Some quads have a table, and one of these is often used by the SM for paperwork. Tables can be moved by the crew to other seat sections. If you were reading the VIA backgrounder linked above, you may have seen reference to modified armrests - some seats, like seat 4 on the left here - now have a flip-up armrest, to make getting in and out of the seats easier.
Comfy seats and curtains, some aligned better with windows than others. Handy coat hooks on the bulkheads mid-car.
End of car baggage storage.
Standard bathroom in 6217.
This seems to say a lot about what's keeping these units going - simple ingenuity by the local shops. The fancy automatic motion-sensor taps have been replaced with a simple ball valve.
Food service on this train is negligible. There are water
bottles on offer for free, and coffee/tea can be purchased. This involves
asking the SM, who then goes up to the baggage area to prepare it. Snacks involve
some chocolate bars and maybe chips (though it didn’t sound like they had any
on this trip). Cash is still accepted for payment, thanks to the lack of cell
service.
Menu - yep, that's the whole offering.
That’s an important note to keep in mind as well. We lost
cell service by around Cartier, and only got it back briefly at Chapleau, then
lost again until just before White River. So don’t expect to be able to be in
touch along the trip!
The ride on these units is quite nice. They’re smooth, surprisingly
quiet despite the underfloor engines, and can really accelerate and brake
quickly. One interesting thing, apparently a result of aging components, is a
noticeable “THUNK” right before the engines kick in and again at the transition
around 45mph.
Another interior view, this time in 6219. The most noticeable difference in this car is the large washroom up ahead - more on that on the return trip.
Doors between the two RDCs. Each car has an inner and outer door. In their original configuration, this would also be through a driving cab, but no longer.
Outside vestibule doors. I have in mind these were originally built as 2-piece Dutch doors, but they're now a single piece door with the flip-up trap and fixed steps.
Our first stop on this trip was at Chelmsford at 9:17, where
we picked up one passenger. We had no stop at Cartier. We would actually have
no stops at the majority of “stations” along the way in both directions. It is
important to realize, too, that most of these stops are just at points in the woods
for people to access cabins, camps, or just the wilderness. The train can also
stop just about anywhere in between on request. During the summer months, there
will be many stops at these points for campers, fishers, hikers, and explorers.
On our trip, it was still just people getting to and from year-round communities
and habitations.
Views of the yard and shops leaving Sudbury.
Doesn't take long from the station to start seeing the wilderness. The fresh snow from yesterday's storm gave everything an impressive white coat.
CP bunk cars at Cartier.
The first of many river views, though among the few where we'd see open water on this trip.
Our next stop was at Biscotasing at 10:59. One passenger got
off here, and he pointed out his ice fishing hut on the way in as we approached
the stop.
First signs of habitation in quite a while as we approach Biscotasing.
A lone ice-fishing hut - belonging to the one passenger disembarking at Bisco.
Vale Power Department at Biscotasing.
Our one disembarking passenger at Biscotasing, with the general store in the background. There's something that feels kind of anachronous about someone dragging a modern suitcase on an iced up road in such a remote place.
We would pass (with no stops) Ramsey at 11:20, Woman River at
11:38, and Nemegos at 12:20, running over half an hour ahead of schedule. There’s
clearly a lot of padding built in for long stops with lots of baggage and goods
to handle, and with no stops it’s easy to get ahead. At Devon – 12:30 – we stopped
for our first CP meet. There can be many of these on the trip, which can also
throw off the schedule.
With few other passengers, we had lots of space to spread out. Note the supplies on the seat ahead - coffee and water bottles, VIA/Rapido toques, notebook, and Canadian Trackside Guide.
First CP freight of many.
We arrived at our major stop at Chapleau at 12:41. In the westbound direction, the train stops before the station to refuel, with one unit filled and the train moving ahead to fill the second. With this done, we got to the station itself at 12:51, about a half hour early. All but 2 of the remaining passengers got off here, and one got on. We had a quick moment to step out for fresh air and to snap a few photos, then we were right back on.
Refuelling at Chapleau, before pulling into the station.
Chapleau, basically the mid-way point on the trip.
Out for fresh air, quick opportunity to pose with our train!
Closer look at 6219. Major modifications during the rebuild include the extra headlight, new windshield wipers (as well as built-in heating in the windshields), and large snow plow. As an accessible unit, 6219 had wheelchair lifts installed, which were behind the step plates. These have since been removed as they were not reliable. The plain grey ends leave something to be desired, but they've grown on me over time.
Closer look at the trailing 6217. A couple notable things - first, the headlights on this unit have been replaced with new LEDs. There's also duct tape over damaged areas where the cameras were attached to the front for the filming of the TVO special. You can also tell this unit has been seeing a lot more use, with the heavier layers of grime and sealant on the cab roof.
Preserved CP Angus van at Chapleau. Astonishing just how many of these are around the system in some state of preservation.
VIA Chapleau.
Oh yeah, it's "CPKC" now. You'll note I haven't got into the habit of calling it that...
We were informed that there was a CP westbound wrapping up
work at Chapleau, so we were sent out early to get ahead of it. With all
passengers accounted for, we departed at 1:03pm, well ahead of our scheduled
1:35pm departure.
Afternoon views - with these comfy seats and the sun pouring in, it would be pretty easy to doze off. That is, if the trip weren't so interesting!
Curve at the end of the siding at Musk.
We next went into the siding at Musk at 1:27pm, where we would
have to wait for two CP freights (both intermodals). We were back on the go at
1:56pm, closer to our schedule after the meets ate up our time advantage.
First meet, with CP 8806 leading.
You might almost think this was the same image again, if not for the different number! Meet 2 of 2.
We passed Missanabie at 2:50pm, Franz at 3:20pm, and stopped
in the siding at Franz for another meet. We were back on our way at 3:36pm.
There's lots of water out there, but it's mostly all frozen over. These would be views worth coming back to see in the summer.
Missanabie.
Freight meet at Franz.
The track curves around a lot, which makes for neat views ahead, but not quite as interesting with such a short train.
Little bits of water peaking out from the snow and ice.
A little while before Franz, we had noticed some beeping
sounds from the cab end of 6217. We later found out that one of the engines in
6217 had shut down a couple of times and had to be restarted, though this hadn’t
actually affected our continuing journey.
We made good progress for the last stretch, passing Girdwood
at 3:58, Amyot at 4:10, and O’Brien at 4:23.
Ultimately, this would bring us back well ahead of schedule,
arriving at White River at 4:40pm, 25min early. We had been warned about
another freight meet, but we spotted that train as we arrived in White River,
so had clearly been able to sneak in before they got through town.
Meeting a CPKC train as we arrive in White River. The effect of the merger has become apparent, with plenty of KCS power showing up on these trains.
End of the line! Leaving our train at White River
Our RDCs ready to head to the shop for a rest overnight.
Mile zero. This route crosses the Cartier, Nemegos, and White River subdivisions, ending at mile 0 on the White River sub. The station building looks nice, but is all sealed up.
White River. Nice sign, but nothing much by way of a station anymore.
White River timetable sign. The departure time has changed to 7am, which someone wrote in marker above the 9am time, but has since washed off. Planning to call VIA to inquire? You'd better have a cellphone, because that pay phone does not work.
At White River, the staff from our motel had arrived to pick
most of us up from the station. A couple of us decided to take a walk instead,
as it wasn’t terribly far. This gave us a chance to spot the RDCs over near the
shop where they’d park for the night, as well as get a good look around the
small town. White River’s main claim to fame, beyond this really neat train
service (and former railway history) is as the birthplace of Winnie the Pooh – specifically,
the black bear cub that would end up inspiring the children’s stories, in a
round about way.
White River - our RDCs are parked by the shops for the night off to the left. The station can be seen over to the right, with the CP...ugh...CPKC...yard in the middle.
Interesting bits of history in town.
A neat preserved speeder by the CPKC office.
The railway heritage in White River is readily apparent around town.
"Preserved" caboose. This looks somewhat better on the other side, but...yikes.
More railway heritage in White River. Pretty sure there are some tracks under the snow.
Trains and Winnie the Pooh - yep, that pretty well sums up White River.
Checking out a gas station convenience store, we found the Ontario Northland bus "terminal" tucked away behind the Winnie the Pooh souvenirs. There are buses to Thunder Bay and Sault Ste-Marie Sunday to Friday - 2:40am heading to Thunder Bay, 5:58am to the Sault.
After a bit of exploring the town and checked into our
motel, we headed across the highway to the restaurant at the Continental for
supper, and then got settled down for the night. We made an early night, as it
would be a very early morning – we’d been told to be at the station by 6:30!
Train 186 – White River to Sudbury
Early morning at the White River Motel. The Continental, the one other option in town, is right across the other side of the Trans Canada Highway. Both are about a 10-15 minute walk from the station, though that feels like a much longer time when it's -20C...
We awoke the next morning to more brutal cold. It was a
similar temperature in White River, in the range of minus 20 degrees Celsius. Two of us decided to grab breakfast at the
A&W and walk to the station, while the rest took a ride from the motel staff.
By the time we got to the station and our coffee was nearly frozen, we were
definitely re-thinking our decision making! Especially with the lack of any
indoor or sheltered space at the station itself.
An eastbound CP freight was rolling through as we arrived at
the station. After it cleared, our train rolled up at 6:48am.
VIA #186 –
April 9, 2025
6217 – RDC-2
6219 – RDC-2A*
RDCs arrive, this time with 6219 to be the trailing unit.
6219 - our ride for the return trip.
This time, we would be seated in 6219, which allowed us to
experience a different RDC for the return trip. The main difference with this
unit is the larger accessible washroom, which sacrifices some seating capacity.
The heat in 6219 was a little low for the first while, but eventually got
resolved. Aside from this, the ride and general experience were similar, though
6219 seemed to ride a little bit rougher than 6217.
Baggage area on 6219, with the cab up ahead.
Inside 6219. Similar to 6217, but a slightly different seat layout.
The much, MUCH larger accessible washroom on 6219.
This washroom has the same makeshift tap handle replacement as in 6217.
The door on the accessible washroom was built to be an automatic sliding door, controlled by a push button. This wore out over time, and the local shop crew installed a dial lock, and the door slides manually.
Photographed later in the morning, here's the area outside the washroom in 6219. Note the larger space and adjustable table to accommodate passengers in a wheelchair. Between this and the larger washroom, 12 seats have been removed.
Leaving White River there was just our group of 5 and 2
other passengers. We departed at 6:54am (7 minutes early), after the crew
confirmed all passengers were accounted for.
For the first while of the trip we were following that
eastbound freight, which involved slowing down and occasionally stopping at
every block along the way. This made for a slow trek, but with the beautiful
wintery sunrise outside and fresh coffee brewed on board, nobody was
complaining.
Best views of the entire trip...
A perfect morning.
Nothing more to say, really. Just a stunning view, and even more so when rocking along with the low rumble of the engines underfloor.
Picture-perfect winter morning (in April)
Coffee and a view.
One of the many cabins/camps by the tracks, which is definitely served by the train in the summer months - but evidently snowed in for the winter.
More sporadic signs of habitation in the wilderness.
More frozen lakes.
Winding along, with some of the old telegraph pole lines still around.
Fresh snow in April isn't necessarily what we were expecting, but it was really welcome.
At some point we stopped and were told that the freight ahead
of us had work to do at Franz (once a notable and busy railroad hub in the area), so we would be delayed for several hours; however,
an update soon came that the CP crew had decided to skip Franz, in part due to
struggling with frozen hand brakes on some cars. So we continued following
them, reaching Amyot at 7:36am (still basically on time), Girdwood at 7:52am
(now late), Swanson at 8:15am, Franz at 8:26am, and Lochalsh at 8:55, where we
were able to pass that CP freight. We reached Missanabie at 9:14, where we met
a westbound freight, departing that siding at 9:24am.
Concrete base at Franz, from an old water tower that was taken down in 1983.
Frozen lake views.
More evidence of water, deep under ice and snow.
Freight meet - view through a pulpwood car.
Another view in the baggage area, with better light.
Interior of 6217, with only a table up front being used by the SM.
End door on 6217, small washroom to the left. 6217 has its washroom at the B end of the car, while 6219 has it near the baggage section.
Baggage area in 6219.
Baggage area at the end of 6219. This is the side where the washroom is located in 6217.
6219 interior - you can see how the hallway jogs over to the right at the end to avoid the large washroom.
Icy lakes.
With the baggage door open, a view is available out the end of 6219 - with a telephoto of course, so as not to encroach on the off limits area.
We made it to Musk at 10:23, Esher at 10:32, and Chapleau at
10:46am, about 16min late. We picked up 4 more passengers at Chapleau, our
first proper stop of the trip. This time we were able to step off to take a
very quick picture, but were told not to go far and to get right back on. We
made our refuelling stops at 10:52 and 10:58, and left by 11:02 – now a half
hour behind schedule.
Chapleau.
Chapleau.
CP power in the yard at Chapleau.
Assorted CP MOW equipment, including a repurposed Angus van.
Bits of open water!
VIA napkins with coffee. Sadly, VIA does not have ones like this, so we brought our own (and left a few behind for future passengers).
We would later find out that one of the passengers boarding
at Chapleau had been stranded on the previous cancelled run. He had been at
Nicholson, and found out the train had been cancelled. VIA sent out a hi-rail to pick him up (apparently a common backup option) and bring him to
Chapleau where he had family to stay with while waiting on the next train. A
reminder that even with light passenger loads at this time of year, cancelled
trains can be a major problem for people who rely on this as the only means of
transportation.
We had another meet at Sultan siding, then picked up another
passenger at Sultan at 12:02.
Sultan - passenger pickup right by the tracks.
We then met another freight at Aubrey at 12:18, and arrived
at Ramsey at 12:34. I missed noting the time at Biscotasing, but noted we were
at Sinker at 1:15pm. Somewhere around here (Metagama?) there seemed to have
been a passenger no-show. The crew sounded the horn and slowed down, and it
appeared the SM was watching for someone that he was expecting (and knew). “Nobody
there? Ok, let’s go”.
Snaking along by a river, with bits of open water.
River views in the afternoon sun.
More river views.
The tracks wind around stretches of fast moving water as we get closer to our home stretch.
Cartier.
We were at Pogamasing at 1:44pm, basically back on time,
then Stralak at 1:57pm, and Cartier at 2:14pm, now 10 minutes early. We made a
stop, but didn’t pick up any passengers. Apparently we did pick up a VIA
trainmaster, who was riding the rest of the way in to Sudbury.
We got to Levack at 2:30, Larchwood at 2:45pm, and then
stopped with the word we were waiting on possibly two freights. In the long run
it ended up being only one, as the other was farther along and we’d be able to
meet it on the double track into Sudbury. We were back underway at 3:07pm, and got
to Chelmsford at 3:10pm, where we dropped off one passenger.
Last bits of rockier outcroppings as we near Sudbury.
Another CP meet!
Chelmsford, with a drop-off.
Nearing Sudbury, about to head under the CN rail line (not the mainline, but a branch that comes in to Sudbury to interchange with CP and the local industrial lines).
On the last stretch through Azilda, we hit the fastest
stretch of this line, where the passenger speed permits 75mph. Very impressive!
These trains can really get up and go. An interesting note on the last part of this schedule. Between Sudbury and Azilda, the westbound train is scheduled to take 10 minutes. The eastbound train, by contrast, is scheduled for 45 minutes. The result is an overall scheduled time for 185 of 8h5min, and a schedule for 186 of 8h50min. We asked the crew if there was a rationale for this, and they suspected it to have been a scheduling error. They don't particularly mind on their trip home, though, because it means they often get back to Sudbury on time or early, even with delays.
We cleared past that other freight along
the double track, and made our final arrival into Sudbury at 3:38pm, 12 minutes
early, with a total of 11 passengers (us plus 6), the same total that we left
with the previous day.
We disembarked, watched our train leave to head back to the
yard. We had such a great time, and were definitely sad to already be done and
watching those sleek silver railcars roll away!
Back in Sudbury, where we started. The bright spring sun over the last two years cleared some of the snow drifts off the platform.
With our train one more time before they head back to the shops, and we get back on the road.
Old baggage carts at Sudbury. Not sure how much these are used anymore, if at all.
Sudbury station.
All in all, this was an excellent trip. This train is so
unique, and really feels like it in every way, from the equipment, to the crews,
the passengers, and the terrain. It’s something worth experiencing for sure,
and I’d love to get back to ride it in the summer when it takes on additional
character. Still, the wintery scenery was beautiful, the quiet train was very
nice, and we had the advantage of getting to experience “winter” scenery with the benefits
of longer daylight hours.
The RDCs are, unfortunately, having increasing issues. We
did learn on this trip that the equipment crews are serious about keeping them
running, and they believe that they can keep them going for the next 5-10 years;
but the reality is, parts are getting harder to find and more expensive, and
everything is wearing out. The base units are nearing 70 years old, and even the
last rebuild work is getting to be 15-years past. Ongoing cancellations due to mechanical
problems are making the service less predictable and reliable.
Eventually, the equipment will be replaced. VIA’s current long distance, regional and remote equipment procurement is supposed to replace
everything on the network over the next decade. It’s quite possible that
conventional equipment could replace the RDCs sooner than that. The crews we
talked to, though, all said the same thing – “we’ve been hearing that for
years! We’ll believe it when we see it.”
Either way, it’s a trip that’s worth making, and I’d
encourage anyone who’s thinking about it to make the trip while you can. I
certainly hope to be back again some day, either while the RDCs are still
running, or to experience whatever replaces them.
In addition to the video included above, I did take a couple quick videos of the RDCs arriving in Sudbury before our departure, arriving in White River from the yard the next morning, and heading away from Sudbury at the end of our trip. You can watch that video below, for a bit of a look at these units in motion.
After getting back to Sudbury, we decided to make one detour
before heading back on to North Bay where we’d be staying for the night. The
Canadian was due to arrive at Sudbury Junction – the very inconveniently
located station on the CN line – that afternoon, so we headed out there to
watch that train arrive, pick up passengers, make a head-end crew change
(earlier than usual, as they were running late), and continue on its way. The
RDCs were great, of course, but the Canadian is always a special train to see!
Sudbury Jct. station. Unlike the downtown station, this building is quite remote and a long way from the city centre.
Sudbury Jct.
Sudbury Jct. signage.
Sudbury Jct. station is very utilitarian by comparison to the nicer downtown station, but it is a much better facility than many small stops on the VIA network. At least the station is open. The track immediately in front is the connection to the CN spur that runs into Sudbury proper.
Sudbury Jct. does have a ticket window, and though the VIA website claims that the ticket office is closed and has no staff, at least on this day, there was a staff member working there - the same agent who had been working the downtown Sudbury station. We saw him lock up just after we left, and he was here at the ticket window when we arrived out here.
Sudbury Jct. waiting room. Not a bad space, though in somewhat rough repair, especially in the bathrooms. There was actually a large crowd here when we first arrived, so I took this photo after the train had loaded up.
The Canadian arrives! They had several slow orders due to work blocks on their way in, and then had a meet with this CN freight. To allow the freight not to have to go through the siding switches at restricted speed, the Canadian took the siding, and then after the freight cleared they got protection from the RTC to unload across the near track.
A sizeable group of passengers waits to board the train or meet disembarking passengers.
After loading baggage, we noticed the crew unloaded a bunch of palates of water bottles. These appear to be the same as the ones on offer on the RDCs, so my guess is that the VIA commissary in Toronto sent these by train to Sudbury Jct., to then be taken to downtown Sudbury and used on 185/186.
As much as I enjoyed the RDCs, the Canadian with its domes and dining cars is pretty hard to top.
Into the sunset - with several days left in their journey to Vancouver, I couldn't help but envy the passengers on board as the Canadian eased away. Shame they were headed the wrong way!
The Trip Home
With our train travels wrapped up, we made the long drive
back to Nova Scotia. This was not without fun stops – we dropped by Mattawa to
see the old train station (in very rough shape), which was once served by the CP and then VIA Canadians on the original route.
Mattawa station, the CPR station served by the Canadian on its original route. Today, the only trains that pass here are the freights to Temiscaming, using the track on the opposite side of the station.
Mattawa station. The active freight line to Temiscaming is on this side.
We then made it to Laval in the
afternoon to go to Van Horne hobby, an incredibly one-of-a-kind shop tucked away
in a discrete location and with an incredible inventory of old and out of production
products. After waiting out the evening rush, we drove on as far as Drummondville,
making it in time to visit Modèle B.T. – another superb hobby shop – just before
they closed. It’s a well-stocked and maintained store, with great staff, and an
excellent location right by the CN mainline. We spotted a VIA train passing
with Venture equipment, while eyeing up Bachmann Venture models on the shelf –
that’s effective marketing right there!
A look inside the very impressive Modèle B.T. in Drummondville QC.
More stock at Modèle B.T. - and there's a whole other section of the store, with all kinds of supplies and a couple of small layouts.
After a night in Drummondville, our last detour was to visit
the Sartigan Railway in Scott QC. They are a really neat short line, connecting
with CN at their Joffre yard in Charny. They have a small roster of MLW
equipment, and we were able to spot several locomotives parked outside the shop.
We then found their train at Saint-Lambert-de-Lauzon/Cantin, crossing Rue du
Pont heading north to Joffre, with an RS-23 and M420 pair leading. Seeing (and
hearing!) these classic MLWs in action was really impressive, and a great last
train to spot before heading home.
Sartigan ex-BC Rail M420s, used for parts.
Sartigan 1828, an RS-18u originally rebuilt by CP, and then owned by the Ottawa Central Railway through its 10-year history.
That Sartigan paint scheme is pretty sharp. Nice to see some of these venerable MLWs getting a refresh. The current small shop building is right behind the locomotive.
A recent Sartigan acquisition - an ex-CP M636 that last operated on the Minnesota Commercial. It sounds like they have plans to get this up and running in the near future, which would add a first six-axle unit to their roster.
Sartigan train headed for Joffre, with an RS-23 and M420 pair. These units sounded incredible, particularly with the classic Canadian-tuned horn on 8033.
Sartigan going-away. Neat to see MLWs built for both CP and CN working together.
The rest of the drive was long but ultimately smooth and unremarkable,
and we made it home by late that night – exhausted, but after an excellent trip.
Since our ride, several more round trips on 185/186 have been
cancelled. We actually found out on the way back that the trip right after ours had been cancelled - so we snuck in right between two cancelled trips! One trip only made it as far as Cartier before being cancelled and
turned around, and another just made it to near Chapleau when a drive shaft on
one unit gave out. The pair of 6217 and 6219 has been continuing through April,
but clearly are in need of work. Perhaps when 6250 is returned to service it
could alleviate some issues, but from what we gathered, it has often been the
problematic unit. 6105 could help too, though it may be reserved for when they
need a third unit into the summer.
In any case, I'm glad to have checked off another piece of the VIA network, and I hope you've enjoyed following along. For the next installment, we will indeed return to the Canadian - which just marked its 70th anniversary!
