INCORPORATED 1952 NUMBER 398 DECEMBER 1982 UPPER CANADA RAILWAY SOCIETY BOX 122 STATION "A" TORONTO. ONTARIO The first westbound INTERNATIONAL is pictured at Toronto Union Station prior to the commencement of the inaugural ceremonies. Yes, they did remember to remove the carpet before the train left.' __j Thompson photo The body of Hamilton Street Railway 403 is loaded onto a float for the 50- mile move to the Ontario Electric Railway Historical Association museum at Rockwood by Charles Matthews Ltd. Photo taken Oct. 19, 1982 at the Paron Cheese Co. on the south side of Hwy. 20, east of Elfrida. OERHA expects eventually place the body on Curtis D2 trucks from TTC flat motor W-8. The INTERNATIONAL heads westward out of Union Station on its maiden run, SMASH; VIA President Pierre Franche continues the time-honoured tradition with ex-CNR lounge-sleeper Bedford bringing up the markers for the benefit of launching ceremonies by breaking a bottle of champagne across the couplei of VIP's aboard. The construction cranes in the background are for the new of LRC locomotive 6901 to officially christen the new train. CN convention centre being built on Front St. __j.d. Thompson photo DECEMBER 1982 3 the \till INTERNATIONAL inaugurated Through train service from Toronto to Chicago was restored on October 31 at 1300 with the launching of the INTERNATIONAL, a co-operative venture of VIA Rail Canada Inc. and Amtrak, the U.S. passenger rail service. The official ceremonies began at 12:30 on Track 12 at Toronto Union Station. Pierre Franche, President of VIA Rail Canada, introduced guest speakers from Amtrak and the federal government, following which he made a few remarks on the new servi-ce. Just prior to the 1300 departure of the train, he inaugurated the new service by breaking a bottle of Canadian champagne across the front coupler of the train. During his remarks, Mr. Franche said: "We are particularly pleased to be instituting a service which capitalizes on two existing services, linking them together at opportune times for the travelling public. At a time when medium distance travel is at a peak and when people are exploring closer destinations for business or pleasure reasons, we are excited to be joining hands across the border again as we did a little more than one year ago with the MAPLE LEAF service to New York. The new Chicago service will undoubtedly help to establish a closer unity with our good friends and trading partners in the United States. Now, with two co-operative service, the INTERNATIONAL and the MAPLE LEAF, we are continuing to develop the full potential of rail passenger services, both here and in the United States." At most of the regular station stops en route to Sarnia, local mayors greeted the officials on board the train and wished the new services well. In Sarnia, a brief commemorative ceremony was held just prior to crossing the border. VIA and Amtrak officials broke bottles of Canadian and American water across the rear of the train. When the train arrived in Port Huron, Michigan, 3.1 miles from Sarnia, it met the eastbound Chicago-Toronto train and both stopped for another ceremony. Following additional welcoming ceremonies in U.S. cities en route to Chicago, the INTERNATIONAL was scheduled to arrive in Chicago at 10:47 p.m. Data on the new service is summarized in the following: Finalized Schedule: Westbound, Train 83-365, Mon.-Sat. Lv. Toronto 0810, Lv. Pt. Huron 12:45, Arr. Chicago 18:02. Westbound, Train 85-367, Sun., Lv. Toronto 1300, Lv. Pt. Huron 1730, Arr. Chicago 22:47. Eastbound, Train 364-88, Daily Lv. Chicago 10:25, Lv. Sarnia 18:30, Arr. Toronto 2150. The Amtrak portion of the runs represents a rescheduling of the former BLUE WATER LIMITED between Chicago and Port Huron. Types of equipment: VIA: Tempo equipment with LRC locomotive. Amtrak: Amfleet equipment with F40PH power. Basic train consists: VIA equipment: One cafe bar lounge (take-out service); 3-4 82-seat coaches. Amtrak equipment: 1 Amdinette (take-out service); 3-4 84-seat coaches. Additional coaches added as required. Equipment rotation: Each train will travel through from Toronto to Chicago or Chicago to Toronto, with VIA and Amtrak consists departing from Toronto and Chicago on alternate days. Crews: On-board services crews (from VIA and Amtrak) will work straight through to either destination. Operating railway crews will change at Port Huron. Customs and Immigration: Handled on arrival in Sarnia (westbound) or Port Huron (eastbound). Sample Fares: One way Tornto to Chicago: $80. Round trip Toronto to Chicago: $160. Round trip excursion rate: $120. One way London to Chicago: $65. Round trip excursion: $97. One way Sarnia to Chicago: $57. Round trip excursion rate: $85. „ x .^u * v. j ITTA T, I ^ ^ —Most of the foregoing based on VIA Rail Ontario presskit material NORTH BAY COVETS 1201—The North Bay Nugget reports that G5a Pacific 1201 may return to the city in 1983 for further excursion trips and by 1984 may run from North Bay as a permanent summer-long operating base. Stanley Lawlor, Chairman of 1982's 100 Years of Rail Committee, told the paper that discussion have been held with the National Museum of Science and Technology, 1201's present owner, respecting a one-week return visit next summer and a permanent move the following year. The latter would be prompted in part by the abandonment, apparently scheduled for that year, of CP Rail's Ottawa-Maniwaki line, the present route (as far as Wakefield) for 1201 trips. The seven excursion runs to South River, using the locomotive, during August's 100 Years of Rail celebrations ran at capacity, and Mr. Lawlor believes that this augurs well for future 1201 trips from North Bay. The 1983 plan would involve three or four trips to diverse destinations, such as South River, Englehart and Sudbury. The last named will be celebrating its 100th anniversary of rail service next year. Also under consideration is the sale of 1201 excursions as parts of a package including tickets from Toronto to Cochrane and Moosonee on the ONR's NORTHLANDER and POLAR BEAR EXPRESS. _ ^. „ _ , DECEMBER 1982 4 The Newsletter is published monthly by the Upper Canada Railway Society, Box 122, Station "A", Toronto, Ont. M5W 1A2. Editor: Stuart I. Westland, 78 Edenbridge Dr., Islington, Ontario Canada M9A 3G2. Telephone (416) 239-5254 Assistant Editor: John D. Thompson (416) 759-1803 Activities Editor: Ed Campbell (416) 255-1924 Please address all correspondence relative to the Newsletter to the Editor at the above address. LETTERS Dear Mr. Westland, With reference to the September Newsletter, this is a note to say how much I enjoyed reading "TTC Celebrates 90 Years of Electric Streetcars". Articles on Toronto's street railway system are of real interest because so much of the PAST is still PRESENT. The St. Lawrence Hall; King, Jarvis, Yonge and Bloor Streets, Church and Adelaide, are still in existence—I can visualise them all and, most important, the street cars themselves which I always ride as frequently as possible whenever I visit Toronto. ^ g_ Evans, Winnipeg Dear Stuart: I would like to express my appreciation to the fine Newsletter of October, 1982.- I enjoyed the article on the CP Peterboro Line; I had been wondering if an article would be _~ forthcoming on that subject. There is one item that I would like to draw to your attention: On Page 10, the list of last runs shows that 188 arrived at Havelock, on Friday, September 3, "O.T.". We were at the station to see the last Friday train, and it was about 20 minutes late here in Peterboro, and quite a few minutes later in leaving. This was due to all the farewells along the way as well as here. __g^^.^ g^^^^_ Peterboro, Ont. Dear Mr. Editor: This is just a brief note of appreciation for two very interesting issues of the Newsletter—viz; Nos. 396 and 397—although each issue is enjoyable. In Newsletter 396 the article "Peterboro Line Passenger Service" by John A. Maclean was both informative and interesting. The enclosure of the five illustrated pamphlets about TTC passenger vehicles was a real bonus: In Newsletter 396 the "TTC Trilogy" was the first item read, although again the entire contents were of much interest. Francis N. Gooch, Smiths Falls, Ont. —The Anderson Bourchier Gallery, exhibiting the original antique furnishings of one of the pioneer families in the area of Ontario's Georgina Township, opened at the Georgina Village Museum on Saturday, October 9th. The Gallery is located in the baggage room of the CNR Sutton station which is now at the Museum. The Georgina Historical Society has done an excellent job of restoring the station. Some of the exterior woodwork was restored using materials from the Pefferlaw station, obtained as the latter was being demolished. There are several photos in the station, some showing Grand Trunk freight cars on the wharf at Jackson's Point. Canadian National has donated several lengths of 80 lb. rail rolled in 1912 and 1913 along with ties, tie plates and rail joiners, and the Society plans to assemble them in front of the station and hopes to find something in the way of rolling stock to put on them. The track material was obtained from the Sutton spur, lifted last spring. Also on display at the Museum are two waiting shelters from the Toronto and York Radial Railways Metropolitan Division. The Museum is now closed for the season. OA. i * j —Dave Stalford —CN has recently retired 15 MS-10 class switchers, as follows: 8173, 8174, 8175, 8181, 8184, 8217, 8218, 8221, 8223, 8226, 8228, 8230, 8235, 8236, 8237.