- 28 ~ Sunday, September 27, 1992 — North Shore News

‘Tour covers all of B.C. Rail’s domain

WELL, WE headed north to give us breathing
space in which to assess those first 50 years
together, and guess what? It snowed. The very
first night out, and Williams Lake area was
white-over when we fled it early on Sunday

morning.

With the poplars flaun-
ting fall yellows, there was
a spurious sense of sunshine
even as the flakes
multiplied.

Twice a year, in May and
September, this special train
trip is available. It’s orga-
nized by the West Coast
Rail. Association as a
nine-day .exploration of the
-entire B.C. Rail division,
and is designed: in such a
way that all travel is con-
fined to daylight hours.
Thus one misses none of the
glories, up and down.

. On this trip, a first for
‘us, there were 92 passengers
in two Budd. cars, seniors
preponderant, and varying
in origin and intent.

One. chap flew from
_England .for this journey
only; there were a- number
of aficionados from the U.S.
of A., some. with esoteric
reference ‘manuals; even a
- dainty Oriental lady en-
thusiast.

‘Excursion cars don’ t pack

a lot of clout in the serious

business. of transport, and -
as. a- consequence the very.

_detailed schedules we

received ‘daily were to be §

taken with . shaker of
. ‘skepticism.
**Photo opportunities’ ,
accounted. for some of .the
. interruptions the
- engineer was very accom-

modating about ‘“run-bys’’

.for hair-raising trestles, or J}

challenging gorges, and was
generous with the whistle.
Also, ‘we had the privilege
of - using. CNR track for
parts of our northernmost

**Shopping List’’
For Child Safety!.

The latest in Survival
Fashion! - an approved
Personal Floatation
Device, but remember
a floatation device
must never: replace
adult supervision.

t

The Canadian
Red Cross Society

Eleanor
Godiey

THE VINTAGE YEARS

passage, and their bridge
repairs and culvert replace-

ments were reflected in our

sometimes late suppers.

The rail association gets a
lot of help on these tours
from members who volun-
teer for the adventures.
(Pricking up your ears?
Want to join? The number
to call is 524-1011). These

‘men and women serve the’

special journeys

packaged lunches, run the
gift shop aboard, pass out
maps and route outlines,
observe and share informa-
tion about points of inter-
est.

They organize luggage
and transfers by bus at
stopping-places, make
friends, count heads, and
generally help out.

In return they are
rewarded by the free ride,

-of course, plus meals and

overnight accommodation,
but they also broaden their
knowledge of the train
world and those who enjoy
travel on same. There is
competition amongst the
volunteers for these two
four
people are already commit-
ted to, next May’s excursion.
They always hope. that one
amongst them. will be
prepared to act as straw
boss. The job of leader re-
quires both good organiza-
tional skills and a_ loud,
firm voice.

For me, it was trying to
go home again, which never
really werks, but which
does serve to peel away
some of the layers of the
years, and let the memories

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flow. The child who'd
struggled through depths of
snow, who’d been
demoralized when having to
skirt a herd of cows, though
grown old now still
remembered with deep
pleasure the soft rolling
Peace country, the colors,
the marvellous vistas, the
epic silences of that glorious
space, and was glad she’d
come.

We were " overnight in
Prince George, where I was
born, but the North is im-
patient of the old days now,
except in its museums. In
my home town theirs con-
centrates on train history,
fitting tribute to the long
years we fed on promises. -

In Fort St. James they.

took on the job of tackling
revival of the original Hud-
son’s Bay Fort. The _ resto-
ration work is stunning in
its honesty and imagination.
A video they show, done by

Canada Parks, aliows the.
‘past and the present to

mingle as in a dream. It’s
beautifully done. :

We saw. similar respect
paid in Dawson Creek,
where they use one of the
vanishing grain elevators as

a city centre. Connected to
it is a museum of the local
creatures of the past as well
as several rcoms reborn
from artifacts collected.

A number of the local
founding cultures are also
represented with photos and
hand work from _ their
homelands, never revisited. © _

There has also been suit- .
able homage paid to Genus
Americanus in the many
photographs taken~ during |
construction of the Alaska ©
Highway. Witness to. the .”
Major .importance of the
American presence even: |
now was the quartet: of '
young women who’ enter-
tained us in Fort Nelson
dressed. in. U.S. . Women’s.
Army Corps uniform. _

_ Our final entertainment
was a visit to. the: local
chopstick factory, .which
has brought prosperity
through the use, at last, of

the acres of poplar trees

that are as reliabie a crop as
grass. They are:turning out
literai millions of. these
simple tools for the Tokyo
restaurants. .

It’s nowadays The ‘True : .
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