January 17, 2007:

 

Mark and I got up and had breakfast. We then packed so we’d be ready for the cab when it arrived. Mark turned on the TV and saw a news article on ETS’s Hybrid buses.

 

Soon, the taxi arrived and we headed downtown to the Greyhound Terminal. We bought tickets for the 12:00 bus to Calgary because it makes only one stop between downtown Edmonton and Calgary.

 

We figured we had enough time and bought lunch from the A&W in the bus station. Shortly after we finished, it was time to board. We boarded coach #1235 which is one of Greyhound’s newest buses.

 

While waiting to depart, I saw another Greyhound bus pull in. I laughed when I found the number of that bus was 1122, the number of my favorite GO fishbowl. I took one photo of the bus.

 

 

The bus then departed and we crossed the North Saskatchewan River. We stopped at the stop in South Edmonton before we headed out onto the highway known as “Calgary Trail”.

 

Meanwhile, the movie “Starsky and Hutch” was shown. However, the monitor closest to me wasn’t working, despite the person who was seated in front of me attempting some “percussive maintenance”. The audio didn’t come through clearly at some points. This was bad since this was a pretty new bus too!

 

We passed by Edmonton International Airport which is located a fair distance from the city, almost in the middle of nowhere. Some point later we passed the CP line that ran between Edmonton and Calgary. I saw a few freight trains running north and south.

 

The bus passed through the city of Red Deer, Alberta non-stop. South of Red Deer, we stopped at a Petrol Canada station and the driver let us step off and buy some snacks from the store. If my memory suits me correctly, I believe that one of the three times my class at SAIT visited the Central Western Railway’s yard at Stettler, we stopped at this very station! After I bought some snacks, I took a photo of the bus before I got back on.

 

 

While we were at the station, I man asked me if I was going to Calgary and if I could give him work. I told him I’m a Wal-Mart associate and that I couldn’t. He didn’t say anything after that. I thought “Poor people are weirder, but at least there smarter than poor people in Tucson, Arizona!” I was reminded again of the guy who kept asking me for $10 even though I kept telling him no!

 

We got back on the bus and soon we were on the road again. Not much happened the rest of the way. Soon, we were approaching Calgary. I recognized various landmarks as we came closer. I saw Calgary Transit’s Spring Gardens bus garage. I saw a Westjet 737 on approach to Calgary International Airport. I also saw the building were one of Calgary’s major newspapers, the Calgary Herald is printed. I had most of my classes at SAIT not to far from there. We got off the highway and were driving alongside the tracks used by the route 202 C-train. At one point, we were running alongside a train. We were soon in downtown Calgary. I almost felt right at home; that I was still going to school at SAIT. As we came into Calgary, I saw several fishbowls painted in Calgary’s newer scheme, but I didn’t see any in the old two-tone blue livery, but I would keep a look out.

 

We got to the terminal and I called my cousin Trevor who I had arranged to stay the two nights in Calgary. I had stayed with them once before when I was going to SAIT, despite my negative feelings towards SAIT.

 

A few minutes later, Trevor picked us up and drove us back to his house.  When we got to his house, I met their dog which they picked up from an animal shelter. I was told that the dog didn’t like hats for some reason. Trevor believes that their dog’s previous own must have abused it and they had a very noticeable hat. We put our stuff in the spare bedroom. I called my friend Doug, who was also in my class, but no one was home, so I left a message. He never called while I was there.

 

Mark and I had dinner at Trevor’s house. I learned that Trevor’s wife Mary is working on developing a plan to extend the route 202 C-train west from its current downtown terminus. After awhile, we called it a night.

 

January 18, 2007:

 

Mark and I had breakfast and headed out. Today, we would ride Calgary Transit buses and the C-train. We headed to the bus stop three blocks away, but we just missed the bus. We then waited for the next one. The next bus showed up eventually and we got on. We rode to where the C-Train runs downtown.

 

Calgary’s C-Train has two lines: 201 and 202. Route 202 runs from downtown to the Northeastern part of Calgary. Route 201 runs from the South end of Calgary, through downtown, and to the Northwest part of the city. The two lines actually run together in the middle of downtown along a street designated for Calgary Transit vehicles only, thought an errant car may find itself on the street now and again. The part of the line where routes 201 and 202 run together is a free-fare zone. Anyone can ride the C-train for free for travel within that zone. Where the lines separate, you must have a valid fare.

 

Mark and I went looking for the Calgary Transit office to get a day pass. We boarded a C-Train that consisted of newer Siemens SD-160 cars. I filmed the train as it arrived and took a photo of it.

 

 

We got on and as the train departed, I saw Calgary Transit’s head office. At the next stop, Mark and I got off and we walked back and bought day passes. We then boarded a train on route 201 and rode to Dalhousie station. We got on the older U2 style cars. The extension to Dalhousie had opened a few months after I graduated from SAIT. Prior to that, route 201 ended at Brentwood, which is the next stop.

 

As we left the free fare zone, we passed through the area where I used to live and we passed on the south side of SAIT’s main campus. I didn’t say anything, but I was thinking, “BOOOO!”

 

We passed Brentwood station where I saw fishbowl #912 parked, but I was unable to photograph it. Soon, we arrived at Dalhousie. When we got off, I took a picture of the train as well as two other C-Trains in the tail tracks.

 

 

 

After, we rode back to Brentwood where we went to a Wendy’s for lunch. I recall that I ate at that particular Wendy’s when I was in Calgary. After lunch, we headed over to “Trains and Such”, which is a hobby store a short bus ride from SAIT. We rode the C-Train to Lions Gate station and transferred to route 19. Route 19 goes past SAIT, and I saw the building where I lived. Mark and I booed as we passed the campus. At one point, I looked at a route map and saw that since I had left, Calgary Transit opened a new Bus Rapid Transit line: route 301.

 

A few minutes later, we got off the bus and transferred to route 2 which took us to “Trains and Such”. The place hadn’t changed much, and we ended up buying some things. After, we took another route 2 downtown. First, we headed down to an area where I used to photograph buses in the rush hour while I was at SAIT, but while we were there, not a single bus showed up. While we were there, I wrote “SAIT sucks!” in the snow.

 

We then headed to CP’s Alyth Yard, which is CP’s main yard in Calgary. CP Empress steam locomotive #2816 also lives at Alyth in a building on the Northeast corner of the property.

 

We got off the bus and rode a C-train a few stops and got off. While we were waiting for the route 24 bus, I photographed a couple buses and a C-train.

 

 

 

 

At one point, a train of SD-160 cars passed. I filmed it as it went past and saw that the middle car of the three car train was brand new; it was mostly white.

 

We boarded a bus on route 24 and rode to Alyth Yard. On the bus, Mark and I sat near a kid and his mother. This kid just kept babbling on and on. We were thankful to get off the bus.

 

When I was in Calgary, I would take some photos of CP’s Alyth Yard from the south side of an overpass. I received the biggest disappointment of the trip when I saw the sidewalk on the south side had been removed! Mark and I pondered what to do. We crossed underneath the bridge, then walked along the North side and took a couple photos. Near the diesel shop, I saw one of CP’s F-units. I couldn’t tell what number it was. I also pointed out the building where 2816 is kept.

 

 

 

After we took some photos, Mark and I headed to a donut shop nearby to warm up. On the way, we saw a switch job in the yard, I looked at the conductor, but I couldn’t tell if it was one of my friends from SAIT.

 

After, we caught a D40LF downtown. When we got there, we photographed a fishbowl in Calgary Transit’s current livery.

 

 

We caught a C-train to the City Centre station. When we got off, we walked a block north when I saw a fishbowl approaching. I also realized it was still in the old two-tone blue livery. Mark and I photographed the bus before we got on.

 

 

Mark and I rode fishbowl #967 for several minutes before we got off and walked to the bus stop near the Greyhound Bus Depot and we boarded another D40LF going downtown. After, Mark and I photographed one more fishbowl; we rode a route 201 C-train to the Somerset station which is the current southern terminus of the C-train. The line had been extended two stations south from its previous terminus Fish Creek/Lacombe, which is where the line ended when I was living in Calgary. I also noticed that an extension of route 202 would open later this year and that next year, Calgary Transit would extend route 201 further northwest.

 

Mark and I caught a train of older U2 cars and rode to Somerset. As we passed Calgary Transit’s Anderson C-train yard and bus garage, I saw that U2 car #2051 was still wearing a Crimestoppers ad which I had photographed it in back when I was living in Calgary. However, I was unable to photograph it.

 

We got to Somerset and we got off and took some photos.

 

 

After, we got back on the train and rode to Chinook station. This part of the line runs parallel to a CP line to Lethbridge. At one point, we passed a southbound freight.

 

We got to Chinook and walked to the Chinook Centre mall and had dinner in the food court. The Chinook Centre is a pretty big mall in Calgary. Besides the typical stores you’d find and a movie theatre, the mall has a carousel in the food court. It also has a display of odd looking aircraft that circle above the food court. One of these looked like a cross between a helicopter and a steam engine. I took a photo of that one!

 

 

After dinner, Mark and I decided to do a little shopping. I stopped in the Zeller’s store which had been remodeled since I had left. It now has a mini-escalator for shopping carts so people don’t have to crowd the elevator; a neat idea! I filmed my cart going down the device. I bought a toque and some candy from a nearby Shopper’s Drug Mart before I met Mark at EB Games.

 

Mark and I stopped at a kiosk for Dell computers before we walked back to the C-train station and caught a C-train to the 7th Street Southwest C-train station. We then caught a route 6 bus and headed back to Trevor’s house.

 

Once we got back, Mark and I watched a bit of TV before we called it a night.

 

January 19, 2007:

 

Mark and I got up and had breakfast. Today we would be flying home. Mark and I packed our stuff, although I couldn’t find my glove when it came time to leave, but fortunately, it was caught between my bed and the wall. I put the model railroad stock I had bought with the back I planned to check at the airport while Mark brought the stuff he bought as carry-on.

 

Trevor and his son Wynn gave us a ride to the airport. On the way, we passed a few Calgary Transit fishbowls. I even saw one in the old two-tone blue livery, but I couldn’t photograph it. The weather was pretty warm as Calgary got its unique weather phononinon known as a Chinook which causes warm weather in the middle of a cold winter. Quite a few Chinooks hit while I was living in Calgary.

 

Once we got to the airport, Mark and I said goodbye to Trevor and proceded to check in at the Air Canada counter. Once again, we had an automated check in. This time, it gave Mark the window seat and me the middle seat again! However, Mark and I decided we’d switch seats when we got on the plane.

 

After we checked our bags, I saw a model space shuttle on a model 747. I knew there was an air and space museum at the airport. I took a photo of the models because I didn’t think I’d have time to see the museum.

 

 

Mark and I found out that our flight would be leaving 10 minutes late. We then bought lunch in a food court upstairs. After lunch, I saw the museum. Outside the museum was a model of the ill fated space shuttle Columbia. Since I was living in Calgary at the time of the Columbia disaster, the day after, I read a newspaper article that the museum may remove the model as a result of the disaster. I don’t think the ended up doing it, if not they did and it was returned. I photographed the model of the Columbia as well as a model of the space shuttle Atlantis docked at a model space station.

 

 

 

After Mark and I took a brief look at the museum, we headed through airport security. Mark had a little trouble with his model trains going through as the security people opened Mark’s carry on bag to inspect it, but they said it was okay for Mark to go. However, we had to take our shoes off to go through the metal detector. This was the ninth time I have flown since Richard Ried tried to blow up a plane with explosives in his shoes, but this was the first time I ever had to remove my shoes to go through security; I don’t know if this is good or not!

 

We got to our assigned gate and there was no plane. While we were waiting, Mark and I saw a van towing some trailers used for transporting luggage. The plane was late arriving from its previous flight, but it pulled up to the gate just before 3:00 pm and the passengers getting off disembarked. Meanwhile, I took a couple photos of the plane. We were on another Airbus A320.

 

 

            Shortly after 3:30 pm, it was time to board. We took our seats, (I grabbed the window seat). I took some photos from the window of the plane. Like our flight to Vancouver, this plane also had personal TVs.

 

 

We were finally pushed back. As we awaited permission for takeoff, I took a couple more photos. When we took off, I filmed the takeoff roll and the climb out of the Calgary area.

 

I spent the flight watching the personal TVs. I also bought dinner on the plane. Outside, it was pretty dark unless we were passing over a city or town. I asked a flight attendant for a glass of Coke at one point.

 

Soon, we were approaching Toronto. I could see Highway 401 from the plane. The plane flew past the airport and landed facing west. While we were still flying, I could see the CN Tower in Toronto.

 

I filmed the landing until we went off the runway. When we landed, I saw some emergency vehicles surrounding an Air Canada jet. I don’t know what was wrong though. This was my first time flying into the new Terminal 1 as I had only flown out of it previously. We arrived at the gate about 40 minutes late. Interestingly enough, my plane arrived at the same gate I left out of to fly to Halifax last year. After we got off the plane, I took two last photos.

 

 

After I took the photos, Mark phoned his parents to let them know that we had arrived. We then headed to the luggage claim to retrieve our baggage. It took a long time. At the baggage carousel, there were a couple other flights besides our flight. For awhile, very little to no suitcases were coming at all. We believed that Air Canada couldn’t have lost our luggage. Eventually, we got our suitcases and we headed out and met Mark’s parents who gave me a ride home.

Conclusion:

 

Overall, this trip was excellent. I got to visit some of my friends from SAIT, though I wish I could have seen some more of them in Calgary. I was disappointed not getting a window seat on the flight to Vancouver. I wish that Mark and I hadn’t forgotten our bathing suits when we went to the West Edmonton Mall. I would have liked to ridden a few more fishbowls in Calgary and Edmonton, but at least we got to ride the one in the two tone blue. However, it was nice to ride a BBC trolleybus in Edmonton that had run in Toronto.

 

I am still disappointed that the sidewalk on the bridge over Alyth yard was removed because it was a great spot to watch trains. The ride on the Canadian was fun, but I still don’t know why I could barely sleep in the coach since I managed to sleep in coach seats on my previous overnight Amtrak trips. So the next overnight VIA trip I’m planning on taking, I’m going to get a sleeper.

 

This will not be the last time I fly this year as my family and I will fly to New York City at the end of April and once again, we will be on Air Canada. I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to get a window seat with no problem.

 

2008 Update: On June 18, 2008, the Edmonton City Council made the bad decision to abandon their trolleybus network instead of purchasing new coaches. This will leave Vancouver the last Canadian city to operate trolleybuses. Until next time…