April 16, 2015:
I was woken up at 3:50 am from the alarm clock. I guess the last person in my room had to get up at that ungodly hour. I turned off the clock and went back to bed. I then got up around 9:00 am and got dressed.
I went to the hotel's restaurant for breakfast. My hotel room has a kitchen, but I didn't have any food with me. I returned to my room and got my stuff together. I headed out.
I noticed the temperature was a little cool, but it was early and would warm up. I walked to Campus Transitway station as I now knew how to get there!
I boarded a bus and rode to the St. Laurent Transitway stop. I got off and transferred to the route #114 and rode to the St. Laurent garage wondering if OC Transpo's historic fleet was parked outside. However, it wasn't. I photographed a few buses from the street.
I also noticed a yard with some OC Transpo double decker buses. The garage wasn't there in 2009. I took some photos.
I then had lunch at a Taco Bell. I saw the restaurant would be closing on April 26th so this would be the only time I'll eat there. I then walked to the Museum of Science and Technology and photographed a lighthouse on display as well as ex CN 4-8-4 #6200.
I was hoping to visit the museum again, but it was closed! I photographed some railway equipment that was outside before I got on the bus.
I rode to the VIA station and looked around the area for a few minutes. I then caught a bus to Bank Street and walked over to look for some STO Classics. A little while after I got there, I saw STO Classic #8907; one of the oldest Classics in service. I photographed it before I rode it into Hull.
I got off #8907 and filmed it pulling away.
Less than a minute later, I saw Classic #9131 which is an ex Calgary Classic. I noticed it had a luminator destination sign. Needless to say, I photographed it before I got on.
#9131 still had its original Calgary seats. #9131 is former Calgary #5034. I might have ridden the unit when I was going to SAIT in 2002-2003.
While I was on #9131, we drove past various store fronts; I could see the reflection of the bus. I noticed the roof still had the original Calgary stripes!
I rode to the terminal at Les Terrasses and got off and photographed #9131.
I filmed #9131 pulling away and took a couple more photos.
You can barely make out 9131’s original Calgary Transit stripes on the roof.
I decided to wait to see if another ex Calgary Classic or fishbowl #7901 would show. I walked over to a nearby Subway for a Coke. While I was waiting, I photographed some buses.
Eventually, STO Classic #9225 showed up. #9225 is ex Calgary #5072. I photographed it before I got on.
#9225 was from the second order of Classics for Calgary. It still had its original seats as well. I also saw that #9225 also still had its original Calgary stripes on the roof as well.
I rode to the Park and Ride terminal at Rivermead. I got off and photographed filmed #9225 pulling away.
I the photographed original STO Classic #9128 which was missing the 8 on the front number.
I then went to catch a bus back to the terminal. I saw STO Classic #8907 was the first bus to come in my direction. I photographed it before I got on.
I rode back to Les Terrasses and got off and photographed #8907 and Nova Classic #9505.
I filmed #8907 pulling away and photographed a lot of buses.
I photographed Classics 9225 and 8906 as they were deadheading to Ottawa.
I then photographed a few more Classics before I boarded an STO Nova LFS and rode back to Ottawa.
I got back to Bank Street hoping that I would get to ride #8906 in service. I photographed various STO Classics while I was waiting.
Soon, #8906 arrived. I photographed it before I got on.
I rode back to Les Terrasses and filmed #8906 pulling away. I then photographed some more original STO Classics.
Classic #9225 came back. I photographed it.
I then photographed some more Classics.
I figured I would not see any more ex Calgary Classics in service, not fishbowl #7901. I decided at that point to take the first Classic back to Ottawa. Classic #8902; the oldest Classic in service and second oldest bus in the STO fleet showed up! I photographed it before I got on.
Yes, this is really STO #8902.
I rode to Bank Street and got off and photographed #8902 and filmed it pulling away.
I decided to go for another ride on the O-train. On the way, I stopped at a hot dog cart for something to drink. The vendor said he had meat, but no buns. However, like I said, I was only getting something to drink.
I boarded an OC Transpo D60LFr and rode to the Bayview station of the O-train. There was a train in the station already. I got on and rode to Carlton station. I got off and photographed the train.
I filmed the train pulling out. I then walked to the river and waited for the next northbound train to pass. When it passed, I photographed it.
I then walked back to the station. I caught a bus on route #4 to the Hurdman terminal and transferred to the route 121. I saw on an OC Transpo route map there was something called the “Train yard” south of the VIA station. I thought it was the yard where OC Transpo stored O-Train cars that were out of service, but it was just a plaza with a Wal-Mart and other stores; nothing train related. There was a hobby store which didn't even have any electric train stuff!
I had dinner at a McDonald's in the Wal-Mart. I also bought some cereal and milk for tomorrow morning. I made my way back to the bus stop. I photographed a VIA train that had arrived from Montreal and an OC Transpo double decker deadheading back to the garage.
My bus eventually came and I rode to Hurdman and transferred to another bus to the Campus Transitway station. I then returned to my hotel. I eventually set the alarm for 8:00 am and called it a night.
April 17, 2015:
I got up at 8:00 am and had breakfast. I washed the spoon from the kitchen and got dressed and finished packing. I checked out shortly after 9:00 am.
I walked to the Campus Transitway station and boarded a route 94 bus to the train station. I then went to the station to await the boarding of my train. While waiting, I photographed models of four steam locomotives in the station.
I saw train #32 to Montreal was due so I went to the parking lot east of the station and photographed the train when it pulled in.
I walked to the west side of the station and photographed the last car of train #32 and the locomotive and first coach of the train that I would ride home.
I then returned to the station. Once inside, I saw train #32 depart. I lined up for train #45.
Boarding began shortly after 10:00 am. I photographed the train before I got on.
I was seated in LRC coach #3317; a rebuilt coach. I had a seat on the right hand side of the train. I pulled out my laptop and worked on this report. The train departed on time.
As we passed Hurdman, I photographed the terminal from the train.
The train stopped at Fallowfield. I gained a seatmate at Fallowfield. Shortly after leaving, we stopped on a siding to let VIA train #50 pass. I attempted to film it as it passed.
I bought lunch and my ticket was taken. The train passed through Smith Falls non stop. I continued working on this report. We passed non stop through Brockville. West of Brockville, VIA trains 62 and 52 passed, but I was unable to film them.
We stopped at Kingston and departed a few minutes later. I saw a Kingston Transit XD40 that had been wrapped.
The train would be running express between Kingston and Toronto. We passed through Belleville.
As we passed by the Memory Junction railway museum, I filmed it as we raced past. Another eastbound VIA train passed on the opposite side of the train.
An eastbound CN freight passed. The train passed through Port Hope. We were soon getting close to Oshawa.
As we passed the Oshawa station, I saw a double decker and a train with an MP40 in the old livery. It was good to be back in GO Transit territory again.
West of Whitby, the train slowed down. We slowly started picking up speed again.
An eastbound GO train passed. We passed a westbound GO train at Pickering. The train passed non stop through Guildwood. A GO Train passed led by two MP40s. An Eastbound VIA train passed on the opposite side of the train so I was unable to film it.
As we passed Greenwood subway yard, I filmed the equipment in the yard. We were soon approaching Toronto Union station. I readied my stuff in preparation to get off in Toronto.
VIA train #45 arrived pretty much on time. I got off and photographed the train.
I then went downstairs and phoned home. I decided to take the first northbound GO train to Richmond Hill which was leaving in 15 minutes. By the time I got a ticket and got on the train, there were three minutes to departure, but I made it. Once on board, I photographed VIA train #66 which was boarding passengers towards Montreal.
The train departed and I saw a former Mississauga Transit Orion 7 whose orange stripe had been replaced by a green stripe. I photographed it.
When the train got to Langstaff, I got off. I photographed the train as it departed.
I then walked to the Richmond Hill Center transit terminal and caught a VIVA bus south. I then walked back to my home from the VIVA stop.
Conclusions:
Aside from taking an hour longer to find my hotel and the Museum of Science and Technology being closed, this was a good trip. It’s nice to see a lot of Classics running around with STO. I’m glad I got to ride two ex Calgary Classics. I wish I had ridden more and/or gotten a ride on fishbowl #7901 in addition to the Classics I rode.
As things currently stand right now, my next trip won’t be until summer. Until next time…
Click to go home.
