September 19, 2021:

 

            I got up at 5:30 am and got dressed. I finished packing and dropped my room key off in the key deposit box. I then walked across the street to the Bus station and made sure everything was in order (I had bought a ticket online prior to the trip).

 

            I then went to the A&W and had breakfast. After breakfast I went back to waiting. The bus came on time at 6:40 am. One person got off and I got on. I took a window seat on the left-hand side of the bus. The bus soon departed. We actually drove under the canopy of the gas station that was at the bus station before we got on the highway and headed towards Sault Ste Marie. I attempted to go online but the bus’s Wi-Fi wasn’t working. The A/C outlets didn’t work as well.

 

            The bus pulled off the highway in Wawa. I attempted to photograph the Canada goose by the highway.

 

 

            The bus pulled into the parking lot of a convenience store. We were allowed to go in the store for 15 minutes. I went in but didn’t buy anything. I photographed the bus.

 

 

            The service has previously been operated by Greyhound until last year when Greyhound pretty much pulled out of Canada. Ontario Northland picked up many routes from Greyhound including service between Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay.

 

            I got back on the bus and we soon departed. The bus stopped at the bus station in Wawa. We soon departed Wawa. A little while later we were driving down near Lake Superior. I knew the Edmund Fitzgerald had gone down in that area back in 1975. I took a photo from the bus.

 

 

Somewhere out there 529 feet down lies the Edmund Fitzgerald.

 

            The bus continued on its way south. The bus stopped at Goulais River. After leaving Goulais River, I photographed the shell of former Sault Ste. Marie Transit Classic #104.

 

 

            A little while later, the bus entered Sault Ste. Marie. The bus actually made three stops. The first stop was at Sault Hospital.

 

            After leaving Sault Hospital, we continued down Highway 17. We passed Sault Ste. Marie Transit Orion 7 #163. #163 is one of four buses Sault Ste Marie Transit bought from TTC a few years ago.

 

            The bus then stopped at Sault College. We then departed and stopped at the main Sault Ste Marie bus station which was by a Howard Johnson hotel. I got off and photographed the bus.

 

 

            I then left to catch a bus to the hotel I was staying at. I had done some research and found out three bus routes would take me to my hotel but none went straight there. They were routes 1, 4, and 5.

 

            I walked to a bus stop and waited. Eventually Sault Ste Marie Transit Nova LFS #135 pulled up on route #5. I got on.

 

            At one point, we passed Sault Ste Marie Orion 7 #163. It soon became apparent I had boarded the bus going in the opposite direction I wanted. Fortunately, it wasn’t urgent that I get to my hotel.

 

            Eventually I got downtown and got off the bus. I saw Orion 7 #163 was right behind. I photographed the bus.

 

 

            I then walked to my hotel. It turned out that it didn’t matter much I had boarded a bus going the wrong was as my room wasn’t ready yet. The staff at my hotel did let me leave my bags and I went out.

 

            I was hungry so I went to the Station Mall across the street. I ate at the food court. I briefly looked around and the left the mall and took a walk out on the riverfront. I saw a road sign indicating a railway crossing ahead, but there was no railway line. I did see what looked like a right of way leading from the west into the parking lot of the Station Mall. Presumably the old railway station boarded in front of where the mall is. The tracks are gone but I saw evidence of the old right of way which I photographed.

 

 

            I decided to follow the right of way because I knew the Agawa Canyon train’s station was less than 1 km from my hotel. I found both the station and the Sault Ste Marie Transit bus garage. I saw Orion 7 #162 parked out front. #162 is another ex TTC Orion 7. I photographed both #162 and cabooses parked by the Sault Ste Marie train station.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I saw two retired Sault Ste Marie Transit Orion 7s in the back of the garage. However, these two buses were in the Sault Ste Marie Transit livery and not former TTC buses.  I didn’t see any Orion 6s parked out back.

 

            Sault Ste Marie Transit had bought some Orion 6s new and others second hand from Ottawa. They had retired their own Orion 6s awhile ago and some of the ex Ottawa units were marked as retired. However, I read that some may still be active so I would keep an eye out for one

 

            I then started to walk back in the direction of my hotel. Along the way I photographed a couple Sault Ste Marie Transit buses.

 

 

 

            I then came across the downtown bus terminal. All Sault Ste Marie Transit routes come here. I bought a set of tickets and waited for the next pulse of buses. When they came, I photographed Orion 7 #163 and another Orion 7.

 

 

 

            #163 is former TTC #7939. I could make out its former TTC fleet number and the TTC logo on the front of the bus.

 

            The TTC purchased 80 Orion 7s in 2006 and numbered them 7900-7979. Three of them were sold to Sault Ste Marie a few years ago in addition to a newer Orion 7 NG hybrid. I had thought that bus was a parts bus but from what I heard, it was renumbered 164 and was used in service.

 

            In addition to the three buses sold to Sault Ste Marie Transit, the TTC has retired at least eight other buses in the series from passenger service. They initially removed buses 7900-7905 and repurposed them as “Event support” buses to be used as barricades at high profile street events so anyone cannot drive a vehicle into the crowds on the street. However in 2019 two of the event support buses were trashed by overexcited Toronto Raptors fans after the team won the NBA Title. As a result, TTC converted two additional buses from the 7900 series as replacements for the trashed buses.

 

            I boarded #163 and rode to my hotel I got off and photographed the bus.

 

 

            I filmed the bus pulling away and then photographed Nova LFS #135.

 

 

            I then went to my hotel and my room was soon ready. I got my stuff and went up to my room. I dropped my stuff and went online.

 

            My room was a bit strange. It had a skylight, but didn’t have any windows.

 

            After awhile, I decided to go check out SOO Blasters; a combination restaurant/arcade. It is a smaller version of Dave and Buster’s. I went to the elevator and looked out a window by the elevator towards the SOO Canal. I saw the ship Arthur M Anderson! I quickly went back to my room and got my camera and changed the battery and hurried out to the shore. I eagerly photographed the Arthur M Anderson as well as a vintage lake freighter on the American side of the river.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            The Arthur M Anderson may be the most significant freighter on the great lakes. This is because in November of 1975, the Anderson was sailing with the Edmund Fitzgerald prior to the Fitzgerald going down. The Anderson was the last ship to have ever heard from the Edmund Fitzgerald less than 30 minutes before the Fitzgerald sank. When asked how the Edmund Fitzgerald was faring in the storm, the captain of the Fitzgerald said, “We’re holding our own”.

 

            After the Anderson made it to Whitefish Bay, it and another ship went back into the storm to search for the Edmund Fitzgerald or people from the Fitzgerald in the water but didn’t find anyone alive.

 

            I pointed out the Anderson to other people telling it’s relation to the Edmund Fitzgerald story.

 

            After awhile, I bought a Beavertail pastry from a shop on the waterfront and ate it while watching the Anderson. I then walked to SOO Blasters.

 

            SOO Blasters was open. While smaller than Dave and Buster’s which I’m familiar with back home, has many of the same games. I took a look at the prizes but nothing really appealed to me. I then left and walked around. I walked past the Sault Ste Marie transit terminal and up to a railway crossing. I photographed the Huron Central railway yard. The Huron Central pretty much runs between Sudbury and Sault Ste Marie.

 

 

            I wandered around a bit before I eventually bought dinner at a Wendy’s. I then walked back to my hotel. I went online and worked on this report a bit before I went out again and wandered around. I then returned to the hotel and eventually called it a night.

 

September 20, 2021:

 

            I got up and got dressed. I went downstairs for breakfast. If the world was normal, my hotel would have a free breakfast. However, because of COVID, they had a prepackaged breakfast selection which I picked up at the front desk and ate in my room.

 

            Today was actually the date of the Federal Election. However I had voted early since I wouldn’t be able to cast my vote in Sault Ste. Marie. Today would have also been the September TTS meeting. For the past year the TTS meetings have been online. The meeting had been rescheduled to the week before and I was able to attend. Otherwise I would have attended from my hotel room that night.

 

            After awhile I decided to head out. I walked to the transit terminal and waited for the next pulse of buses. When the buses arrived, I photographed them.

 

 

 

 

 

            I boarded Orion 7 #162 on route #7. #162 is the ex TTC Orion 7 I had photographed at the bus garage the day before. #162 is ex TTC #7911. We departed the terminal.

 

            The bus passed a few blocks from the Sault Ste Marie bus garage before turning right. I caught a glimpse of the Agawa Canyon tour train coaches in the CN yard. I decided I would go by the yard the next day.

 

            We were stopped at a railway crossing by a CN coal train that had SD70M #5619 being used as a rear end helper. I photographed the train before the bus drove across the line.

 

 

            The bus then stopped outside a large factory before heading north then east. I eventually got off near Great Northern highway and photographed #162.

 

 

            I filmed #162 pulling away. The bus then pulled into a plaza before sister #163 come out going the opposite direction. I photographed #163.

 

 

            I then walked over to a Taco Bell for lunch but found they were only open for the drive-thru. Since I didn’t have a car and they wouldn’t serve me I went to a McDonalds next door.

 

            After lunch, I walked over to a nearby McDonalds. On the way I saw #162 again and photographed it.

 

 

 

            I looked around Wal-Mart and a nearby Best Buy. I bought a new case for my Ipod Touch. I looked around the area and went to catch a bus back downtown. I photographed two buses heading north including Orion 7 #163.

 

 

 

            The next bus going my way was Orion 7 #163 which was also running on route #7. I photographed the bus before I got on.

 

 

            I rode #163 to the Northern Transfer Point. I got off and photographed the bus.

 

 

            I filmed the bus pulling away and took one more photo.

 

 

            I then boarded a bus on route #2 heading towards downtown. We were stopped at a railway crossing for a stopped Huron Central train. I attempted to photograph it.

 

 

            The train eventually reversed away from the crossing and we headed downtown. I got off and photographed Orion 7 #132.

 

 

            I boarded #132 and rode a little ways until I was a couple blocks from my hotel. I got off and filmed the bus pulling away.

 

            I then went back to my hotel for a couple hours. Around dinner time, I walked back to the bus terminal. I photographed the buses when they came in.

 

 

 

 

            I eventually boarded Orion 7 #160 on route #5. #160 is Sault Ste. Marie Transit’s 3^rd oldest bus. Its sister #158 is the oldest bus in service with Sault Ste. Marie Transit.

 

            158-160 were purchased second hand from Thunder Bay. Unlike the ex TTC Orion 7s, these buses were painted in the full Sault Ste. Marie Transit livery.

 

            I rode the route #5 past the Northern Transfer Center and got off at Great Northern. I got off and photographed the bus.

 

 

            I filmed the bus pulling away. I walked over to an Arby’s but found they didn’t have the curly fries I had when I visited their locations previously. I walked over to a nearby Dairy Queen to see if they had a cotton candy dipped cone like the location I went to in Sudbury but found they didn’t.

 

            I eventually bought dinner from a Mexican take-out place. I then caught an XD40 on route #2 back downtown and went to my hotel. I ate dinner in my room and went online and worked on this report.

 

            A little while later I went out and photographed the bridge to the United States.

 

 

 

            I bought some milk at a nearby Tim Horton’s. I made my way back to my hotel. I set the alarm on my phone and called it a night.

 

Click to read about the last two days of my trip:     Sault Ste Marie part 2