On the Road Again 2017 #6

This train trip has been a bit of a roller coaster in terms of being on time. It left just over an hour late, Three hours later we were not only on time but in fact a bit ahead of schedule. Three hours after that I would estimate that we are at least an hour if not two behind schedule. In the last hour we have spent far more time waiting for freight trains along some siding or another than we have moving. It could get frustrating if I did not know that by tomorrow morning we might have made up all of the time we have now lost - or we could be three hours late- either way it has nothing to do with me - it is totally beyond my control.

The stop in Hornepayne which is suppose to be 50 minutes was only 10. Anytime saved here was quickly frittered away by the train sitting on a siding for awhile just ten minutes outside of Hornepayne.

Train is very quiet - there are lots of seat empty although the attendant told me that at Sioux Lookout 30 people are getting on. However that will be late tonight and I have every intention of being sound asleep - using both seats.

There is only one child on this part of the train. She is, I would guess, around 18 months old. She and her mom got on at Sudbury Junction where it was dark outside and the air was fully of ravenous black flies and mosquitoes. However, the only thing that that child wanted to do was to go outside and practice her climbing up and down steps. Any other activity, especially being inside caused loud screams. Ear drum piercing screams. Poor mother, she was less than happy. Of course the half dozen other passengers waiting for the train were not all that pleased either. While I have had my ear phones in for most of the day, it would seem that the young child is much quieter on the train - much to everyone's relief. I think however, that mom is having to work fairly hard to both keep her daughter entertained and corralled.

There are two young couples on the train. I think one of them is from England and the other is perhaps from Germany. At one of our many stops in the middle of nowhere, one of them noticed an animal swimming in creek. They pronounced it as either a beaver or an otter. I give it a quick look, suggested that I thought it was a beaver and they believed me. There were less sure when I suggested that the train trip was like a ride at Disney World and that the animals were trained to swim along side the train for the passengers entertainment.Just doing my bit to entertain the visitors.

There is an interesting older woman who got on at a small stop after Sudbury. I can't quite figure out what it is, but I suspect that she might have some sort of dementia, either that or she is just use to having people answer her questions more than a few times.She is pleasantly dressed and groomed but there is something about her that is just a little bit off. She has managed to have both of the reasonably young train attendants waiting on her. Perhaps she is just smart. I have never seen a VIA staff person going to buy water for a passenger.

Just east of Longlac we waited on siding for the east bound  VIA train. When it past us - looked just as empty.