Train Travel - can it be Safe and Efficient?

I like travelling by train. I have probably travelled by train more than most Canadians. My dad worked for the CNR and before I turned 12 and we got our first car, my family went from Montreal to Old Orchard Beach in Maine by train for the family vacation.   When I went to the University of New Brunswick - I travelled back and forth from Montreal to Fredericton by train.  In the past ten years, I have made a couple of trips from Sudbury to Vancouver and back again as well as a number of trips from Sudbury to Winnipeg to start my hitchhiking trips.

The train has always been a bit of an adventure. Certainly, the trips to UNB were always interesting - the cars were crowded, noisy, full of interesting fellow students and especially when we more than once got stuck in a snowstorm - romantic. Ten years ago, when I re-discovered the joys of train travel - I remarked more than once that travelling by train was relaxing. One had no control over the journey and that whether or not the train was late or on time - it was all beyond my control. It was a delightful way to travel where one could either visit with fellow travellers or read, listen to music, nap and then repeat the sequence as often as desired. The attendants were attentive, their relaxed attitude and friendly banter added to the sense that we were all on the journey together. More often than not, I had both seats to myself so there was lots of room to be comfortable.

But then things started to change. I think Via Rail cut out one train a week making the trains a bit more crowded. The food got worse with economy passengers no longer having access to the dining car for at least breakfast. More importantly, the train was chronically late. Sometimes by as much as 12-14 hours. Passengers were more cramped for longer hours with few options about food. The attendants were more rushed, finding room for everyone was harder and more disruptive, and being late cut into their days off. Everything felt less fun.

The reason for being late was obvious. Much of the rail system is single track - if a train is going west and another train is heading east - one of them has to get out of the way. The freight trains that have priority, were getting longer and longer. They could not fit onto the sidings and therefore the passenger trains frequently sat on a siding for an hour or more. Many of those long trains were comprised of oil tankers. In a day, I would see hundreds and hundreds of those tanker cars go by.

There have two derailments in the past few months - both times the cars have leaked oil causing real damage to the environment. It is not surprising that the Canadian government has reduced the speed allowed - in the hopes that if trains go slower, there will be less chance of the trains derailing, there will be less risk to humans and less environmental damage. It makes sense to me.

Except that it means that the Trans-Canada train will be even slower than it was last year. Three nights on the train was fun. Four days or perhaps even more, stops being fun and starts to become painful.

I think - and I say this with sadness - I may have taken my last train trip.