Many GTA
residents have only a hazy clue about what lies beyond cottage
country. Tourism promoters are ever eager to lure Southern Ontarians
further into the north, and one draw that is getting new attention
is the changing of the leaves. Each fall thousands head north by car
to take in the foliage, but what if you don’t want to travel that
way?
A big secret
being kept from us southerners is the number of passenger rail
routes throughout this province -- including the Algoma Central and
Ontario Northland Railways, for example. Both lines offer year-round
service out of Sault Ste. Marie and North Bay respectively, as well
as leaf-peeping day trips during autumn. However, if you want to
book trips during the peak colour season, now’s the time to plan it.
For those
wanting to really indulge a love of wilderness and trains, there are
ways to pass many hours enjoying both. I was invited on a five-day
package tour last fall that included a ride from Toronto to Sudbury
aboard the world-famous transcontinental “Canadian” route as well as
the isolated “Lake Superior” service. These two trains run by VIA
Rail Canada could not be more distinct. The Canadian, which heads
all the way to Vancouver, is a super-long collection of dining cars,
sleepers and domed observation coaches.
The second
consists of two or three self-propelled rail cars; the type of
vehicle that used to link many smaller destinations across North
America. This wee train departs downtown Sudbury three times a week
venturing into the deep bush.
Rail Travel
Tours offers the “Superior Colours of Ontario” package once a year
at the very end of September, and tickets are available only until
July 27. For me, it was a rare opportunity to take one of the hidden
routes of the Canadian passenger rail network, one that terminates
about 500 kilometers west of Sudbury in tiny White River, Ontario.
Like other
trains in Canada’s north, the Lake Superior still exists because
it’s the only way to access certain remote settlements. Hunters,
hikers and paddlers also use this train to enter a forgotten
frontier; into regions not crisscrossed by roads.
If you want to
read more about my long-distance foliage trip, plus some travel
tips, go to eddrass.com. For details about booking, visit
www.railtraveltours.com or call 1-866-704-3528.
Something
special occurs while gazing for hours at woods and lakes, even more
so during that celebration of colour just before a long northern
winter. Unlike road travel, going by train offers a unique vantage
point – there are no driveways, billboards or gas stations between
you and the wilderness.