It's Official: VIA's Canadian Back On CP.

If official! VIA’s Canadian is back on CP. At least westbound for approximately 100 miles of directional running from near Parry Sound, Ontario to south of Sudbury. (The eastbound trains stay on CN)

Westbound Canadians will now cross CP’s high scenic trestle over Parry Sound Harbour and stop at the nicely restored former CP station, now a gallery.

Here's VIA's announcement:

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Subject: Changes to VIA station location in Parry Sound (FOR WESTBOUND TRAVEL ONLY)

TORONTO - As a result of changes made by Canadian National affecting the operation of VIA Rail Canada's westbound train #1 (The Canadian) through the Parry Sound area, the entraining and detraining of passengers will be moved to a new location effective Tuesday, November 29, 2005.

These changes DO NOT affect passengers arriving in Parry Sound on Train #2 from Vancouver, or those boarding this same train for Toronto and points east. Eastbound passengers will continue to be detrained at the current station facility located at 70 Church Street, in Parry Sound. (Chamber of Commerce)

Effective Tuesday, November 29, 2005, all passengers travelling from Toronto to Parry Sound or from Parry Sound to points west will board the train at 1 Avenue Road (The Parry Sound Station Gallery). For the comfort of VIA's passengers, VIA will provide on an interim basis, a shuttle service departing from the current station located at 70 Church Street to the new stop. The shuttle will depart this location at 12:38 (20 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of train #1).

Passengers arriving in Parry Sound from Toronto can be met at 1 Avenue Road.

VIA's Train #1 - The Canadian departs Toronto thrice weekly on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday destined for Winnipeg, Edmonton, Jasper, Vancouver and points in between. It stops in Parry Sound at 12:58 p.m.

VIA's Train #2 departs Vancouver thrice weekly on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday destined for Jasper, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto and points east. It stops in Parry sound at 4:17 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

VIA apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause and thanks its customers for their understanding.

Customers wishing further information may call
1-888-VIA-RAIL
(1-888-842-7245).

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VIA Contacts:

Catherine Kaloutsky
Public Affairs, Toronto
647-228-1127
Web site : http://www.viarail.ca

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[Moderator's note: this post was edited for format only - the content was not altered]

Any reason why there doing this?

AmtrakFan wrote:Any reason why there doing this?

It’s Directional Running:

All westbound CP, CN and VIA trains will now run on CP track from near Perry Sound to south of Sudbury. All eastbounds trains will be on CN.

While the long anticipated directional running between Parry Sound and Sudbury for the Canadian is now official, directional running isn't new. For several years now, CN and CP have had a similar arrangement in British Columbia. Between Mission and Ashcroft BC all eastbound (northbound) trains, including VIA's Canadian, use CP rails while westbound (southbound) trains run over the CN line.

This today from VIA: TORONTO - VIA Rail Canada wishes to advise travellers that changes announced for the Parry Sound station, that were to commence Tuesday, November 29, 2005 have been delayed until further notice.

It's on again - starting tomorrow.
TORONTO - As a result of changes made by Canadian National affecting the operation of VIA Rail Canada's westbound train #1 (The Canadian) through the Parry Sound area, the entraining and detraining of passengers will be moved to a new location effective Thursday, December 8, 2005. ...

As there has been no announcement about a further postponement, we must assume today's #1 went on the new route. This is the first time in nearly 16 years that the Canadian has run as a scheduled train through Parry Sound on the CPR. (There have been some emergency reroutes since the Mulroney cuts of 1990, but I don't have the particulars.)