The ViaRail Hudson Bay train operates between Winnipeg and Churchill, Manitoba (which is on the shore of Hudson Bay). The train takes a “C” shaped route (northbound) through such places as Dauphin, Swan River, Hudson Bay (Saskatchewan), The Pas, MB, and Thompson. Thompson is the last town on the route accessible by road, i.e., you can’t drive to Churchill. This train operates three times per week, and in either direction departs at about 8 pm, and after two nights, arrives at about 9 am - the return trip from Churchill is always that same day, thus allowing a tourist like me to spend the better part of a day exploring Churchill, although there are motels there, if you choose to layover, for the next train – note that during the polar bear season, motel room prices go way up.
I departed Winnipeg on August 29, 2004, which turned out to be a railfan’s delight, as both the eastbound and westbound ViaRail “Canadian’s” passed through the station that day, along with the American Orient Express – burned up a lot of film that day! The Best Western, where I stayed near the Winnipeg station, let me leave my car in their lot during my train trip.
I had a roomette in the (only) Budd stainless steel corrugated converted 6-10 sleeper, now an 6-8 sleeper with a large, “accessible” room with a sink, toilet, and shower. This was the last car on the small train. Forward of the sleeper was a 48-seat (Budd) dining car (kitchen rearward), which had the forward half of the tables designated as a lounge, w/smoking, and the tables closest to the kitchen designated as off-the-menu dining. The car also offered carry-out “Bag Lunches”. These two cars were “like new” inside, and the service was great and friendly and polite. Ahead of the diner were two coach cars, and a baggage car, all of which were Budd cars too. The train was pulled by an EMD F40PH, although between Thompson and Churchill a second F40PH was added for security as it would be very difficult for a maintenance vehicle/crew to get to the train if the loco broke down in the middle of the tundra, and it would have blocked the mostly single track line.
There were only two other “tourists” on the train, besides me (although there were some business travelers in the sleeper as far as Thompson), and the three of us got to know each other quickly, as we spent most of our waking hours in the dining car, because it had the best viewing. The menu food was very good, but wasn’t included with the price of the accommodations (yes they do take “plastic” on board). The train had a three person on board services crew, a conductor, a dining car steward, and a cook - the latter two also did the porter duties in the sleeper. Other than the towns we passed through, the scenery was either flat farmland or flat tundra.
The rail line was rather second grade and behind the times, making for a slow moving train, but adding interest to the trip. All switching was done by hand, and periodically the operating crew, checked the bearings with hand held “temperature guns”. The backing maneuver required to get to the Thompson station was very interesting as well. Our passenger train, also had to deal with the many freight trains hauling mostly pulp wood, grains, and machinery and vehicles to and from Churchill.
Churchill is a shipping port for grain, but only in July and August, when Hudson Bay is thawed and passable. Tourism is the other main “industry” of Churchill, and in October and early November, the town becomes the “Polar Bear Capital of the World” - up to four additional sleeping cars are added to the train at that time. The Churchill airport is a former SAC base, with a very long runway that’s actually a space shuttle emergency landing spot.
When we arrived in Churchill, a fellow with a little old bus was hawking a 6 hour tour, so the three of us signed on, and it was well worth the cost - this was a good idea, because it would have been tough exploring this spread out, rocky town, town on foot. After lunch, two more tourists joined us, and after exploring every little road, radiating out from Churchill, we came upon a lone polar bear napping south of town that we woke up – seeing the bear stand up and growl made the trip all that much better. We also saw beluga whales swimming in the bay.
The return trip was quite a lesson as well. A huge number of “locals” showed up at the Churchill station, to make the overnight trip to Thompson. Anything one wanted to put on the baggage car you had to load yourself - luggage, boxes of stuff, bags of stuff, tools, bikes, hunting rifles, you-name-it, they had it! The other two “tourists” had booked their return trip in coach, to save money, but when the train loaded, the “locals” filled the coach section, and it became a rolling “block party”, complete with screaming kids, dogs and cats, and lots of imbibing. Within minutes my two new friends were begging the conductor for rooms in the sleeping car, and fortunately for them there were a couple roomettes left. That evening, in the dining car, the three of us did our share of imbibing as well, at a slightly more subdued level.
This was a great train trip that I highly recommend, although at many times of the year rooms in the sleeping car(s) are going to be hard to get because tour companies gobble them up - thus, if you want a room, it will probably require some long range planning and booking, even if you book it through a tour company. Those with a vehicle, might be able to save some time, and maybe some money too, by driving to Thompson, and boarding the train there for just a one night trip each way to Churchill.
I departed Winnipeg on August 29, 2004, which turned out to be a railfan’s delight, as both the eastbound and westbound ViaRail “Canadian’s” passed through the station that day, along with the American Orient Express – burned up a lot of film that day! The Best Western, where I stayed near the Winnipeg station, let me leave my car in their lot during my train trip.
I had a roomette in the (only) Budd stainless steel corrugated converted 6-10 sleeper, now an 6-8 sleeper with a large, “accessible” room with a sink, toilet, and shower. This was the last car on the small train. Forward of the sleeper was a 48-seat (Budd) dining car (kitchen rearward), which had the forward half of the tables designated as a lounge, w/smoking, and the tables closest to the kitchen designated as off-the-menu dining. The car also offered carry-out “Bag Lunches”. These two cars were “like new” inside, and the service was great and friendly and polite. Ahead of the diner were two coach cars, and a baggage car, all of which were Budd cars too. The train was pulled by an EMD F40PH, although between Thompson and Churchill a second F40PH was added for security as it would be very difficult for a maintenance vehicle/crew to get to the train if the loco broke down in the middle of the tundra, and it would have blocked the mostly single track line.
There were only two other “tourists” on the train, besides me (although there were some business travelers in the sleeper as far as Thompson), and the three of us got to know each other quickly, as we spent most of our waking hours in the dining car, because it had the best viewing. The menu food was very good, but wasn’t included with the price of the accommodations (yes they do take “plastic” on board). The train had a three person on board services crew, a conductor, a dining car steward, and a cook - the latter two also did the porter duties in the sleeper. Other than the towns we passed through, the scenery was either flat farmland or flat tundra.
The rail line was rather second grade and behind the times, making for a slow moving train, but adding interest to the trip. All switching was done by hand, and periodically the operating crew, checked the bearings with hand held “temperature guns”. The backing maneuver required to get to the Thompson station was very interesting as well. Our passenger train, also had to deal with the many freight trains hauling mostly pulp wood, grains, and machinery and vehicles to and from Churchill.
Churchill is a shipping port for grain, but only in July and August, when Hudson Bay is thawed and passable. Tourism is the other main “industry” of Churchill, and in October and early November, the town becomes the “Polar Bear Capital of the World” - up to four additional sleeping cars are added to the train at that time. The Churchill airport is a former SAC base, with a very long runway that’s actually a space shuttle emergency landing spot.
When we arrived in Churchill, a fellow with a little old bus was hawking a 6 hour tour, so the three of us signed on, and it was well worth the cost - this was a good idea, because it would have been tough exploring this spread out, rocky town, town on foot. After lunch, two more tourists joined us, and after exploring every little road, radiating out from Churchill, we came upon a lone polar bear napping south of town that we woke up – seeing the bear stand up and growl made the trip all that much better. We also saw beluga whales swimming in the bay.
The return trip was quite a lesson as well. A huge number of “locals” showed up at the Churchill station, to make the overnight trip to Thompson. Anything one wanted to put on the baggage car you had to load yourself - luggage, boxes of stuff, bags of stuff, tools, bikes, hunting rifles, you-name-it, they had it! The other two “tourists” had booked their return trip in coach, to save money, but when the train loaded, the “locals” filled the coach section, and it became a rolling “block party”, complete with screaming kids, dogs and cats, and lots of imbibing. Within minutes my two new friends were begging the conductor for rooms in the sleeping car, and fortunately for them there were a couple roomettes left. That evening, in the dining car, the three of us did our share of imbibing as well, at a slightly more subdued level.
This was a great train trip that I highly recommend, although at many times of the year rooms in the sleeping car(s) are going to be hard to get because tour companies gobble them up - thus, if you want a room, it will probably require some long range planning and booking, even if you book it through a tour company. Those with a vehicle, might be able to save some time, and maybe some money too, by driving to Thompson, and boarding the train there for just a one night trip each way to Churchill.
