Subject: An Adventure on the Train!
Hi Ziners!

I have a Train adventure story for you!

My wife and I took Train #57 to Toronto on Friday, Oct 7th. as we headed to Stratford to see a play.

Our train, due to leave Montreal at 9:40am, had to await the arrival of the train from Halifax since there were 120 passengers transferring onto our train to continue their journeys homeward.

The Halifax train arrived at 10:05am, and after a quick and efficient transfer across the platform of passengers and their luggage, we left at 10:30am.

Our train, 10 coaches long, was filled with almost 600 passengers. Aboard were 3 extra members in the VIA crew; a staff member from Halifax on his way to Toronto to see his mother, a young staff member from the VIA head office in Montreal travelling with his family, and a VIA crew supervisor from the Montreal office.

When a passenger aboard our train required medical assistance as we approached the Kingston station, the Service Manager called for an ambulance to be waiting there when we arrived. The paramedics quickly came aboard the train, examined the passenger and took him to the hospital.

Later, as we approached the Oshawa station, our engineers reported seeing a body on the tracks. They stopped the train with just the engines, baggage car, and first class car on the platform. The VIA crew aboard kept everyone informed of the situation as the police were called to investigate then remove the body.

When, after a prolonged wait, passengers wishing to leave the train were permitted to do so via the VIA 1 coach, the extra 'off-duty' staff helped with their baggage whenever necessary. Arrangements were made with the 'GO' Trains for Prepaid tickets to Toronto.

We were advised to remain aboard since we had a connection to Stratford from Toronto. The Service Manager assured us that VIA would see that we got to Stratford if we arrived too late to connect to Train #87 leaving at 5:40pm. We were instructed to go to the 'Special Services' counter in Union Station. The staff member there stamped our tickets, gave us food vouchers for Harveys, and told us to line up for Train #79 to Windsor. He said that we should get off at Woodstock where a taxi, paid for by VIA, would see us to our destination in Stratford.

When we arrived in Woodstock, a VIA person was on hand to direct us and 4 others to their taxis.

We arrived in Stratford at 11:30pm, tired but very pleased with the services given to us by VIA.

We thanked the VIA crews for their excellent handling of the situation on the very busy trains.

On our journey homewards on Sunday, October 9th, Train #84 arrived in Stratford on-time. When we arrived on-time in Toronto, the train came to a halt on the opposite side of the same platform as Train #60, our connection to Montreal, and we were able to walk across and climb aboard without first going downstairs to the waiting area.

Peter Montreal