David Benton wrote:http://www.steane.com/egtre/rotw/rotw.htm
Thanks, Interesting Link!
Here's a couple of additions for Canada. Though the trains are not in service on these two stretches of track, a railfan (and I have) might be able to talk a crew member into taking him along for the ride but probably harder to do in Halifax now that the Loop track is located within a gated, secure area within the port.
HALIFAX has a stub end passenger station. When VIA Train #14 the eastbound OCEAN has unloaded passengers and baggage it is immediately backed out of the station about 1 mile then heads through a “Loop” track at the HalTerm Container Terminal. After emerging from amongst the container, ships and gantry cranes, the Ocean backs into the passenger station now positioned correctly to depart for Montreal the next afternoon. Takes about a half hour to turn the train.
If you are just following the train by car, the whole operation is quite visible from public areas. The overhead bridge on South Park Street and the parking lot next to the container terminal at Point Pleasant Park.
If HalTerm is unable to accommodate VIA, the Ocean has occasionally backed all the way out to Windsor Jct (15 miles) where a Wye track is available.
GASPE also has a stub end passenger station. When VIA Train #16 the eastbound CHALEUR has unloaded passengers, it's backed out about a mile to a Wye track at Gaspe Harbour. Here it backs through the wye to a spur line that leads out to the wharf, pulls forward through the west chord then backs into the station properly positioned to return to Montreal later the same afternoon. It takes about 20 minutes to turn the train.
You can also drive out to the Wharf Spur to watch but take some ear plugs! The curve on the wye is very tight with lots of squeal from the wheel flanges!