Weather-related anomalies

The severely cold weather in the Quebec-Windsor corridor made for some unusual Via happening today.
- It was reported elsewhere that Via #52 had to stop at Belleville to allow people to use the bathrooms there. Apparently, the on-board toilets froze because of thee extreme temperature drop.
- Via #22 (Montreal-Quebec) was replaced by a bus service.
- Via #24 was expected to use HEP equipment, according to the departure board at Montreal Central Station. (Was anyone able to see what kind of HEP cars were in use?)
Were there any other weather-related anomalies on Monday?

I returned Monday evening from a trip on the Canadian, which travelled through some really cold weather on the prairies and in Northen Ontario. There was no problem with the train's toilets. One of the shower's drains froze up east of Winnipeg during a passenger's afternoon shower and there was some minor flooding. The situation was corrected and the following morning I had a shower near Sioux Lookout (-28 C. outside) and there was no problem.

There were two delays due to broken rails on the Ruel Sub. This caused a total delay of 2 1/2 hours, but arrival in Toronto was only one hour and 13 min. late.

Up in Northern Manitoba, the weather has become so bad that VIA has cancelled the Hudson Bay. As of 2 Pm CST, the weather in churchill was
Ice Crystals, temp is at -30 C, with the windchill it feels like -40 c. For unknown reasons, the trains will not be running(692).

It has been reported on another forum that this southbound cancellation has occurred four times in the last few weeks. Each time, the problem has been the failure of one locomotive. The Hudson's Bay Ry. will not take a train with only one unit as there is little likelihood of a rescue unit being available anywhere nearby.

The last cancellation occurred when the train was only a few miles out of Churchill, so it was backed into town and passengers sent on to Winnipeg by non-specified other transportation. One advantage of being stranded in a town with an airport but no road access to any major city is that passengers are spared the horror of a long-distance bus ride, VIA's favourite substitute service. Mind you, people stranded in Thompson might be in for a treat.