# Along The T'Rail Of The Newfie Bullet



## NS VIA FAN (Jul 22, 2009)

All aboard for a trip into the wilds of central Newfoundland over a portion of the abandoned mainline of CN’s narrow-gauge division:

Slide Show Here:

http://picasaweb.google.ca/ghCBNS/AlongThe...eat=directlink#

The mainline extended 548 miles across the island from the ferry terminal at Port aux Basques to St. John’s. When the Trans Canada Highway was completed in the 1960’s it basically paralleled the railway except for a 63 mile section between Howley (near Deer Lake) and Badger……”The Topsails”……A wild, scenic, high plateau reaching an elevation of 1554’ at the summit.

CN’s mainline passenger train, the “Caribou” (affectionately known as the “Newfie Bullet”) was a full service train with narrow-gauge coaches, diners and sleepers. It lasted until 1969 and even after its demise CN still provided mixed train service to access this isolated area until the railway was abandoned in 1988. Today the only way in is on ATVs or 4-wheel drive vehicles over the abandoned rail bed now preserved as the “Newfoundland T’Railway Provincial Park” (100 feet wide x 548 miles long!)

http://www.trailway.ca/

I’ve always wanted to visit the Topsails and a buddy I work with who is originally from Newfoundland arranged for a couple of ATVs for the trip. After an overnight ferry crossing from the mainland and a 5 hour drive I reached Bishop’s Falls, a former CN divisional point and the start of the adventure.

The mainline was well constructed and heavily ballasted in places and still provides an excellent surface for the ATVs. Most bridges are in place and some are being re-decked to meet accessibility and safety requirements. Near the summit we came across a former sleeper and now a hunting cabin…there’s an abundance of moose, caribou and black bear plus fishing in the area.

It took two days for the 180 mile round-trip from Bishops Falls to Howley with plenty of locations along the trail for camping…..and there are no snakes, skunks or racoons on the island of Newfoundland……but watch out for the Blackflies!

In winter the Topsails were noted for the efforts it took to keep the line open with rotary plows to tackle the huge snow drifts……but no fear of that today with sun, hot 30+ degrees and dust!

http://members.kos.net/sdgagnon/nfe.html

The trip was over too soon and it was back to the mainland on a Marine Atlantic ferry.

http://www.marine-atlantic.ca/en/index.asp


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## Bob Dylan (Jul 22, 2009)

Very interesting report!Thanks!Hope to ride the Ocean to Halifax,visit the maritimes and

return on the ferry to Maine and ride the Downeaster to BOS!


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