The larest addition to my growing bucket list is a trip to see the polar bears in Churchill. If I am hearing right, prime time for that is October-November. What is that train's usual consist these days? It appears that before the service interruption a few years ago and the pandemic it included a Park car but based on what I am seeing now, it appears that is unfortunately no longer the case. Also, I am seeing no indication of a dining car, though it appears there is a Skyline car that must have food available. VIA's website is of little help, unless I am missing something. It is a shame that VIA has followed Amtrak's lead by removing .pdf schedules.
Churchill Service
- Thread starter PaTrainFan
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i cant answer your question of how service is these days. I did take this trip about 10 years ago though. train to/from Winnipeg to Churchill. Incredible. Took a day trip on the buggy to where the polar bears are in oct/nov and saw a few. Not only that, saw fresh polar bear footprints in the snow right at the churchill train station after my train arrived! bears can frequent the town so one always needs to be on the lookout during bear season. Yes oct and nov best time. Train was fun too, had dining car.
Did a trial booking and the Churchill train shows a Cabin for 3 available. That usually means it has a ParkCar. At least it used to mean that when the Ocean had the Park Car.
Actually, either the Manor or Chateau sleepers have a cabin for 3. Highly unlikely you will find a Park Car on Churchill train.
fdaley
OBS Chief
The end of October and early November is the prime time for polar bears. The time window in which they're migrating through town is actually quite short -- a couple of weeks or maybe a bit more. We misjudged this when we took this trip 20-plus years ago, at the end of September. Even after riding out in one of the "tundra buggies," we only saw perhaps one polar bear at a great distance -- though it might have just been a white rock. On the plus side, the weather was not so cold yet, and we saw a spectacular display of the northern lights on our last night there. And the train ride and the experience of being at the edge of the arctic made for a fascinating trip.
The train really is the only way in or out to most of the places north of Thompson (other than by air, which is really expensive), so people use the train to make supply runs. On the northbound trip, I remember people piling all kinds of stuff into the baggage car at Thompson -- big cases of diapers and paper goods, for example. One family even loaded a mattress and box spring for a double bed.
There was a period when Park cars were showing up on the Churchill train with some frequency, but I'm guessing that would have ended with the pandemic if not before. When we rode it, the consist was a baggage car, a couple coaches, diner-lounge and a Chateau sleeper. But we passed trains in the opposite direction that had the Park car as well.
The train really is the only way in or out to most of the places north of Thompson (other than by air, which is really expensive), so people use the train to make supply runs. On the northbound trip, I remember people piling all kinds of stuff into the baggage car at Thompson -- big cases of diapers and paper goods, for example. One family even loaded a mattress and box spring for a double bed.
There was a period when Park cars were showing up on the Churchill train with some frequency, but I'm guessing that would have ended with the pandemic if not before. When we rode it, the consist was a baggage car, a couple coaches, diner-lounge and a Chateau sleeper. But we passed trains in the opposite direction that had the Park car as well.
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I think so...
fdaley
OBS Chief
The Chateau drawing room has two lowers and one upper, like the Park car. I don't think I've encountered a Manor car with a room for three, although Bedroom F is what used to be known as a compartment -- more spacious than a bedroom, but still with only two berths.
Only original configuration Chateaus and Parks have Drawing Rooms ("Cabins for 3" in VIA speak). Non Prestige Chateaus are the primary sleepers for trains other than the Canadian (sadly only the Hudson Bay and when they add Budd sleepers to the Ocean these days). Manors run pretty much exclusively to the Canadian and never had Drawing Rooms in any case.
Since the unconverted Parks were dropped on the Ocean due to no longer turning the consist in Halifax, the Skeena is the only train with unconverted Parks to my certain knowledge. I find it quite plausible they've assigned some to the Hudson Bay.
However, the presence of Drawing Rooms on the Hudson Bay does not by itself imply the presence of an unconverted Park Car.
For grins I checked on air fare from Winnipeg and it was $800 for an hour and a half flight on a small airline with prop planes.
Maverickstation
Lead Service Attendant
VIA lists Coach and Sleeper Plus services.
https://www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/trains/regional-trains/winnipeg-churchill/classes
https://www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/trains/regional-trains/winnipeg-churchill/classes
Thank you!
I remember that DownieLive posted a video about this route on his YouTube channel. (He made the trip with his dad, riding coach during the pandemic, and they ordered pizza from a place at one of the train's station stops (calling in the order from the train before they got there).)
From my memory from before and during Covid, the consists were usually:
F40
F40
Baggage
Coach
Coach
Coach*
Skyline or Diner
Chateau
Chateau*
Park*
With all cars marked by an asterisk (*) being only attached when deemed necessary. For instance, at peak times you might have a Diner, 2 Chateaus and Park and at other times there might only be a Skyline and a single Chateau:
F40
F40
Baggage
Coach
Coach
Skyline
Chateau
F40
F40
Baggage
Coach
Coach
Coach*
Skyline or Diner
Chateau
Chateau*
Park*
With all cars marked by an asterisk (*) being only attached when deemed necessary. For instance, at peak times you might have a Diner, 2 Chateaus and Park and at other times there might only be a Skyline and a single Chateau:
F40
F40
Baggage
Coach
Coach
Skyline
Chateau
So almost a roll of the dice when you get the diner and Park car. Though I would think in this instance polar bear season would be considered peak. I do note that the VIA site has this notation: Fresh meals will not be included in Sleeper Plus Class until December 31, 2022.
I did this trip in the Summer of 1984 as part of a Canrailpass. It was epic. The train operated with the blue and yellow VIA cars. I am thinking they used to be CN cars. There was no park car. However, the vestibule on the last car, a sleeper, was at the end. We were allowed to spend as much time as we wanted on that platform. There were these huge flies flying around and some of the older men, I was a teenager, told me their bites would draw blood. The dang things were so big I swear they needed air traffic control to control their flight patterns.
During the long stop in Thompson, I walked up to look at the locomotives, E or F units. The engineer invited me up into the cab for a look. They let me stay there while they did some switching.
In Churchill I spent the day walking around and looking at the town. There were no showers on the train so I paid a fee to shower in the hockey rink which was in the city hall, town center building. At one point I was walking next to a pick up truck and then I heard growling. I looked in the bed of the truck and saw a big Husky staring at me. He did not have a leash or chain securing him to the truck. I slowly got the heck out of there. Over all, great memories and a great trip.
I wonder what a trip in April would be like on this route.
During the long stop in Thompson, I walked up to look at the locomotives, E or F units. The engineer invited me up into the cab for a look. They let me stay there while they did some switching.
In Churchill I spent the day walking around and looking at the town. There were no showers on the train so I paid a fee to shower in the hockey rink which was in the city hall, town center building. At one point I was walking next to a pick up truck and then I heard growling. I looked in the bed of the truck and saw a big Husky staring at me. He did not have a leash or chain securing him to the truck. I slowly got the heck out of there. Over all, great memories and a great trip.
I wonder what a trip in April would be like on this route.
Back in 1984 when my wife and I rode the Canadian from Montreal to Vancouver, the train from Montreal to Toronto had only the Skyline car as the diner was not attached until Toronto, but we did have dinner in the Skyline car. IIRC it was a more limited menu than the regular diner. Of course this was 40 years ago and things may have changed since then.
xzperu42
Service Attendant
Took the train to Churchill on May 2nd 2023 it's consist was:
F40
F40
Baggage
Coach
Coach
Skyline
Chateau
Chateau
Sunrise day 2. Somewhere roughly near Wekusko
F40
F40
Baggage
Coach
Coach
Skyline
Chateau
Chateau
Sunrise day 2. Somewhere roughly near Wekusko
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Were both Chateaus occupied or was the rear one serving as a "buffer car"?
xzperu42
Service Attendant
I never asked if it was officially a "buffer car", but it was not occupied by paying passengers for sure. I don't think the crew stayed in it either. Passenger loads were very, very light. Just 6 of us leaving Winnipeg in both coach and sleeper.
Under current operating practices that last Chateau had to be a buffer car. I think if you tried to go into the car, you'd have found the door locked.
Neither passengers nor OBS crew members are supposed to be in a buffer.
Neither passengers nor OBS crew members are supposed to be in a buffer.
What is the food service like? I assume it is out of the skyline car. Equivalent to Amtrak cafe, flex or better?
xzperu42
Service Attendant
Correct, the food service was out of the Skyline car. I have attached a photo of the menu. I'd say closest to Amtrak Cafe. I mostly had the breakfast sandwiches as they are "ok". Pizza sub not so good. There is a very long layover in Thompson on day 2, so I took advantage of this to have lunch there and buy a few things for the train. I opened up a tab for the trip and somehow spent exactly C$100.00 over the 5 days out to Churchill and back. I did not try the $10 meal, but a guy riding in coach did and said it was ok. It was a frozen meal heated up (Looked less substantial than Flex dining). Unless you really love Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches... best to try and bring aboard food.
I remember from the DownieLive YouTube video on the Churchill service that he and his Dad ordered a pizza from a pizza place in Thompson, which they picked up during the Thompson layover.
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