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| Dedicated to preserving and enhancing remote passenger train service in the District of Algoma, Ontario, Canada | |
 CAPTCoalition for Algoma Passenger Trains CAPT is a group of individuals, businesses and other interests who recognize the significant social, economic, employment, cultural, historical and environmental value of Algoma's Wilderness Passenger and Tour Trains. |
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Group of Seven Train Event Pictures Group of Seven Train Event Feedback Forms 
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  From Sault This Week of January 17/07: • Where did those rail passenger cars go? Last
year CN showed a few people around the Sault information on commuter
rail cars owned by the Ontario government that could be used on the
Agawa Canyon tour train. No one will confirm if these are the same cars
that were just loaned to the city of Montreal to augment its commuter
rail fleet after the collapse of a highway overpass dramatically
increased the number of people using their trains. The press release on
this loan states that the train was assembled from GO Transit's
maintenance spares and will remain in the Montreal area for as long as
needed. GO is the commuter train service in the Toronto area operated by
the Ontario government. Too bad the Sault doesn't have friends at Queens
Park who could have encouraged them to lend a few cars to the ACR. You
can read all kinds of information on CN's profits and all the money it
is spending in the U.S., including $100 million on its rail yard in
Memphis, Tennessee, the hometown of its current president, at www.http://www.cn.ca
Group of Seven Paintings Auction From Sault This Week of November 22, 2006 · There are big plans afoot to recognize the year 2008 as a very special one for the Sault. It will mark the 90th anniversary of the arrival of the Group of Seven in the Sault and the beginning of their rise to fame as Canada's best known artists. Meanwhile, we should be making every effort to add to the Algoma Art Gallery's small collection of original paintings by the Group. So if you have an extra $100,000 to $150,000 or so, you might want to consider attending an auction in Toronto next Friday. Two paintings by Lawren Harris, which were painted in this area in 1920, the third year the Group travelled by boxcar and painted along the ACR, are coming available. The first is entitled "Turtle Rock, Algoma," while a second painting "Big Rock, Algoma" is also being auctioned. These paintings have been privately held by the Harris family up until now. You can learn more about the auction at www.heffel.com. From Sault This Week of November 15, 2006 · It looks like good news on the Algoma Central Railway (ACR) tour train front. Linda Savory-Gordon, one of the organizers of the Coalition for Algoma Passenger Trains or CAPT, said she was encouraged by their meeting last week with Mike O'Brien, the head of passenger operations for the CNR, which now owns the ACR. He came to the Sault from Montreal to learn more about their concerns. And although he did not make any promises, Linda said they were encouraged by his reaction to their concerns. At this point they know that new railway cars for the passenger and tour train are expected in the Sault in January. That should alleviate the car shortage, which has meant that potential passengers have been turned away in recent times. CAPT has scheduled another public meeting for Dec. 8. You can contact Linda at Algoma U. at 949-2301, ext 4320. · But CAPT has bigger plans to get
the attention of government and industry officials come next
spring. They are lining up the national news media and politicians
for a tour of the Algoma Central Railway line from the Sault
to Hearst. The train will stop at key locations, from Searchmont
on up, where local residents, and elected officials can impress
on participants the From Sault This Week of October 11, 2006. · Here's one of the answers to improving the ACR Agawa Canyon tour train while eliminating the shortage of rail cars. And this will work because I was taken there to see the possibilities. Over the years, many passengers have complained that the ride up to the canyon is great, but coming back is boring. Same scenery and the ride is too long. I was driven up 17 North to Frater, where the railway siding is located, just south of Agawa Canyon. This is a relatively new road to Frater but it would handle highway buses. So the solution is to have those who take the train up, come back by bus. That way they see all the Lake Superior scenery and perhaps also a late lunch at one of the restaurants in the area. And the northbound buses would take passengers to Frater with stops along the way too. At Frater, the train would be shuffled down from the Canyon to pick up the new passengers while off loading those who came up by train. This arrangement would create a whole new bus-tour operation, with spin offs being bus tours to places like Wawa, White River and some of the many parks along the lake. This change would cut the need for rail passenger cars in half. Those who are familiar with the recent visit of the MS Columbus cruise ship to the Sault will note that some passengers took the Agawa Canyon train tour while others took a bus tour up along Lake Superior. With a bus-train combination tour, cruise ship passengers, and thousands of others, would have access to an improved Agawa Canyon tour train experience. From Sault This Week of October 04, 2006. · A group of local citizens has banded together to try to save the Algoma Central Agawa Canyon tour train. CAPT is an acronym for the Coalition for Algoma Passenger Trains, which claims that Algoma's passenger trains have been steadily declining in quality and service for decades due to neglect and apathy. Two staff members from Algoma University are spearheading the drive to encourage all levels of government to put pressure on Canadian National Railway (CNR), the new owners of the Algoma Central tour train, to improve the service, the track bed and the rail cars. They are hoping for a large turnout at a public meeting called for 7 p.m. on Friday, October 13 at the amphitheatre at Algoma U. I spoke to Alice Corbiere, one of the organizers last week, who said that they are getting commitments from such diverse groups including First Nations members, local politicians and even some Americans who will travel here for the meeting. She also noted that they are getting all kinds of information from some of those close to the ACR. For example, she noted that the tour is short of cars again this year, and that ten cars in need of repairs are not being repaired, but instead are sitting in storage on the siding at Agawa Canyon. You can obtain full background on this meeting by logging on to www.captrains.ca or calling Alice at 949-2302 ext. 4812 or Linda at 949-2301 ext. 4320. |
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