Visit with a VIAphile

A visit to Kingston's VIA station on a beautiful June day started with my son and me hustling down the stairs, under the tracks and back up to Track 2 (the south track of CN's Kingston Sub). VIA train 61 for Toronto was working off the south track today. The consist of train 61 was 6437-3454-3345-3356-3358-3301. 6437 is one of VIA's F40PH-2's that has been refurbished in the Renaissance scheme. Passenger loads were very respectable on both tracks, as train 44 was due and would soon arrive behind P42DC 915, with five cars.

Jason Shron, president of Rapido Trains Inc., was returning to Toronto as part of his cross-Canada tour. Promoting Rapido's classic CP Canadian consist, Jason had been to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and was heading home before heading out on the road again. And what better way to do so than aboard VIA Rail? We posed in front of 6437 with my new book, Trackside with VIA: The First 35 Years. As my son clicked away, we discussed VIA, my book, his tour, marketing and models. The Canadian flag on the station looks like it's mounted on the LRC car:

Jason has been very supportive of my book, and was kind enough to contribute the book's foreword. After a few minutes (the VIA 1 car attendant was able to get through almost one full cigarette, as the train arrived ahead of schedule), it was time to go. As ever, it was great to meet Jason. A copy of my book is already on his desk at Rapido, awaiting his perusal. Be sure to visit Rapido's site and keep up to date on their fine products and Jason's amazing cross-country VIA adventure.