It's a pristine autumn afternoon in Northern Ontario as ONR's Kidd Creek (Timmins) to Englehart train no. 308 charges through the spectacular rock cut at Boston Creek. A pair of venerable EMD SD40-2s, including # 1741 (ex NS 3535, ex UP 3942 nee MP 6042) provide the hustle muscle for this day's train.

Tags:   Ontario Northland Northern Ontario Rock Cut Boston Creek ONR Ramore Subdivision EMD SD40-2 Locomotive Scenic Scenery Sunny Railroad Railfan Railroading Railway Train Transportation Trains Freight Train

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Emerging from the morning fog like a mythical beast, the Agawa Canyon Tour Train soars above the Bellevue Valley on its journey into the wilderness of Northern Ontario.

Tags:   Algoma Central CN Soo Subdivision Bellevue Valley Agawa Canyon Tour Train Scenic Scenery Autumn Northern Ontario Railroad Railfan Railway Railroading Train Passenger Train

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Early morning light, vibrant autumn colours and a layer of fog set the atmosphere at Northland, Ont., as Canadian National's Agawa Canyon Tour Train races towards "Canyon" on the former Algoma Central Railway.

Today, Watco announced that tickets have gone on sale for the upcoming season. The Tour Train is slated to resume operations on August 1st and will run until October 10th. Get your tickets for peak colour while you can because I'll suspect they'll go fast!

Tags:   Canadian National CN Soo Subdivision Agawa Canyon Tour Train Agawa Canyon Northland Northern Ontario Railroading Fall Colours Autumn EMD F40PHR Train Tracks Atmospheric

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Painterly afternoon light filters through the vibrant forests at Montreal Falls, Ont., as CN's Agawa Canyon Tour Train rounds this iconic trestle on the former Algoma Central Railway.

Tags:   Agawa Canyon Tour Train Algoma Central CN Soo Subdivision Passenger Train Montreal Falls Northern Ontario Fall Colours Scenic Scenery Railroad Railfan Railway Railroading Train Trains Bridge Trestle EMD F40PH-2 Lighting Canada Orange Vibrant

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The smokestacks of Sudbury receded in the distance as I drove south on Highway 69. I had every intention of being home by suppertime. That was until I remembered that it was Saturday, which if you're familiar with the ONR, means train time on the Temagami Subdivision. I had already logged a couple thousand kilometers on a fruitful, albeit very circuitous, tour of Northern Ontario the six days prior. I wasn't feeling particularly inclined for a detour back to North Bay, but that voice in the back of my mind -- yeah, the same bugger that compels one to stand out in the freezing cold or climb a mountain for a single photo, you know the one -- got the best of me. So, at the last exit leaving Sudbury, it was off 69, onto Highway 17, and off to North Bay.

Just as I was arriving in North Bay, the sound of a northbound train departing town could be heard in the distance. Talk about timing! Meandering through North Bay's infamous traffic and watching the sun peek in and out of the clouds, I eventually caught a glimpse of the train as it eased over the Trans-Canada Highway ahead. A quick chase to Lees Road ensued, where I set up just in time as veteran SD40-2 1734 came charging around the bend with Englehart-bound train 113.

While I didn't make it home for suppertime as planned, the memorable chase to Cobalt that followed made that detour at Sudbury all worthwhile.

Tags:   Ontario Northland Railway ONR Temagami Subdivision EMD SD40-2 Fall Colours Freight Train Locomotive Northern Ontario North Bay ONR 113 Lees Road Autumn Scenic Scenery Yellow Orange Transportation Train Tracks

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