CAPT Press Release
It is time to provide a quick update about the Algoma Passenger Train. We continue to be very appreciative of the hard work that the Sault Ste. Marie EDC under the leadership of Tom Dodds has been doing to prepare the agreements between Transport Canada and the City of Sault Ste. Marie and between the City of Sault Ste. Marie and the new operator of the passenger train—Railmark.
Sault Ste. Marie City Council approved the agreements in principle at their meeting on April 13, 2015. When the final wording of the agreements is completed and when Railmark has satisfied the City that it has met all the conditions and provided necessary documentation, the agreements will be presented to Council. We will let you know the date of that meeting so that you can show your support by attending. As part of the ACR Working Group, CAPT expresses our sincere gratitude to Tom Dodds, the City of Sault Ste. Marie and Transport Canada for all that they are doing to maintain passenger service on this amazing, remote rail line.
Meanwhile the passenger train is running on the same schedule as usual: northbound on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays and southbound on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. We encourage everyone to take the train to all sorts of destinations: to a lodge or resort, to their camps, to take a canoe on the train to start a canoe trip on one of the many rivers that cross the rail line or to visit Hawk Junction/Wawa, Dubreuilville or Hearst.
And stay tuned for details about the Taste of Hearst/Saveur de Hearst, Sept 11-12, 2015 and the annual Group of Seven and Glenn Gould Train Event on Sept 18-20, 2015. Save those dates!
Here is a link to Radio Canada’s coverage of the visit by two Blind River residents who went to Hearst to practice their French and attend the French book fair called “Le Salon du livre”. CAPT and the EDC of Hearst plan to organize opportunities for more people to visit the 95% francophone city of Hearst to practice their French or to just experience the warm hospitality of this French-speaking community at the north end of the Algoma passenger train line.
