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South Simcoe Railway

Neutrino

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A few photos at the South Simcoe tourist train I took today. Thought it might interest some folks on this forum.

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I haven't been on it since The Kid was young and thought it was fun and informative. I always thought this was a neat shot where the SSR passes under the CP Mactier Sub. I remember seeing CP 2816 when it was east; I don't have much memory of steam power, but it was quite something to see and hear a mainline steam locomotive running at track speed.

197666
 
What's the status of their steam trains? Is one of them operating?

According to their website, diesel/electric #703 seems to be their regular power with steam #136 doing some of their excursion runs. According to Wiki steam #1057 is out of service. With a volunteer workforce and fare-box funding, I would imagine getting a steam locomotive up to approved standards and keeping it there must be a daunting task.
 
Well this certainly seems pretty sweet. Can anyone make a rough list of daytrip excursion/tourist trains within 250km. Is this like the only one left?
 
Well this certainly seems pretty sweet. Can anyone make a rough list of daytrip excursion/tourist trains within 250km. Is this like the only one left?

SSR and the York-Durham Heritage Railway are the only two I can think of. I believe the Credit Valley Explorer is out of service. There is also the Halton County Heritage Museum but I wouldn't count it as an excursion train - I think there is a short loop track.
 
SSR and the York-Durham Heritage Railway are the only two I can think of. I believe the Credit Valley Explorer is out of service. There is also the Halton County Heritage Museum but I wouldn't count it as an excursion train - I think there is a short loop track.
Waterloo Central Railway has very regular operations. https://waterloocentralrailway.com/
 
Thanks for the list fellas. I knew about the St Thomas one, and before posting had just learned that the Credit Valley one was canned. Port Elgin had a miniature railway that was also canned not long ago. Would like to see whatever's active before they too bite the dust. The only other one I can think of in the province is Agawa Canyon, but that's obviously a bit far out and I had seen it when I was a kid.
 
The South Simcoe Railway is the only steam excursion train. It's not an especially scenic route, but the steam is the draw. The Credit Valley Explorer had the most scenic excursion route in Southern Ontario (the Agawa Canyon train from Sault Ste. Marie is spectacular), but of course, it's gone now (with the railway itself in danger). I haven't been on the YDHR or the WSJR.

I've been on the Port Stanley train. It's not bad, though it would be better yet with a St. Thomas terminal (operating much like the YDHR, where there were options to board at Stouffville or Uxbridge).
 
Including the South Simcoe, here's my list of trains I’ve ridden and those I wish to…..

Canada

Ontario
http://www.agawatrain.com/ (wonderful in the autumn)
https://waterloocentralrailway.com/category/steam-train/ (a day tripper)
http://www.southsimcoerailway.ca/ (day tripper)
https://hcry.org/ (cool collection of historic running Toronto streetcars)
https://ydhr.ca/train/
http://www.pstr.on.ca/
http://ontarionorthland.ca/en/travelling-train (Polar Bear Express, first you need to drive 900 km straight north)
https://www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/trains/rockies-and-pacific (I got as far as Toronto to Calgary, in high school to meet a pal)
https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/Visit/GettingHere (AmTrak from Union Station, it’s a great way to see live theatre)

British Columbia
https://alberniheritage.com/alberni-pacific-railway

Alberta
https://www.heritagepark.ca/

International

Austria
http://www.achenseebahn.at/index.php/fahrplan-vorsaison.html

Croatia to Germany
https://www.bahn.com/en/view/trains/long-distance/ice-ice-sprinter.shtml

UK
https://www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk/ (this is where it started for me in the 1970s as a young English lad, my Grandparents lived on this island)

USA
Portland Maine - https://www.mainenarrowgauge.org/
San Francisco, CA - https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/muni/cable-cars
Skagway, Alaska - https://wpyr.com/ (this was two weeks ago, absolutely amazing, make sure to ride on the last carriage so you can stand on the rear platform)

Taiwan
https://www.thsrc.com.tw/index_en.html

Hong Kong
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/ca/...fo/transport/getting-around/the-peak-tram.jsp

Admiral’s Wish List of Future Rail Travel

Canada
https://www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/trains/regional-trains/winnipeg-churchill (will include a tour of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_of_Wales_Fort)
https://www.rockymountaineer.com/
https://www.viarail.ca/en/explore-o...ockies-and-pacific/toronto-vancouver-canadian (I took this train in 1986 from Toronto to Calgary).

India
http://www.dhrs.org/
(as many as I can) https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/sep/17/top-10-indian-train-journeys-rail

Sri Lanka https://nerdnomads.com/sri-lanka-train-travel-ella-kandy

USA https://www.amtrak.com/california-zephyr-train

UK (as many of these as I can) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_heritage_and_private_railways

ANZ
https://railnewzealand.com/
https://www.greatsouthernrail.com.au/
 
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