by Andrew Grahl and Raymond Mercado/photos as noted
Starting in the 1950s, self-propelled Budd-built Rail Diesel Cars (RDCs) could be found across North America. They were used in branch and mainline service, and could work together in a train or as just one solitary car. Today they can be found running on many tourist trains, but on only two passenger railroads: the Westside Express Service commuter train in Portland, Ore., where RDCs provide backup service, and VIA Rail’s Sudbury-to-White River remote service, with three roundtrips each week in Ontario, the focus of this travelogue.
Canadian Pacific, and now VIA Rail, has been operating Budd Cars on this 300-mile Sudbury-to-White River service, formerly called the Lake Superior, since the 1950s. CP’s September 30, 1956, timetable is the first one to show it running with RDCs. Since main road access only reaches Missanabie, Biscotasing and Chapleau, VIA Rail classifies this as a remote service, providing vital railroad connections for people living and visiting remote areas of Ontario near Lake Superior. Flag stops can be made at any safe location along the line. Two or three RDC cars are used daily, with one being the last remaining RDC-4 baggage-only car in service. In the peak season, the baggage car is used to bring canoes to fishing lodges and camp-grounds, food and supplies to passengers living in remote towns or in the wilderness. Year-round residents also use the train as a lifeline for medical appointments in Sudbury.
ABOVE: Time to Stretch Legs– VIA Rail RDC-4 6250 poses with CP GP38-2 3082 at the Chapleau, Ont., station, Saturday, April 1, 2023. Riders have a few minutes here to disembark and stretch, also providing a few minutes to take photos. —Andrew Grahl
Sudbury, Ont., with a population of almost 166,004 in 2021, is four hours north of Toronto. The westbound service from Sudbury to White River is VIA Train 185, departing Sudbury on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 9:00 a.m., with scheduled arrival time at White River at 5:05 p.m. The eastbound train, VIA Rail 186, departs White River on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 7:00 a.m., arriving in Sudbury at 3:50 p.m. These trips can be late, depending on several factors including Canadian Pacific train traffic, weather, and issues that can be found crossing vast stretches of wilderness. On your journey, you will pass many freight trains, sometimes you will pass a freight in the siding and other times you will sit and wait for it to pass you.
The ride is a real treat for railfans. You have these nearly 70-year old, rebuilt Budd-built cars traveling through amazing scenery, while riding with fascinating people and a railfan-friendly crew!
Equipment & Crew
Five rebuilt RDCs are available for service, with two or three generally on the train. Trains had been running with a minimum of three cars in 2022 to provide a buffer car in front of and behind the car with passengers. Trains ran with four cars during Covid to provide additional passenger spacing.
All RDCs were extensively rebuilt by Industrial Rail Services in Moncton, N.B., in 2013. They have outlets for charging, nicer seats, and large handicapped accessible restrooms, and have been modified to allow passengers to move easily between the cars by removing the control cab from one end of each car. They also received new controls, wiring, heating and air conditioning.
ABOVE: The sun has not yet risen for a 7:00 a.m. departure from White River during the winter. RDC-4 6250 is about to depart for Sudbury, April 2, 2023. The former CP sta-tion is not in use for the VIA Rail service. —Andrew Grahl
VIA Rail has four RDC cars available for service on the Sudbury-White River service: RDC-1 6105 (1957), ex-CN 6105, D105 RDC-2 6217 (1957); ex-CP 9117 RDC-2 6219 (1956); ex-CP 9111 RDC-4 6250 (1955); ex-CN 6450, D450, nee-CN D151; Also RDC-4 6251 (1956), ex-CP 9251, was rebuilt in 2013 and is serviceable, but it is not currently on the Sudbury-White River train rotation.
Peak ridership can be 40-60 passengers on a weekday and 80-110 passengers on a weekend day. CP freight crews can often be found deadheading on the RDCs. The train operates with a three-person VIA Rail crew consisting of a Service Manager, who is responsible for all passenger related issues including ticket collection and sales, passenger safety, refreshment sales and the important task of being the liaison between customers and the Engineers to find the correct place to detrain in the wilderness. Each train also has two Engineers/Bagmen.
Before You Ride
A few quick tips: Food service is very limited on the train, as only drinks and snacks are available. Debit cards are not accepted; credit cards are accepted if the machine has reception in the wilderness. Cash is preferred! Make sure you bring food if you need more nourishment. Cell phone service is nonexistent from Cartier to White River, except during the Chapleau stop. Make sure you have a motel reservation in White River, as there are not many rooms available…