Steam & Excursion > Riding the Agawa Canyon Train, former Algoma Central, 09/11/2022

Folks:

After intense, but cordial negotiations with my Household CEO (aka the Fabulous Mrs. randyr) we were able to make a detour to Sault St Marie, Ontario on the way to visit our Eastern Time Zone grandkids. We rode the former Algoma Central Agawa Canyon Tour Train. It is now operated by the WAMX Group. Talking to the nice Ticket Window folks, this is the first year under WAMX. They said this year has been great, I think they started this season in September, Next year they hope to open up in June. This trip has been on my bucket list for years. And since I failed to ride the D&RGW Ski Train in Denver when it ran there until 2009, with this equipment, I needed some closure to that issue by riding this train.

The train operates out of a stub track at, what appears to be fairly new depot, in downtown Sault St Marie. I apologize, most of my shots are roster types or wedgies. My plan was to chase the train and try for some action shots on 09/12, but I made some wrong turns and lost the train on the outskirts of the City. I also missed the iconic panoramic shot at the stop in Agawa Canyon, where you have to hike up 300 steps for the view. I fell and jacked up my knee while  trying to corral a beetle in the kitchen before we left for the airport. 

Thanks for looking, 

1) At the depot ready to leave on 09/11

2) Besides the former Rio Grande/CN Tempo Cars, three former Amtrak/Santa Fe coaches have been refurbished for use on the train. We had seven former Tempo Cars and these three cars

3) Shot showing some of the former Tempo cars. Fun fact, the car shown here, Lake Superior is one of the five cars on the train that I happen to have in HO from Rapido.

To be continued....


 

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4) At Agawa Canyon Park, during the stop

5) View of the southbound end at the Park

6) The following day, 09/12 in the rain at the Sault St Marie Depot

To be continued....

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7) An Algoma Central Caboose on display at the depot. I didn't see a lot of remnants or reminders of the Algoma Central along the line.

8) My only action shot, from the employee parking lot of Algoma Steel

9) Thanks to our friends at Rapido Trains (Manufacturers of Beautiful Model Trains) I can geek out over the Agawa Train equipment year round in HO. And thanks to my layout having three levels that represent different dimensions or alternate universes, I can also geek out on the same equipment on the Rio Grande Ski Train at the same time.

Thanks for looking, it was fun trip, the staff and crew on the Train were excellent, as was the scenery and equipment. Plus we got to see the grandkids in various sporting events. And the beetle that caused my knee issues was dead in the entrance way when we got home. Thanks again for looking, 

Randy in PHX



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/22 13:29 by randyr.

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great photos.  great comments.  love the HO models.
jb

Thanks for posting your photos. It’s good to see the train back in operation. What are they doing for food on the train?

Posted from iPhone

Here is a photo from the look out at Canyon...if I remember right, it was 306 steps to the top :).

Ted in Mesa

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Any pics of old cars at the shops?

kevink Wrote:
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> Thanks for posting your photos. It’s good to see
> the train back in operation. What are they doing
> for food on the train?
>
> Posted from iPhone

Pre-order box lunches.

https://the-block-house-restaurant.popmenu.com/menus/agawa-canyon-tour-train-pre-order-box-lunches?location=the-block-house-restaurant#menu=?the-block-house-restaurant

Thanks for the update.

Years ago my wife and I rode the trip to Hearst and it is a great memory.

DaleR

Thanks everyone for the comments and replies. As noted, there is no meal service on the Train. They do encourage you to order a box lunch from the Blockhouse Brew Pub. It is located in the Depot. We did and the lunches were great. There is very limited snack and beverage service on the Train. I looked around, especially as we crawled by the shops as we left and returned to Sault St Marie. I only saw their other Ex Tempo cars around the shops and the 3rd F40 locomotive. I did not see any of their other older conventional cars. Thanks,

Randy in PHX

Posted from iPhone

Thanks Randy!    Here are some old rio grande cars on the AC, photos from Dave Churry in 94 he wrote, CZ baggage, and x C&O, rio grande rpo, ran on the prospector 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/25/22 12:15 by dan.

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Dan, thank you. I wanted to ride it back when they ran to Hearst, but I didn’t have the ability or funds to travel as easily back then. Being from Denver, I was interested in the former D&RGW cars in general and the overall ride. If you have any more from that you could share I would love see them. Thanks again!

Randy in PHX

Posted from iPhone

that was it, will have to look for some more , searching, if you find some post them too!   rrpics perhaps they had some old old coaches a long time ago!