Due to Lakeshore East being closed, VIA Rail was diverting its trains along the Don Valley and then east to rejoin the regular route in Pickering. I checked out some of the trains in the valley and rode one of the diverted trains.
This section of track is not normally used by VIA Rail corridor trains but does see the twice weekly Canadian arriving from Vancouver (see my trips on The Canadian in spring and winter). The northbound/westbound Canadian instead goes up the Newmarket/Barrie line before crossing over to the Bala along CN’s York Subdivision, presumably to avoid turning the train around in Toronto.
It was therefore interesting to see the VIA Rail corridor trains going both north and south along the Don Valley.
The trains were interchanging with the CN York Subdivision at Doncaster Junction. Trains going in both directed required a backup maneuver at the junction. However, some of the trains appeared to head north up the Newmarket Subdivision (GO’s Barrie Line) and backing up onto the York Subdivision (like westbound Canadian does normally).
Riding the Bala
On Sunday morning June 7th, I boarded VIA #50 to Oshawa (on its way to Ottawa). The train took about an hour and twenty minutes (rather than the usual 30-35 minutes on the direct route) to reach Oshawa.
York Subdivision
At Doncaster Junction, we passed over the diamond and then backed up around the interchange track before we continued east on the York Subdivision. Unfortunately, for VIA Rail the only connector track at Doncaster Junction not in place is the one they need for this diversion – a spot now occupied by Railside Park.
As we headed east, we crossed over the GO Stouffville line and CPKC’s Havelock line to Peterborough. As we approached Rouge National Park, we passed under CPKC’s Belleville mainline.
Heading south from Rouge Park, we crossed the 12 lanes of Highway 401 on the distinctive through truss bridge with views of Lake Ontario at Pickering before re-joining the train’s usual route.
I got off in Oshawa and took a train-replacement GO bus back to Toronto. The train continued on its way to Ottawa.
