About 175 passengers on a westbound Via Rail train reached the end of the line in Winnipeg on Thursday after the threat of a strike by engineers prompted the company to cancel long-distance service.

As the Vancouver-bound train pulled into Winnipeg, passengers didn't know how Via would get them to their destinations. By the afternoon, the company was arranging tickets on buses for those people in Saskatchewan and eastern Alberta.

For passengers heading to destinations farther west, such as Edmonton and Vancouver, Via is chartering aircraft. Those flights will start Friday.

'It's all right if you are retired, but if you are on holidays [with a] specific leave period, [but] I'm not wasting one of my days of holidays sitting on a train that isn't moving.'—Adam Bainbridge, Via passenger

The company has promised to reimburse passengers for the unused portion of their tickets.

The news isn't good for Leela Bruce, who was on her way to Edmonton with her husband and two children.

"No, no, absolutely not," she said about taking other modes of transportation. "I took the train for a reason. I've tried taking the bus, I've tried taking a plane. It was excruciating."

Bruce suffers from severe claustrophobia and said Via's offer to fly the family to Edmonton won't work for her. And to get on a bus, she'll have to find a doctor to prescribe some medication.

The stress was already starting to show on her face Thursday.

'It's unfortunate, but under the circumstances we're doing the best we can. We apologize for the inconvenience to them."—Michael Woelke, Via Rail

"We don't have any money. This is the end of our vacation. What are we supposed to do?" she said.

Michael Woelke of Via Rail tried to calm angry passengers for most of Thursday.

"It's unfortunate, but under the circumstances were doing the best we can," he said. "We apologize for the inconvenience to them."

Passengers told CBC News that Via was not offering to put them up in hotels. They said the company told them they could sleep on the train overnight while it idled on the track.

The company had also refused to pay for meals, telling passengers that food would be made available for purchase. However, Via has since advised passengers that some food would be provided.

About 175 passengers arrived Wednesday morning and by day's end, when the eastbound train was halted in Winnipeg, it was estimated that 350 passengers would be in the city.

For some, the stop was viewed as just another part of their cross-country adventure, but for others, like Adam Bainbridge, it is a big inconvenience.

"It's all right if you are retired, but if you are on holidays [with a] specific leave period, [but] I'm not wasting one of my days of holidays sitting on a train that isn't moving," he said, adding he is arranging for a flight.

Strike deadline is noon Friday

Via began to cancel service on long-distance passenger routes earlier this week in the event its locomotive engineers walked off the job at the end of the week, effectively shutting down the passenger rail system across Canada.

On Tuesday, the union representing about 340 locomotive engineers gave notice of their intention to strike at noon Friday if a deal isn't reached.

All trains scheduled to depart after noon ET Friday will be cancelled until a settlement is reached and no alternative transportation will be provided, the railway corporation stated in a notice posted on its website Tuesday.

The company also noted that it would ensure passengers departing prior to the Friday deadline are taken to their destinations, either by train or alternative means.

Representatives of Via and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference union are currently in negotiations. A federal mediator has been appointed.

Churchill tourism will suffer: mayor

A strike would hit tourism in a big way in the northern Manitoba town of Churchill, said Mayor Mike Spence.

Businesses in the area thrive on the influx of tourists from around the world who go to see the polar bears and whale-watch. The latter activity is entering its peak season.

Spence called the potential shutdown of service a disaster. He said the train is the most economical way for people to travel to Churchill.

"You've got families that come up on a budget, naturally, and they're coming here for the whale season, and it's a prime time to come to Churchill. The unfortunate fact is, we got this strike that we had never anticipated. We didn't expect it. We weren't notified of it," he said.

Food and supplies needed by businesses will not be delayed by a strike, however, because they are hauled in by freight trains.