Frigid weather halts Winnipeg-Churchill train service
Last Updated: Thursday, January 31, 2008 | 2:23 PM ET
CBC News
VIA Rail has stopped selling tickets for trains between Winnipeg and Churchill for fear the extreme cold may cause equipment failure.
Thursday evening's northbound train leaving Winnipeg for Churchill has been cancelled, though VIA's southbound train between the two cities will run as scheduled.
VIA has also cancelled Saturday's train from Winnipeg to Churchill.
VIA spokeswoman Catherine Kaloutsky said the extreme cold temperatures across the Prairies prompted the temporary suspension of service.
"It's very taxing on the equipment," she said. "Under these types of extreme conditions we don't like to take the chance — we like to have a second locomotive. We don't at this point in time have a second locomotive we can attach to that train."
VIA has been contacting ticket holders to see if they can change their travel plans and delay their trips.
"In the event that they have no flexibility to change their travel plans and it is possible to get alternate transportation to the location they were going to — in most cases that would be a charter or a bus service — then we would make arrangements for them to be transported by bus," she said.
Temperatures in Churchill were expected to fall to -41 C Thursday evening.
Share Tools
Top News Headlines
- Teen struck by lightning in Ottawa dies
- The victim of a Friday lightning strike during a storm in east Ottawa has died, CBC News has learned. more »
- Montreal protesters march in peaceful defiance
- The clanging of pots and pans sounded throughout Montreal's downtown core Saturday night and into early Sunday morning, as thousands of protesters marched on in peaceful — but loud — defiance of Bill 78. more »
- Syrian children massacred by the dozens, UN says
- More than 90 people have been killed by regime forces in a district of central Syria, with the head of the UN team in the country confirming at least 32 children and 60 adults were killed in an artillery attack. more »
- Missing Winnipeg children found in Mexico
- Two Winnipeg children reported missing and possibly in Mexico have been found alive, according to unofficial reports from an agency that works to find missing people. more »
- Teen struck by lightning in Ottawa dies
- Missing Winnipeg children found in Mexico
- Quebec tornadoes cause millions in damage
- Everest team unable to bring down Toronto woman's body
- Pope's butler arrested in Vatican leaks scandal
- Woman's remains found in hockey bag on Cape Breton river
- Syrian children massacred by the dozens, UN says
- WWE apologizes to Brazil over Canadian's flag stomp
- What a Greek euro exit could mean for Canada
