Gordon Lightfoot Forums - The 'Corfid Express'

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I originally posted this topic in Jessie-Joe's "Crazy things done aquiring Lightfoot merchandise". Maybe off topic?? No response at all. (at least tell me to "drop off" if appropriate.)

Perhaps I'll repost here in hopes of being told that I am totally crazy, or maybe some other nut out there can dream too.

-Originally posted 05-11-2006 11:27 AM

For Gord's 70th birthday, let's all save up and meet in British Columbia. (still two years to prepare)

We could book a 'pullman' dome car or two and the "Corfid Express" could "chug" easterly throgh the magnificent rockies. We could be "drinkin' bad whiskey" (or not) while paying homage to the "lackies" who lost their lives constructing this unrecognized wonder of the world.

The tremendous talent in our "Corfid Family" could help us belt out 'Canadian Railroad Trilogy', 'Steel Rail Blues', 'Alberta Bound' as well as all the other gems - then do it all over again!! Mile after 'Clickety Clack' mile!

Talent? Why not video tape and edit the trip to be presented to Gord after we pull into Union Station and march up Yonge Street to Massey Hall.

Maybe some of us with better connections could even get some of the Pro's Gord has infuenced to do a short video spot to be mixed into the project (Ian & Sylvia to Aengus Finnan. I even hear that Elvis has recently been seen in Michigan)

(for some of us rather "long in the tooth" it might be our "last hurrah"!)

What 'd'ya think?

I figure it is between that or we all pitch in for a dozen roses to fling onto the stage at intermission.

(shhhh!!!don't let him know what we decide)

Yuri

Fabulous idea Yuri, I have no connections for you though - but Char has an "in" with that Aengus fella.

Great idea Yuri, it's like you say we have 2 years to prepare... :)

Yuri, I love the idea! Two years seems like a long time away, but sure can fly by. I'm definitly going to keep this in mind.
Jenney

it sure would be a dream come true-to get out west and see the country by train.....and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow would be right back here at home at The Church of Gord....

yuri, what a great idea. Count me in! Let's do it!

Quote:

Originally posted by charlene:
it sure would be a dream come true-to get out west and see the country by train.....and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow would be right back here at home at The Church of Gord....

Like Ed McMahon once told Johnny Carson, "You haven't seen anything, until you see the Canadian Rockies by train."...

Quote:

Like Ed McMahon once told Johnny Carson, "You haven't seen anything, until you see the Canadian Rockies by train."...

Count me in, this sounds wonderful!

Wow. These are the kinds of things I usually dream about but it sure is a cool idea. Even though I live here in those wild majestic mountains I sure would love that trek. Hopefully the interest will generate. Ron J.

Yuri,
At first I thought this was just a bit crazy, but the more I think about it the cooler it sounds!!! (crazy is just a relative term anyhow, right?!).

I was working on saleing my wife on a idea of a trip to Toronto, Massey Hall for a GL concert in the spring of "08' (tentative date here).... Now I gotta float a train trip across Canada ( I'm shaking my head here) past my wife.
It would go something like this... "oh dear, remember that trip to Toronto I was talking about??? what'ya say we make it a bit bigger??? say a train ride for west to east... with a few of those corfid folks I've been mentioning?" This isn't going to be an easy sell!!

Well, I have to look at time frames, how long (in terms of days,) would I need. I have very limited vacation time, and getting just one week would be difficult. two weeks would take an act of Congress ( I'm not sure what the Canadian equivlant of that would be)!!!
Put me squarely in the "Maybe" column!!!
It'll be a fantastic time if we can pull it off!!!

I'm much like timetraveler in the post above... This would be a first for me in all the ways mentioned, still the idea grows on me daily.

I need a rough sketch of timeframes because I'd have to start saving vacation time and money... but mostly vacation time. (I'd have to start that "act of Congress" ASAP if I were to pull this off)

This is such a cool idea, Yuri!

As some of you know, I've been kicking around the idea to coming to Toronto (tentatively Spring "08") to take in a Lightfoot concert at Massey Hall.... God willing of course. Then I added a stop at Christian Island, thanks to the inspiration of Gahoendoe. Then I added a stop in my ancestorial homeland of Nova Scotia.

All of a sudden it strikes me.... I can make more than one trip! A moment of brilliance!!!! lol

Yes, I'm in. I want to do it! How awesome!

This is a great idea, Yuri!!! I love it!

Yuri, would we leave from Vancouver?? Details, details!!

For years I have wanted to ride the steel rails across Canada from coast to coast. Sadly this dream is no longer possible as the route became a financial liability and short sighted politicians were quick to dismantle sections before exploring creative solutions.

While trying to find alternatives to counting perforations in hospital ceiling tiles, I came across a 'Canadian Geographic' television program where hostess Valerie Pringle rode the rails from Vancouver eastward while chatting it up with vacationers and highlighting the incredible beauty of the land.

The tunnels, the trestles, the mountains, trees and waterfalls! Rivers and Rapids! CRT came to mind! Perhaps I won't be able to join you in a wheel chair but what a perfect way for Corfidians to celebrate Gord's 70th.

Crazy I thought. Perhaps so crazy that I'd be told to find a Boathouse on Lake Couchaching that had a short pier and take a long walk. But the idea persisted.

There are many more talented members of this group than myself who would be able to make this dream a possibility, but here is a start...

The passenger trains of the Canadian National Railroad (CN or CNR) are operated by the subsiduary called VIA Rail.

Their web site is not all that user friendly for asking questions of our complexity so I'll contact them by the 'snail mail' address provided.

Now don't let the following "ball park" figures scare you for several reasons.

(a) we would have some two years to save up for expenses.

(b) the figures are based on published individual rates and I'm sure we could negotiate a better deal with a larger group of travellers.

(c) This would for many of us be a trip of a lifetime as the train trip price would include sleeping facilities, scenic stops with incredible beauty, our own entertainment, a chance to strengthen old friendships and to make new ones. (sadly, like the railroad, many of us aging 'Corfidians' may not be around long enough to have another chance at such an adventure - and may God preserve Gord's health as well!) Take it from my personal experience. Life can change forever in an instant. Enjoy the moment to the fullest!

The highlight of course would be to see Gord in concert around his 70th and perhaps to present him with a heartfelt video of his most dedicated fans living out his tunes.

The most expensive one way trip from Vancouver to Toronto would provide a private sleeping room and would cost $1269.88 CND which would be about $1116 US. Now, before you call me as "loony" as a Canadian $1.00 coin, that would work out to $558/year or about $1.50 US per day. So, if you can give up your Starbucks double double extra foamy latte each day, you may well be on your way.

Now, the same trip (per person) but sleeping in an upper berth would cost $841.64 CND or about $740 US. That is $340 per year or less than $1.00 a day.

There are even other options and again, group rates might help us significantly. Hiring our own pullman car might be feasable if reducing costs.

Getting to Vancouver is yet another problem. Those overseas can calculate their own best deals.

Just for an example, a flight from NYC (JFK) to Vancouver could cost as much as $269 (taxes and charges included) for a direct flight or as low as $218 {charges included) for a flight with two stop overs.

As this coast to coast flight should be the most financially demanding, those on the west coast and in between should find deals proportional to their distance. (air prices quoted from Orbitz). Of course there will be the price of travel home from Toronto, the price of the concert ticket(s), accomodation while in town (Delta Chelsea's Lightfoot rate?) and of course food. Moose steaks, fried beaver tails, Canada Goose au jus (just kidding).

So, for probably less than two grand per person you could spend sleepless nights bouncing around the tracks in a snowy Canadian winter, or waste it on drinks with umbrellas served on some tropical beach getting sand in your shorts and developing a skin melenoma.

I started out sharing a dream. Never thought it would get this much interest. If it never gets further than this, it has been a blast dreaming about it while studying those ceiling tiles.

The late Canadian historian Pierre Burton wrote a two volume epic work encompassing the construction of the Canadian National Railroad. History that reads like a novel! So don't let the word "history" scare you.

Check out

'The National Dream' (1970)
'The Last Spike' (1971)

I'll keep you infomed as I get info.

Dream on!

Yuri

I also saw the Valerie Pringle special. They started in Vancouver and went through Jasper instead of Banff. It was a great program with lots of great scenery.
This sure sounds interesting!

I, for one just can't imagine going on this trip without the originator. I am betting that we would be able to figure out a way to accomodate your wheelchair.
I think it is a fabulous idea, I once went from Minneapolis to Kalispell Montana by train and loved every second of it. That was when they had the 'viewing" cars and you had to pay extra to get up to the top. I even checked into a train when I was going to Orillia, but the schedule was as such that I wouldn't be able to get back by train.
You know the Canadian Railroad might really like your idea.
You have a mission now. I really don't think the price is too bad, how long would the trip be?
Deb

Very imaginative Yuri.I too would have to sell the idea to Susan
It is quite a journey and one I made in 1966 with my family having driven from Montreal to Vancouver in 10 days
we also use CNR (Canadian Pacific had at that time just abandoned their equivalent that went through Banff)
Som we got to spend 24 hours in Jasper and nearby Maligne Lake/Canyon
I dropped my camera into the Canyon so this was one of the last batch of slides I took that day
http://www.johnfowles.org.uk/trains/6782.jpg
CNR Diesel number 6782 in the Rockies at Jasper Alberta in July 1966
A scan of the slide that I have previously displayed in a train topic at:-
http://www.corfid.com/ubb/ultimatebb...=001659#000012

David Newland (performer and emcee at the Lightfoot trib. shows) took that trip with Valerie Pringle and wrote the music for the show. He has his diary of the journey on The Canadian at:
http://www.staples.ca/ENG/Catalog/ca...affixedcode=WW