REVERENCING THE EARTH

By Donald Sutherland

Train travel: an enriching experience

Studies by the Committee on Climate Change, European Commission, report that air travel produces 90 per cent more pollution than rail travel and contrails created by aircraft are more destructive to the environment. Emissions at such high altitudes linger much longer than those emitted at lower levels. Given Canada’s large land mass, air travel has been a boon. We are likely to give it up reluctantly.

In the small town in Saskatchewan that was the centre of the universe in my childhood, passenger and freight trains were a major lifeline to a broader world. When I was 10 years old my mother bought tickets for her three eldest children to travel by train to the closest town, some 12 miles away. She said, “I want you to experience train travel before this mode of transportation disappears.” She put us on the train and then drove 12 miles to pick us up. Her words were prophetic. In many areas of Canada, branch-line passenger trains have long since been replaced by cars, trucks and airplanes.

A few months ago my wife and I decided to try Via Rail. For the past three years we have been frequent travellers by air and by car between Saskatoon and Winnipeg, and we felt the need for a change. Almost instantly we became “hooked” on the Via experience. We bought tickets online, checked in with the agent and simply walked onto the train. No tension, no long security lineups and no invasive searches.

The benefits of train travel astonished us. There is plenty of room and amenities include wireless connection, lounge cars, snack bar, dining car and an elevated skyline room. Although packing lunches is common in economy class, we chose to make reservations for lunch and dinner. Our table hosts were two men, each with 35 years and more of experience and obviously in love with their jobs. The food was high end and beautifully presented on china. The evening meal was even more notched up with candles, wine and linen table clothes.

We were expected — I should say compelled — to share a table with two other people. This became a fringe benefit, an opportunity to meet fellow travellers and enrich our lives. We felt pampered on the train and arrived at our destination feeling relaxed and rested. I can only imagine the elegance of the experience for those travelling in private suites or berths.

The economy cost for two train tickets, including meals, was about equal to economy airfare, and time required comparable to car travel. No meals are served on equivalent flights, legs are cramped and socializing not possible. Our current obsession with air flight security results in long lines and long waits in airports. How often have you heard people say that they come back exhausted from a holiday instead of relaxed? Train travel is a viable, pleasant and restful option with a smaller environmental footprint.

Sutherland is a professional agrologist who divides his time between Saskatoon and Winnipeg, and farms in west central Saskatchewan.