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This year I pledged to ride every passenger train in Canada, from the White Pass & Yukon out of Carcross to The Ocean, calling at Halifax. I'm about 60% of the way there! But the research money is about to run out. A thread on how you can help me reach the end of steel πŸ§΅πŸš†

Why do it? I'm writing a book for House of Anansi, tentatively subtitled "Twelve Trains that Explain Canada." The more I ride, the more I see how railways shaped this country: its frontiers, its art, its character, and lately, the survival of remote First Nations communities.

Just because it would interest you, my G-G- Grandfather is in the last spike photo - he was a dining car chef and was the chef on (Van Horne's? Not sure who) personal train out.

I would classify this as family lore which may or may not be apocryphal. But my grandfather died before I was born, so the authoritative source was never there (the train chef part is true as is the fact he was there)