All aboard!

A few weeks ago I volunteered for the 20th anniversary celebration of STORM (Save the Oak Ridges Moraine) for their train ride through the Oak Ridges Moraine.

We arrived bright and early at the Uxbridge Train Station to meet the incredible crew who run the York Durham Heritage Railway. This is a volunteer run organization that takes passengers on a ride through the wetlands, forest and farmland from Uxbridge to Stouffville and back.

The railway line that the trains run on dates back to the 1860s when it was used to transport grain from Toronto up to a local distillery.

Joyce of Citizens Environment Watch was on hand to greet passengers at the station. CEW is one of STORM's partners.

Inside the passenger cars there were big comfy seats around little wooden tables. Everything was so much more roomy than modern trains are. The crew had even decorated for Halloween.

"Tickets! Tickets!"

Conductor Bill came through the cars, punching everyone's tickets.

The old baggage car was converted into a bar, where we served donated beer from Steam Whistle Brewery, which uses water from the Oak Ridges Moraine.

Willow Springs Winery donated some great wine for the occasion as well.

Ron, our tour guide for the day, overlooks the passengers arriving.

The volunteers loaded up boxed lunches that we made, and went up and down the aisles serving the passengers. My parents and me woke up at 5am that morning, and took two and a half hours to make 163 lunches. I have no dreams of opening a catering business after that mad rush. (I'll post about the lunchboxes soon!)

Debbe, the Executive Director of STORM, chats with Bill as he samples one of the boxed lunches.

Here is the caboose! I never realized that it is actually the crew's quarters. There are murphy beds inside, and a little kitchenette and table for them to make meals. The little dome at the top is actually where the crew can climb up to look out.

Inside the caboose you could climb up to the top and look around. There are two seats on either side of the alley and the seats actually flip back and forth so that depending on the direction that the train is going, the crew would have a great view in all directions.

Conductor Tom made sure that no one was left behind. He even wore a festive pumpkin tie for the occasion.

Debbe's sister Shielagh, a landscape artist, and her niece Anna, an organic farmer, watched out the window for wild turkeys along the way.

Just outside of Uxbridge on our way back to the station, we slowed the train down to make one last stop.

Wayne and Terry of Buckingham Fine Art Gallery came out to meet the train.

He is a cowboy, art dealer and occasional train robber. He rounds up a group of cowboys and cowgirls, and for corporate events will rob the train as it passes through his property. Complete with antique pistols and bandanas over their faces.

This is Wayne's trusty stead. When they team up together they look like something right out of the wild west.

The horses were super friendly and the girls just couldn't resist going over to meet them. I love the white stripe down his nose.

My friend Bryan befriended this horse, but I think that it had an ulterior motive...

...it wanted the beer. I guess that Bryan has never heard Toby Keith's song, "Beer For My Horses".

Poor guy looks pretty upset now.

Wayne's wife, Terry, is a real modern day Annie Oakley.

There were also many abandoned vintage freight trains in the station. You just expect to open it up and find a bunch of hobos making their way across the country. In this case, it was just full of mice.

On the way back to our hometown we caught the most beautiful sunset to end a great day.

I can hardly wait for STORM's 25th anniversary, but next time I'll hire a caterer.

Photos 1, 3, 6-10, 14, 16 and 22 are courtesy of Steven Chung.