Railroaders place to shoot the shit.

(CBC News circulated the following story by Pattie Phillips on July 27, 2009.)

TORONTO Long lines stretched out from the ticket windows at Toronto's Union Station Monday morning as Via Rail train service resumed normal operation after a two-day, Canada-wide strike forced its passenger train service to a halt.

Despite disrupted service on the weekend and the line-ups at the ticket counter Monday, many passengers seemed to be taking the whole ordeal in stride.

Nevertheless, Via has offered a 60 per cent discount on tickets purchased before midnight Pacific time on Wednesday to win back customers. Some passengers in Toronto Monday morning said it was a nice bonus but unnecessary.

"To be truthful, I don't feel inconvenienced enough to inconvenience myself to see if there's compensation," said Gordon McIntosh, of Edmonton, who said he wouldn't fight the lines to see if he was entitled to a discount for the ticket he already held.

As he waited with his family for their Ottawa-bound train to depart from Union Station Monday morning, McIntosh added, "We feel quite relaxed. We have no complaints."

Passengers sympathize

Janet Brady, of Thompson, Man., who was in line at Union Station to purchase tickets for a trip to Ottawa next week, said despite the hassles of the strike, she could sympathize with the engineers who have been without a contract for two and a half years.

"My father was a CN retiree," said Brady. "I've been through a few strikes in the past."

The 340 striking locomotive engineers and yardmasters were seeking improved work benefits, schedules and training.

Meanwhile, in Montreal, the downtown CN station was packed with people Monday morning after a quiet weekend.

Elizabeth Cochu, who was at the station to reschedule a trip to Toronto, said she thought it was "great" the strike was over.

"Now people can get where they are going and have a great holiday," she said. "Hopefully, I can get my tickets and everything is good. I don't have to take a bus."

Discount could attract new customers

Via's decision to slash fares might do more than appease its inconvenienced passengers; it may also entice new customers to try travel by train.

"Sixty per cent off is pretty good," said Jackie An, who was at Union Station Monday afternoon to take advantage of the offer. He said news of the discounted prices had inspired him to switch his travel plans and buy train tickets instead.

Via Rail and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference have agreed to settle their differences through binding arbitration, but Via has warned that it could still take several weeks to reach a deal.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009