Citizen Geographer Puts in a Plug for Old Oshkosh (Extract), Published 6 July 1946 It was Cecil Rhodes who put his finger on the map and said: "Some day I shall go there." Similarly, I put my finger on Oshkosh, and said that I would go there, and I did. So you find me riding 559 out of Ottawa Station, headed for The Isolationist Belt Leo Sauve, headman for the CPR in these parts, was down to tuck me safely into parlor car No.77. and next thing I knew, there was Britannia. We had the new 1227 up ahead, coupled with old 2219, soon to celebrate her 40th birthday. This combination of youth and age whipped me down to Brockville in jig time, and there I was waiting for the CNR to make up their minds where they'd put the Ottawa coaches. They let an advance No. 15 go through first, then the regular 15 came in. Finally, they created a special out of us, and we ran as the second 15, hustling through to Toronto in good shape. Up ahead was CN 6253. Toronto Union Station was the usual temple of confusion when I got there, but I managed to slip around the labyrinth a few seconds under par and quickly scaled the steps to find my Chicago sleeper. I was wakened only three times by Canadian customs. American immigration, and American customs, between Toronto and Brantford, but it was all good clean fun, and I loved it. Nothing like having your first sleep broken, I always say to get you in good humor for the morning. * * * Then blissful oblivion, till the porter's nudge told me we had landed at Flint. The faithful KamidouIos was down at the Grand Trunk Western Station to meet me, with the V8. In the yellowish, unnatural light of pre-dawn, I jumped into the driver's seat, and. as I swung round, saw that we had had GTW 6323 from Port Huron to Flint. - - - |