OlCKSavvash - Memorial University of Newfoundland

impact-resistant Herculile glass
in all the train windows."
Finally, the 204 passes and we
are oU again. At Placentia
Junction, a couple of trouters
get aboard with packs, poles and
tie-rubbers for a ride of two
miles to Rhodes Pond
(pronounced "roadies"). Conductor
Joe Carew is visibly
upset over having to charge
these fellows the minimum fare
of $4.00. "Years ago," he says,
"we could charge them 50(: or
whatever, according to how far
they were travelling." By setting
a high minimum tare, the
company is discouraging a lot of
short-distance travellers.
The Argentia branch line is
famous for the Trouter's Special
train on May 24th weekends, a
tradition that dates back at least
as far as 1912. It was an 83·mile
party on wheels for up to 800
trouters at a time who would get
off by their favourite fishing and
drinking spot, then fiag down the
eastbound train when they
wanted to return home.
Passengers on the Trouter's
Special had declined to 6S by
1962, so the run was cancelled.
In 1916, however, it was revived
and took on a different
character, being patronized
mainly by family groups going
all the way to Placentia. This
past May 24th weekend, there
were about 130 people on the
Trouter's Special, and quite a
few trout brought back.
It is good to see that many of
the old ways of the Newfoundland
Railway have survived the
takeover by CN, including the
crew's willingness to make
unscheduled stops for
passengers to take photographs.
At one of the scheduled stops,
the conductor was handed a
package of salt beef, cabbage
and turnips for "buddy" In a
cabin at Rhodes Pond, so as the
train approaches the shack, out
runs buddy and Joe tosses him
the package from the moving
train.
There are about 150 shacks in
the Rhodes Pond area, just west
of Placentia Junction, and apparently
the lroutlng is still
good, despite the number of
people who fish there every
year. This rail line was built in
1886 and constructed by
railroaders. All the shackowners
depend largely upon the
railroad for transportation.
Having your shack along the rail
line instead of along a road
makes sense from a security
point of view, as there is much
less vandalism because few
people other than cabin owners
DECKS AWASH-25
go into the area. Another big
advantage is that the railway
will take all your baggage free
of charge, even if it includes the
lumber you need to build a new
room onto the shack.
Rolling down over the hill into
Argentia affords some spectacular
views of "that far
greater bay" and the trees grow
quite close to the tracks, though
the train passing through every