An enjoyable ride on a steam train

This train departs from Hull, just across the river from Canada's national capital, Ottawa, and travels 20 miles up the Gatineau River Valley to the little town of Wakefield, passing throuigh the front yards of some of the houses along the river as it steams into town. The little town of Wakefield used to be a lumber camp and is a delight, including the picturesque doctor's house built in the 19th century, the little station that has been transformed into a restaurant, the general store that has two stories of goodies, and the trip to the old covered bridge, just visible from the place where the train stops. The steam engine must be turned around to pull the train back to Hull, and to do this there is a hand turned roundtable that is something to see in itself. Tour buses stop to watch the action, and the train passengers gather around as a batch of strong-armed men and women turn the engine completely around with muscle power. Musicians play and sing on the way back and the passengers join in. A delightful trip, highly recommended. The steam engine comes from Scandinavia. A group of these engines were kept in top repair in case a nuclear attack destroyed oil reserves, making diesel locomotives unusable and forcing the country to depend on coal power. When the Cold War ended, the operators of the steam excursion bought a batch of cars and one of the engines for their tourist train. Now the engine pulls tourists through a beautiful, peaceful countryside. Reserve ahead. The best time to come is in the fall when the trees along the Gatineau put on their glory clothes.

The little town of Wakefield is a delight