CERA 2nd Friday Zoom Presentation

CERA’s November 13, 2026 Zoom Presentation

7:00 pm CT

Newer Short Link to Zoom

https://tinyurl.com/2ndFridayCERA

Link to Zoom Meeting

HARVEY LANER

Riding VIA Rail Canada's, 'The Canadian' 

In late May and early June 2026, Harvey Laner rode VIA Rail Canada’s 1950s-era streamliner, The Canadian, from Toronto to Vancouver. Hearing plans to replace the classic Budd-built equipment were underway, he booked Prestige Class nearly a year in advance in hopes of experiencing the classic train while it was still in service.

The Canadian is a 20-car train offering five classes of service: Economy, three sleeper classes, and Prestige Class. It also operates as a flag-stop train, with 71 locations across Canada where passengers, with prior arrangements can board or detrain. Prestige Class service is first-rate, with first class meals prepared on board  by the Dining Car chefs. The full trip covers four days and four nights through some of Canada’s most memorable landscapes: Ontario’s remote lake country, Manitoba and Saskatchewan’s fertile farmland, Alberta’s magnificent Canadian Rockies, and British Columbia’s exciting Fraser and Thompson River Canyons.

The program covers the route in considerable detail and explains the importance of Canadian National’s freight network and the challenges CN and VIA Rail Canada face while moving two twice weekly transcontinental passenger trains across a very busy, mostly single-track railroad.

The program opens with a comprehensive transit update for the streetcars and subways of Toronto and closes with an overview of Vancouver’s Skytrain.

Run Time: 1h23m

Older Longer Link to Zoom:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88929318526?pwd=ICg6ZpFwsa6fpHIQ7PDvgowdyzD1HV.1 

Meeting Number 889 2931 8526  Passcode  022656

There will also be a short In The News program preceding the regular program.

This program is open to all CERA members, their guests and the public.

Mark this date on your calendar!

CERA 2nd Friday Zoom Presentation CERA’s December  11, 2026 Zoom Presentation Holiday Party In Person Meeting Free.Food and Beverages will be provided 7:00 pm CT Newer Short Link to Zoom https://tinyurl.com/2ndFridayCERA Link to Zoom Meeting ANDEW LUDASI Europe and The South Shore Explored  Veteran photographer and CERA member, Andrew Ludasi, returns and gives us a reprise of his recent ERA presentation featuring a panorama of unique photos and videos. He continues his domestic and world travels, this past December attending the ATTS (Associazione Torinese Tram Storici = Torinese Friend of Historic Trams) conference which concluded with a historic tram parade of about 20 vehicles. His presentation includes a brief showing of other developments in Milano, Lyon, Paris, and more recently in 2026, Montreal, Toronto, and on the South Shore in Indiana. The show will conclude with a short set of historic non-electric surprises for the semi-quincentennial. Andrew Ludasi is a longtime member of both the CERA and ERA. Four years ago he retired from full time work as a transportation engineer but continues to consult currently on projects including the upcoming NJ Freight Plan 2027 update and to make New Jersey's rail GIS network accessible via a user friendly web interface. Older Longer Link to Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88929318526?pwd=ICg6ZpFwsa6fpHIQ7PDvgowdyzD1HV.1  Meeting Number 889 2931 8526  Passcode  022656 There will also be a short In The News program preceding the regular program. This program is open to all CERA members, their guests and the public. Mark this date on your calendar! If you have not yet paid your 2027 CERA Membership dues please do soon or contact me for more information: Elmer Haneberg elmer@corpevent.com (773) 972-0470