Our intrepid writer (and something of a lush if you go based on his tweets alone) Simon Johnson spent his evening on the VIA Train heading from Winsdor to Toronto. After a lovely weekend visiting with his boyfriend’s family he had to get home to relieve the dog-sitter and give his puppy Baxter some love.
Unfortunately for Simon, this Monday was a Monday like no other, when #StormTO hit and gave Toronto more rain than she has ever seen. The subway flooded, the highways flooded, Union Station flooded, and of course, the way home was flooded, thankfully not nearly as bad as the situation taking place on a GO Train not too far away.
Simon tweeted his way through this mess and, with a little help from some new friends on the train, we think he just might make it home okay, even if it is a little late. Read on below to see how Simon manages to turn a miserable stalled evening into a train party.
Can anyone tell me if Union Station is flooded?! I’m just outside of London on my way back from Windsor on Via Rail. #Toronto #stormTO
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@jeremyforeshew Are they diverting the trains? I’m kinda clueless here haha!
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
So the Via Rail dude on my train had no idea about the flooding… Yeah, I’m super confident of getting back home with ease. :/
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@VIA_Rail Can you please tell me what’s happening with trains bound for Union Station? I’m on the 17:45 from Windsor.
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@ScottishGuy Hi Simon, lots of flooding around Oakville delaying your train. Staff onboard will let you know if alternatives are needed ^NK
— VIA_Rail (@VIA_Rail) July 9, 2013
@ashleybrett Thank God I brought the wine!! THANK GOD!!!! pic.twitter.com/PsNKhcL9gD
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
Scotland has had a better summer than we have had, Toronto. That’s all I have to say. 😐
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@ashleybrett The chips were done by 17:47. I’d never survive on a desert island. #OnlyChild
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
OMG! The @VIA_Rail guy is telling passengers THE INFORMATION I TOLD HIM FROM TWITTER! Nothing more! Come on where is your communication VIA?
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
“I’m just guessing at this point.”
Actual quote from @VIA_Rail staff member on how we will get home if we cannot get to Union. #Toronto— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@ScottishGuy Hi, we are looking at alternatives now. Apologies for the inconvenience. Will keep you posted ^NK
— VIA_Rail (@VIA_Rail) July 9, 2013
@VIA_Rail Please do because we are being given ZERO information on the train.
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@ScottishGuy I am also waiting on information as to what will be done. Will update ASAP ^NK
— VIA_Rail (@VIA_Rail) July 9, 2013
@ashleybrett @ScottishGuy Hi, while there is some flooding at Union, the issue is actually near Oakville ^NK
— VIA_Rail (@VIA_Rail) July 9, 2013
@VIA_Rail So we will be getting into Union or no?
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@80sgirlforever Good thing I brought my waterproof flask.
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@ScottishGuy union station is closed CP24 just said
— Amanda (@Mandy_0023) July 9, 2013
@Mandy_0023 Yeah, I’ve been getting texts about that. Just wish @VIA_Rail would announce the situation on the train. #CommunicationFAIL
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@ryanchase29 Do we have power in our building? Also, do you have wine because I’m hungry…
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@ScottishGuy we have power!! Woot woot. I don’t have pizza 🙁 only like some baileys and 2 jd and cokes left
— Ryan Scheel (@ryanchase29) July 9, 2013
@ryanchase29 Hmmm… I’d rather we had no power lol
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
In Brantford. Random fact: my girlfriend in university was from here. Needless to say, it didn’t work out. Can’t imagine why… Ahem.
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
We hope we make it to Oakville… Um, yeah, me too. @VIA_Rail https://t.co/wHMSy7qrgr
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@VIA_Rail Are you organizing alternate transit for passengers heading to Toronto? I’m not paying $150 cab fare or getting home after 12am.
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@ScottishGuy We are trying to get buses to get you to Toronto. ^NK
— VIA_Rail (@VIA_Rail) July 9, 2013
@ScottishGuy I’ll wave as you come through Aldershot 😉
— ~Deb~ (@80sgirlforever) July 9, 2013
Does anyone wanna come pick me up in Oakville at the @VIA_Rail station and drive me to downtown Toronto?! I put out.
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
On the plus side, I’m not on THIS train!! #Toronto #stormTO pic.twitter.com/iGU6s97XxS
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@ScottishGuy I am also waiting on information as to what will be done. Will update ASAP ^NK
— VIA_Rail (@VIA_Rail) July 9, 2013
We were literally just told, ” We will get you to Toronto but if you CHOOSE to get off at Oakville, expect … https://t.co/bYp4bMGJG5
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@ScottishGuy Can you remind me of your train #? ^NK
— VIA_Rail (@VIA_Rail) July 9, 2013
@VIA_Rail I’m on train 7805, stopped at Aldershot. It is the 17:45 Windsor to Toronto.
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@ScottishGuy Don’t have an update yet, but you will be getting a travel credit: http://t.co/HtzXqJMdlw ^NK
— VIA_Rail (@VIA_Rail) July 9, 2013
@VIA_Rail I appreciate the gesture but Union has been flooded for hours, why wasn’t a backup plan in motion when we left Windsor?
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@VIA_Rail It’s not an issue of a refund, it’s an issue of people with animals and commitments having no way home with no plan in sight.
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@VIA_Rail And we’re sitting here with no water or food as a result.
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@ScottishGuy Understand the frustration. Unfortunately we don’t run the bus service & availability of buses/drivers the issue ^NK
— VIA_Rail (@VIA_Rail) July 9, 2013
Anyone in #Aldershot wanna bring me some wine?!
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
@ashleybrett I’M SO THIRSTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
I wish @VIA_Rail would offer a complimentary beer or wine to keep us occupied.
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
So here’s the update… VIA was useless. But I made friends and between us we had booze, food, and cigarettes. We’ve become an alliance.
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
We heard there was a GO Train that was able to get to Clarkson so we abandoned our train and hijacked it.
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
My new found friends, we’re surviving the zombie apocalypse together! (And we’ve hijacked a GO Train!) pic.twitter.com/QTCrOxWkNX
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
We found a GO Bus that is taking us to Longbranch. As far as I know, our VIA train is still stranded at Aldershot. pic.twitter.com/Y9628kcllJ
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
The GO Train party! pic.twitter.com/efPY1hxQuc
— Simon (@ScottishGuy) July 9, 2013
Stay up to date with Simon’s voyage here:
Tweets by @ScottishGuy
You can follow Travis on Twitter at @TravMyers and follow Simon at @ScottishGuy for the latest updates on flood train shenanigans.
