October 1st, 1988 - Train 617, We're on our way!

Mile 0.0 - Moncton, NB

At 12:30 PM, we leave the station heading west along Moncton's Main Street passing some familiar sights. On our right, the city's main U-Haul depot, McDonald's, Lounsbury's Chev Olds and MacDonald Pontiac Buick. On our left, some warehouses, the city dump and to the distance the causeway to Riverview.

By the time we get to the car dealerships, my brother and I have already begun asking for snacks, after all, we did leave at lunch time. I've got my headset on listening to my Walkman and having a snack of plantain banana chips and a Crush juice box.

The train takes a right curve turning north. On our left we pass Canadian National Railway's Gordon Yard. As we settle in, we begin to pick up speed as we pass through bogs and forests heading towards our first station stop, Rogersville, New Brunswick.