Caption: The weekend of February 18 & 19, 1978 saw Barry's Bay busy with activity as the ski train, running for it's second of three weekends, arrives from Ottawa with folks ready to hit the slopes at Mount Madawaska, and take part in Timberfest '78, Barry's Bay's logging themed winter carnival. Per articles from the Ottawa Citizen (page 121, thanks to Colin Churcher,) the trains were spearheaded by Dick Howey (Nepean-Aylmer Transit Committee) to raise funds for the Nepean senior citizens. Costing $35,000 for the four weekends, and funded by provincial and federal grants, plus funds from various local organizations, there was originally four scheduled weekends, however poor sales cancelled the first trips on February 4/5. the following three weekends, trains departed Ottawa at 0730h, arriving Barry's Bay about 1215h with stops between at Bells Corners and Renfrew. The return trip would depart Barry's Bay at 1800h, arriving Ottawa about 2230h. As seen on the sign in front of the old station, the building is in use by the Opeongo Trail Blazer's Club who took us residence in the building in 1974, over a decade after the CNR ceased passenger service on June 30, 1961. The group, since renamed Opeongo Senior's Centre, moved into a new site in 1991, and the station building survives today as a tourist information centre.

Little traffic operated over the Renfrew Sub by this time. The line west of Barry's Bay to Whitney saw it's last train in 1974 and had suffered washouts in the following years. The January 7, 1982 announcement in the Eganville Leader cut direct service in half with a winter line closure west of Renfrew, trucking available from Pembroke. Regular service was terminate in January 1982, and abandonment was formally announced in the Ottawa Citizen on August 8, 1983. Rails would be removed not long before Steve Danko's 1986 shot. Nearby, Barry's Bay has also preserved the old wooden water tower.

Original Photographer Unknown, Jacob Patterson Collection Slide.