Via Rail station, Moncton, N.B.

Instinct sent my left hand diving into my pant pocket, seeking a cellphone that wasn’t there.
What time was it?
I wasn’t even sure what time zone we were in anymore.
It took another second or two to realize time didn’t matter. Not right now.
As my final night aboard Via Rail’s “The Canadian” drew to a close, about a dozen of us were enjoying a live show performed by musicians Scarlett Flynn and Kevin Howley in the economy class Skyline lounge car.
The train was rolling southward along the Thompson River valley on its way to Kamloops, B.C., having left Jasper, Alberta, that afternoon.
Backpackers exploring Canada, people moving to a new job or to school, or just your garden-variety commuters with time to spare (as was the case for me), together joining the musicians in song.
Forget about trying to find that magical atmosphere aboard a plane.
When the party broke up and we scattered back to our rooms and seats for the night, we were less than 12 hours from Vancouver.
Too bad, I thought. It would have been just fine if time stood still.
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