noon
Here , Colonel Howell expected to meet the construction train to which the special car was to be attached , and from this point they were to make the remainder of their journey of seventy-five miles to Athabasca Landing as the sole passengers of their car . But bad news awaited the travelers . The construction train had not arrived but it was expected during the afternoon . The superintendent , taking leave of his guests , left orders that their car should be forwarded on the returning construction train and at noon he left on the passenger train for Edmonton . Colonel Howell 's car was switched onto a spur and then began a wait for news of the construction train . An affable telegraph operator did what he could to appease the anxious travelers . By telephone he learned that the expected train had not yet made half the journey between Athabasca Landing and Morineville , and in that distance had been off the track four times .