A pleasant afternoon turned into a short, hair-raising incident for two parties, as the Credit Valley Explorer train ruined an impromptu wedding photo session for an unknown group of trespassers.

But don’t blame the train, the wedding party was kind of in the way.

“When the train came into view of them, most of the party appeared to start walking back to their cars,” said Mike Davis, co-publisher of Niagara Escarpment Views and a passenger on the train who witnessed the incident. “He (staff) indicated the wedding party was very lucky. If a freight train had come through there would have been fatalities, as the freight train would not stop on the trestle.”

The Credit Valley Explorer is southern Ontario’s premiere tour train experience, according to its website. Travelling a route established more than 130 years ago, in a collection of historic rail cars, it tours the Hills of Headwaters region. But one of the notable sights is also a popular photo destination, and the combination of the two appears to have almost caused catastrophe this weekend.

At approximately 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, a tour group was crossing the 1,146 foot trestle bridge that spans the Credit River, and in a scene reminiscent of Stand By Me, watched as another group ran to get off the tracks.

From the viewing dome atop the train cars, horrified tour goers watched as well dressed and happy looking wedding party members ran to get off of the tracks while the slow moving train approached. Lucky it was slow moving, train crew informed passengers.

Caledon Enterprise freelancer Phil Gravelle was on the train, as part of a seminar on greenbelt issues.

“The train was going slowly for sightseeing, and I don't think it was a really close call. One train crew member said if it was one of their regular freight trains at normal speed, these people would not have made it,” Gravelle reported.

And a confrontation ensued between wedding party members and frustrated train employees, but the wedding party is in the wrong, OPP said.

According to media officer Brenda Evans, the Caledon OPP actively enforces the Trespass to Property Act.