[1] Regular guests included: Other guest stars on Train 48 included Rae Dawn Chong, politician Sheila Copps, Sean Cullen, Robin Duke, comedian Rick Green, Sue Johanson, Global weatherman Anwar Knight, Carolyn Parrish, Carole Pope,[2] actor Scott Thompson,[3] Emmy Award-winning actress Joanne Vannicola, and former MuchMusic personality Amanda Walsh.
It took place in a railway car of a GO Train on Lakeshore West line returning from Toronto to the suburb of Burlington, Ontario, and followed the lives of 12 daily commuters through their interactions.
The entire series was shot on a 64-foot replica of a GO Train Bombardier BiLevel Coach, which kept production costs to a minimum.
The filming production was completed by 1:30 p.m. and edited by 5:00 p.m., later broadcast into regular time slots in different regions of Canada throughout the day (7:00 p.m. weeknights on Global in Toronto).
[4] The method of improvisation, developed by show runners Duncan McKenzie and Eric Lunsky, was a hybrid of techniques used by Mike Leigh and Keith Johnstone.
[4] The improvised format and quick turnaround enabled the inclusion of references to extremely current events, giving a heightened sense of realism and currency.
The show typically dealt with fictional relationships, humour and the non-fictional topics mentioned were the cases of Scott Peterson, Karla Homolka, the SARS outbreak and different views about US President George W. Bush.
The series dealt with such controversial issues as the adoption of babies by gay couples, in vitro fertilization, single parent families, and euthanasia.