NS VIA Fan
Conductor
The 3 mile Mount Royal Tunnel in Montreal.......a route VIA used for a number of years is now being converted over from a heavy rail system to the new Light-Rail 'REM (Reseau Express Metropolitain)'.
The Mount Royal Tunnel is the northern entrance to Central Station in Montreal and a former CN electric line opened in 1918. It was used by VIA until the 1990s for trains to and from northern Quebec. The Senneterre and Jonquiere trains now run around Mount Royal via Taschereau Yard.....not through the tunnel but electric EXO commuter trains still use it. This was also the only place where you would find VIA trains hauled by an electric locomotive. These were ancient CN Box Cabs in service since 1918. (#6712 shown here on a commuter train also hauled the consist of #73 noted below)
Here's the consist of one of those trains to northern Quebec back in the '70s. The electrics hauled it 5 miles out to Eastern Jct. where they cut off and the diesels took over. Inbound trains didn't need an electric hauler. The diesel took the train to the north entrance of the tunnel at Portal Heights and as it was a constant down-grade through the tunnel to Gare Centrale......the diesel was placed in idle and just coasted the 3 miles down into the station.
Train #73 Montreal to Jonquiere and Chicoutimi
6712 GE Electric (off at Eastern Jct)
6714 GE Electric (off at Eastern Jct)
6787 FPA4
6636 F9B
9332 Baggage
1815 Sleeper Allendale 8Sec, 2Comp, 1Dr.
1087 Sleeper Buffet Lounge Cape Breton 2Bdr. 2Comp
5227 Coach
5298 Coach (off at Arvida)
5187 Coach (off at Jonquiere)
5287 Coach (to #75 at Hervey Jct to Senneterre)
431 Dinette (to #75 at Hervey Jct to Senneterre)
1807 Sleeper Campbellton (to #75 at Hervey Jct to Senneterre)
After VIA moved the CP RDC Dayliners from Windsor Station to Central Station......they were also hauled out through the Mount Royal Tunnel by an electric.... an interesting sight: 2 Electric Box Cabs + a single Budd RDC unit!
On January 6, 2020 the tunnel was to have been shut down for conversion over to the new Light-Rail system but at the last minute this was delayed until March. Although a portion of the line would have remained in service for now....it would no longer be possible to ride a through train from Gare Centrale to Deux-Montagnes. This line was extensively rebuilt in the mid '90s with Bombardier MR-90 MU's taking over from the Box Cabs and older MU's.
So on a visit to Montreal a couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity for one last ride......18 miles out to Deux-Montagnes and back to Gare Centrale.
Here's CN's 'Portal Heights' Station at the northern entrance to the tunnel in the '70s. After the rebuilding of the system in the '90s.....Portal Heights was remamed 'Canora'....for CAnadian NOrthern RAilway....the original builder of the tunnel. Today Canora is again under construction for conversion to the REM Light Rail.
The Mount Royal Tunnel is the northern entrance to Central Station in Montreal and a former CN electric line opened in 1918. It was used by VIA until the 1990s for trains to and from northern Quebec. The Senneterre and Jonquiere trains now run around Mount Royal via Taschereau Yard.....not through the tunnel but electric EXO commuter trains still use it. This was also the only place where you would find VIA trains hauled by an electric locomotive. These were ancient CN Box Cabs in service since 1918. (#6712 shown here on a commuter train also hauled the consist of #73 noted below)
Here's the consist of one of those trains to northern Quebec back in the '70s. The electrics hauled it 5 miles out to Eastern Jct. where they cut off and the diesels took over. Inbound trains didn't need an electric hauler. The diesel took the train to the north entrance of the tunnel at Portal Heights and as it was a constant down-grade through the tunnel to Gare Centrale......the diesel was placed in idle and just coasted the 3 miles down into the station.
Train #73 Montreal to Jonquiere and Chicoutimi
6712 GE Electric (off at Eastern Jct)
6714 GE Electric (off at Eastern Jct)
6787 FPA4
6636 F9B
9332 Baggage
1815 Sleeper Allendale 8Sec, 2Comp, 1Dr.
1087 Sleeper Buffet Lounge Cape Breton 2Bdr. 2Comp
5227 Coach
5298 Coach (off at Arvida)
5187 Coach (off at Jonquiere)
5287 Coach (to #75 at Hervey Jct to Senneterre)
431 Dinette (to #75 at Hervey Jct to Senneterre)
1807 Sleeper Campbellton (to #75 at Hervey Jct to Senneterre)
After VIA moved the CP RDC Dayliners from Windsor Station to Central Station......they were also hauled out through the Mount Royal Tunnel by an electric.... an interesting sight: 2 Electric Box Cabs + a single Budd RDC unit!
On January 6, 2020 the tunnel was to have been shut down for conversion over to the new Light-Rail system but at the last minute this was delayed until March. Although a portion of the line would have remained in service for now....it would no longer be possible to ride a through train from Gare Centrale to Deux-Montagnes. This line was extensively rebuilt in the mid '90s with Bombardier MR-90 MU's taking over from the Box Cabs and older MU's.
So on a visit to Montreal a couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity for one last ride......18 miles out to Deux-Montagnes and back to Gare Centrale.
Here's CN's 'Portal Heights' Station at the northern entrance to the tunnel in the '70s. After the rebuilding of the system in the '90s.....Portal Heights was remamed 'Canora'....for CAnadian NOrthern RAilway....the original builder of the tunnel. Today Canora is again under construction for conversion to the REM Light Rail.
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