N
NS VIA FAN
Guest
Came across some photos and consists I recorded way back in 1973 that brought back memories of my first Amtrak trip and venture into the US Northeast.
I left Halifax NS on CN's Scotian......the running mate of the Ocean Limited and with a summer consist heavy on coaches and sleepers. About 3 hours out of Halifax as we slowed to a stop at Oxford Jct. I noted an RS-18 sitting on the wye ready to place two C&O Business Cars on the rear of our train.....C&O Chairman, Cyrus Eaton was returning to Cleveland from his home in Nova Scotia. The next morning I walked back for a photo during a servicing stop at Riviere-du-Loup.
Then it was onto Montreal for a mid-afternoon arrival just in time to head out to Val Royal to watch the evening rush on CN’s electric line to Deux Montagnes.
The next morning it was over to Central Station to scout out a location to see the arrival of Amtrak’s Montrealer....my first Amtrak train and the one I would be boarding later that evening. Then another day of touring Montreal including wandering around CP’s Glen Yard taking photos......the things you could do back then and not be challenged.
I was back at Central for the 8:30 pm departure of The Washingtonian.
Amtrak #61 THE WASHINGTONIAN
Montreal to New York, July 6, 1973
915 GG-1*
257 E-8A*
263 E-8A*
1591 Baggage Dorm
2776 ALACHUA COUNTY Sleeper
2619 PACIFIC MEADOW Sleeper
8301 Diner Lounge Observation
7003 Coach
3301 LE PUB Lounge
5000 Coach
2958 Coach
5606 Coach
*E-8s off & GG-1 on at New Haven
I was finally riding Amtrak and I didn't get much sleep that night. I got off for pictures at White River Jct and I remember how we crawled for miles along the bankrupt B&M. At daybreak the condition of the track was quite evident with abandoned rails and signal masts disappearing into the weeds and underbrush. By the time we reached Springfield we were over 2 hours late then it was on to New Haven and my first encounter with a GG-1. I walked forward for pictures as it replaced our E8s for the run into Penn Station. While we were stopped a Turbo came in on the adjacent track from Boston.
I left Halifax NS on CN's Scotian......the running mate of the Ocean Limited and with a summer consist heavy on coaches and sleepers. About 3 hours out of Halifax as we slowed to a stop at Oxford Jct. I noted an RS-18 sitting on the wye ready to place two C&O Business Cars on the rear of our train.....C&O Chairman, Cyrus Eaton was returning to Cleveland from his home in Nova Scotia. The next morning I walked back for a photo during a servicing stop at Riviere-du-Loup.
Then it was onto Montreal for a mid-afternoon arrival just in time to head out to Val Royal to watch the evening rush on CN’s electric line to Deux Montagnes.
The next morning it was over to Central Station to scout out a location to see the arrival of Amtrak’s Montrealer....my first Amtrak train and the one I would be boarding later that evening. Then another day of touring Montreal including wandering around CP’s Glen Yard taking photos......the things you could do back then and not be challenged.
I was back at Central for the 8:30 pm departure of The Washingtonian.
Amtrak #61 THE WASHINGTONIAN
Montreal to New York, July 6, 1973
915 GG-1*
257 E-8A*
263 E-8A*
1591 Baggage Dorm
2776 ALACHUA COUNTY Sleeper
2619 PACIFIC MEADOW Sleeper
8301 Diner Lounge Observation
7003 Coach
3301 LE PUB Lounge
5000 Coach
2958 Coach
5606 Coach
*E-8s off & GG-1 on at New Haven
I was finally riding Amtrak and I didn't get much sleep that night. I got off for pictures at White River Jct and I remember how we crawled for miles along the bankrupt B&M. At daybreak the condition of the track was quite evident with abandoned rails and signal masts disappearing into the weeds and underbrush. By the time we reached Springfield we were over 2 hours late then it was on to New Haven and my first encounter with a GG-1. I walked forward for pictures as it replaced our E8s for the run into Penn Station. While we were stopped a Turbo came in on the adjacent track from Boston.