Canadian Railroads > 3 More of Roger's

Each is a single, i.e., not in a group of similar slides.  All from May 1982 which seems to be a western trip.

1. VIA 6501, what and where please.

2.  ???  This is the full photo.

3. Jasper depot sign.

Thanks,
Marty Bernard



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/17 23:29 by MartyBernard.

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MartyBernard Wrote:
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> Each is a single, i.e., not in a group of similar
> slides.  All from May 1982 which seems to be a
> western trip.
>
> 1. VIA 6501, what and where please.

VIA Train # 109 at Regina SK. This was a Canadian Pacific station but also had Canadian National trains operating out of it.  This train was the result of the November 1981 cuts to VIA. Starting in Winnipeg the train ran over the CN to Portage-la-Prairie,MB then switched to the CP mainline and continued through Brandon MB, Broadview SK and finally arriving in Regina at 18:10.  After a 10 minute station stop the train departed and headed northwest over the CN's Craik sub to Saskatoon SK.

> 2.  ???  This is the full photo.

Yes.  It is the roll sign for CN's Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert service.  VIA continued the service until the November 15, 1981 cuts.

Gerry Gaugl
Ottawa ON
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/17 11:08 by moonliter.

Thanks, I know what roll signs are for streetcars but not for railroads.  Where were they?  

Marty

MartyBernard Wrote:
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> Thanks, I know what roll signs are for streetcars
> but not for railroads.  Where were they?  

​Marty, yes roll sign is the wrong noun, how about train and destination board???  CP Regina was a union station and by the time I first used the station in 1974 there were only CP Rail's "The Canadian" and a pair of CN trains using the station.  The sign that you posted is one of those train and destination signs. In the days when the station saw many trains you would buy your ticket, and head "To Trains" via a tunnel to the platform where your train was to board.  In front of the staircase to the platform would be the board with the train No. and the list of stops the train would make.  All this was to help the passenger to find his or her proper train.   I don't think VIA bothered to make new ones after they took over from CN in 1976 or even after they took over CP's passenger service in Oct of 78.  

The Regina-Saskatoon-Prince Albert service ended in Nov of 1981 as well as the Winnipeg-Melville-Saskatoon route of the Super Continental and replaced by the train in your photo. To get to Edmonton from Saskatoon required taking another train, the following day.

You are able to see the entrance (green doors) to the platform from the tunnel staircase in your photo, it is partly in the shadow of the cut of freight cars.

​I have added a photo of one of these signs in use at CP's Windsor Station in Montréal.   Although there is no tunnel, just gates you get the idea.  VIA's Central Station in Montréal still has them, this to prevent a passenger from going down the staircase and ending up in Deux Montagne instead of New York City.

At the time of your photograph as there were 4 trains a day using the station VIA 2 at 09:20, VIA 110 at 12:05, VIA 109 at 18:10 and VIA 1 at 22:05.

​Hope this is of some help.

Gerry Gaugl
Ottawa ON
 



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/17 20:33 by moonliter.

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