Nostalgia & History > A “Super Continental” Ride in ’75

A “Super Continental” Ride in ’75.......Has it been 40 years!! I’ve posted some of these photos before but here’s the story behind them.

Back in October 1975 I set out on a rail adventure that would circle North American. The first part of that trip was essentially a straight shot across Canada from Nova Scotia to Vancouver that included a ride on CN’s Super Continental.

I left home on a “Railiner” for the 55 minute ride over to Truro, NS to connect with the w/b Ocean Limited for the overnight run into Montreal.

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My original plan had been to ride CP’s Canadian from Montreal to Vancouver..... and I was looking forward to the stainless-steel, domes and Park Car. But when I made my reservation a month earlier all that was available was an Upper Berth. The agent placed me on a wait list and said he was sure I would eventually get my Roomette.

After arriving in Montreal early the next morning I walked over to Windsor Station to pick up my tickets....... but a disappointment.......they still only had an Upper Berth for me! I really didn’t want to spend the next three nights in an Upper so a change of plans…….back over to Central Station to see what CN had available on the Super Continental...... and yes they had a Roomette to Vancouver at 9:30 that evening. Cheaper too than CP and the agent even adjusted the fare as I had actually begun my CN trip on the east coast.

Now what to do for the extra 10 hours I would be in Montreal (CP’s Canadian had been due out at 11:30 am) It was a warm, clear fall day with the leaves at their peak and I couldn’t think of anything better than a quick round trip on the Adirondack. In the mid ‘70s the Adirondack was essentially a Delaware & Hudson train and a railfan’s delight with newly rebuilt Alco PA’s and most cars in D&H’s attractive paint scheme. Only a couple of Amtrak cars would show-up in each train.

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I could ride as far south as Whitehall, New York...... make a quick connection to the northbound Adirondack and be back in Montreal in plenty of time for the Super Continental that evening. No advance planning required then for a passport and you could make a spur-of-the-moment decision to cross the border. All you needed was your driver’s license and most times that wasn’t even asked for. There were so many railfans riding the Adirondack back then all you need to say to Customs was: you were just out for the train ride and you weren’t even given a second glance.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/22/15 02:03 by ghCBNS.

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The Super Continental departed Montreal that evening and I had my Roomette for four nights on a schedule reminiscent of today’s VIA Canadian (CP’s Canadian then was on a three night schedule)

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Early the next morning we arrived at Capreol to be combined with the section up from Toronto to form an 18 car train. Then it was just a lazy sunny day crossing the wilds of Northern Ontario....reading the weekend paper......having a coffee.....or sticking my head out the dutch-door for constant meets with freights.

SUPER CONTINENTAL #1 w/b from Montreal to Vancouver, Oct. 4, 1975

(Montreal to Capreol Section)
6518 FP9A
6622 F9B
6621 F9B
9668 Baggage
5474 Coach
5530 Coach
756 Cafe-Lounge
5725 Day-Niter
1159 Sleeper (8-4-4) Eldorado
1134 Sleeper (8-4-4)Endako
2132 Sleeper (10-6) Moose River xFlorida East Coast
1088 Sleeper Lounge (4-bdr) Cape Chignecto
5383 Coach

(Toronto to Capreol Section)
???? FPA4 (Power off to yard before I got Unit No's)
???? FPB4
???? Steam Generator Unit
9633 Baggage
5455 Coach
5501 Coach
5715 Day-Niter
2319 Lounge - Gaiete (Heavyweight: Built 1929)
1365 Diner
1154 Sleeper (8-4-4) Evandale
1136 Sleeper (8-4-4) Endeavour
2133 Sleeper (10-6) Ecum Secum River xFlorida East Coast
2001 Sleeper (24 duplex crew dorm) Ingelow

(Montreal/Toronto Sections combined at Capreol......Power and some cars off/on at Winnipeg)
6506 FP9A (on Winnipeg)
6603 F9B (on Winnipeg)
6505 FP9A (on Winnipeg)
6518 FP9A (off Winnipeg)
6622 F9B (off Winnipeg)
6621 F9B (off Winnipeg)
9668 Baggage
9633 Baggage
5455 Coach
5501 Coach
5530 Coach
756 Cafe-Lounge
5715 Day-Niter
5725 Day-Niter (Off @ Winnipeg)
1159 Sleeper (8-4-4) Eldorado
1134 Sleeper (8-4-4)Endako
2132 Sleeper (10-6) Moose River xFlorida East Coast
2319 Lounge - Gaiete (Heavyweight: Built 1929) (Off @ Winnipeg)
2701 Sceneramic Dome - Athabaska (On @ Winnipeg)
1365 Diner
1154 Sleeper (8-4-4) Evandale
1136 Sleeper (8-4-4) Endeavour
2133 Sleeper (10-6) Ecum Secum River xFlorida East Coast
2001 Sleeper (24 duplex crew dorm) Ingelow
5833 Coach (Off @ Winnipeg)

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On the third day we arrived at Winnipeg. An old heavyweight lounge we had been hauling was swapped out of the consist to be replaced by a full length Sceneramic Dome...... along with an engine change some other equipment shuffling. Then it was on across the prairies on another warm fall afternoon.

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That evening we stopped at Melville, Saskatchewan for servicing and later at Saskatoon where we connected with a Railiner heading for Prince Albert.

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Day four it was onto Edmonton and Jasper. I missed the mountain scenery by the cloud cover.....but it was slowly clearing as we headed west.

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On the fifth morning we arrived into Vancouver and some time for touring that included a ride on the Royal Hudson Steam Train......but a disappointment! In those pre-digital days....I lost a roll of film from light exposure and all I have now is this souvenir brochure!

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After a couple of days in Vancouver.....I boarded Amtrak’s “Pacific International” to continue my trip of Circling North America. Stay Tuned!

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Great story and series of photos.

It was really nice that you could do a round trip on the Adirondack during your layover in Montreal.  I wouldn't try something like that today due to concerns about not arriving back in time if a train is late.

Looking forward to your next installment.
 

Favourite train! Thanks for documenting the trip.

OMG!!!  What a beatiful series of photos!  The ex-MILW RD dome looks great. 
Also loved the CN fuel truck shot.
You were so lucky to experience that level of service!
Twice daily long distance service on that route!
If I could be so blunt, What happened?
The Canadian government blew it IMHO.
Present generations will never enjoy that rail odyssey, like you had.
And the token, high priced train we have now, is just a subsidized tourist operation.

Plus, the government sold out the superior CP passenger route to a private high priced operator that caters to mostly foreignors.
That still leaves a gnawing feeling in my gut.
 

Man that is like reading an article in Trains with great photos.  Thanks.

This was a great post and thanks for sharing!

Great stuff, and really looking forward to seeing more.  Don't suppose you have any interior passenger car shots, by any chance?

Waybiller Wrote:
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> ......Don't suppose you have any interior
> passenger car shots, by any chance?

No, but what do you want to see? I might be able to scan a shot in a CN brochure.