Canadian Railroads > F-Unit Friday

A picture taken in May of 1979,  VIA Rail FP9 6506 is westbound on the connection between the CP and CN tracks just east of CN's Dorval Station.  I'm not sure what train this is or if this was a regular movement but I'm sure someone can explain.

Neil Compton
Calgary, AB

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I’m wondering if it’s the w/b Canadian**. It departed Central Station at 10:15am (so the lighting looks about right) Stopped in Dorval at 10:37....backed through the connecting track to CP (so may be backing in this photo) then continued on CP through Vaudreuil, Rigaud, Vankleek Hill, Ottawa and west.

**Only thing....If it was the Canadian, I would expect it would be using exCP equipment. The Super Continental left from Toronto and cars were exchanged in Winnipeg

ghCBNS Wrote:
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> **Only thing....If it was the Canadian, I would
> expect it would be using exCP equipment. The Super
> Continental left from Toronto and cars were
> exchanged in Winnipeg

Could this photo have been taken a month earlier?

Until Apr 28/79 this would have been the Super Continental departing from Montreal. It followed the same CP route through the Ottawa Valley.....crossing over to CP at Dorval then back to CN at North Bay.

And if you look closely at the rear....could these be a couple of stainless steel Manors or Chateau Sleepers that would have been transferred at Winnipeg?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/20/15 12:10 by ghCBNS.

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On April 29, 1979.....the eastern cities were reversed with the Canadian departing from Montreal and Super Continental from Toronto.

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ghCBNS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I’m wondering if it’s the w/b Canadian**. It
> departed Central Station at 10:15am (so the
> lighting looks about right) Stopped in Dorval at
> 10:37....backed through the connecting track to CP
> (so may be backing in this photo) then continued
> on CP through Vaudreuil, Rigaud, Vankleek Hill,
> Ottawa and west.
>
> **Only thing....If it was the Canadian, I would
> expect it would be using exCP equipment. The Super
> Continental left from Toronto and cars were
> exchanged in Winnipeg


There was a period during the VIA years when the former Super Continental departed Central Station, backed across to the CP at Dorval and went up the CP M&O sub to Ottawa.  During those years operational changes were made every couple of months.  It was hard to keep track.

KG

Those were the golden days on VIA.  I covered a lot of miles.

That last car or two do appear to have a red stripe, but the roofline also appears to be higher than the CN cars in front of it/them.  I was thinking more along the line of heavyweights with higher rooflines, but I can't tell for certain. 

Did The Super Continental or Canadian operate without domes on the Montreal section?  I don't see one in this train.

I rode both. As I recall the Super Continental didn't have any domes untiil west of Edmonton where a Super Dome was added. But it did have a heavyweight lounge which would account for a higher roof line.

I believe that when the transcontinental service was rationalized in the late ’80 the Super was still mainly a smooth sided xCN equipped train and the Canadian used mostly the xCP stainless steel cars.

The Canadian did get xCN Dayniters and xCN and xCP sleepers were exchanged between trains in Winnipeg.

I believe the flip/flop between the eastern endpoints cities in April 1979 was so the Canadian's xCP cars could be serviced at CP’s Glen Yard in Montreal. Prior to that, the Canadian ran to/from Toronto.....and the xCP equipment had to be ferried to Montreal.

Gordon has it right. This was the first iteration of combined CN/CP service under VIA Rail Canada, "The days of costly deadheading and roses", if you will. At this point, the Super carried an Ex-CP Manor to and from Montreal, which was exchanged for a Chateau in Winnipeg off the Toronto Canadian.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/20/15 20:33 by zartok-35.