Canadian Railroads > Chasing the Orford Express

Yesterday I dropped my wife and baby daughter off with a friend in the morning and departed for the Eastern Townships for my first all day/somewhat far away railfanning day since becoming a father. My plan was to chase the Orford Express and any CMQ freights that happened to pass. I didn't see any CMQ freights but had a very succesful outing on a gorgeous summer day. The Orford Express did not run during 2014 or 2015 because their dome car caught fire, but they started running again earlier this summer. The consist is an FL9 and two RDC's brackeing an ex-NP dome car. Previously the train was based out of Sherbrooke but now it is based out of Magog, Qc. The train leaves Magog, heading west to Eastman. There the crew changes ends and they head east to Sherbrooke. A 30 minute or so stop is made and passengers can visit the market in the ex-CP station. Then the train returns westbound to Magog. The entire trip is on the CMQ Sherbrooke Sub (ex-CP, ex-MMA).

1-The train has just left Magog as it approaches a crossing at MP 89.

2-The Eastman trestle is a classic location, here the train is reflected in Lac d'Argent as it heads westwards over the trestle.

3-The crew has changed ends as they head back east with the RDC leading.

Michael Berry

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4-The train is approaching the crossing at MP 89 from the first shot, but now the train is eastbound.

5-The train is arriving at Sherbrooke, with the ex-CP station at right. At left are two CMQ units and a cut of cars.

6-The train has just left Sherbrooke Station and is approaching the Jacques-Cartier bridge. Believe it or not this is the same location as the first shot from KG's most recent MLW Monday post (http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?15,4103853)

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7-A going away shot from the other side of that bridge.

8-The train is nearly done its run as it approaches a crossing at MP 82.78.

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Great images. Number two is calendar quality.
Bob

484 was in Orrville, OH for a number of years before being purchased for this Orford service.   ORHS ran it on several trips then.

Beautiful day, beautiful pics.

The CMQ track looks better than I imagined it, with good alignment and few weeds.

A question: when in the push mode, with the RDC leading, is the loco controlled from the RDC, what do the controls look like - standard loco control stand or something else? 

Thanks
Ed Jordan
Lunenburg NS

Good to see that they are operating again.  I'll be up that way later this week and the week after, and will have to see if their operating days coincide with when I'm there.

On my last trip to Sherbrooke, I has to settle for a lame roster shot of the FL9 at the station.

GTD

Is this the outfit that once ran ex-LIRR coaches and FA power pack ?
Can one board the train at Sherbrooke for a round trip even though the base is Magog ?

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> Is this the outfit that once ran ex-LIRR coaches
> and FA power pack ?
> Can one board the train at Sherbrooke for a round
> trip even though the base is Magog ?

That was on Quebec Central rails, I don't believe the same people were involved but don't quote me on that.

I don't believe so.

Michael