Canadian Railroads > A new backdrop...

Condo towers have been sprouting like mushrooms in the Griffintown section of Montreal in recent years, changing the background for photos taken around the Peel Basin.

The VIA (former CN) bridge over the Lachine Canal (adjacent to the former CN Wellington Tower) is slated for replacement as part of the light-rail REM project now under way. The canal under this bridge has been partly filled by rip rap for heavy machinery access. In the meantime, the backdrop for pictures taken from the bike path along the south side of the canal is changing:  Picture #1 shows this morning’s VIA #15 backing out from Central Station to the MMC, while Picture #2 shows VIA #65 departing for Toronto. It has F40 6424 leading and the pair of 6414 and 918 trailing (not shown).

Ray



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/08/18 12:30 by Ray_Murphy.

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Did the girder work support catenary at one time or simply part of the bridge structure?

Tabernack... an Anglo name in La Belle Province.. call the Tongue Troupers..

Bob

back_track_bob Wrote:
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> Tabernack... an Anglo name in La Belle Province..
> call the Tongue Troupers..
>
> Bob

Perhaps one should just post comments and photos and keep the politics out of these posts

back_track_bob Wrote:
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> Tabernack... an Anglo name in La Belle Province..
> call the Tongue Troupers..
>
> Bob

Um, there are about 600,000 people whose first language is English in Quebec.... Including myself.

Michael

Ray_Murphy Wrote:
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> Condo towers have been sprouting like mushrooms in
> the Griffintown section of Montreal in recent
> years, changing the background for photos taken
> around the Peel Basin.
>
> The VIA (former CN) bridge over the Lachine Canal
> (adjacent to the former CN Wellington Tower) is
> slated for replacement as part of the light-rail
> REM project now under way. The canal under this
> bridge has been partly filled by rip rap for heavy
> machinery access. In the meantime, the backdrop
> for pictures taken from the bike path along the
> south side of the canal is changing:  Picture #1
> shows this morning’s VIA #15 backing out from
> Central Station to the MMC, while Picture #2 shows
> VIA #65 departing for Toronto. It has F40 6424
> leading and the pair of 6414 and 918 trailing (not
> shown).
>
> Ray

The view used to be wonderful.  With Mount Royal as a backdrop, especially in fall it was spectacular.

Your first shot is a killer urban composition, fitting the locomotives perfectly in the framework of the bridge. Nice.
Fred

boejoe Wrote:
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> Did the girder work support catenary at one time
> or simply part of the bridge structure?

The framework was part of the original aerial lift span structure. See the photo. I think it was designed to support catenary, but there is no catenary in the picture.

The overhead wiring I ever saw ended at the support tower just east of Wellington Tower (still visible near the base of the tower crane in my Picture #2 above). CN's plan was to have electric engines pull trains to the Turcot area for change to steam power, but I expect dieselization put an end to that plan. I have never seen photos of CN electric operations south/west of the Lachine Canal area. 

Ray   

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Lighten up guys Back track Bob has a sense of humor, part of what makes Canada special is we don't take ourselves too seriously !

Mike Bannon
St Catharines, ON

Ray_Murphy Wrote:
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> boejoe Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Did the girder work support catenary at one
> time
> > or simply part of the bridge structure?
>
> The framework was part of the original aerial lift
> span structure. See the photo. I think it was
> designed to support catenary, but there is no
> catenary in the picture.
>
> The overhead wiring I ever saw ended at the
> support tower just east of Wellington Tower (still
> visible near the base of the tower crane in my
> Picture #2 above). CN's plan was to have electric
> engines pull trains to the Turcot area for change
> to steam power, but I expect dieselization put an
> end to that plan. I have never seen photos of CN
> electric operations south/west of the Lachine
> Canal area. 
>
> Ray   

Electric power operated to Turcot Center and to Bridge Street until dieselization actually. A photo of the Turcot roundhouse that takes up page 62-63 in the Morning Sun Book Canadian National Steam In Color Vol. 1 shows an electric boxcab visible behind the roundhouse. Having steam engines operate into Central Station would have been too messy, so all trains swapped power at those two spots. The only exception was the West Island commuter trains, which swapped power inbound, but were allowed to leave with steam engines, operating on the western end of the train. Roger Cook's and Peter Zimmermann's book Magnetic North Canadian Steam In Twilight has shots of a power swap at Turcot on pages 32-33.

Michael



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/18 06:07 by Mberry.

Here's cantenary extending west of the bridge in June 1975 but in the second photo it looks like it has been removed around where the lines to Victoria Bridge and Dorval split. That's the equipment for the Montrealer being brought to Gare Centrale. And another view just east of the bridge with the Chaleur at Wellington Tower in '71.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/18 07:01 by ghCBNS.

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And the electrics had their own maintenance building at the Pte. St-Charles shops complex.  Now did they get there on their own or were spotted by other power, I for one cannot say with any certainty.
 

In the second photo between the two buildings and above the first train car is that Windsor Station?

Whichone Wrote:
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> In the second photo between the two buildings and
> above the first train car is that Windsor Station?

Indeed it is!

Ray

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