Canadian Railroads > Into into the Wilds by Train

There's been a lot of VIA passenger trains that have disappeared over the last four decades including such notables as the Super Continental, Cavalier and Atlantic.....but a pair of nondescript locals that have survived are the Remote Services between Montreal and Jonquiere/Senneterre. It's been awhile since I went for a ride but I had the opportunity early last month.

Departure from Gare Centrale, Montreal was at 8:15 on Friday morning in light snow but as we headed northeast.....it cleared into a sunny but cold day.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/20 01:10 by ghCBNS.

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Combined VIA Trains #601/603
6424 F40 Locomotive (to Jonquiere)
Baggage (to Jonquiere)
Coach (to Jonquirere)
Coach (to Jonquiere)
6413 F40 Locomotive (to Senneterre)
Baggage (to Senneterre)
Coach (to Senneterre)
Coach (to Senneterre)

Above......the consist of #603 is being hauled directly behind #601 with the F40 locomotive 6413 positioned in the middle of the train. At Hervey Jct. the trains are separated......we pull forward and continue to Jonquiere and #603....heads off to Senneterre.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/20 01:38 by ghCBNS.

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Shortly after Hervey Jct we arrived at Riviere-a-Pierre. The roads end here and the station parking lot was full. We had about a 20 minute stop while a coach and a half, fill with passengers and the baggage car is loaded with boxes and coolers along with other supplies needed for a weekend or a week or two in the woods.

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We followed along a river for miles through beautiful, rugged country. Winter lasts 4 months here but summers are warm and the fall colours can be especially nice for a train ride.

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There were numerous stops in the next 100 miles where the train (or a snowmobile) is the only access. Some stops are a minute or two and only a mile apart at a small shelter or just a path through the snow to a cabin in the bush. Passengers and their gear are off-loaded at the side of the track. And in the reverse.....the trains will stop just about anywhere to pick up someone to take them into the larger communities for appointments or supplies.

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Stadacona at Mile 76.4 was busy with a large group met by snowmobiles.

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I sat with a couple that were heading to their cabin for a two week stay. It's off-grid but they have solar power and there's wood for heat and cooking. (and now.....a good place to be during Covid-19 !)

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At Lac Brochette the roads reappear and we're soon into the much more populated Lac St Jean Region. Looking across.....the lake is 30 km wide here.

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Arrival at the modern VIA Station that is shared with the local transit authority in Saguenay-Jonquiere (metro pop: 146,000) is just short of 2 hours late because of the many stops we've made. It's an industrial city with hydro-electric developments and aluminum smelting.......and the Saguenay Fjord is a cruise ship destination.

https://www.quebecoriginal.com/en-ca/listing/things-to-do/heritage-sites-and-attractions/routes/fjord-route-49128190

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I grabbed a taxi to the Marriott 'Delta-Saguenay' for the night. This area of Quebec is very French. I had no problem communicating to the driver where I was going.....and the hotel staff was fully bilingual. (and BTW.....does your local Marriott have a parking lot for snowmobiles? Winter sports are big here and trails lead from the woods directly to the hotel)

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I could have stayed over until VIA returned to Montreal on Sunday.....but on Saturday morning I took a bus from Jonjuiere to Quebec City. 'Intercar' has 4 buses each way daily that take about 3 hrs down the QC175/Autoroute 73 freeway. In Quebec City.....buses share VIA's beautifully restored 'Gare du Palais'

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I spent the afternoon walking around the historic walled, gated and fortified city and a tour of Canadian Pacific Railway's iconic, castle like Chateau Frontenac Hotel (now a Fairmont)...... then made my way back to Gare du Palais for a ride in Business Class back to Montreal.

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Now lets go way back to February 1976 when I took almost this same trip...... except the train ran overnight and continued another 9 miles beyond Jonquiere to Chicoutimi.

Departing Montreal at 8:20pm.....we were hauled 5 miles out of Central Station through the Mount Royal Tunnel to Eastern Jct. by ancient GE Box Cab Electrics. (Today's train runs around Mount Royal (not through it) via CN's Taschereau Yard.....adding about 9 miles to the trip.)

CN #73 Montreal - Chicoutimi, Feb. 20, 1976
6712 GE Electric (cut off at Eastern Jct)
6714 GE Electric (cut off at Eastern Jct)
6787 FPA4
6636 F9B
9332 Baggage
1815 Allendale 8Sec, 2Comp, 1Dr.
1087 Cape Breton 2Bdr. 2Comp Buffet Lounge
5227 Coach
5298 Coach (off Arvida)
5187 Coach (off Jonquiere)
5287 Coach (to #75 at Hervey Jct to Senneterre)
431 Dinette (to #75 at Hervey Jct to Senneterre)
1807 Campbellton Sleeper (to #75 at Hervey Jct to Senneterre)

I remember the train was packed on that Friday evening and the Lounge in Cape Breton was doing a brisk business! I had a Lower Berth in Allandale.....an old Heavyweight Sleeper built in 1929 but fully modernized. At Hervey Jct. I watched from my warm berth as we spent nearly an hour switching cars with #75 that was heading to Cochrane, ON.

Arrival in Chicoutimi was at 7:45 on Saturday morning and I walked the short distance to the Voyageur Terminal for the 9am bus to Quebec City (and on an almost identical schedule as today!)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/20 01:13 by ghCBNS.

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We were in Quebec City at noon......and plenty of time for me to get CP Rail's RDC 'Dayliner' at 1:30pm to Montreal via Trois-Riviere......arriving there at 4:50pm.

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Thanks for the interesting and thorough tour.  Gerry

Great coverage, thanks, Bob