Canadian Railroads > Renaissance Ocean in 2015

By the time September rolls around, shooting pictures in the middle of the day doesn't suffer nearly so much from the high sun syndrome.  Shooting the Ocean during high sun is something I haven't had to worry about this year, so here are a trio of photos from September 7, 2015.

We start off with the train traveling along the Acadian dikes at Upper Dorchester, following the shore of the Memramcook River in New Brunswick at 14:14.  Half an hour later, they were making the station stop at the sandstone ICR station in Amherst, NS.  Two hours after that, the 3 F40PH-3s and train were crossing the Shubenacadie River, about an hour away from their destination of downtown Halifax.

GTD

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Nice views!  Am I correct that the Ren cars are no longer in service?  Would be worth a trip north of the border to ride that train sometime, I think, when things settle down.

Andy

AndyBrown Wrote:
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> Nice views!  Am I correct that the Ren cars are
> no longer in service?  Would be worth a trip
> north of the border to ride that train sometime, I
> think, when things settle down.
>
> Andy

The Ocean is not running until November at the earliest due to Covid. When it returns it will be running with a Hybrid consist of Budd and Ren cars.

Nicely matched train. Like the depot photo at Amherst. Thanks for sharing.

Interesting that the 60+ year old Budds have outlasted their replacements. 

andersonb109 Wrote:
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> Interesting that the 60+ year old Budds have
> outlasted their replacements. 

Do you ever stop?

So what is wrong with his comment?  I havef ooften thought the same thing.

When the last of the Renaissance cars replaced the stainless steel Budd Cars on the Ocean, it was like a new era for Maritime train riding. The beloved Seafood Chowder Soup was gone. Initially the Park Car was gone for part of the season. I mean it was a HUGE conversation piece and transitional moment. And now to see the Budd Cars come back, to replace the newer Renaissance cars in the Maritimes - NO ONE would have ever thunk that back in 2003!!!!

Thanks for taking these pictures! Very nice shots of a very nice train that is sorely missed! I rode in both the Budd Cars prior to them being replaced by the Renaissance Cars. I actually liked both cars and thought they were something neat for the Maritimes. 

What I am not looking forward to is the lack of wyeing the train in Halifax. Having the F40s just move from one end to the other to pull the consist back to Montreal (backwards) - not a fan of that, but I'd rather see the train continue to operate. Could VIA potentially pull it back to say Truro and then just wye the train there - While having passengers onboard? After all, this train used to combine and divide when the Chaleur was running (train to Gaspe), surely there's a bit of time in the schedule that could be had!!!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
How did CN turn the trains at Halifax way back when? Was the "ship loop" always used? 

Great pictures ! 
I just have a question for you if you don't mind?
I'm just checking the first three or four departures from Montreal to Halifax and I'm just seeing "Renaissance" sleeping accomodations showing and the two bedrooms in the "Park" car available  . There are no "Budd Car " sleepers showing so is it going to be only the "coaches that will be "Budd Cars" ?
I sent a e-mail to Via's dervice team in Moncton on there web site and the reply I got back today was they are now accepting reservations for sleepers in November (Ocean) as of now but thing are still fluid and can change...
They also stated that "The Canadian" will not be running sleepers till January but the can also change...
Thank you for anymore info you can provide... :):):)

ghCBNS Wrote:
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> AndyBrown Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Nice views!  Am I correct that the Ren cars
> are
> > no longer in service?  Would be worth a trip
> > north of the border to ride that train sometime,
> I
> > think, when things settle down.
> >
> > Andy
>
> The Ocean is not running until November at the
> earliest due to Covid. When it returns it will be
> running with a Hybrid consist of Budd and Ren
> cars.

I checked Reservia and there are still two warnings on the booking page saying that bookings are suspended. I contacted VIA and was told the same - that bookings can now be made. Perhaps VIA has been informed by the Nova Scotia government that the requirement for 14 days of quarantine will be lifted by then. 
 
Prior to the pandemic, one of the two consists was a hybrid train. I travelled on that consist last autumn and it worked well. The Renaissance section was in the middle between two sets of Budd equipment. This required two transition cars. The second consist was mostly Ren. and had the Park car and sometimes a Chateau sleeper at the end. So only one transition car was needed. It is my understanding VIA has only three transition cars, but they could make another one out of a baggage car.
 
 The Ren. service car-dining car-service car combination will be more suitable to "social/physical distancing" than the cramped Budd diners. When VIA created these diners they put dividers between tables, presumable to cut down on the noise. The small galley in the middle divides the car in two. Each service car galley is staffed by one person. VIA has expressed some concern about two cooks working in one fairly small kitchen on the Budd diners.
 

Nice pics!!

jp1822 Wrote:

> How did CN turn the trains at Halifax way back
> when? Was the "ship loop" always used? 

There was a turntable at the station in Halifax (removed sometime prior to 2000).  The trains, or parts of the trains, were turned there by a CN switch crew.  The power went to Fairview for servicing, and was turned on the turntable there.  

Wying the train in Truro is theoretically possible.  The local there (515) is usually finished for the day by the time 15 gets there, but the wye switch on the Bedford Sub is before the station, so there would have to be a backup move across a number of streets in the town, and running around the train would have to happen in the yard at restricted speed.  I would guess by teh time a brake test was done, it would add an hour to the schedule (not that VIA has cared in the past about padding the schedule).  I don't really see running backwards as much of a problem (except there would be no Park car).  Half the rooms in a Ren sleeper are backwards already, and I think the Budd coach seats can be turned.

GTD