Canadian Railroads > Private Varnish from 20 Years Ago

Private passenger cars are mostly a thing of the past here in Halifax.  There was quite a run of them when the Bras d'Or was running (2000-2004).  Cars would typically leave Montreal Sunday night on the Ocean, arrive in Halifax on Monday, be included when the Bras d'Or was assembled that night, and then leave for Cape Breton first thing the next morning.  Although these two cars weren't on the Bras d'Or on this trip, they were in Halifax for a few days, before leaving on the tail end of the Ocean September 9, 2000.

Colonial Crafts was photographed that morning at the VIA station in downtown Halifax, and former CN office car Pointe St. Charles was on the end of the train at Birch Cove (mile 7, Bedford Sub) early that same afternoon.

VIA pretty much ended any private car operations in the Maritimes a few years later when they announced a policy of not operating private cars behind the Park Car.  Although there have been times when a Park Car was not part of the Ocean, and once the Ocean resumes (?) operation, the Park cars will be gone because the train can no longer be turned in Halifax.

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Great photos. It will be interesting to see the consist of the "Ocean" when it returns in the November as coach only and with sleepers in January...

Geoff, okay if I download your two pics to pass along to the present owner of Colonial Crafts?  I don't believe he is on here. 

Sure, pass it on.  If he's interested, there may be some other slides that give more of a "roster" view of it.  I'll have a look.

GTD

I was never pleased to have private cars - or VIA's deadhead equipment - attached to the Park car. This happened several times on my travels.
Even the CEO of the CPR, N.R. Crump, had his private car located between the locomotives and the baggage car.

DrawingroomA Wrote:
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> I was never pleased to have private cars - or
> VIA's deadhead equipment - attached to the Park
> car. This happened several times on my travels.
> Even the CEO of the CPR, N.R. Crump, had his
> private car located between the locomotives and
> the baggage car.

That's where they should go and could go!!! VIA did run a lot of dead-head equipment "in-line" even in the off-season between Toronto and Vancouver and vice versa, for reasons I never understood. It was not to "fill the cars" between Jasper and Vancouver either, as they remained empty (and I am talking at least 8 cars being dead-headed "in-line"). 

jp1822 Wrote:

>
> That's where they should go and could go!!! 

There is a technical issue with placing Amtrak-style HEP cars ahead of VIA-style cars.  The HEP is only compatible if the US cars go on the end.  Deadheading VIA's own equipment should not be a problem, except that the baggage car needs to be near the power because the ICLE is also the baggageman.  Deadheading Renaissance cars (although it seems unlikely that will ever happen again) near the front might be a problem because two transition cars are needed.

GTD

cn6218 Wrote:
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> jp1822 Wrote:
>
> >
> > That's where they should go and could go!!! 
>
> There is a technical issue with placing
> Amtrak-style HEP cars ahead of VIA-style cars. 
> The HEP is only compatible if the US cars go on
> the end.  Deadheading VIA's own equipment should
> not be a problem, except that the baggage car
> needs to be near the power because the ICLE is
> also the baggageman.  Deadheading Renaissance
> cars (although it seems unlikely that will ever
> happen again) near the front might be a problem
> because two transition cars are needed.
>
> GTD

Right - forgot about the Amtrak-style HEP cars and VIA hookup....... I believe it was in the late 1990s that the Chaleur (train to Gaspe) ran as a separate train and a couple of times it hosted private rail cars from the U.S. - as they could just attach to the rear.......Another train that bit the dust........