Canadian Railroads > Bras d'Or Tuesday

Why Tuesday?  Because Tuesday was the day there was no Ocean departure from Halifax (or Montreal), and during the summers of 2000-2004, VIA ran an excursion train to Sydney from Halifax on that off day.

On August 10th of the Bras d'Or's last season, here is F40 6410 and the 5-car train near mile 12 in Bedford at 07:58.  

Half an hour later, train 619 was crossing the Shubenacadie River in the town of the same name.  Although the ticket for the Bras d'Or to Sydney said "618" on it, The train was technically traveling west at this point, and the VIA crews and CN RTC called it "619" or just "19".

At 09:10, and after a crew change (to a CBNS crew) in Truro, the Bras d'Or is operating as train 618 and moving through the Truro Yard at restricted speed until they get to the east cautionary limits in another mile or so.  There would be another crew change later in the day before the train arrived in Sydney about 18:30.

I didn't chase the passenger train any farther than that, but stuck around in Truro for CBNS's SD45-2s, which were switching in the yard.  https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?15,5102489

GTD



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/20 04:33 by cn6218.

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Nice pics of the Bras d'Or......In the early 2000's there was this train the Chaleur still operating with sleeping cars out the Gaspe Peninsula and a full Diner and up to four Chateau in peak season (Skyline Dome for added amenity), the Enterprise with its sleeping cars (Renaissance train set!), the Malahat, BC Rail RDC's from Prince George to North Vancouver, tri-weekly service on the Hudson Bay route, tri-weekly service on the Canadian route (full way and 70% on-time performance levels!), and a six day a week Ocean. Gosh have things fallen apart even since then!

How about a restored "Y" at Truro yard for turning the Ocean consist on its way back to Montreal!

Ugh!