Canadian Railroads > Canadian Pacific is Back...

...In Quebec's Eastern Townships.

Of course they have been for almost a year now, but with COVID, I haven't had a chance (or a good excuse) to visit and see for myself.  I got skunked on the first two days there.  They didn't run on Sunday, and Monday's 250 was through Megantic before daybreak, but on March 23rd the timing worked out better, and train 250 was starting down the hill in Nantes at 07:56, just about an hour after sunrise.  I was very pleased to see that the new owner has been removing excess trees and brush from along the RoW, not just here in Nantes, but all along the Sherbrooke Sub it seems.

It took about half an hour to descend the hill to the former CP station in Lac Megantic (to the railway, it's just "Megantic").  At this point the Sherbrooke Sub becomes the Moosehead, and it starts climbing towards the border with Maine.

I got one more photo at mile 109.29, near Frontenac, as the train climbed the grade.  The US border is about 7 miles ahead of the train.

GTD

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Great trio!

First light was in Scotstown, QC, just after 07:00.  This seems to be typical for the speed of the train, although I paced them westbound through Easton the next day at about 30 mph.  There were about a dozen vehicles (just out of sight) at the crossing with Asplundh crews waiting for the train to clear so they could do more brush cutting.  Once it warms up much of the stick rail that is left will probably be replaced with CWR from the Winchester Sub, and speeds should edge up again.

GTD

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Love the Megantic shot; it really maximizes the pop of the CP red.
Fred

Very nice..!!

Is there a crew change anywhere around Megantic, as there was with the M. M & A operation? From your text, it would seem that Megantic town was a run-through, unlike the short line operation. Since it is downgrade into the town from either direction, parking trains on the hills on either side is fraught with problems.

The crew runs through from Farnham, QC to Jackman, ME.  They do a setoff/pickup in Sherbrooke, but other than that I don't think there are any stops except for the meet.  Last Monday that was at Gould.  The day I got these shots, I think it Birchton.  The same crew came back the next day on 251 after taking rest in Jackman.

There is a mill of some sort on the north side of Megantic, but I don't know how its cars are handled.  I'd be surprised if there is enough business to justify a local, but there is no place to leave cars nearby in Megantic.  Train speeds have picked up enough, even under CMQ, that a crew change in Megantic would not normally be needed.

On the Maine side, a crew runs out from Brownville Jct. and meets the eastbound train in Jackman.  Then they return to Brownville with the eastbound train as a turn.  One or the other train will sit in Jackman while the Canadian crew is taking their rest.

250 and 251 were replaced late last week with 142 and 143, which are the trains they formerly connected with.

GTD

Great Photos and Video. Love them Cheers Brian in New Zealand..