Passenger Trains > VIA's combined train - before, during and after the split

VIA 601 and VIA 603 for nothern Quebec are always combined from the time they leave Montreal, until they split up at Hervey Jct in northern Quebec, with 603 going to Senneterre and 601 to Jonquière. Here are some shots of this interesting train.

1-VIA 601/VIA 603 approach a meet with CN 369 at Sainte-Thècle, Qc. A few minutes later the train will split up.

2-A VIA crewmember is mounting the lead engine of the combined VIA 601/603 train at Hervey Jct with some lunch. Soon the two trains will be split.

3-Passengers and luggage are boarded, and the engineer for VIA 603 mounts VIA 6404.

Michael Berry



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/03/15 12:26 by Mberry.

---

---

---

4&5-VIA 601 is now solo as it boards passengers at Rivière-à-Pierre, the next major stop after Hervey Jct.

6-The train is now leaving Rivière-à-Pierre.

---

---

---

What is the baggage car used for? 

stuporchief Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What is the baggage car used for? 

Baggage, including hunting and fishing equipment.

They don't believe in rear marker lights , do they ?
Notice the HEP-I cars they use are not of CP decent. They use the 2nd hand imitators.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/03/15 13:46 by joemvcnj.

Last image I don't see any markers or a FRED.  What's up with that??  Doug

Love riding this train!.....especially in winter. Just before arrival in Riviere-a-Pierre the Service Manager will usually come through and ask all to remove items from seats as he is going need everyone.....then they pile aboard as the roads end and it’s the only access to camps, cabins and some pretty nice chalets in the bush. The train will stop...usually to be met by a snowmobile. And you asked about the baggage car? It hauls lots of coolers of beer too!

---

nice catch on a neat operation ... reminds of the P-RSL days to the south jersey shore where the trains would split at Tuckahoe and Wildwood Jct ... one difference was the use of Budd cars which would split off and locomotives would be staged at each jct and grab passenger cars that were dropped off by the locomotive pulled trains with the Cape May crews ...

as for train crews ... does each train get a fresh train crew when the trains split or do both crews ride the train from Montreal ??? ...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/03/15 16:29 by Out_Of_Service.

The engineers change at Hervey. The service manager goes right through. I think there is also a baggage man. The Jonquire train is always up front.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The engineers change at Hervey. The service
> manager goes right through. I think there is also
> a baggage man. The Jonquire train is always up
> front.

I've been told one engineer runs all the way from Montreal to Jonquière. A new engineer takes the 603 portion from Hervey to Senneterre.

Mberry Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> VIA 601 and VIA 603 for nothern Quebec are always
> combined from the time they leave Montreal, until
> they split up at Hervey Jct  


"The train, boss, the train!"

Thanks for posting, Michael.

Both trains sporting Baggage cars converted from U.P. RPO cars.

There were three UP RPO's at the Council Bluffs, Iowa Rock Island museum.  VIA bought two of them. One remains, and it was in a picture taken by the UP RR Hist Scty meeting members. TIM

EmpireBuilder Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Both trains sporting Baggage cars converted from
> U.P. RPO cars.

What does a service manager do on a one-coach train?

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The engineers change at Hervey. The service
> manager goes right through. I think there is also
> a baggage man. The Jonquire train is always up
> front.

stuporchief Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What does a service manager do on a one-coach
> train?

Enjoy his seniority?

Since there is no conductor or brakeman, he takes care of the passengers and their needs.  If there is 
any food or beverage service, then he would handle that too.

stuporchief Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What does a service manager do on a one-coach
> train?
>
> joemvcnj Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The engineers change at Hervey. The service
> > manager goes right through. I think there is
> also
> > a baggage man. The Jonquire train is always up
> > front.

On Amtrak, there would be a conductor and perhaps even another employee pushing a cart to serve snacks. The Service Manager here does it all - conductor, gets food, helps with baggage etc. 

I thought VIA learned their lesson with the mass fatalities on the combined Super Continental/Skeena when the loco of the second train telescoped into the sleepers on the first one in the Hinton head on with a freight.

Do note the Jonquire baggage car is just ahead of the Senneterre loco.
But on the corridor, they do run Ottawa and Montreal train elephant style.