June 15, 2013:

 

            I got up at 6:14 am and got dressed. I got my stuff together and went downstairs. I saw the restaurant wasn’t open yet. I decided I didn’t have time to wait so I left the hotel and walked to the bus stop. The bus came six minutes after I got to the bus stop. I rode to the terminal by Dorval train station. I then walked to the Best Western.

 

            I was able to join the BHA members for breakfast even though I wasn’t staying at the Best Western. If I had known that, I could have saved some money the last two days. I then went to the lobby and noticed a man sleeping in one of the chairs. I found out that he wasn’t a guest of the hotel or part o the charter group. Apparently, he had come some point after I left the night before and fell asleep in the chair. Hotel staff tried to get him to leave and they called the police who removed him. However, he returned a few hours later and fell asleep again.

 

            Some people had just arrived for today’s charter. One of the new arrivals was Brad from Toronto who I first learned of the TTS from.

 

            I went outside to await the arrival of the charter buses. Today we were chartering two buses from the FHTCQ. Ex STCUM 1983 suburban fishbowl #33-008 and STCUM GM Classic #55-001 arrived. I photographed them.

 

 

 

            On the 2010 Transportation weekend, we had visited the FHTCQ garage but missed seeing 55-001. I boarded the fishbowl and sat at the back. We soon left. This was the first fishbowl I rode of 2013. While I was on the bus, I learned that despite the grave news the day before, the VIA strike was averted. It would be business as usual. I was relieved.

 

            Our first photo stop was at the Keolis Canada bus garage in Terrebonne, Quebec. We stopped out front while Kevin Nicol went in to get permission for us to enter. We used the time while we were waiting to photograph the charter buses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

            We were soon allowed in. Once inside the garage, we photographed various buses. The staff also pulled out a few buses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            We then got back on the buses and headed out. Our next photo stop was another Keolis bus garage. This one was in Repentingy. We photographed a few buses including a Nova LFS 4^th generation demonstrator; possibly the same one we photographed two days earlier at Nova Bus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            They pulled out Nova RTS #29016 and parked it in the front. I photographed it.

 

 

            Next, they moved the two charter buses and a Nova LFS 3^rd Generation bus and posed them together.

 

 

            They repositioned the 33-008 and pulled out the demonstrator. The five buses were parked oldest to youngest and spanned 30 years. They were either GM or Nova buses.

 

 

            We then got back on the charter buses and headed out. We would have had another photo stop at Radisson Metro station, but we skipped it. We went to our lunch stop in Dorchester Square. This was where the TTS 11-087 charter stopped for lunch back in 2010. I photographed the charter buses as well as other buses in the area.

 

 

 

 

 

            I then walked over and bought lunch at a Harvey’s restaurant. After lunch, I made my way back to the charter buses and photographed them again.

 

 

 

            I decided to ride the Classic this time. We departed and headed over to STM’s oldest garage. This garage is where the remaining Nova LFS first generation buses are based out of. As we arrived, we got a surprise: The FHTCQ had brought 1973 fishbowl #14-008. I photographed two first generation LFS buses and 14-008.

 

 

 

 

 

            #14-008 was repositioned inside the garage. We photographed it again. I photographed other buses in the garage as well. I noticed that on #14-008’s back window that I could make out the number 3955 in TTC style font. #14-008 is not ex TTC. Maybe the window came off of ex TTC 3955. However, #14-008 is not ex TTC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            Meanwhile, #33-008 was repositioned and parked beside #14-008. I photographed the two fishbowls.

 

 

 

            We had our group photo at the garage in front of the two fishbowls.

 

 

            We were told that we were now leaving on 14-008 and 55-001. 33-008 was no longer part of the charter. I didn’t complain too much and took a seat inside 14-008.

 

            Our next stop was STM’s Legendre garage. This is where the articulated LFS buses are kept. We photographed the charter buses and went inside for a tour.

 

 

 

 

            We had a tour of the offices and the drivers’ lounge. I learned that in the next 5 or so years, STM plans to introduce trolleybus operation into Montreal! I knew that if that was to happen, I’d definitely return to check it out!

 

            We then went into the garage itself and took some photos.

 

 

 

 

 

            We then went outside and photographed retired Classic #14-149. It’s sad to think a couple years ago, there were quite a few Classics running around.

 

 

 

 

            I then made my way back to the charter buses. Along the way, I photographed a tow truck that STM uses to tow broken down buses.

 

 

            I got back on #14-008. A few minutes later, we learned that an articulated bus was pulled out for us. I got off and photographed it.

 

 

            We then got back on the bus. The two buses passed through the maintenance area. I photographed a LFS on a lift.

 

 

            We then left the garage. We drove down the highway for a little while. Our next photo stop was at the Coach Canada/Gray line Tours garage. Kevin went in to get permission for us to enter. While we were waiting, we photographed the charter buses and some Coach Canada highway coaches in a parking lot.

 

 

 

 

Here you can make out the number 3955.

 

 

 

            We were soon allowed to enter the garage provided we were careful. I photographed some double decker buses and some Nova LFS buses.

 

 

 

 

 

            Meantime, they pulled out a Megabus double decker highway coach. I photographed it.

 

 

            I then went onto the open top double decker bus and photographed the charter buses and the Megabus double decker.

 

 

 

 

            I got to go inside the Megabus double decker. I took a few photos of it. I noticed there was not a lot of headroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I went by the charter buses and saw that 14-008 had left. I saw it pass by a few minutes later, but it went away again. I photographed 55-001.

 

 

            I then went back to the garage and photographed another Megabus double decker when it arrived.

 

 

 

            We then returned to 55-001. There was a raffle offering four prizes to random people. I didn’t win. We were preparing to squeeze onto 55-001 when 14-008 returned. I photographed it before I got back on.

 

 

            The buses took us back to the Best Western. I got off 14-008 and photographed it.

 

 

            55-001 had stopped in another part of the parking lot. I walked over and photographed it.

 

 

            I waited for the charter buses to leave. When they left, I filmed them passing and took one last photo of 14-008.

 

 

            The BHA convention was now over. I walked over to Dorval station and photographed a westbound CN freight.

 

 

 

            I then waited for a route 202 bus to take me back to my hotel. As the bus left Dorval, I saw VIA train 60 and an ambulance that looked like it was taking someone off. I was unable to see what happened.

 

            I got off the bus a couple stops early and had dinner at a Subway restaurant. I then walked back to my hotel. I worked on this report some more.

 

            At one point, I walked over to the nearby Tim Horton’s and bought some milk. I returned to my hotel and worked on this report for a few more minutes. I asked for a wake up call at 8:00 am and called it a night.

 

June 16, 2013:

 

            I got up and got dressed. I finished packing and went downstairs for breakfast. After breakfast, I checked out of the hotel. I walked to the bus stop and caught a bus to Dorval station. When I got there I saw VIA train #633 in the station. It consisted of a P42, three Hep2 coaches, another P42, and seven Renaissance coaches. I photographed the train.

 

 

 

            I then filmed the train pulling away and took one last photo.

 

 

            I saw there were some railfans on the platform I spoke with them briefly. I heard a CSX freight would be coming through. I hoped it would come through before 57 arrived.

 

            I photographed a CN and a CP freight.

 

 

 

 

 

            A CN hi-rail truck came by. I photographed it.

 

 

 

            The truck then headed back the way it came. I heard the railfans say the CN RTC was canceling its clearance. The other railfans soon left.

 

            An announcement was made that train 57 was due in a few minutes. However, I saw a light and it turned out to be the CSX freight. I had been expecting a local, but it was a manifest freight with to GE diesels for power. I photographed it.

 

 

 

            A few minutes later, train 57 arrived. I filmed the train pulling in.

 

 

            I was seated in Hep2 coach #4114. The coach was full and I had an aisle seat. The train soon departed. We overtook the CSX freight completely. The train stopped at Cornwall and Brockville.

 

            West of Brockville, I filmed trains 56 and 54 passing. We stopped at Kingston. We departed Kingston a few minutes later.

 

            East of Belleville, VIA train 60 passed, but I was unable to film it. We then stopped at Belleville.

 

            A few minutes later, we stopped in Cobourg. We departed a few minutes later. A little while after that, we passed non-stop through Port Hope.

 

            The train stopped at Oshawa a few minutes later. It felt good to be back in GO Transit territory. We departed Oshawa a few minutes later. We overtook another CN intermodel. A few minutes later, we passed an eastbound CN freight.

 

            VIA train 64 passed as the train passed through Pickering, but I was unable to film it. East of the Rouge Hill GO station, an eastbound GO train passed. We stopped in Guildwood a few minutes later and soon departed.

 

            As we passed the TTC's Greenwood subway yard, I filmed it. I got my stuff ready in preparation to get off at Union Station.

 

            Train 57 arrived into Toronto Union station four minutes late. I got off and took some photos.

 

 

 

            I then went downstairs. I went to try to get a shot through the door that I’ve used as recently as my previous trip, but found it boarded off.

 

            I then phoned home and left a message. I then got on the subway and rode to Finch. I then caught a VIVA bus to Royal Orchard and then walked home.

 

Conclusions:

 

            If I had been able to ride an STL Classic, this trip would have been even better. However, it was still fun. The tour of Nova Bus was interesting though I wish they had let us use our cameras inside or at least pulled out TTC 9000 so we could photograph it.

 

            All the charters were fun though the first and last were the most enjoyable. I just wish that the last run of the H-5 subway cars in Toronto hadn’t happened while I was away.

 

            As for me, my next trip will be in early August when I head off to London for a few nights. Until next time…

 

Click to see photos of TTC 9000 taken in Toronto on a later date if you missed the first opportunity:  TTC 9000

 

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