August 18, 2023:

 

            I got up and got dressed. We went back to the nearby Cora’s restaurant for breakfast. After breakfast my parents drove me to Dorval station.

 

            After getting dropped of at Dorval, I walked to the bus terminal. I saw there was a bus heading to Place-St. Henri metro station on the orange line so I got on that bus. This bus also was long and indirect but I made it to the Metro.

 

            I saw a couple STM Nova LFS hybrid buses running on route #36. I then went into the Metro and rode to Barri-UQAM. I transferred to the yellow line. I photographed the train of MR-73 subway cars when they arrived.

 

 

            I rode to the next stop. I got off and filmed the train pulling out.

 

            I saw a country music festival was being set up outside the station. I however was going to La Ronde again.

 

            I boarded a bus on route #767 which went directly to La Ronde. I attempted to buy a ticket but like last time wanted people to buy tickets online ahead of time, but was able to buy a ticket right at the park with a bit of difficulty.

 

            I went through security before I went in. I tried to buy an express lane pass like I did in 2018 but found they only worked on phones. I had a flip phone so it wouldn’t work. I ended up having to go without. This plus the park preferring guests to buy tickets online made me less inclined to visit La Ronde in the future unless I got an Iphone or something similar. As a result, I decided to try to make the most of my day.

 

            The first thing I went to was Goliath; the biggest roller coaster in the park. The line was short so I got on almost right away. I photographed it.

 

 

            My next ride was on Ednor which is similar to Flight Deck at Canada’s Wonderland. I photographed the ride after I got off.

 

 

            All of a sudden it started raining hard. There was thunder and lightning. I went into a candy store to wait out the rain. After it finally stopped, I bought lunch. I wandered around the park. At one time, I filmed employees test running the ride “Demon” and rainwater pouring off. I took some photos as I wandered about.

 

 

 

 

 

            I joined the line for Dragon. Dragon is roller coaster that runs inside mostly and is similar to Thunder run at Canada’s Wonderland. I never noticed Dragon during my previous visits to La Ronde. I photographed it.

 

 

            I noticed the old monorail which had been present last year had mostly been removed. Some of the stations remained intact. I took a picture of some of the remnants of the old monorail

 

 

            I decided to go on Goliath again. I photographed it after the ride.

 

 

            I then joined the line for Phoenix. I photographed the ride.

 

 

            My next ride was on “Bateau Pirate” next. I photographed it after getting off.

 

 

            Both La Monstre and the Gravitor were closed so I was unable to ride either. My next ride was on Autos Tamponneuses. I photographed the ride after I got off.

 

 

            I then photographed another former monorail station.

 

 

            The next ride I went on was Orbite; an ejector seat type ride. When I was in line, I saw several large fish swimming near the base of the ride which juts out into a pond. It made me wish I could have fished there, but I don’t know if my line would have been able to handle the size of the fish which were huge compared to the two fish I had caught at the Chateau Montebello a few days ago.

 

            After I got off the ride, I photographed it.

 

 

            I took a photo of what was left of the La Pitoune log ride from across the pond.

 

 

            I noticed one of the old monorail trains had been moved to the station I photographed earlier. When I was at La Ronde last year, the train was stopped in between stations so the staff must have moved it there before they tore the monorail line out. I hope it stays there as it is out of the way and a nod to the past.

 

 

            I then photographed an exhibit about La Pitoune which was part of the park when it first opened in 1967.

 

 

 

 

 

            I had seen in old photos there used to be an aerial tramway that went over the park. It is long gone. I did come across one of the stations at the end and photographed it.

 

 

            Another ride that was closed was Boomerang which is similar to “The Bat” at Canada’s Wonderland. However, they were running test trains. I photographed one test run.

 

 

            I photographed what looked like a bridge. In 1967 a subway line had been built on the same island as La Ronde. It was different from the Metro and used subway cars build by Hawker-Siddeley which built most of Toronto’s subway fleet. That line ran for only a few years before it was shut down. The cars sat for years being moved a few times before they were scrapped in 1995. Shame Exporail didn’t try to save any of them. Toronto’s H class subway cars also weren’t officially preserved but some H-4s still exist as work cars plus a couple H-5s are also still around.

 

 

            I was now done at La Ronde. I caught a bus back to the Metro. I took a couple photos of the country music festival which was called “Lasso”.

 

 

 

            I got on the Metro and rode to Barri-UQAM. I got off and photographed the train.

 

 

 

            I left the Metro and wandered around outside until I found a McDonald’s. I used the Wi-Fi to see if any electric buses were in service with both STM and STL. I decided to head to Cote-Vertu to try to see for the electric buses. However the ones I saw were #40-928 which I rode two days earlier or the bus went out of service at the station. I took some photos.

 

 

 

 

            One electric Flyer that did not go out of service was #40-914. I photographed it before I got on.

 

 

            I rode the bus several stops before I got off and filmed the bus pulling away. I then made my way back to the station. I waited to see if any STL electric buses would show up but none did. I got on the Metro and rode to Namur. I got off and photographed the train.

 

 

            I then left the station to once again eat dinner at Gibeau Orange Julip. I photographed the restaurant as I got there.

 

 

            This time there was no woman trying to score free food out of customers. After dinner I went to another McDonald’s across the street. I was looking for a faster way to get back to my hotel on transit. As it happened, there was. I ended up walking back to Namur and photographed the next Cote-Vertu train when it arrived.

 

 

            I rode to Cote-Vertu and went to the buses. There was an express bus to the mall near my hotel. I went to a nearby Shopper’s Drug Mart while waiting. I made my way to the station.

 

            My bus came a few minutes later and we departed. The bus ran along the highway and we soon got to the terminal.

 

            I could have waited for a connecting bus to my hotel, but it was a short walk so I decided just to walk back. I soon got to my hotel. I went online and worked on this report some more. I went out and bought some milk from a nearby gas station. I returned to the hotel and soon called it a night.

 

August 19, 2023:

 

            My parents and I got up and got dressed. We went to the Cora’s restaurant for the third time. After breakfast, my parents drove me to Dorval station.

 

            I waited to see if any trains would come before my train home. However none came. Train #65 soon arrived. As it pulled in, I filmed it.

 

 

            I was seated in LRC coach #3360. My train consisted of F40PH-2 #6439, two business class LRC coaches, four economy LRC coaches, and an economy HEP2 coach. I had a backwards facing seat. The train left on time.

 

            The train crossed into Ontario. Train #60 passed but I was unable to film it. I bought lunch. The train passed Brockville non stop. We ended up passing various VIA trains. I got a video of one VIA train.

 

            The train stopped in Kingston. West of Kingston, train #64 passed, but I was unable to film it. We stopped in Belleville a little while later. As we passed through Brighton, I filmed what was left of the Memory Junction Museum. We stopped in Cobourg a little while later.

 

            The train stopped at Oshawa and Guildwood. My seatmate got off. It also felt good to be in GO Transit territory again.

 

            As we passed the TTC’s Greenwood subway yard, I filmed it. Soon, we were nearing Toronto. I readied my stuff in preparation to get off.

 

            Train #65 pulled into Union Station 18 minutes late. As we arrived, I filmed the equipment for Train #68 awaiting its 5:02 pm departure (yes, really). That train had an F40PH leading and P42 trailing right behind the lead F40.

 

            I got off and photographed my train as well as the rear of train #68.

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then walked to the UP Express station and photographed the front of train #65.

 

 

 

            I then phoned my mom and let her know I was back in Toronto. I then got on the subway and rode to Finch. I then transferred to the Steeles West bus and got off at Yonge and Steeles. I ate dinner at the nearby Taco Bell. I then caught a VIVA bus back home.

 

Conclusions:

 

            The Chateau Montebello was a very cool hotel. I’m also glad I got to not just go fishing, but actually catch a fish too.

 

            The REM line in Montreal is cool. The only thing I don’t like is the platform doors because they hamper my ability to photograph the REM.

 

            Exporail and Montreal’s transit scene is still enjoyable. Until I upgrade my phone, I’m probably not planning on visiting La Ronde soon.

 

            As for me, I’m planning a big trip in the United States. Until next time…

 

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