September 25, 2022:

 

            I got up and got dressed. I then went out and had breakfast at a restaurant near where I’ve had breakfast the last two days. I then returned to my hotel. There was a marathon going through at the time so to avoid it I used the Metro entrance.

 

            Back at the hotel, I went online for a few minutes and finished packing. I then checked out and walked to the Metro. I bought a day pass and boarded a westbound train on the green line.

 

            I rode to Place-Des-Arts and got off. I then went up to street level and caught a route #129 bus to the old port. I had decided I was going to Science Center that Mark and I visited in April of 2018 when we had gone to ride the MR-63 trains not knowing I would go back for the trains’ final runs.

 

            I got there and paid admission. I photographed a peddle powered submarine.

 

 

 

            I then photographed various exhibits.

 

 

 

 

Trippy…

 

 

 

 

 

            I then participated in an exhibit about vacuum power by putting a foam ball through a pipe maze. I photographed it.

 

 

 

            I then photographed an exhibit on tornadoes including something that shows the Enhanced Fujita scale on tornado intensity with a fan blowing on you if you stood in the right place whose speed increased.

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I photographed an exhibit where you could put yourself in a bubble. It reminded me of a picture I saw in the newspaper of someone in a bubble back when I was a kid.

 

 

            I photographed things outside the museum including an EXO New Flyer XD40 bus.

 

 

 

            I then photographed an exhibit on the human body. One exhibit was about electronic devices that could replace organs. One more was an interactive exhibit on the possibility of 3D printing organs with stem cells. There were three scenarios which in the end failed to produce a viable result.

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then left the science center. I photographed it once outside.

 

 

            I then walked along the port lands. I saw they had large R/C boat on land. It reminded me of how YRT has a bus version of it they call Toby. I photographed this R/C boat.

 

 

            I then saw a zip line near the maze called The Labyrinth. I had gone there when I was a kid, but the zip line is new. I decided to go down it. I also got to participate in something where you stood on a platform and it drops out underneath you. I went on that first and then went back up for the zip line.

 

            While I was waiting, a CN freight train slowly passed but I was unable to photograph it. It had two GP38s and a GP9 for power.

 

            I then went down the zip line and then got my stuff. I photographed the zip line.

 

 

            I then left the port lands and walked through the old town. I eventually had lunch at the McDonalds Mark and I ate at during the trip we visited the Science Center. I then caught a route #55 bus to the Metro green line. I had seen the oldest buses in service with STM at the time were running out of Honore-Beaugrand. I went to board a green line train when a train of MR-73s pulled in. Prior to this, I had only seen Azurs on the green line and thought there were only Azurs on the green line. I filmed the train pulling in.

 

 

            During my ride, we passed another train of MR-73s so there are at least two trains of MR-73s running on the green line. When we got to Honore-Beaugrand, I photographed the train.

 

 

 

            I filmed the train pulling out of the platform. When it pulled into the opposite platform, I photographed it.

 

 

            I then photographed STM Nova LFS #26-045.

 

 

            Nova LFS #26-025 pulled up on route #85. This was the oldest bus out. I photographed it before I got on.

 

 

            I rode the bus a few stops and filmed it pulling away. I took one more photo of the bus.

 

 

            I then crossed the street to wait for a bus back to Honore-Beaugrand. Another 26-000 series Nova LFS soon came. I photographed the bus before I got on.

 

 

            I rode back to Honore-Beaugrand. I got of #26-058 and photographed the bus.

 

 

            I then photographed #26-045 as it was going into service on route #189. However, I couldn’t ride it because it was almost time for me to head back to Central Station to catch the Ocean.

 

 

 

            I was able to film #26-058 leaving Honore-Beaugrand. I then waited for a couple minutes before I got on the Metro. I boarded an Azur train.

 

            Part way to Barri-UQAM, I learned of a delay on the green line that resulted in no service between Barri-UQAM and Lionel-Groulx. Fortunately, I wouldn’t be affected because I was going to Barri-UQAM anyway. When we did get to Barri-UQAM, I photographed the train as it went out of service to turn around to go back to Honore-Beaugrand.

 

 

            I transferred to the orange line. While waiting for my train, I saw a train going the other way that was full. It looked like a hockey game had gotten out. My train soon arrived and I rode the now crowded train due to displaced green line passengers to Bonadventure. I got off and filmed the train pulling away.

 

            I went to the station and was happy to see my Ocean’s departure was not cancelled. I then bought some snacks at a store in the station and checked in at the Business Lounge as I was traveling in a sleeper. I was asked what time I wanted to eat dinner and chose the 7:15 pm seating. I was given a wristband because they were apparently only allowing sleeping car passengers to eat in the dining car due to COVID. Coach passengers would be served by circulating trolleys like on the Quebec City-Windsor corridor.

 

            I went into the lounge and went online and worked on this report some more. After awhile, it was time to board. I was in sleeping car “Chateau Brule”. Like when I saw the Ocean back in February, it was running with a mixture of HEP1 and Renaissance coaches with some coaches and sleepers facing backwards as a result of VIA loosing access to the balloon track in Halifax that they previously used to turn the Ocean. My sleeper was backwards facing. The train departed 7 minutes late.

 

            After a few minutes I went to the dining car. I had dinner with two other people. One person would have been on Friday’s train which was cancelled. The train stopped at St. Lambert. After dinner, I went back to my room. The train stopped at St. Hyacinthe and Drummondville.

 

            In previous years the Ocean would stop at Charny. VIA would provide shuttle service for people in Quebec City going on the Ocean as well as passengers on the Ocean going to Quebec City. However the Ocean no longer stops in Quebec City but instead crosses over the St. Lawrence River to stop at Ste-Foy; the stop before Quebec City. I figure VIA did this more convenient for people going/coming from Quebec City.

 

            My train crossed over the Quebec Bridge which is infamous for having collapsed twice during construction. We stopped on the north side of the bridge for a few minutes before we pulled into Ste-Foy. This was the first smoke stop. I stepped off and photographed the train.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then got back on the train. The train then departed Ste-Foy on time. While stopping at Ste-Foy is more convenient for people going/coming from Quebec City, it requires a longer reverse move in order to get back on the route to Halifax. After the reverse move we were going forwards again. I got some milk before I set my alarm and called it a night.

 

September 26, 2022:

 

            I got up and got dressed. I went to the dining car for breakfast. I had a feeling we were late which turned out to be right. We were hours behind schedule. The train was supposed to be in New Brunswick. We were still in Quebec. This delay was most likely caused by damage from Hurricane Fiona.

 

            I thought to myself if the Chaleur (Montreal-Gaspe train as it was later called) was still running, the train would be terminated at New Carlisle because of how late we were running. However, the train has stopped running years before COVID due to conditions on the line. The Chaleur was pretty much the only train that ran on the line to Gaspe and no one can seemingly come to an agreement on who should pay to fix the line. I’m just glad I was able to ride to Gaspe back in 2010.

 

            The train stopped at Sayabec. I got a call on my cell phone. I wondered if it was from my friend Mike from SAIT to see about possibly meeting up. However, it was from the motel I had booked in Halifax. They were canceling my reservation because Hurricane Fiona had knocked out the power. I logged into the Wi-Fi and was able to book an alternate hotel at $100 per night. Luckily it was only one night.

 

            The train passed through Matapedia and crossed into New Brunswick. We train stopped at Campbellton. This was a smoke stop. I stepped off and photographed the train.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            My train had F40PH-2s #6408 and #6409 back to back with 18 coaches: A Renaissance baggage car, a Renaissance coach with seats facing forwards; (the Renaissance coaches seats cannot be turned around), three Renaissance sleeping cars, a Renaissance service car, a Renaissance dining car, a second Renaissance service car, a Renaissance coach with seats facing backwards, a Renaissance transition car (previously used to allow passenger to walk from Renaissance sleeping cars to a Park car), two HEP1 coaches which were refurbished with leather seats, four Chateau sleeping cars, and a HEP1 baggage car.

 

            I then got back on the train and we departed. We stopped at Petit Rocher a little while later. After we left, the train began climbing a hill but stalled. The crew announced the train was stalled because of leaves on the tracks. We were informed they would have to back up and get a run at the hill to try again. After a few minutes we began reversing. We actually backed past the station before we stopped. We then started running forwards and we made it up the hill. In the past, leaves on the rails led VIA to lease locomotives from CN for use on the Chaleur because VIA’s F40s did not have sanders. Even GO Transit had used locomotives on what is normally the cab car end to deal with leaves on the tracks. However this would add more time to the delay.

 

            I went to the dining car for lunch. The train then stopped at Bathurst. While Bathurst isn’t normally a smoke stop, the crew let passengers off for a quick smoke. I stepped off and photographed the train.

 

 

 

            I spoke to a VIA employee about being stuck by leaves and the lack of sanders on VIA locomotives. He told me they had installed sanders on some F40s but the ones happened to get clogged. I got back on the train and we departed.

 

            I found I could only use Wi-Fi in the service car and not in my room.  I would go between my room and the service car to use the Wi-Fi.

 

            I saw there was a way to track my train on VIA’s website. It also gave estimations on when it would arrive at stations down the line.

 

            The train stopped at Moncton just before 5:00. I stepped off and photographed the train.

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I got back on the train and we soon departed. At one point the train crew gave me a St. Hubert take out chicken dinner. This was due to the train running more than 5 hours late. The Ocean was supposed to have arrived in Halifax before dinner time. The meal was okay, though not quite as good as Swiss Chalet. It did remind me of a story I heard in which Amtrak’s Empire Builder was running hours late when the dining car was running out of food, the crew had to order from KFC!

 

            The sun went down. The train stopped at Sackville. We crossed into Nova Scotia and stopped at Amherst. I went between my room and the lounge car to watch the train’s progress. The train stopped at Springhill.

 

            The train passed through complete darkness. The map showed the line being curvy. After awhile, we stopped at Truro. As we departed Truro, I knew that Halifax was next. I knew that Halifax’s airport is actually closer to Truro than Halifax!

 

September 27, 2022:

 

            We were soon getting close to Halifax. I saw some Metro Transit buses from the train. We slowed as we passed by the Halifax Intermodel terminal. We eventually arrived into the station 6 ˝ hours late. This is the latest I’ve ever been on VIA! I got off and walked to the end of the station and photographed the train.

 

 

            I then went to catch a taxi to my hotel. I had to wait quite awhile. I even called #TAXI and booked a cab. However, I was able to get a different taxi to my hotel which got there before the first cab I called got to the station.

 

            I checked in and asked for a wake up call at 6:30 am. I then went up to my room and set the alarm on my phone. I then called it a night.

 

            I got up at 6:30 am and got dressed. I packed the little stuff I had unpacked as I was just overnight. My wake up call came very late, but I was almost ready. I went downstairs and learned that there was no breakfast. I checked out and walked to a bus stop to the airport.

 

            I boarded a bus to the Bridge terminal. Since I was last in Halifax, Metro Transit built a new bridge terminal just north of where the old terminal was. They also created route #320 which serves Halifax’s airport. Unlike STM’s route #747, this route accepts regular Metro Transit transfers, so it’s more like TTC’s route #900 which is an express route from Toronto’s Pearson Airport to the Kipling subway station.

 

            I took some photos at the terminal.

 

 

 

 

            My route #320 bus soon came. It was NOVA LFS #529. The bus departed the terminal and hit the highway. We stopped at a Park and Ride lot on the way to the airport for a few minutes. However, we soon were underway again and arrived at the airport. I got off and photographed the bus.

 

 

            I went inside the terminal I bought breakfast at the A&W in the terminal. I looked in a couple stores before I checked in. I had gotten to the airport super early because I was unsure how the lines at airport security would take. This was part of the reason I decided to fly Porter Airlines to Sault Ste Marie instead of Air Canada earlier in the month.

 

            I cleared security though my bag was selected for additional screening which obviously found nothing. I then left the security area. I had hours before my plane would leave.

 

            The weather outside was foggy. I hoped it wouldn’t cause too many problems for my flight. I logged into the airport’s Wi-Fi and went online for awhile.

 

            I hung out mostly by my gate though I occasionally walked the terminal. I had lunch in the terminal as well. I returned to my gate.

 

            I saw my flight was delayed by about 30 minutes. I could have slept in until 7:00 am. The aircraft I would be flying to Gander was apparently coming from Boston.

 

            Eventually my plane arrived. It was soon time to board. I photographed my plane before I got on.

 

 

            I was flying on an Air Canada Express Bombardier Q400 turboprop. This plane is similar to what Porter currently flies. The plane departed 30 minutes late. As we taxied out to the runway, I photographed various planes at the airport.

 

 

 

 

 

            I filmed the take off roll. We were in the clouds for the most part so there wasn’t much to see. As we began our decent into Gander, I took some photos after we broke out under the clouds.

 

 

 

 

            As we landed in Gander, I filmed the landing. Gander’s airport was built in the early days of transatlantic aviation as a refueling stop for planes going across the Atlantic. However as jet aircraft were built, they had longer range thus eliminating the need to refuel at Gander. The airport was considered as an alternate landing site for the space shuttle. However, not one space shuttle would land at Gander.

 

            What got me interested in going to Gander was on September 11, 2001, following the attacks in New York and Washington DC, the U.S. airspace was closed to flights and all airliners were forced to land as soon as possible. 38 transatlantic flights were diverted to Gander which ended up doubling the town’s population. The citizens of Gander stepped up to welcome what they called the “plane people”. The story was turned into a musical called “Come from Away” which I had seen in 2018. I will be discussing the events following September 11^th later.

 

            The plane was soon parked. It took a few minutes for us to deplane. My plane was obviously much smaller than the 38 jetliners that had to divert to Gander on September 11^th at it took a long time for the passengers on those planes to get off; in many instances it took more than 24 hours between when the plane landed in Gander to when the passengers were taken off.

 

            I got off the plane and photographed it and the airport.

 

 

Gander’s airport is empty here, but was FULL on September 11, 2001.

 

 

            I went to get my suitcase. There was only a single baggage carousel at Gander. The “plane people” didn’t get to get their checked baggage and could only bring their carry-on luggage as well as blankets and pillows from the planes.

 

            Above the baggage carousel was a sign from “Come from Away” that read “Welcome to the Rock”. I photographed it.

 

 

            My suitcase soon arrived and I went out to get a taxi. I remembered how it was the night before in Halifax, and grabbed a cab as soon as I could. I went to my hotel which was a short drive from the airport.

 

            My hotel was near a strip mall, a McDonald’s, a Harvey’s, a Tim Horton’s, and a KFC. I checked into my hotel and went up to my room. I phoned home and let my mom know I was in Gander.

 

            I went online and relaxed in my room. I went out to the McDonald’s near my hotel and had dinner. I then went into a nearby Shopper’s Drug Mart near my hotel. In Come from Away, one of the characters shown (a local by the way) making multiple trips to Shopper’s Drug Mart for supplies the “plane people” might need. I wonder if this was the location since it is close to the airport.

 

            I then headed back to my hotel. I photographed a bus in the parking lot of the mall across the street from my hotel.

 

 

 

            I then went up to my room. I played DND online with my friend Mark and Jason. I only recently got into Dungeons and Dragons and wanted to try it out. So far, it’s been good. I let them know I was in Gander, Newfoundland.

 

            After the game I relaxed a bit. I set the alarm on my phone and called it a night.

 

Click to read about my day in Gander:        Gander visit