Prologue:
In 2020 because of COVID, the Canadian National Exhibition was cancelled. I had been going there once every year and was kind of a tradition to me. I decided that I would go to Carnival de Quebec again like I did in 2008. While the Carnival happened in 2021, the world was still messed up so I didn’t even try to go.
However, as I got fully vaccinated, I decided that 2022 would be the year to go. I was a bit concerned when the Omnicron variant of COVID came, but after a booster shot and numbers going down. I decided the trip would be on.
I had hoped that I would get four days off in a row for the Carnival as I did in 2008, but my work only gave me three days. However, I did manage to switch shifts with a coworker at Home Depot which allowed me to go for four days.
My plan was
to ride VIA train #52 to
February 9,
2022:
I got to Union Station at 8:48 am; 44 minutes before my train was scheduled to depart. I found the line for VIA train #52. This trip was the first time since my 2019 trip to Ottawa that I boarded a train at Union Station due to the Pandemic.
My ticket and vaccination status was checked. VIA presently requires all passengers to be fully vaccinated. However, I meet the criteria.
Boarding began at 8:12 am. I was seated in LRC coach #3336 which was the last car on the train. The train had two F40PH-2 locomotives despite the fact there were only four coaches on the train. One more thing was that despite what my ticket said, I didn’t have an assigned seat on the train which was a plus for me as I had a backwards facing seat so I would prefer a forward-facing seat on the left-hand side of the train.
The train left 8 minutes early. My ticket was taken shortly after we left. As we passed TTC’s Greenwood subway yard, I filmed it. We passed several GO trains. The train stopped at Guildwood. It appears the limited number of VIA trains running on the Quebec City-Windsor corridor stop at most stations. We soon departed. I logged into VIA’s Wi-Fi. However, it cut out east of Toronto.
I bought a can of Coke from the food cart when it came by. The train stopped at Oshawa. East of Oshawa a CN freight train passed. Another one passed a few minutes later. We stopped at Cobourg.
East of Cobourg, I filmed the Memory Junction Museum. I saw there was only one CP caboose visible instead of the two plus a former CN steam locomotive and MOW car.
The train stopped at Belleville. At Belleville, I photographed a CN freight that was undergoing a crew change.
As we departed Belleville, I photographed the freight train’s two trailing locomotives.
I decided to watch a DVD I had brought. The Wi-Fi finally started working again. A westbound VIA train passed. The train stopped at Kingston a little while later. A westbound CN freight passed while we were at Kingston.
East of Kingston, the Wi-Fi cut out again. It soon started working again. A Westbound VIA train passed. The Wi-Fi cut out a third time.
The train stopped at Brockville. The train had been running combined with #62 to Montreal. The trains would split at Brockville. However, they appeared to be doing this at the station instead of west of the station as they did previously. Today’s Train #62 had four HEP2 coaches led by a P42.
The train departed Brockville on time.
Outside of Smith Falls, I photographed a mural with a VIA train on it.
As we passed the yard, I caught a glimpse of a pair of Kansas City Southern locomotives as well as one of CP’s few remaining SD40-2s. However, they were blocked by a string of tank cars. I decided to wait to get a better shot. I did photograph locomotive #2215 though.
The train stopped for several minutes to wait for VIA train #53. When it passed, I filmed it. Train #52 started moving again. I then attempted to photograph the KCS locomotives and SD40-2.
CP is in the process of merging with the Kansas City Southern so seeing KCS locomotives may soon be more common.
The train stopped at Smith Falls. The Wi-Fi was working again. I worked on this report some more. The Wi-Fi cut out AGAIN! In all the times I’ve ridden the Quebec City-Windsor corridor I’ve never had the Wi-Fi cut out this many times!
The train stopped at Fallowfield. A little while later we were approaching Ottawa. I got my stuff ready in preparation to get off.
Train #52 arrived into Ottawa 10 minutes late. I got off and took some photos.
I saw the first of VIA’s brand new train sets. I took a photo.
I had a feeling I’d see the new train set. I then went into the station and walked around to get some better photos of the new train.
VIA is buying new Siemans Charger locomotives and new coaches. This includes cab cars so the trains won’t have to be wyed. They will run in the Quebec City-Windsor corridor and will replace the LRC and HEP2 coaches.
I then went to ride the Confederation Line. I bought a single ride ticket which is valid for 90 minutes and went to the eastbound platform. When the next train arrived, I photographed it before I got on.
Since my trip to Ottawa, OC Transpo has had A LOT of problems with the Confederation Line. There were at least two minor derailments plus other problems which ended up closing the line for 1-2 months. The Confederation Line is back in service though and I rode one stop to St. Laurent. I got off and filmed the train leaving.
I then went to the food court at the St Laurent Center. I phoned home and let my mom know I was in Ottawa. After lunch I looked in one store before I went to the station to head back to the VIA station. When the next westbound train arrived, I photographed it.
I rode one stop and got off. I photographed the train and filmed it pulling away.
I then went into the station and went online. After awhile I bought a bottle of Pepsi from the vending machine. I then joined the line for train #28.
Boarding began at 3:41 pm. I was seated in LRC coach #3366. Like with Train #52, there was no assigned seating.
The train left 8 minutes early. As we departed, I filmed a VIA train with a P42 and HEP2 coaches on the track next to us as well as the new trainset. I then took a photo of the new Charger locomotive.
Shortly after we left the station, we passed OC Transpo’s St. Laurent bus garage. I saw some retired D60LFs and a fire damaged D60LFr.
The train passed over a bridge over a frozen river before stopping at Casselman. I noticed the Wi-Fi on this train was working much better than on train #52. The train then departed Casselman.
The train stopped at Alexandria a little while later. We passed over the CP main line and stopped at Coteau as the sun got low on the horizon. A westbound VIA train passed with HEP2 coaches.
The train stopped west of Dorval. After a few minutes we were underway again. We crossed over a river and passed a westbound VIA train. We also passed an EXO commuter train on the parallel CP line.
As we approached Dorval, we passed a CP intermodal and another EXO commuter train. We then stopped at Dorval.
As we rounded the curve towards Central station, I saw several retired AMT EMU commuter cars that formerly ran on the Deux Montagnes line. The Deux Montagnes line is being converted to a light rail line of sorts if you can believe it! As a result, the equipment formerly assigned to the line has been retired. Hopefully some of the cars will escape scrap.
We were soon approaching Montreal. It felt weird since in the past I would normally be getting ready to get off but I am actually continuing past Montreal on the train.
As we pulled into the station, I filmed the equipment that would be tonight’s Ocean to Halifax. VIA recently started running a second departure on the Ocean. The Ocean’s consist is a mix of HEP1 and Renaissance coaches oriented in alternating directions. The reason for this is that the Ocean used to be turned on a balloon track or loop in Halifax harbor near the station. VIA has lost access to that track and there is nowhere nearby to wye the train. The locomotives run back-to-back instead of elephant style like VIA traditionally has run F40s in the past.
In Montreal many passengers got off but people continuing past Montreal stayed on board the train.
More passengers got on and the train departed. We backed out of Montreal like my train to Quebec did on my 2008 trip.
We were going forward and proceeded over the St. Lawrence Seaway and then stopped at St. Lambert.
East of St.
Lambert a CN freight passed by. The train passed by Saint-Hyacinthe
non-stop.
I
bought dinner when it was served from the cart. A westbound freight train
passed. A little while later, we stopped at Drummondville.
Some
point later the crew announced the train was running 16 minutes EARLY!
West
of Charny we passed the Prevost factory. Provost builds highway coaches. We
stopped at Charny a few minutes later. After leaving Charny we curved North and
crossed over the St. Lawrence River on the Quebec Bridge which collapsed twice
during construction. We stopped at Sainte-Foy a few minutes later.
Soon
we were approaching Quebec City. I readied my stuff in preparation to get off.
Train
#28 arrived 15 minutes early. I got off and photographed the train.
I
then went to catch a bus to my hotel. While there was a bus that would take me from
the station to my hotel, the bus ran infrequently so taking two buses would get
me to my hotel sooner.
I
then went outside and went to catch a bus on route #800. While waiting, I
photographed an articulated Nova LFS on route #800 going the other way.
My
bus came which was another articulated LFS. I rode 10 stops before I got off. I
transferred to route #19 and rode to my hotel. I then checked in and went to my
room. I phoned home and went online.
I
went out but found all the stores in the area were closed tight. I went back to
my hotel and set the alarm on my phone and called it a night.
February 10, 2022:
I
got up and got dressed. I went downstairs for breakfast. The breakfast was like
the hotel I stayed at in Sault Ste. Marie where they put it in a bag to take
with you. I took mine to my room.
It
was snowing outside. I went online for awhile. I saw that something from
Carnival was closed for that day but would open the next day. I did some
research and found a store that sells RTC passes.
I
went to the store, but the employee didn’t understand what I wanted. I boarded
a bus on route #1 which would have been the route that went directly from the
station to hotel. I ended up going the opposite direction that I had intended.
I ended up riding to the end of the route and back downtown. I got off downtown
and photographed a Van Hool bus on route #28.
I
looked around for another place that sold RTC passes. I caught a NOVA LFS
articulated bus to Gare Du Palais but I didn’t photograph the bus. I logged
into the station’s Wi-Fi and struggled to find another place that sold RTC
passes. I looked into a place across the street from the station and was
eventually directed to a Metro grocery store next door.
Once
at the Metro, I was finally able to buy a day pass. I was told it was a 24-hour
pass so I thought I could ask for that at the store near my hotel the next day.
I
then went to the bus stop to wait for the next route #1 bus. When it came, I
got on and rode past the ferry terminal. There is a ferry that sails between
Quebec City and Levis which is on the other side of the river. My friend Dan
rode the ferry when we came in 2008, but I didn’t.
I
was hoping to ride the funicular I had seen in 2008 but forgotten to ride.
However, I didn’t see in by the time the route #1 got to the end of the line.
The driver said the funicular was a short walk away.
I
walked and found a long staircase up the cliff face. I climbed up and ended up on
the Plains of Abraham. This was where a historical battle between England and
France was fought in the 1700s. I took some photos.
I
made my way to the Hotel du Concorde. I asked how to get to the funicular. I
got directions and it was a ten-minute walk away.
I
set out and came across the Carnival. I passed into the old part of Quebec City
and stopped for lunch at a restaurant.
After
lunch I continued towards the funicular. I stopped to photograph a sign marking
where a tree used to stand with a cannonball from the battle mentioned earlier.
The late Stuart McLean of the Vinyl Café mentioned it a couple times on his
radio program. The tree was sadly removed last year because it was dying. A
sign was put in its place.
I
got to the funicular a few minutes later. I paid $4.00 for the ride. I got on
the funicular and rode down to the bottom. I took some photos.
The
bottom of the funicular was near the ferry terminal. I walked to the ferry
terminal to wait for the next route #1 back downtown. While waiting I
photographed the ferry and the funicular.
The
#1 finally came and I got on. I rode to where I saw the Van Hool. While waiting
for the next route #28 bus to come, I photographed various articulated NOVA LFS
buses.
Van
Hool #1956 showed up. I photographed it.
I
saw the bus had a one-piece parlor door like various 30 and 35 foot Orion 1s
from the past. I also saw the bus was pretty small.
I
rode the bus a few stops. I saw the bus was following another Van Hool on route
#19. I got off #1956 and filmed it pulling away.
I
caught a NOVA LFS on route #3 to Youville. I saw some Nova LFS buses in the
older livery which ironically was the newer livery when I was in Quebec back in
2008. I got off my bus and took a couple photos.
When
I saw all the buses in the previous livery; it reminded me of my Western Canada
trip where Mark and I got to photograph a lot of fishbowls at the West Edmonton
Mall. I took a ride on LFS #0931. After my ride I photographed a few other
buses.
I
boarded Nova LFS #0731 on route # 230. The #230 is an express bus that only picks
up passengers downtown. I rode it out to the first stop where people could get
off and photographed the bus before I filmed it pulling away.
I
boarded a bus on route #72 and rode until I got off. I was trying to get back
downtown. I saw a stop serving routes 72, 185, and three express routes. The
#185 and express routes would have taken me to where I was going, but only the
#72 came. I boarded the second #72 bus and rode to a terminal which connected
with route #801 which would take me downtown. I just missed a bus on route #801
but the next bus was less than 10 minutes away. While waiting, I photographed
another Van Hool.
The
route #801 came and I got on. I got off when I saw an A&W. I bought dinner
and waited for the next #801 downtown. I rode that bus downtown and got off and
bought a treat and some milk at a store. I eventually caught a route #1 bus
back to my hotel. I went online and worked on this report some more. I
eventually set the alarm on my phone for 8:30 and called it a night.
Click here for my day at Carnival de Quebec and ride home: Winter Carnival
