TTS 2010 Transportation weekend:
Prologue:
Since 1996, the Toronto Transportation Society (TTS) has had a “Transportation weekend” on the Labour Day weekends during an even numbered year. I went to their 2000 transportation weekend, but missed the 2002 because I was at SAIT. However, I’ve participated in the 2004, 2006, and 2008 transportation weekends. They usually have a bus charter on the Saturday and a streetcar charter on the Sunday in the Greater Toronto Area.
In spring of 2010, I learned that the Transportation Weekend would be in Montreal for a change and the TTC charter rates have gone way up. For the Saturday, we would charter an older STM Classic. On the Sunday, we would charter an RTL Classic, but to keep to the rail theme, we would visit Exporail.
I would not have been able to attend the trip if I was still working at Wal-Mart because I worked in the Stationary department and I was barely able to get the time off for transportation weekends in 2006 and 2008 because of Back-to-School.
I decided to go the Thursday before on VIA train 56 and leave late on Sunday on train 69. The trip unfolded as follows.
September 2, 2010:
I left at 7:46 am and got a ride to Finch. About an hour after I left, I arrived at Union. I went to line up for train 56 and saw a large line already! Boarding commenced around 9:10. The train had 5 LRC coaches. I boarded the third coach. I don’t remember the number, but it was a 3300 series economy class coach. Just like my 2009 Chaleur trip and my trip to Montreal 6 months later, VIA train 56 was coupled to the rear of train 42 to Ottawa.
The coach was full, but I got a window seat on the left hand side of the train. The train departed two minutes late. A few minutes after we departed, I saw the inbound Canadian and took a so-so picture of it.
I noticed a rebuilt F40PH-2 was
leading train 42, but I didn’t know which unit it was. I also saw a P42 was
leading train 56. When the train passed TTC’s
The train stopped in Cobourg. I
filmed the Memory Junction museum when we passed. Later, train 43 passed, but I
was unable to film it. The train passed through Belleville non-stop. A few
months ago, trains 42 and 56 began passing through
A little while later, we stopped in Kingston. After we left, train 57 passed, but I was unable to film it.
West of Brockville, the train
stopped so 42 could be separated from 56.We then stopped at
The train stopped in
Train 56 soon departed. A little
while later, we passed a VIA train that was bound for
I then went upstairs to the station.
I then left for the Metro and bought a three-day pass. I rode the
At one point, I saw STM Classic
#11-087 which is one of the oldest Classics in service with STM. Its sister
11-014 is the oldest. Unfortunately, I was unable to photograph 11-087. I had
also seen several Nova LFS articulated buses running along
I decided to go out. On this trip, I
decided to go to
I then caught an orange line train to Cartier. In some previous research, I was told the best places to find the 6000 series STL Classics was at Cartier and Montmorency stations. I caught a northbound Metro train and rode to Cartier station. I got off the train and made my way to the bus terminal. I saw a Classic, but it was numbered in the 6400 series. The Classic I saw was 6403. I photographed it.
I then went to a nearby corner and photographed 6403 passing.
I waited around to see if a 6000 or 6100 series Classic would show up. I saw STL Classics 6506 and 6406 pass. I photographed 6406.
I then saw an RTS in belonging to SURF. It was in a livery I thought looked attractive. I photographed it.
I photographed a new STL Nova LFS 3rd generation and then went to the corner and photographed STL 6506 and the SURF RTS.
I figured there wouldn’t be any 6000 or 6100 series Classics coming to Cartier, so I decided to ride two stops north to Montmorency. When I got there, I saw Classic 6012 which was on route 26. I took a photo of it.
6012 then went to the layover area. I walked over and took another photo of it.
When I photographed 6012, an AMT security guard told me to delete it. AMT owns the Montmorency bus terminal even though STL runs most of the buses there. I told him he had no right to. He then told me that I needed a permit and photography wasn’t allowed. I asked him where, and he pointed out a sheet of bylaws in French. It didn’t appear to say anything about photography. I decided to check it out later when I got access to a computer with internet access.
I then went to wait for 6012 to come on route 26. There was a long line. A Nova LFS came first which emptied most of the line. I actually let a few people behind me in line go ahead of me onto the LFS. A few minutes after the LFS departed, 6012 pulled up. I got on and took some interior photos without incident. I then went for a ride and after several minutes, I got off and took some photos of 6012 before I filmed it pulling away.
After 6012 pulled away, I crossed the street and waited for a bus to take me back to Montmorency. While waiting, I photographed STL Classic 6109.
After about 15-20 minutes, a bus arrived. I rode back to Montmorency. I saw the security guard standing there, but I didn’t say anything to him; though I did give him a “you’re an idiot” look. I saw several people smoking on the platform even though smoking is banned. Yet the security guards did nothing! They harass photographers when photography isn’t banned, yet they don’t do anything about smoking which is linked to cancer and death!
I saw STL Classic #6115 arrive. I filmed it with my “secondary camera” which the security guards didn’t notice, though the videos weren’t perfect. I decided to go for a ride.
After a short ride, I got off and ended up taking some not so good shots of 6115.
Sorry I couldn’t have gotten a better shot of STL 6115.
I saw there was a nearby mall, so I went in and looked around I knew I had forgotten the charger to my cell phone at home, so I looked for a temporary charger. I bought one for about $26 at a Wal-Mart in the mall. I still shop at Wal-Mart even though I no longer have the luxury of my employee discount card which entitles me to a 10% discount on purchases.
After I bought the charger, I had a massage in a coin operated massage chair. I then went to the food court for dinner. After dinner, I went to catch a bus back to Montmorency, but ended up walking back. I noticed the security guards weren’t there anymore. I got on the Metro and rode to Barri-Uqam station and transferred to the green line. I rode the green line two stops west to Place-des-Arts station. I then took two photos of the train I rode before I left the station.
I then went to catch a bus back to my hotel. I saw there was a Nova LFS articulated bus waiting. I photographed it before it pulled up. I got on and rode back to my hotel. I got off and photographed it before it pulled away.
I then went back to my hotel and dropped my stuff off in my room. I then went to the lobby and saw there was a computer with internet access I could use. I went onto the internet and checked AMT’s website and translated the bylaws into English and sure enough, photography wasn’t mentioned. If the security guards at Montmorency knew their stuff, I wouldn’t have had any problems.
I also went onto Facebook for a few minutes and then on the Canadian Public Transit Discussion Board where I posted about my run in at Montmorency. I then went out and bought some milk and some cereal for breakfast the following morning. I then watched some TV before I called it a night.
September 3, 2010:
I got up shortly after 9:00 am. I went to the kitchenette of my hotel for breakfast. I had noticed it the night before. Cutlery and glasses were provided as long as you cleaned up after yourself. I only had two dishes to wash which I did after breakfast. After breakfast, I went to the computer and logged onto the Canadian Public Transit Discussion Board where I saw that a few people had replied to what had happened at Montmorency the evening before with the AMT security guard. Not surprisingly, they took my side.
I then went to my room where I proceeded to phone AMT and told them about the incident. They said they would phone me back to follow up or if they needed more information.
I then decided to head out. I wanted to be at Central Station in time to meet VIA train 52 from Toronto. I went out and waited for a route 80 or route 535 bus to take me to Place-Des-Arts Metro station. When the bus arrived, I saw it was another Nova LFS articulated. I photographed it before I got on.
I rode the bus to Place-des-Arts Metro station. I got off and took some photos of the bus.
I then got on the Metro and rode one stop west to McGill. I then went out to see if I could see any 11-000 or 12-000 series STM Classics as I was aware they would be used on a shuttle service later in the day at this location, but none were there at this point. I looked around the nearby Eaton Centre for a few minutes before I got on the Metro and rode to Lionel-Groulx. I got off and filmed the train leaving. I then caught an orange line train to Bonadventure station and walked to Central station. Shortly after I got there, I saw someone from the TTS who had arrived the night before and was staying with his sister.
After talking with him for a few minutes, we went to the McDonald’s inside the station for lunch. After lunch, we went to the main area of the station. I saw that train 52 was now running 10 minutes late. So I waited.
When train
52 arrived, I looked for anyone I could recognize. At first, I didn’t see
anyone, but when I looked towards the part of the station where AMT’s blue line
boards, I saw some people I knew from the TTS and various charters including
the Dayton BBC 110 charter back in May. I also saw the kid I saw at Finch when
I was heading down to Union Station to head out on my 2007
Soon, a
local transit fan who I met on the STO 7901 charter last year joined us
offering us some local knowledge. He mentioned about my encounter with the AMT
security guard the day before at Montmorency. He also mentioned how I saw STM
11-087 and 12-003 in service the day before. I told him that in 2006, I rode
STM Classic 11-022 (which has since been retired). I also told him that it was
no coincidence because of my name on the CPTDB. I also showed some photos I
took during the charters on BBC 110 and my trip to
I added $19
to my OPUS card I had bought back in April. I thought we were taking AMT’s blue
line to Deux Montagnes. However, I learned we’d only take the line back to
We headed off towards the Metro. We would ride it to Montmorency. On the way to the subway, some people in the group made a wrong turn to get to the Metro, but soon realized their mistake. When we got to Bonadventure, I used my three day pass to get into the metro, but I had to wait for everyone else.
Once everyone else was organized and in the fare paid area, we went to the platform. There was a train there already. I saw everyone else boarding further back. I boarded the second car because it was the closest to me. The doors closed and the train departed. At the next stop, I got off and ran to the front car where I remained for the rest of the way to Montmorency.
When the train arrived, I got off and soon met up with everyone else. They asked where I was. I told them I was in the front car and they were okay with that.
One person,
Toby remarked how different the
Soon, we got to the bus terminal. We would be riding on SURF route 8. However the bus wasn’t due for over 20 minutes. I saw an STL Classic pull into the terminal. I soon saw it was 6115 which I had ridden the night before. I went out to get photos of it from the sidewalk because the AMT security guards couldn’t touch us. As I walked out, I think I saw the same guard from the day before. I soon made it to the street.
Other people soon joined me. It seemed that the security guards don’t understand photography laws because they told someone else that we couldn’t photograph towards the terminal from the sidewalk! I knew this was a lie and said so. I knew that because the Canadian Charter of Freedoms says that I can photograph anything from public property without exception unless it’s a military base or somewhere people have a reasonable expectation of privacy like the insides of their homes. A bus much less a bus terminal qualifies for neither. These AMT security guards are about as bad as some of the drivers at YRT’s First Student division!
Meanwhile Classic 6115 departed and I photographed it.
Meanwhile RTL Nova LFS 3rd generation #1001 showed up. I thought it was amusing because it carried the fleet number of the only Nova LFS the TTC ever had. I photographed STL 1001.
TTC LFS
#1001 was built in 1998 and was run for a couple years. 1001 was sold to Barrie
Transit where it was renumbered 65598. I rode 1001 in
Meanwhile a few SURF Nova LFS’s arrived and departed before one showed up on the route 8 which is where we wanted to go. I thought my OPUS card would be good on SURF and AMT, but someone said they didn’t think so. I got a $4.00 fare ready just in case. When we all went to line up, there was a large crowd waiting to get on the 8 and I wondered if we would all fit!
When I went to board the bus, I tried my OPUS card, but it didn’t work. I paid the $4.00 and obtained a transfer. Despite the large crowd, we all managed to fit on the bus and I managed to find a seat. There were a lot of standees though.
The bus departed and we ended up going on the highway. For awhile, the bus was running express. After awhile, we ended up at an AMT bus terminal. This terminal didn’t have any security guards. However, the only buses there were NOVA LFS’s, cutaways, and buses that look like school buses. I took a picture of the bus we rode down on.
I also photographed some of the other buses there.
We had awhile to wait for a connecting bus that would take us to Deux Montagnes. While waiting, I walked over to a nearby KFC (or PFK in Quebec) and bought a drink. I went back to the terminal.
The bus that would take us to Deux Montagnes station is route 80. When the bus showed up, I saw it was #08-0. Someone commented “bus 80 on 80!” I photographed it.
I boarded the bus and sat at the back. It was just like a school bus. Other people boarded a cutaway on another route that would also go to Deux Montagnes. The bus left a couple minutes late and about 15 minutes later, we arrived at Deux Montagnes station.
At Deux Montagnes, I photographed former ancient CN electric locomotive #6710 which is on display at the station.
6710 was built in 1914 and retired in 1995 when the current equipment assigned to the Deux Montagnes line entered service. Several of 6710’s sisters are preserved including 6711 at Exporail.
We went inside the station to purchase tickets. Once again, I saw my OPUS card didn’t work. I used my debit card to purchase a ticket back to Montreal Central station. I went onto the platform to await the train to Montreal. While waiting, I talked with Toby about the impending retirement of the TTC classes H-4, H-5, and H-6 subway cars with new trains to be delivered in the near future. I also mentioned someone has expressed interest in acquiring the H-5 and H-6 cars second hand.
In total, the wait for the next train was about 15-20 minutes. When the train arrived, I filmed it and then photographed it.
We boarded the train. A lot of us boarded the front car. I sat down and waited for the departure. The train departed on time.
The route was mostly through suburban neighborhoods though we did cross a fairly large bridge over a river. We passed a couple trains along the way. After several stops, we were back in STM territory. I could tell when I saw a STM Nova LFS. At one point, we crossed a CN line on a diamond. I saw a track going from North to east on that subdivision which is where a future AMT line will run. This line will have dual mode units that run under overhead wire and then to diesel. These locomotives haven’t been built yet.
While on the train, TTS president Kevin Nicol showed us pictures of the building where there would be a slideshow later in the evening. The train soon arrived at Montpellier which is the furthest I’ve previously ridden this line. A few minutes later, we entered the long Montreal tunnel and then arrived back at Central Station where I took some more photos of it.
After waiting around for a few minutes, I headed off on my own. I rode the Metro back to McGill. I was once again looking for an 11-000 or 12-000 series Classic.
By now, the shuttle service to the Alouettes football had started. I first saw a couple Nova LFS’s. I then saw a Classic, but it was 14-039. I photographed it anyway.
Five minutes later, I saw another Classic. It was 13-026. I photographed it.
Three minutes later, STM Classic 12-072 showed up. I photographed it before I got on.
I rode 12-072 to the stadium which turned out to be a block away from Parc Avenue. I filmed the bus pulling away and then caught a bus to Sherbrooke Avenue. I then caught a route 24 bus to where the meeting was being held. By now, I was cutting it close to the meeting, so I was unable to have dinner. I found the building where I went upstairs to where the slideshow was being held.
Shortly after I got there, I met Mario from YUL bus charters which helped organize the two charters I would be going on during the weekend. He was very apologetic to me about what had happened the day before with the AMT security guard at Montmorency, even though he didn’t work for AMT or had anything to do with what happened.
The meeting soon began. We were in a classroom at a university. We had a brief meeting then Mario presented a slide show of various buses in Quebec. The show ended with a picture of him standing in front of the detached back section of one of the two articulated Classics from Quebec City sitting in a scrap yard. I had failed to see one when I went to Quebec City in 2008.
There was a brief break. I used it to go to the basement and buy a chocolate bar from a vending machine. I went back where someone else presented shots from Montreal and the south shore from the 50’s through the early 90’s. After the show, I left to find somewhere to eat. I ended up catching a bus to Sherbrooke Metro station where I caught the orange line one stop south to Barri-Uqam station. I went to the intercity bus terminal hoping to have dinner in the restaurant there like I did on my Montreal-Westjet trip. However, it was closing when I got there. I left the station and walked around for awhile looking for somewhere to eat. I saw there was a festival which had shut down a street. I walked several blocks before I found a place to eat. I ordered my food to go and walked back to the Metro. I rode two stops north to Mont-Royal station where I saw a continuation of the festival. I saw people serving hot dogs at this street festival. If I had known, I would have gone straight there. I decided to walk back to my hotel. I made one stop along the way and then soon arrived back at my hotel. I set my alarm for 8:30 and called it a night.
Click here for the STM Classic charter: 11-087 charter
