Kingston-Montreal Return Trip, March 1993

On March 11, 1993 our little family left Kingston aboard VIA No 66 for another visit to snowy Montreal to visit my sister. We were in one of three cars led by VIA 6428 (arriving - top photo. All photos in this post by L.C. Gagnon). While we waited, CN 4108-4123 backed one CN gon and five cars for DuPont plus caboose 79577 east into Queens (below), returning westbound with one CCBX covered hopper for Northern Telecom.

We were in south-facing seats 7-8 and 11-12, so our three year-old was playing 'peekaboo' a lot. There was a two-unit CN freight switching at Brockville, and we passed another eastbound west of Brockville. A tie pickup train was at Morrisburg. At Coteau, CN 7014-7075 (the latter in the CN North America scheme) were switching to the south. We met the outbound Montreal Urban Community Transit Commission (MUCTC) commuter parade: 1313 with 10 single-level cars at 1805; 1312 with 10 cars at 1808; and 1302 with 10 cars at 1812. Arriving in Montreal at 1830, the VIA train to Gaspe was alongside at Central Station

On March 14, having toured the Biodome and witnessed the Battle of Quebec at the Forum, the Cathedral of Hockey, we prepared to board VIA No 65: 6419-six LRC cars-6444 in the same seats, now on the north side, in coach 3321. The Habs had been beaten by the Nordiques, who passed us in the concourse of Central Station, likely on their way to board VIA No 22 to Quebec City. CN centre-cabs 6720, 6712, 6723, 6725, 6726 and 6727, as well as ex-VIA, now commuter coaches, 5452-5541 were on station trackage, as was CN switcher 1298. As we passed Pointe St Charles, CN 7238 was switching, and lots of ex-VIA cab units were in storage awaiting disposition. Some of the American stainless steel cars bought by VIA for its Head End Power program could be seen: one dome, two baggages and two others. Several CN freights were at Turcot: 9401-2107-2004; 9610-2332; 9670; 2028-CN North America (CNNA) 6008. Switching intermodal cars were CN 7067-7073 (CNNA). Passing Dorval at 1247, CP crane 414219, idler flats 301349, 342140 and boom car 421804 were trailed by ex-van work transporter CP 420991.

MUCTC 1301 led single-level coach 801 and gallery cars 926-925-922-900 at 1301. CN had a crane outfit at Caron: crane 50442 with boxcars 43077-545715 and fifty-foot boxcar 556697. Two westbound CN Laser trains were on the north track at Coteau, led by 9634-9633-9661 and 9541-9476-9549. It had taken us 90 minutes to get this far, either due to signal issues and/or accumulated snowfall. We met VIA 6409 with five LRC cars at Cornwall at 1405.

Things got interesting at Brockville, where we were stationary from 1500 to 1530. We pulled into the yard on the south track. VIA No 45 from Ottawa, due out at 1247, was on the north track at the station, going to be joined to our train. First, their crew had to change the knuckle of locomotive 6423. Another VIA train, 6405 with five cars went by, likely No 42 due out at 1359. We met VIA No 64 at 1537 behind 6429 with seven LRC cars and a baggage, then this eastbound CN Laser with 9431-9404-9468: 

The eastbound CN Laser (above) and VIA No 64 (below) that my Dad photographed while waiting for our train to arrive from Montreal. Look at those drifts. Of course he got there a little early to do some trainwatching and photography while waiting to pick us up.

Our J-train arrives with our No 65 leading No 45.

We arrived in Kingston at 1630. I had no time to lose, having to leave Kingston for Toronto that evening aboard VIA No 49. 

Running extra...

Some notable celebrity deaths this week: Louis Anderson, Bob Saget, Betty White and Meat Loaf. A lot of people don't know that early in his career, he shortened his name, the artist formerly known as Meat Pickle N. Pimento Loaf. I've decided that this is not the place to do a lot of entertainment industry commentary. Especially on Meat Loaf. I Would Do Anything not to. It would be Paradise by...well, you get the idea.

Betty White has been lionized due to her long career. Donations made in her name to animal causes were too numerous to cat-alogue. That lack of accounting has been dog-ging me and it doesn't seem fish-y at all. What matters is the total and the fact that many, many, mary tyler more donations might come in yet.

Louie Anderson? Not America's Funniest. Like Gilbert Gottfried, just one octave lower. Bob Saget...no room to comment, as this section is already a full house. Oh well, Two Out of Three Ain't Bad!