VIA RDC and LRC Hospital Trains

Industrial Rail Services Inc. (IRSI) operated from CN's former locomotive shop in Gordon Yard in Moncton. Established in 1999, IRSI publicized its operation as a full-service locomotive and passenger rail car facility specializing in equipment repairs, remanufacturing, modifications and refurbishment.

A total of 27 ex-VIA and ex-BC Rail RDC's found their way there. IRSI's owner, Richard Carpenter, planned to rebuild them and sell them to North American passenger rail systems. Blog partner Steve Boyko visited and photographed the IRSI operation in 2009. But the domestic market for rebuilt RDC's was soft, and foreign interests in Argentina and elsewhere apparently weren't interested either. IRSI had contracts to rebuild the entire LRC fleet with the first cars completed in 2001, 21 Renaissance cars and six RDC's for VIA. IRSI entered receivership in 2012. Famously, VIA 6133 was saved from the scrapper's jaws in 2016 and repatriated to VIA's Toronto Maintenance Centre (TMC) by Rapido Trains Inc. The rest of the ex-VIA RDC's not being worked on were scrapped.

As VIA equipment moved to IRSI, I was aware of two such movements. I was unable to photograph either one, but thanks to the co-operation of my Dad to photograph the one below in 2000, and the kind sharing by Tim Dryden of his photographs showing the second in 2004, I'm able to document them both in this post.

On September 27, 2000 I was stuck at work but I asked my Dad to head up to the tracks at Mi 182 CN Kingston Sub to photograph the RDC's wherever they might be on CN train No 306. Well it turns out that was three cars from the tail-end! (Three L.C. Gagnon photos - below):

The head-end approaches (above) and the RDC's finally appear (below):

VIA RDC-1 6122 leads RDC-2 6219, the latter rebuilt for VIA and re-entering service in October, 2013.

• RDC's sold to IRSI in 2000: VIA 6105*, 6107, 6114, 6119, 6122, 6136, 6137, 6143, 6200, 6202, 6204, 6206, 6207, 6208*, 6212, 6213, 6216, 6217*, 6219*, 6220, 6221, 6222, 6223, 6224.
• RDC's sold to IRSI in 2002: BC-12, "BC-16" actually VIA 6128.
• VIA 6133 was still in service when sent to IRSI in 2010.

*rebuilt for VIA Rail in 2013 at IRSI and not scrapped

Unfortunately, I'd have to check all through my observations to see if I caught any of these other RDC movements!

On April 27, 2004 seventeen LRC locomotives were sitting at VIA's Montreal Maintenance Centre (MMC), marshalled between two VIA locomotives with head-end VIA cars and IRSI and VIA tail-end idler cars, to operate as VIA train No 614. The train was 1,540 feet long and weighed 2,480 tons. Operating at a maximum of 20 mph for the first 40 miles, following an inspection to check bearings, the train could increase its speed in 10 mph increments up to a maximum of 50 mph. VIA crews operated the train, with refuelling scheduled at Riviere du Loup, QC. 

Some of these locomotives like 6927, 6928 and 6930, first bumped by VIA's new 6400's, had been stored as early as 1990 despite being the last to enter service only six years earlier. At VIA's Ville St Pierre facility as early as 1990, 6908, 6910 and 6911 and 6913 had their windows covered by plywood and exhausts wrapped in plastic. After 1991, only 8 to 12 LRC locomotives were in service at any given time. VIA 6917 and 6921, among the last seven to be operated from 1997 to 2001 (and the only two preserved, in Toronto and St-Constant respectively) were returned to service in 1992, and others were stored or re-entered service. The last seven LRC locomotives in service in late 2001: 6903, 6905, 6907, 6914, 6917, 6919, 6921. My last LRC sighting was on August 30, 2001 as VIA No 67’s four cars were powered into the setting sun by 6921.

The last seven units were moved from Montreal to Toronto on CN freight train No 309, arriving at the TMC for storage in January, 2002. Then in August, 2003 there were 24 LRC locomotives visible at the MMC. By September, 2003 the last seven were being offered for sale, as is, and therefore not on this hospital train. The consist: 

Proposed schedule for VIA No 614: Montreal dep 1810 April 27; Joffre, QC 2300; Riviere du Loup, QC 0200 April 28; Moncton 1130. It seems the train ran late, with at least one stop to check hot wheels, reaching Miramichi, NB at 1600. The departure from Montreal reportedly took place on the one day of the week (Tuesday) that the Ocean didn't regularly operate!

Tim Dryden chased VIA No 614 from Bathurst, NB to Moncton and his photos of the hospital train's trip are a great addition to this post! 

VIA took care to paint out their yellow logo on the flanks of the LRC locomotives, sometimes with various shades of paint! IRSI lettering had been added.

I included Tim's bridge photo at this point in the post because it clearly shows the 'blue LRC' and its one-sided nature (above) and its very large yellow VIA logo painted out. VIA 6922 had an experimental blue scheme on the engineer's side, applied after its road service. Some accounts say the one-side-blue scheme was applied to gauge employee reaction. The view below shows the other side:

IRSI coach 132 (above - trailing 6902) was built in 1949 for the International Great Northern, operating on the Missouri Pacific until it was sold to New Jersey Transit in 1968. VIA purchased the car in 1989 for possible HEP conversion. Several of the purchased cars were not converted, with this one being sold to IRSI.

Arrival at Gort - entrance to CN's Gordon Yard in Moncton (above and below), their last stop on the road to oblivion.

The VIA idler cars and locomotives from the move stayed in Moncton for a layover of 24 hours, then were to return on the next VIA No 15.

Though it's beyond the scope of this post to detail all of IRSI's financial troubles and unfulfilled plans, many pieces of ex-VIA equipment were eventually scrapped on the site and some contract work was completed elsewhere. Most of the LRC locomotives were scrapped at IRSI in 2007, with 6901, 6916 and 6925 still there in 2008.

Two stored LRC locomotives had a last high-speed ‘hurrah’ on the night of August 6, 2003.  Pulled by 6421 and trailed by baggage car 8613, the 6921 and 6907 were moved from TMC to MMC in a night-time movement.  Operating at 50 mph to Oshawa, where an inspection was made, maximum speed was increased to 75 mph.  A second stop and inspection at Port Hope, and the little train was off again, at a maximum speed of 90 mph!

Disposition of other LRC locomotives: 

• 6903, 6905 to DESX
• 6906, 6920 destroyed by fire while in VIA service
• 6907, 6914, 6919 for sale in 2004, still at TMC in 2008. 6907 and 6914 scrapped at CAD in 2010 and 6919 scrapped at TMC in 2011.
• 6908 to CAD in 1999; 6918 and 6929 to CAD in 2002
• 6912 at MMC until at least 2004 prepared and proposed for re-engining, scrapped at IRSI in 2007
• 6917, 6921 preserved in Toronto and St-Constant, respectively
• 6926 to Texas in 2003

IRSI's optimistic plans for former VIA equipment ended not with a bang, but with a whimper. Unless, of course, you forget about the bang of the scrapper's metal-crushing jaws.

Photos posted by Claudette Cousineau to social media show LRC's during a tour of VIA's MMC in 2003:

'Blue LRC' 6922 with VIA logo painted out and IRSI lettering by cab door coupled to 6902 (above) and nine LRC's at the end of the line (truly at the end of their line!) of LRC's with a tarped Park car just visible at left:

Lots o' links:

• VIA 6912 tarped at IRSI on non-standard trucks. Was it transported there by truck?
• Jeremy McPherson visited and photographed more wonders at IRSI 
• Winter of their discontent - snowy slumber at Montreal, January 2004.

Running extra...

All serious students of Ottawa-area classic CPR railroading will enjoy this Kitchissippi Museum Youtube video showing a Dayliner from-the-cab view of an Ottawa West-Brockville return trip in 1965. Smiths Falls appears at the 15:00 mark. The Kitchissippi Museum Youtube video page includes several other Ottawa-area vintage railway videos.

And etudiants serieux of Montreal-area modern-day VIA and commuter railroading will enjoy this Youtube video by Marc Dufour from Canada's latest and greatest elevated railfanning platform - the new REM commuter line from Brossard to Central Station. It skirts the commuter yards, VIA Montreal Maintenance Centre and CN's former Pointe St Charles shops. See! the VIA deadline. Feel! the Panorama cars awaiting their transformation. Hear! the impatience of the Siemens sets to be finally put in service! One of Marc's still shots showing VIA 204, 6251 and 6425 in the deadline: