In this post, our excursion reaches Victoriaville, gets serviced, and runpasts occur afterwards.
We also look at contemporary local employee timetables and a CRHA account of the trip.
If you want to see Part 1 of the trip, here's the link:
If you want to see Part 1 of the trip, here's the link:
Below is the official schedule once again.
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| from: Atlas of Canada; 1915; Government of Canada. |
The map above shows our route in Grand Trunk territory -
running east from Montreal through St Hyacinthe.
At Richmond, we headed north to Victoriaville.
Our excursion train is at the Victoriaville station before going to the wye.
My father does a pan shot with 6167 and includes my grandfather.
... and off to the wye.
We pose at an eastern Canadian grain elevator.
Rather than the customary clamshell bucket for coal loading,
a proper 'elevator' is used at Victoriaville.
Townspeople and excursion riders mix.
I had forgotten how these excursions gave leave to people to climb to the top of equipment.
At around 16hr we do our last two runpasts.
My father uses colour for the reverse movement.
I think it is safe to conclude that the communicating (air) signal is being used by the conductor.
Portable radios were probably not in widespread use on Canadian railways then,
and it would have been a challenge to mount an effective radio of the era in 6167.
... And, I think, radios had yet to be approved by regulation for communicating passenger train signals.
The runpast is captured with black and white film.
People often stood very close to the track.
At the second runpast, the mechanical stoker is working hard
to produce black smoke for photos.
A safety valve has also lifted.
* * *
Below is the November 1963 CRHA summary of the trip.
It provides interesting insights into how an excursion is crewed.
Notice the use of a 'work extra' order.
I assume this is to provide flexibility for runpasts etc.
In December 1963, the CRHA published this photo - taken from the motorcading bus.
In the CRHA account I was interested in the operational details. The '1960s main line steam excursion era' was made easier by the fact that virtually every engine crewman (and they were all men at that point) had experience with steam locomotives.
The CNR, then a crown corporation, had an interest in its history and its relationship with Canadians. That was another key condition during an era when most North American railroads were happy to be finished with steam.
The CNR, then a crown corporation, had an interest in its history and its relationship with Canadians. That was another key condition during an era when most North American railroads were happy to be finished with steam.
Below are the employee timetables applicable to our route from the late 1950s. First you'll see Victoriaville to Richmond, then Richmond to Montreal.
During the engine cut-off, or perhaps as we entered Central Station,
my father took the last photo of the day.
My grandfather died two months later.
my father took the last photo of the day.
My grandfather died two months later.