My replies aren't coming up on the page the way I would like. Not exactly like a forum.
Anyways I could see that the Chalk River sub has spectacular scenery. It twists along the river and through the hills with few straights. Would need a tilting train to get up to a decent speed. ;) It wraps right around the shore at Pembroke!
small correction - The Carleton Place Line from Ottawa West to Churchill Ave was left as a spur to switch a couple of businesses. I remember this as a kid. When the Transitway was being built, CP crews came along and removed the jointed rail piece by piece.
After, the trench was dug for the Transitway and today, OC busses run at 80kph right on the location where CP passenger trains used to run.
Never got to see The Canadian here in Ottawa. I would have been 11 years old at the last chance. I remember when I was at school (grade 4 I think) in Barrhaven I saw a SS train go by going to Smiths Falls but that was the last one I ever saw running through Ottawa.
after 1967, the route through Ottawa was eliminated by the NCC and Jacques Greber. He was one *******! Removing trains from Ottawa hurt the future of commuter rail.
The M&O line lasted till 1986.
The Carleton Place Sub lasted (from Bells Corners to Carleton Place) till 1991.
VIA's Canadian was the only train to travel on the Carleton Place Sub till 1990 and Mulroney's budget cuts.
CP's Ottawa West-Bells Corners portion was abandoned in 1967.
Definitely if I could be "James Almighty" I would restore the station downtown and 4-6 covered platforms, but get rid of the ugly yard that was next to it, and create a staging yard at tremblay. Only 2 tracks max to feed into the station. Delete Nicholas Street, getting rid of the Rideau & King Edward truck traffic. Restore the Alexandra tracks. You can see where the tracks arched up and over in Hull though Parc Dupuis. Oh I wish.
South of the 417, the ex-CP right of way is still visible in a farmers field. The Canadian went across the present 417-416 interchange, under the ex-Canadian Northern, now CNR mainline, across Moodie Drive, to Bells Corners. Then on to Stittsville, through Ashton and to Carleton Place where it turned right/north to continue it's journey to western Canada on the Chalk River Subdivision.
It's pretty easy to see where it used to be here, just follow the arrow-straight bike paths. It goes right past my brother's work (Iber and Abbot). Runs right alongside Abbot right past The main intersection in Stittsville!
Sure makes a snap right turn at "CP". Wasn't the Chalk River sub very recently abandoned (by who?) My Bro has a friend in Almonte, goes there nearly every weekend. Used to be big freights through there lots, now it seems too quiet.
The Canadian went down near where the NCC Parkway is now. Through residential neighbourhoods. Across Woodroffe Ave. To Britannia Beach. Across Carling Ave, to Holly Acres Rd. There was a junction with the old CN's Arnprior Line. J.R. Booths ex Ottawa, Arnprior, Parry Sound RR. Behind the water treatment plant. Today, OC Transpo uses a portion of the old CN ROW for access to the Bayshore Transit Station.
This is the most amazing part. Looking carefully at Google Maps, you can still see exactly where the rail line USED to be. From the transitway, you can see it in the trees beside the parkway. Squeezes in behind businesses on the north side of The Richmond Road. It went RIGHT BEHIND my mother's old work (Richmond and Woodroffe) and close to my co-worker's house (lives on Britannia).
Going down the Carleton Place Sub, the Canadian had to contend with several grade crossings, like Holland Ave, and Island Park Dr.
There was one very bad accident at Churchill Ave long ago where a train hit a truck, pushed it into a switch stand for a spur. The switch moved and the train rolled over running on the spur. Killing one of the crew. I believe it was a Hudson.
Thanks, I read about it at Colin Churcher's Railway page. It was a Royal Hudson pulling The Dominion and it was bootin' along at 70mph when a coal truck decided to park on the level crossing. Pandemonium ensues.
Hard to imagine a big train thundering through that neighborhood at that speed.
The Canadian took the M&O line from Dorion through Rigaud, Vankleek Hill, Alfred, Plantagenet, Bourget, Cheney, Blackburn Hamlet to Ottawa.
When it left Union Station, it went across the river, connected with the North Shore Line, through Hull, across the river at the Prince of Wales Bridge, into CP's Ottawa West yard, then turned right, down the Carleton Place Sub. Where the Transitway is now.
There was a bit of a grade to climb to get out of Ottawa West.
ConRail, Thank YOU very much for the info! This stuff is gold! I was able to trace the entire route from Windsor Stn all the way to North Bay using Google Earth. It's easy to see where the M&O line used to be. I was recently surprised to learn the tracks were pulled up. We were out for a drive and I went to see them and they were gone! I had no idea. VIA Alexandria Sub is the ONLY rail link between Montreal and Ottawa now!
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Davidsbeenhere 1 year ago
At one time, the Canadian was discontinued from capreol to Montreal and RDCs were used.
Between capreol and Ottawa. This was shortlived. The Canadian was reinstated within weeks.
ConrailSD70MAC 2 years ago
I got to see VIA Rails Canadian run through Ottawa in the 1980's.
Would see it at 12:25PM westbound past Merivale Rd and 8:28PM eastbound.
It was great seeing FP9s and FPAs pulling stainless steel cars with domes and park cars.
ConrailSD70MAC 2 years ago
Where are all the previous comments going? A lot of Conrail's posts are gone.
dpkeys 2 years ago
The Chalk River sub isn't abandoned. CP rerouted traffic to through Toronto
ConrailSD70MAC 2 years ago
My replies aren't coming up on the page the way I would like. Not exactly like a forum.
Anyways I could see that the Chalk River sub has spectacular scenery. It twists along the river and through the hills with few straights. Would need a tilting train to get up to a decent speed. ;) It wraps right around the shore at Pembroke!
dpkeys 2 years ago
So what's happening to the Chalk River Sub then?
dpkeys 2 years ago
I knew exactly where the Carleton Place sub travelled.
I have a 1962 CP timetable that shows the whole route including train schedules. :)
ConrailSD70MAC 2 years ago
What I meant to say is "I see what you mean, I can see it on the maps now that you told me". Don't be mad, this stuff is awesome.
dpkeys 2 years ago
small correction - The Carleton Place Line from Ottawa West to Churchill Ave was left as a spur to switch a couple of businesses. I remember this as a kid. When the Transitway was being built, CP crews came along and removed the jointed rail piece by piece.
After, the trench was dug for the Transitway and today, OC busses run at 80kph right on the location where CP passenger trains used to run.
ConrailSD70MAC 2 years ago
Never got to see The Canadian here in Ottawa. I would have been 11 years old at the last chance. I remember when I was at school (grade 4 I think) in Barrhaven I saw a SS train go by going to Smiths Falls but that was the last one I ever saw running through Ottawa.
dpkeys 2 years ago
after 1967, the route through Ottawa was eliminated by the NCC and Jacques Greber. He was one *******! Removing trains from Ottawa hurt the future of commuter rail.
The M&O line lasted till 1986.
The Carleton Place Sub lasted (from Bells Corners to Carleton Place) till 1991.
VIA's Canadian was the only train to travel on the Carleton Place Sub till 1990 and Mulroney's budget cuts.
CP's Ottawa West-Bells Corners portion was abandoned in 1967.
ConrailSD70MAC 2 years ago
Definitely if I could be "James Almighty" I would restore the station downtown and 4-6 covered platforms, but get rid of the ugly yard that was next to it, and create a staging yard at tremblay. Only 2 tracks max to feed into the station. Delete Nicholas Street, getting rid of the Rideau & King Edward truck traffic. Restore the Alexandra tracks. You can see where the tracks arched up and over in Hull though Parc Dupuis. Oh I wish.
dpkeys 2 years ago
South of the 417, the ex-CP right of way is still visible in a farmers field. The Canadian went across the present 417-416 interchange, under the ex-Canadian Northern, now CNR mainline, across Moodie Drive, to Bells Corners. Then on to Stittsville, through Ashton and to Carleton Place where it turned right/north to continue it's journey to western Canada on the Chalk River Subdivision.
ConrailSD70MAC 2 years ago
It's pretty easy to see where it used to be here, just follow the arrow-straight bike paths. It goes right past my brother's work (Iber and Abbot). Runs right alongside Abbot right past The main intersection in Stittsville!
Sure makes a snap right turn at "CP". Wasn't the Chalk River sub very recently abandoned (by who?) My Bro has a friend in Almonte, goes there nearly every weekend. Used to be big freights through there lots, now it seems too quiet.
dpkeys 2 years ago
The Canadian went down near where the NCC Parkway is now. Through residential neighbourhoods. Across Woodroffe Ave. To Britannia Beach. Across Carling Ave, to Holly Acres Rd. There was a junction with the old CN's Arnprior Line. J.R. Booths ex Ottawa, Arnprior, Parry Sound RR. Behind the water treatment plant. Today, OC Transpo uses a portion of the old CN ROW for access to the Bayshore Transit Station.
ConrailSD70MAC 2 years ago
This is the most amazing part. Looking carefully at Google Maps, you can still see exactly where the rail line USED to be. From the transitway, you can see it in the trees beside the parkway. Squeezes in behind businesses on the north side of The Richmond Road. It went RIGHT BEHIND my mother's old work (Richmond and Woodroffe) and close to my co-worker's house (lives on Britannia).
dpkeys 2 years ago
Going down the Carleton Place Sub, the Canadian had to contend with several grade crossings, like Holland Ave, and Island Park Dr.
There was one very bad accident at Churchill Ave long ago where a train hit a truck, pushed it into a switch stand for a spur. The switch moved and the train rolled over running on the spur. Killing one of the crew. I believe it was a Hudson.
ConrailSD70MAC 2 years ago
Thanks, I read about it at Colin Churcher's Railway page. It was a Royal Hudson pulling The Dominion and it was bootin' along at 70mph when a coal truck decided to park on the level crossing. Pandemonium ensues.
Hard to imagine a big train thundering through that neighborhood at that speed.
dpkeys 2 years ago
The Canadian took the M&O line from Dorion through Rigaud, Vankleek Hill, Alfred, Plantagenet, Bourget, Cheney, Blackburn Hamlet to Ottawa.
When it left Union Station, it went across the river, connected with the North Shore Line, through Hull, across the river at the Prince of Wales Bridge, into CP's Ottawa West yard, then turned right, down the Carleton Place Sub. Where the Transitway is now.
There was a bit of a grade to climb to get out of Ottawa West.
ConrailSD70MAC 2 years ago
ConRail, Thank YOU very much for the info! This stuff is gold! I was able to trace the entire route from Windsor Stn all the way to North Bay using Google Earth. It's easy to see where the M&O line used to be. I was recently surprised to learn the tracks were pulled up. We were out for a drive and I went to see them and they were gone! I had no idea. VIA Alexandria Sub is the ONLY rail link between Montreal and Ottawa now!
dpkeys 2 years ago