After many grey days, Monday December 19 had potential to turn out a little bit of sun, and so I planned to get an early start and see VIA's Northern Quebec service (combined train no. 601/603) leaving Gare Centrale at 7:30. If there were no clouds this would be just after sunrise, so I opted for the curve at Pointe-St-Charles, to have nothing in the way that would block the sun... if there was any.
As it turned out - a low layer of clouds was effectively blocking out the sun, and it would stay like this for most of the morning. But as I was there already, why not get the little drone up in the air and capture the action as it was:
 |
| 7:41 - VIA 601/601 with F40PHs no. 6405 and 6436 at Pointe-St-Charles |
 |
| Turning left, a look back at VIA 601/601 with F40PHs no. 6405 and 6436 |
Next were three VIA trains (no. 63 to Toronto, 22 to Québec, and 33 to Ottawa) for which I was planning to walk over to the old lift bridge spanning the entry of the Lachine Canal at the Peel Basin. That location provides for some "air" to move around with the drone and shoot train leaving Gare Centrale in the morning in good light.
But before getting underway, a EXO commuter train (EMD F59PH no. 1347 pushing three Bombardier-built Multilevel cars) came in from Mascouche - and more action was developing with CN's Pointe-St-Charles switcher (today a duo of EMD GP38-2s, no. 4761 and 4795) getting some grain cars ready and EXO's snow blower starting to free up some of the yard tracks.
 |
| 7:47 - EXO 1202 coming in from Mascouche, with F59PH pushing |
 |
| 8:09 - EXO's snow blower freeing up one of the yard tracks while the Pointe-St-Charles switcher with GP38-2 no. 4761 and 4795 is switching some grain cars in the back |
After watching them work for a little while it was time to get going not to miss the VIA Rail departures. But also CN was busy, the two GP38-2 were now switching grain cars at P&H Milling on Rue Oak, adjacent to the Peel Basin where I found myself. Taking full advantage of the drone's mobility, I used the time until the VIA's departure to get a shot:
 |
| 8:54 - CN 4661 and 4795 spotting grain cars for P&H Milling |
Now there was no time to lose, VIA no. 63 left Gare Centrale on time (8:50) and was already approaching. A quick turn around and we see VIA's P42DC no. 915 leading a handsome 6-car LRC consist under the structure of the new REM:
 |
| 8:55 - VIA train no. 63 bound for Toronto passing CN Wellington with GE P42DC no. 915 leading |
Its approach hidden by the tree, next came an EXO deadhead move of the consist of train 1204, lead by no. 1343, leaving little time to alter the perspective a little bit:
 |
| 8:56 - EXO deadhead move of train no. 1204 |
The next two VIA trains would have to back out of Gare Centrale - they came in from Québec and Ottawa respectively, and with Gare Centrale effectively being a terminus with tracks coming in from the South only (and VIA not keeping spare power at the station to be put on the head end), these two need to come back out in reverse and use the wye at Pointe-St-Charles to turn and head out to their destination. A time consuming operation that will become obsolete once the new Siemens train sets with their cab cars will be running on these trains.
 |
| 9:08 - First out was VIA no. 33 to Ottawa with F40PHs no. 6401 and 6417. It will take a left turn and back out all the way to the Victoria bridge to change on CN's Montreal subdivision, heading West |
Following closely was VIA 22 to Québec which will stay on the right side of the wye and back up to CN Hibernia from where it will continue eastbound on CN's St-Hyacinthe subdivision.
 |
| 9:10 - VIA no. 22 to Québec is following closely with P42DC no. 911 |
Now was again EXO's turn to send two trains, before I decided to head for the Victoria bridge for the highlight of the morning, the Ocean from Halifax (running about an hour late that day, which granted me a break with hot coffee 😁).
 |
9:15 - EXO's Bombardier-built ALP-45DP no. 1359 is coming out of Gare Centrale with a deadhead move that will go to spend the day at Pointe-St-Charles until the afternoon rush hour
|
 |
| 9:22 - EXO no. 1206, the last of three trains coming from Mascouche, came in with F59PH no. 1345 |
The Ocean was due for 11 am, and the tracks would remain quiet until then. The clouds were starting to let some blue sky shine through, if only occasionally, but that gave hope for the remainder of the day ahead. Walking out to the bridge, CN's lead track to the Port of Montréal is crossing under the Bonaventure Expressway, and just at the right moment, CN's GE ES44DC no. 2299 came empty back from the port:
 |
| CN no. 2299 coming empty from the port, about to cross under the Bonaventure Expressway |
I got set up close to the bridge and wait for VIA no. 15, the Ocean, to make its way over from Saint-Lambert. If it would not be for today's life train tracking (my favourite is asm.transitdocs, covering bith VIA Rail and Amtrak), I would have been waiting there since 10 am... but now I could be there just in time to get set up and get the drone airborne as the train was slowly crawling over the Victoria Bridge.
 |
| 11:00 - The Ocean with VIA's no. 6433 and 6437 leading |
Hidden on the bridge are the Renaissance cars that make up the bulk of the train, but the look of the classic stainless cars on the headend is just unbeatable. This train has many unique features and tons of history:
- Running since 1904, the Ocean is the longest-running named passenger train in North America
- The locomotives need to be running back-to-back since VIA lost the capability to turn the train in Halifax. This also made the use of an overvation car at the tail end unpracticable
- A baggage car is running at the head end, though the transport of pets was cancelled since the Transportation Safety Board of Canada ordered VIA Rail to use buffer cars on their heritage-equipped trains
- A specialized transition car is needed to couple the stainless heritage cars with the British-built Renaissance equipment
 |
| Classic heritage fleet coach no. 8113 is followed by Renaissance transition car no. 7600 |
 |
| A baggage car is bringing up the markers of the Ocean |
I wanted to venture West along CN's Montreal subdivision, with a few more Corridor trains on the schedule. At milepost 2 came along the estbound CN no. 120 with its daily never-ending string of double-stack containers, bound for the East Coast.
VIA no. 35 was already waiting to proceed when CN 120's tail end finally (after eight minutes) cleared. The sun was trying hard to find a way through the clouds but with only marginal success (for now).
 |
| 12:14 - The tail end of CN 120 is clearing the way for VIA no. 35 to proceed East for Ottawa |
 |
| The tail end of VIA no. 35 |
Two more eastbound VIA trains were approaching at the same time from behind me, first was VIA 24 from Ottawa with yet another LRC consist, flollowed by no. 60 from Toronto with a neat heritage fleet (or HEP) consist.
 |
| 12:15 - VIA train 24 had F40PH no. 6415 for power |
 |
| 12:23 - Train no. 60 had two empty buffer cars at the head and tail end |
 |
| The tail end of VIA no. 60 |
To round up the day, another par of Corridor trains, nos. 62 and 67 were due about an hour later, and I wanted to capture them a bit further West, where the tracks are crossing the Lachine Canal in Montréal's Saint-Henri neighborhood, close the the Atwater Market.
Finally the sun came through and the conditions were more than promising - the air was warm and calm and both trains were running on time!
 |
| 13:34 - No. 67 westbound came first, with F40PH no. 6419 leading. |
 |
| 13:46 - Soon after came no. 62 with F40PH no. 6432 (and again more LRC cars...) |
I thought that was it and was about to pack when CN 305 came sneaking around the corner, with no. 3300, one of the brand new GE AC44C6M leading. Micheal Berry was better prepared than I, so he got a beautiful shot just West of where I was: CN 3300 Canadian National Railway GE AC44C6M at Montreal, Quebec, Canada by Michael Berry
 |
| 13:59 - My take on CN 305 was a quick shot from ground level, but it made a happy end for the day! |
