Now seemed like as good a time as any to share some photos of my trip to Montreal a few months ago, when I took my daughter to her first Montreal Canadiens game at the Bell Centre. Sadly, the Habs lost that day, but it ended up being a day full of wonderful memories as my daughter, now a big hockey fan, got her first taste of what Montreal is like when the hockey team is humming.
We took the train, of course, as I do not have the desire, ever, to drive in downtown Montreal or on its highway system. I've been there and done that and I do not wish to ever do it again. Our train was one of Via's bright, shiny new Ventures. Before heading to our train, I took a quick Via family photo through the windows of Ottawa Station. The light wasn't great in the morning and the windows overlooking the platforms were dirty, but I did like the fact that I caught a few Ventures and a few F40PH-2s in one shot. No P42s, which would have completed the generational shot.
The cool thing about boarding our train was that it gives the motivated photographer the chance to get a few quick images on the platforms. There was a time when you could wander onto these platforms at any time and take shots, but now you need to be a passenger to be on the platforms, as it is mainly behind fencing. I did manage to get a few quick shots of two trains in the brilliant morning sunshine.
I like this shot because it captures four elements. You can see both the new Venture set pointing east and a Via Love The Way-wrapped F40PH-2 pointed west. You can also see the passengers making their way to their assigned car as well as the station Danger sign to the right, warning people to stay off the tracks. I love getting different railway shots these days, which include many elements besides just the trains themselves. When you have to take shots of Via Rail trains as much as I do, this improvisation becomes a regular part of the hobby.
If you look closely at the display in our car (We were car four on Train 624), you will see that we were humming along at 160 km/h at one point on the Alexandria Subdivision. Via Rail is having all sorts of trouble maintaining its on-time performance over its fight with Canadian National regarding Ventures slowing down at CN crossings, but we encountered no such problems while travelling along between Ottawa and Coteau. Our train somehow managed to keep its pace between 160 km/h and 120 km/h for much of the length of the Alexandria Sub. The delays began when we got to Coteau and we held for a two freight trains on the Kingston Sub. Curiously, the on-board crew didn't mention we were being held for a a freight train, which was clearly the case.
I saw the CN yard power at Coteau and, being on the right side of the train, was preparing to get a shot of the geeps in some wonderful early morning sunshine, as our train crept along the tracks, waiting for the westbound freight. Right when we were in the right position, this happened. Denied by autoracks.
Those two freights we encountered at Coteau essentially killed our chances of arriving on time in Montreal, which is why I was glad I booked my daughter and I on an earlier train so we could make the hockey game in time, which we did.
I wasn't able to get any decent shots of either freight train around Coteau. Instead, all I could get were a few shots of the yard, including this line of freight cars off in the distance and this snow clearing equipment near the maintenance shed.
The morning sun did me no favours, but I thought this shot turned out reasonably well. It at least gives you a sense of the weather and the relatively quiet Sunday morning atmosphere in Coteau on Super Bowl Sunday, which is when we made our trip.
Closer to Montreal, the CN yard was relatively full but nothing was moving around and no power could be seen anywhere. Another minor disappointment.
The day was a lot of fun and the Via personnel in Montreal's Central Station were absolutely wonderful to us. The baggage crew allowed us to stash our bags for the day for free, because they were enchanted with my daughter, who was wearing a Nick Suzuki sweater. People really like young girls who cheer for their city's team. My daughter was stopped more than once and given compliments, in both official languages, for her choice of jersey. It warmed a father's heart.