Canadian Pacific-In New Brunswick-Period 1940's To Late 1960's-Continued.
Part # 6
First- The Late 1940's Until Mid-1955(Before Diesels-Just Steam)
"The Way It Was-Night Life In McAdam, N.B."
McAdam's CPR Chateau design station was a busy place at from early evening to
the late evenings(same in the mornings) with arriving and departing passenger
trains, arriving and departing in all directions-North, South, East & West.
There was much congestion with incoming freights from west, eastbounds to Saint
John, freights arriving from the North Line(Woostock Division) and also
northbounds, not to mention arrivals from Saint John. Yard power switching
including handling passenger trains.
Local residents, young & old; retired former CP employees plus active employees
on the north side and south sides of the station gathering for their evening
entertainment. The passenger action would commence normally after 1830 right up
to 2245 after the last westbound passenger train departed which would be the
"Gull" from Saint John destined to Bangor, Portland, Maine and Boston, Mass.The
Gull being assisted westbound with a 2-8-0 pusher behind.
The first passenger arrivals would be the passenger from St. Andrews, passenger
from St. Stephen, followed by the Woodstock-McAdam-St. Stephen either with a
G-2 light 4-6-2 being a 2500 or 2600 series or a streamlined 4-4-4 "Jubilee"
being either *2926 or *2928(Mid-1950's for this one) this particular train with
a *4-4-4 continued to St. Stephen. Then the through
Edmundston-Aroostook-Woodstock-McAdam-Fredericton Jct-Saint John arriving with
a light G-2 4-6-2 again either a 2500 or 2600 series. A change of Power being
made with modern light G-5 4-6-2 1255(gleaming). Train # 41 Westbound "Atlantic
Limited" from Saint John enroute to Montreal. A change of power; from the
roundhouse, a Semi-streamlined heavy G-3 Class 4-6-2 either a * 2390 series or
sisters *2402 or the *2450 series etc. passed by the station on the south-side
to sit at the west-end of the station. Headend Express car or cars came off
either the passenger from Woodstok or off the passenger further north from
Edmundston. Passengers in the dining room having a meal got a good taste of
Tuscan Red-Grey-Black & Gold paint scheme of westbound power change for train #
41. passed by. From the evening passenger from St. Andrews during the tourist
season had through St. Andrews-Montreal sleeping cars at times up to three
sleepers(Same Eastbound) some sleepers the newly rebuilt "R" Series cars.
Besides 40 foot express- reefers with seafood products destined to Central
Canada. Speaking of express refers CPR took delivery of new modern 40
footers-equipped for passenger service the 5800's and a few 5900's. Otherwise
they would be wood-steel-underframe equipped for passenger-the 5500, 5600, 5700
series. All the arriving passenger trains connected with westbound #42 for
Montreal. Passengers from St. Andrews; a good number of them stayed as guests
at CP's "Algonquin Hotel". One could spot some of the elite on the platform
walking their dogs including "Poodles". The summer months the St. Andrews
passenger runs were dubbed by CP McAdam staff as
The Champagne Special".
After the power change on westbound #41 this train was assisted out of town
with a pusher.
In between 2000 and 2200 one could observe incoming and departing freights.
Prior to Westbound Saint John-Montreal Train # 39 arriving around 2200-"The
Oriental" freight would pull into McAdam from Fredericton,Power Rebuilt to
2-8-2 5200 series) from 2-8-0's, a westbound connection with Trans-Continental
freight # 951 from Saint John which finally terminates in Vancouver-(one time
known as the longest-haul freight in North America like its eastbound
Trans-Continental counterpart. Mentioning World-War #2 the CPR International of
Maine Division was known as the busiest Single Track Line in North America.
(one quote from the Railroad Magazine of the late 1940's.
Around 2200 the westbound Saint John-Montreal train # 39 arrived(*change of
Power at the westend of station)
Note: Symbol * Denotes CP steam in Tuscan Red-Grey-Black-Gold paint scheme.
Train #39 was added with head-end cars. Its westbound departure assisted out of
McAdam with a 2-8-0 pusher either a 3400, 3500, or heavier 3600 or 3700 series.
CP's G-3 Class heavy Semi-streamlined 2390's and 2400's were kept spotless.
About 25 minutes later, the westbound "Gull" arrived from Saint John destined
for Boston-in that period usual assigned power with Modern light G-5 Class
4-6-2 1256(new 1946) Prior to 1946 power being light G-2 4-6-2 Pacific's
ranging in numbers 2500, 2555, 2598, 2611, 2627, 2657 there were others of
their Class. Even during the 1940's 2-8-2 5190 on an odd trip. Head-ends being
added including Maine Central U'S Post Office-Express car. Again departing
westbound assisted by a pusher. Locomotive 1256 would run as far as Vanceboro,
Maine about six to seven miles. Maine Central taking over to Bangor-Portland,
and Boston & Maine Portland to North Station, Boston(At Boston one could
observe CPR's oovernight Montreal-Boston "Red Wing" pulling into the station.
Later B&M/CP's daylight Boston-Montreal "Alouette" depart.(Power Pool CPR/B&M).
At Vanceboro, Maine(prior to the EMD E-7's, Maine Central 1946-1947- powered
the "Gull" with their 4-6-2 400's. During the 1948 period Toronto assigned
Semi-streamlined heavy 4-6-2 *2392 was assigned to the "Gull" running
Vanceboro, Maine-Saint John(CP steam backed McAdam-Vanceboro & vice-versa. By
1948, MEC EMD-E-7's replaced steam. Engine *2392 had a short stay running in
New Brunswick. Also handled Saint John-Montreal trains. One summer evening at
Saint John *2392 took out westbound "Gull". Modern light 4-6-2 1256 that
evening an odd sight took out westbound Saint John-Montreal train # 39. As
usual both the "Gull" and train # 39 assisted out of Union Station by a pusher.
Remarks:
CP's eastbound Montreal-Saint John train #40 arrived Saint John Union Station
around 0630 and made connections with CP's 4,000 ton "Princess Helene" 0800
departure across the Bay of Fundy(3 Hour run) to Digby, Nova Scotia and wharf
connections to subsidiary Dominion Atlantic Railway's eastbound passenger #98
from Yarmouth for Halifax-connection at Kentville with the Kingsport passenger
and at Windsor with the passenger to Truro. Westbound train #95 from
Halifax-Yarmouth same passenger connections westbound. westbound out of Digby
on the "Helene" to Saint John making connections with the westbound Train # 39
to Montreal and the westbound "Gull" to Boston. The DAR passenger service being
operated by steam powered conventional trains throughout the system including
Halifax-Yarmouth; Yarmouth-Halifax overnight trains.
By the end of October 1955 when trains #39 and #40 were discontinued on the
Megantic, Quebec-Saint John run and just with the "Atlantic Limited" east/west
on the Montreal run schedules were revised of both the "Princess Helene" and
DAR passenger connections in Nova Scotia. The "Gull" eastbound/westbound
schedule being revised had the "Princess Helene" connection and DAR
connections. By 1956 RDC-1 "Dayliners" 9058-9059 took over the Halifax-Yarmouth
return runs with additonal trains operating on Fridays and Sundays. For
instance on Friday and Sunday nights runing together(9058-9059) in the other
direction steam powered conventional trains with light G-2 4-6-2's of the 2500
and 2600 series. During busy summer periods especially "Dayliners" 9059-9058
operated westbound together. The schedule too long to be put to print.
As mentioned in an earlier Post other stranger heavy 4-6-2's that for a period
handling the "Gull" Vanceboro, Maine-Saint John being (1949) engine 2307)
(early 1950s Smoke-Deflector equipped *2332).
Next-New CP Trans-Atlantic "Empress of Britain"(3rd) 1956, and the new "Empress
of England" 1957 calling at West St. John-Winter months-Plus Steam and Diesels
together on the "Atlantic Limited" eastbound McAdam-Saint John. plus into
1957-1959; Spanking new MLW/Alco RS-23 8035 at McAdam in yard service
To Be Continued-With Part # 7.
Don Scott-Coquitlam, B.C.
"Following Canadian Pacific(All Services) Since The Mid-1930's".
