The Railways of Canada Archives -- CPR's Passenger Train #39

CPR's Passenger Train #39

By Don Scott, Coquitlam, BC

The year was Circa 1951: Observations and travels on CPR Feb. 8, 1951, Bay Shore Roundhouse, West St. John New Brunswick, Mid-day.

(NOTE: * Symbol denotes CP in tuscan red and grey, gold and black paint scheme.)

Power inside roundhouse--not including outside--modern light 4-6-2 #1256, assigned to the Gull passenger from Saint John Union Station to Boston. CP handles train both ways as far as Vanceboro, Maine; Main Central to Portland, Boston and Maine to North Station Boston.

Other power in roundhouse light 4-6-2's #2604, #2627, #2504 (one of these locomotives assigned to Fredericton-Saint John local); heavy semi-streamlined 4-6-2,s *#2397, *#2402; both off Montreal-Saint John passenger trains #40 and #42 go westbound on evening trains #42 and #39, but change of power at McAdam, NB. 2-8-2's #5303, #5319, #5328, #5239; 0-8-0 yard engines #6925, #928 repeat #6928, #6600; 2-8-0 yard engines #3682, #3744, #3738.

Back to Union Station downtown Saint John and boarded CPR second evening passenger train #39 for Montreal (484 miles). Alongside was the Saint John-Boston Gull made up with modern light 4-6-2 #1256 and a consist of Maine Central-Boston &Maine head-ends and CP, MEC , B&M coaches, Pullman sleepers.

Another Pullman Company sleeper was attached which comes on CN Halifax to Moncton, NB and coupled to CN train #13 to Saint John arriving Saint John about an hour earlier. One Pullman sleeper the Maskell assigned through sleeper Boston-Halifax, NS.

On the power end of train #39 was heavy semi-streamlined 4-6-2 *#2402 and on back of train pusher of 2-8-0 type which would run as far as the Reversing Falls Bridge and back to the station as a pushee for the Gull.

The train shed has six tracks--four through and two dead-end. Outside the train shed is the 7th track, and for some reason train #39 westbound always uses this track.

Train #39 is known as the boat train along with eastbound #40 from Montreal. These two trains connect to and from CPR's Bay of Fundy ferry service three hours 41 miles to and from Digby, NS, via CP Princess Helene connecting to and from CP subsidiary Dominion Atlantic Railway with passenger trains from Halifax and intermediate points to and from Yarmouth. Passenger trains arrive along ships side as well using the Digby station. Passengers, express-mail, etc. go onboard train #39.

Our train departed at 2000, 40 miles west at Fredericton Jct. we had a meet with two passenger trains--one the Fredericton-Fredericton Jct. turnaround powered by streamlined *4-4-4 Jubilee class head-ends and 2100 series streamlined coaches.

On another track was eastbound modern light 4-6-2 #1255 to Saint John from Edmundston, NB via McAdam on passenger. #1255 handles the McAdam-Saint John end.

Our train #39 arrived at McAdam at 2225; a classic Chateau style station with a distinctive dining room--separate coffee shop, and upstairs of the station a CP hotel, not to mention the station waiting room facilities. There would be a change of motive power, after additional head-end traffic was added. Replacing *#2402 was semi-streamlined heavy 4-6-2 *#2397 which left Saint John at 1700 on train #41 the Atlantic Limited. Our train was up to 14 cars with a 2-8-0 pusher on the back to assist train #39 to about St.Croix.

Before our train departed I observed the following power at Station: 2-8-0 switchers #3492, #3637, #3474 and 4-6-0 #1006 on a freight arriving off the North line.

Train #39 arrived at Vanceboro, Maine a short distance from McAdam. At this rail town Maine Central Alco S-2 yard engine #958 with CP caboose; CP eastbound freight double-header 2-8-2's #5137 and #5357, power to take over Boston bound Gull from CP was B&M E-7 EMD A-unit of 3800 series.

Over two hours later our train arrived at Brownville Jct. Maine-Saint John-Brownville conductor and trainmen crew change. Engine crew change back at McAdam, NB. Did not see the usual yard power usually 2-8-0's.

Eastbound freight powered by light 4-6-2's leaving for McAdam, NB with #2583 and #2597. These two locomotives with a few other light Pacifics were pretty well captive power operating in Maine to McAdam, NB and throught CP in Maine and Vermont via Montreal.

At Holeb, Maine, had meet with eastbound freight, semi-streamlined 2-8-2 #5420. Later had meet with eastbound Montreal-Saint John passenger train #40, and a few hours later it would be eastbound Montreal-Saint John train #42.

Train #39 is now back on the Canadian side into Quebec arriving at Megantic. Observed yard engine a 2-8-0 #3560 equipped with the horseshoe tender, semi-streamlined 2-8-2 #5416. At Sherbrooke, train #39 always added a buffet-parlor car, plus additional power; this day light 4-6-2 #2600 and #2397* doubleheading to Montreal's Windsor Station--a practice on heavy Saint-John-Montreal passenger trains #39 and #41 westbound.

MLW/Alco S-2 yard engine #7078 worked the back of our train adding the buffet-parlor car; Quebec Central (CP) doubleheader freight with light 4-6-2's #2610 and #2578.

Omitted east of Sherbrooke at Lennoxville eastbound doubleheader freight 2-8-2 #5330 and semistreamlined #5416. Westward at Magog 4-6-0 #1067 on freight, eastbound double-head freight 2-8-2's #5394 and semistreamlined #5410. Spotted gas-electric combination-passenger #9006.

At Foster, passenger for Drummondville powered by 4-6-0 #489. At Farnham, 4-6-0 #419; light modern 4-6-2 #1268; yard engines 2-8-0's #3498, #3563; semi-streamlined 2-8-2's #5409, #5417.

CP EMD E-8's #1800 on southbound Montreal-Boston day train the Alouette. Another E-8 #1801 on Montreal-Sherbrooke passenger. Out of only three E-*,s on CP roster one unit operted Montreal-Sherbrooke, but as a protection locomotive either for the overnight Montreal-Boston Red Wing, or the Alouette day service to and from Boston.

The next morning Feb. 9, our train came off the east line arriving at Montreal West near Sortin Yard, tracks go in all directions from Montreal West, observed new coach yard to handle the overflow of passenger equipment that normally is maintained at Glen Yard, Westmount. A few miles ahead we got off at Westmount Station three miles west from Windsor Station at Montreal, time was 1010am. Later the same day could not wait to get around the Glen Yard passenger roundhouse.

Power inside and out: Streamlined 4-6-4 Royal Hudsons *#2858, *#2824, 4-8-4 *#3100, light 4-6-2 #2508; semi-streamlined heavy 4-6-2 *#2397; streamlined Jubilee 4-4-4 *#3004; light 4-6-2s #2539, #2581; New York Central 4-6-2 #4597; light 4-6-2 #2580; Alco RS-2 #8400 (runs Newport, Vermont local); semi-streamlined heavy 4-6-2s *#2461, #2408; Delaware & Hudson 4-8-4 #308; modern light 4-6-2 #1268; light 4-6-2 #2537; modern light 4-6-2 #1253; EMD E-8 #1800; semi-streamlined heavy 4-6-2 #2400; streamlined 4-6-4 Royal Hudson #2859.

Power seen at Westmount on passenger trains: Outbound doubleheader light 4-6-2 #2527; modern light 4-6-2 #1261; modern light 4-6-2 #1267; D&H RS-3 #4008; 4-6-4 streamlined Royal Hudsons *#2828; *#2821; semi-streamlined heavy 4-6-2 *#2472; light modern 4-6-2 #1201; 4-6-4 Hudson *#2812; Boston &Maine E-7 #3801.

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