Former Canadian Pacific Railway
Passenger Services to Montreal
Via State of Maine-Saint John-Halifax

Part I

By Don Scott, Coquitlam, BC

Going back to the late 1880's when CPR first came into Saint John, N.B., the company was interested extending their main-line east to Halifax; they were looking at a route along New Brunswick's "Bay of Fundy Coast" coming to a point around Hillsborough, N.B. that would have put the line in and around Sackville, N.B.-Aulac-and into Nova Scotia and a route through Parrsboro, N.S. via Truro and into Halifax. This idea was put on the shelf-CP figured there would not be enough traffic to support the eastward extension from Saint John, N.B. as the Intercolonial Railway already served Halifax.

Later CPR extended Montreal-Saint John passenger service east to Halifax via Sussex, Moncton, Truro, and Halifax with an arrangement with the Intercolonial Railway. CPR introduced a new design passenger cars for this service-and a name train "CPR Express" as it was called. CPR equipment went right through to Halifax; the only thing not CP was the ICR motive power. A Dining car eastbound on this train was added at Mattawamkeag, Maine and being taken off at Sussex, N.B. and go back west on another "CPR Express". Out of Halifax the CPR westbound for Montreal, a Dining car ran Halifax-Sussex. At that time CP tried to obtain running rights for their freight trains from Saint John-Halifax but was turned down by the ICR. This particular train operated operated up into the early 1900's and terminated at Saint John.

In later years around 1912 CPR had purchased the Dominion Atlantic Railway in Nova Scotia to make the CPR passenger route "The Short Route to Nova Scotia." This included the Saint John-Digby 49 mile passenger ferry route. CPR passenger service from Montreal and return connected with CPR "Bay of Fundy Streamships". At Digby, N.S. DAR passenger trains from Yarmouth enroute to Halifax came right along ships side; the same for westbound passenger service from Halifax via Digby enroute to Yarmouth.

Canadian Pacific Ocean Servces-later in the 1920's changed to Canadian Pacific Steamships-CP ocean liners called at Halifax; but West St. John, N.B. was the main winter port for both its Trans-Atlantic Liners and cargo-express ships. CP commenced Trans-Atlantic service in 1903 (Trans-Pacific goes back to 1885-1886-1887 for its Liners to and from the Orient from Vancouver, B.C.) CPR "Boat Trains" operated to and from Saint John from Montreal and the West, as well as Halifax, later to be hauled Halifax-Saint John by the former CGR (Canadian Government Railway-and from 1923 by CNR) During the First World War CPR troop trains were a common sight in and out of Halifax-coming off the CP at Saint John and the other road doing the haulage to Halifax.

CPR Montreal-Saint John Passenger Service Late 1920's Onward:

Durin the late 1920's light 4-6-2's of the 2500 and 2600's were the main passenger power, although CPR was very unique building a number of 2-8-2 "Mikados" for passenger service the 5000's later renumbered into the 5100's, and could be found on passenger trains east of Montreal. As time went by the heavy 4-6-2's of the 2300's were assigned on Montreal-Saint John passenger trains, but only on the 175 mile run Montreal-Megantic, Quebec. The light 4-6-2's of 2500 and 2600's took over, with power changes at Brownville, Jct. Maine, and McAdam, N.B.

In later years 4-8-2's "Mountain Type" locomotives 2900 and 2901 were transferred from Quebec and Ontario lines to the Maritimes, assigned to Montreal-Saint John passenger trains # 39, # 40, # 41, and #42 (Trains 41 and 42) being the "Atlantic Limited". These two sister 4-8-2s 2900 and 2901 held down the Saint John-McAdam, N.B. sector of the Montreal service. CPR's light 4-6-2's of the 2500 and 2600's were snappy locomotives and great pulling power for their size, but did the job well.

In those days all passenger equipment was the heavy-weights-out of McAdam, N.B. up until the end of steam westbound passenger trains to Montreal and Boston all were assisted by a pusher out of town, and the same applies to out of Union Station at Saint John.

When World War # 2 broke out in 1939-CPR's Main-Line through the State of Maine, was known as the busiest single track line in North America.

During the Second World War CPR was busy rebuilding and upgrading its motive power as well as ordering new steam locomotives, rebuilding passenger equipment, as well as taking delivery of new 2100 series "Deluxe" coaches, new 85 foot streamlined baggage, express, Postal-express cars(very European looking).

New semi-streamlined heavy 4-6-2's of the 2300 and 2400s were being delivered to CPR, as well as the new semi-streamlined 5400's 2-8-2 "Mikados" for freight service and later a number assigned to passenger service in the West and after the War on Montreal-West St. John Canadian Pacific "Empress" liner boat trains.

Montreal-Saint John passenger trains 39, 40, 41, 42 were assigned the new semi-streamlined heavy 4-6-2's-at first *2394, *2395, *2396, *2397, *2402-but only running at first Montreal-Megantic and return replacing non-semi-streamlined heavy 4-6-2's of the 2300 series. By 1943-1944 the semi-streamlined 2300's and 2402 had their runs extended to MCAdam, N.B. Remarks" Symbol * Denotes power in tuscan red and grey paint scheme like the older 4-6-2 2300's

Next-More New Heavy 4-6-2's of the 2450 2460 series arrive in Maritimes on passenger service-plus sample of passenger equipment.

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©2000, Donald Scott, all rights reserved.