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

Part IV

By Don Scott, Coquitlam, BC

Remarks: Symbol * Denotes CPR Steam In
Tuscan Red-Grey-Black-Gold Paint Scheme.

Speaking of Canadian Pacific Steamship's 26,500 ton "Empress of Scotland" (ex Trans-Pacific service then the "Empress of Japan" (2nd). Normally this liner after the New York-West Indies-South America Winter cruise season sailed New York-Liverpool direct with "Boat Trains" "Empress Voyageur" operated by British Railways Liverpool-London; same would apply if CP liners were departing from Southampton; boat trains "Empress Voyageur" from London to Southampton. This liner also operated a number of cruises from Southampton, Eng. to West Indies-South America & return.

The "Empress of Scotland"(2nd) made the odd eastbound run New York-Halifax-Liverpool; therefore a special CPR Boat train would operate Montreal-Saint John then CN motive power Saint John-Moncton-Halifax. The passenger equipment would dead-head back to Montreal via the same route.

In 1946 semi-streamlined heavy 4-6-2 *2392 (eight-wheel tender) came from Ontario and was assigned to the "Gull" passenger service Boston-Saint John over the B&M, Maine Central, CP route. CP handling the service from Vanceboro, Maine-McAdam, N.B.-Saint John. That same year two new light modern 4-6-2's of the G-5 class came to McAdam and Saint John new from Canadian Locomotive Company at Kingston, Ont. They were 1255 assigned to the Saint John-McAdam section of the through service to Woodstock-Aroostook-Edmundston, N.B. Locomotive 1256 was actually assigned to the "Gull" service Saint John-Vanceboro, Maine, then MEC taking over to Portland, B&M to Boston. One evening at Saint John heavy semi-streamlined 4-6-2*2392 handled the westbound "Gull", while new modern light 4-6-2 1256 handled Train # 39 at 2000 for Montreal-a heavy train; 1256 would go as far as McAdam and a power change with a heavy semi-streamlined 4-6-2 taking over runthrough to Montreal.

During the summer of 1940 heavy 4-6-2 2307 lost its tuscan red scheme (an Ontario locomotive) just in black & gold was assigned to the "Gull" between Vanceboro, Maine and Saint John. (CP power assigned to the "Gull" backed over to the Maine side early in the morning to pick up the "Gull" . The westbound "gull" in the late evening backed from Vanceboro back to McAdam.

Passenger Equipment on Montreal Trains After 1949: New streamlined light-weight express, baggage 7 postal cars were assigned to the Montreal-Saint John service in conjunction with others that arrived in th early 1940's, also new 40 foot steel express-refers of the 5800 and 5900 series. New streamlined light-weight "Deluxe" coaches of the 2200 series arrived, plus newly refurbished heavy-weight Dining cars, newly rebuilt "Lake" series buffet-parlor-compartment sleepers. Other heavy-weight sleepers were upgraded. The new "Grove" streamlined light-weight roomette sleepers were also assigned to these trains 39, 40, 41, and 42.

A mixed-passenger day train called "The Scoot" operated at that time daily except Sundays between Brownville Junction. Maine and Megantic, Quebec.

Eastbound train # 40 Montreal-Saint John "The Boat Train" daily except Sundays arrived Saint John at 0630 and made connections to CPR's "Princess Helene" for Digby, N.S. and DAR passenger trains on the Halifax-Yarmouth and Yarmouth-Halifax run. Westbound train # 39 except Sundays departed Saint John at 2000 after the arrival of the "Princess Helene" from Digby at 1830.

In 1952 heavy 4-6-2 *2332 arrived in New Brunswick from the Toronto area. This locomotive was equipped with smoke-deflectors and for a period assigned to the "Gull" service between Vanceboro, Maine and Saint John, again replacing light modern 4-6-2 1256. Later *2332 was assigned to freight service between Saint John & McAdam.

In the early 1950's during the Winter months the "Empress of Australia" (2nd) operated the Trans-Atlantic passenger service Liverpool, Eng. along with the "Empress of France" between Liverpool-West St. John. The Empress of Australia (2nd) was purchased from the French Line, formerly the Degrosse, replacing the "Empress of Canada" (2nd) gutted by fire at Liverpool after coming out of refit.

CP Steamships passenger carrying "Beaver" cargo-express-passenger ships also called at Saint John being the "Beaverburn" (2nd), "Beaverford" (2nd) "Beaverlodge" There were four other "Beavers" new Post War cargo-express ships on the UK-Continental Europe service-"Beavercove", "Beaverdell", "BeaverLake" and "Beaverglen". The passenger carrying "Beavers" carried 35 passengers the first few years and then cut back to 12 passengers. The immingrant ship "Beaverbrae" 2nd was mentioned earlier.

Next the mid-1950s-Diesels for "Atlantic Limited" service, new stainless-steel passenger cars make their debut between Montreal-Saint John. CP's 4-8-4 "Northern Type" locomotives* 3100 and* 3101 were bumped off trains #21 and # 22 the "Chicago Express" and "Overseas Express" on the Montreal-Toronto sector of these Chicago trains. CPR had plans to run these locomotives through to Saint John, N.B. on passenger service-the story is the U.S. Interstate Commerce Commission refused to allow these locomotives to run through the State of Maine; CP then operated the two 4-8-4's on Montreal-Saint John passenger trains as far as Megantic, Quebec. CPR later sent them to Western Canada and were converted to oil burners with 3101 on passenger trains Winnipeg-Moose Jaw, Sask. and other runs and 3100 shown as freight service.

[ ARTICLES ]

©2000, Donald Scott, all rights reserved.