# VIA's Maritime Realignment:



## NS VIA Fan (Nov 15, 2019)

Almost missed this anniversary!.......but It was 40 years ago on October 28, 1979 that VIA realigned and combined the former CN and CP Routes between Montreal and the Maritimes.











The previous night the last 'CPR' Atlantic Limited had departed from CP’s Windsor Station in Montreal.....crossed through the USA and terminated in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Now the new VIA ‘Atlantic’ departed from Gare Centrale in Montreal……ran on CN to a junction with its former CP route at Lennoxville, Quebec (near Sherbrooke)....then through Megantic and across the State of Maine. But now instead of terminating in Saint John, the new Atlantic continued on to Moncton and Halifax.

There were changes over on the CN ‘Intercolonial’ route through Campbellton also:

There had been two trains a day each way between Montreal and Halifax: the Ocean Limited and the Scotian. Now only the Ocean would be retained. (The old Scotain No’s 11 & 12 actually went to the new Atlantic)

Replacing the Scotian were new local/Intercity trains on more convenient schedules. One of these: le Saint-Laurent…operating on a new daytime schedule between Mont-Joli and Montreal even got the Skyline Dome Car that had been running on the old CPR Atlantic Limited. (Note: neither the Ocean nor new VIA Atlantic had Domes or Park Cars at the time)

A new ‘Intercity’ route between Halifax-Moncton-Saint John was launched with two through trains a day each way: the new Atlantic and an RDC Railiner. Prior to that…..you had to change and wait for connections in Moncton.

A downfall of the new schedules was the elimination of the through cars between Sydney and Montreal and also between Gaspe and Montreal that had been combined with the Ocean and Scotian. Passengers now had to change trains in Truro or Matapedia respectively …..connecting with RDC Railiners.

I was on that first run of the new e/b Atlantic.....and here’s some souvenirs:

-My ticket (& still on CN ticket stock) for Roomette 10 in Car 1240

-The Atlantic’s consist in the “Instructions Speciales” issued at Gare Centrale, Montreal. Note the consist for Amtrak’s Montrealer (Item 21) and Train No. 14 (Item 27) This is the consist for the Ocean now departing Montreal on the Scotian's old schedule at 2340.








At Saint John the old downtown Union Station was demolished in the early ‘70s and CP moved their station 6 km west and CN to their freight yard 4 km east. Now with the launch of the new through ‘Atlantic’…..VIA built a new small station downtown again near the old Union Station site.

Here we’re stopping at the new station on that first run on rainy wet October 29, 1979…….then onto Moncton (and eventually Halifax):


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## jiml (Nov 15, 2019)

Awesome history recap, as usual. Lots of discussion about what was, what could have been and the current status of eastern routes on my recent Ocean trip. Even managed to snag a Bras d'or travel guide in the process.


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## railiner (Nov 15, 2019)

It’s sad that Saint John and Sydney no longer have any service... among many other places that VIA once served...


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## NS VIA Fan (Nov 16, 2019)

railiner said:


> It’s sad that Saint John and Sydney no longer have any service... among many other places that VIA once served...



Things were very optimistic for VIA back then…..but it didn’t last. Just 2 years later in November 1981 the new ‘Atlantic’ made its last run and the CPR line across the State of Maine became freight only.

The ‘Atlantic’ did come back in June 1985 and lasted until December 1994 when it was discontinued for the final time. Since then the 'Ocean' has been the only train between Montreal and the Maritimes.


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## jiml (Nov 16, 2019)

I did the route during its revival. The second cancellation was blamed on budget cuts and difficulties with the border crossing, but I believe there was also significant motivation from CP, who wanted to downgrade/sell the track. Of course they did so, with disastrous results some years later.


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