Canadian National - Marine Atlantic

NS VIA Fan · Apr 23, 2011

When Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949, CN was given the mandate to provide a ferry service across the 90 mile Cabot Strait to link the Island with the rest of Canada. Eventually rail-car ferries were used.

Standard Gauge cars would arrive on the Island and have their wheel-sets changed out so they could run on the Narrow Gauge system........545 miles to St. John’s. Here’s the Dock and the Duel Gauge yard in Port-aux-Basques, NFLD:

NS VIA Fan · Apr 23, 2011

After the Railway was abandoned in 1988, larger car-truck ferries, the Caribou and Smallwood were obtained with a capacity of 340 vehicles. Now these have been laid-up waiting disposal:

........And even larger vessels are now in service with 500 > 550 car capacities. Here’s the Atlantic Vision loading at the North Sydney NS terminal this morning. Next to it is the Highlanders (soon to enter service) and the truck ferry; Leif Ericson.

J-1 3235 · Apr 23, 2011

Thanks for the info and photos! I didn't realize rail-car ferries were in service to Newfoundland,or that the rails on the island were narrow gauge.

Mike

NS VIA Fan · Apr 23, 2011

J-1 3235 said:
...............................or that the rails on the island were narrow gauge.

Mike

Here's a link to my Trip-Report along the old Narrow-Gauge System:

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/28274-along-the-trail-of-the-newfie-bullet/page__p__178555__hl__bishops__fromsearch__1#entry178555

railiner · Apr 24, 2011

Thanks very much for your post. It brings back pleasant memories of my auto trip to Newfoundland in summer, 1990 in our new Grand Marquis, a comfortable cross-country cruiser. We tooke the ferry over, and proceeded all the way up to St. Anthony. We saw our first iceburg in the Strait of Belle Isle along the way. We were stopped along the way by a local offering us free fish from his catch (probably cod), but we politely declined, as we had no cooking gear. The next day we drove all the way to St. Johns. The next day we stopped at Cape Spear, called the closest point in North America to Europe, then drove all the way back to Port Aux Basque, stopping at the historic Gander airport for lunch. As we waited in the evening for the ferry to arrive, a thick fog developed. So thick, that I could barely see about 25 feet away.

I started to worry about us being stranded for the night at the terminal, with all local motels filled up. I didn't see how the ferry could possibly navigate in through that soup.

All of a sudden, the loudspeakers boomed: "The Joseph and Clara Smallwood, now arriving". I stared towards the dock intently, seeing and hearing nothing. Then, like a ghostly apparition, the ferry sort of just materialized before our eyes. After unloading, and us loading, I was never so happy to settle down in our cabin for the night. We arrived back in North Sydney right on schedule.