Searching for a map and schedule of trains in north-eastern North America

[hellwarrior]

Hi everybody, I' totally new in this railroad community.  I would like to watch and photograph trains but I would like to know if it's possible to find some maps and schedule of trains in the Montreal, Quebec, Canada area?

Thanks for your help!

[Deggesty]

Hellwarrior, are you interested in mainline passenger trains only, or suburban service also?

If mainline oonly, VIA has information on its trains, including highly stylized maps on its website. I do not remember it exactly, but you can try viarail.ca.

For other service, you cousld possibly search for passenger service Montreal Canada, or some such combination that will give you its schedules.

 

Welcome to Classic Trains!

[hellwarrior]

Thanks Deggesty for the information.  In fact, I don't know exactly what I want.  I am new to this and I was hoping to have some maps and infos about the schedule of trains so I can photography them.

Somebody just told me that for security reason, I can't have the schedule of trains.  I understand this but I will have to wait long times to be able to photography trains in areas with less circulation.

[henry6]

Schedule of trains is virtually non existent except for passenger services...freight trains are scheduled but not necessarily strictly adhered to, you can't set your watch by it by any means and sometimes a calendar doesn't do it either!  

There still is an Official Guide for freight railroads of some sort...but very difficult to find except around shippers and railroad sales offices I suppose....

If you are really interested you might get a scanner and listen for movements...hang around rail yards or where trains are with crews; if you don't act unsafe or overly enthusiastic or suspicious in any way, you might make some friends on the railroad and learn a lot of what you want to know that way.  Also, don't rule out local and national rail organizations like the NRHS, the R&L Historical Society, historical societies for railroads of particular interest.. And read...Trains Mag. is a good place to start, then look for others who pique your interest or are more regional.  Libraries are a good place to start, rail hobby shops are excellent, and even Barnes and Noble has a large selection of rail oriented periodicals.

[hellwarrior]

Henry, what do you mean exactly by a scanner?  

I will try to take a look at GoogleMaps and find a good spot with a good view to go and spot trains.  I live at 300 meters from a train but there is a train only two or three times a day.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

hellwarrior

Henry, what do you mean exactly by a scanner?  

The same kind of scanner you'd use to listen in on police and fire calls. You can tune them to listen in on the railroads too. I used to listen in on the KCS all the time.

[henry6]

jeffrey-wimberly

hellwarrior

Henry, what do you mean exactly by a scanner?  

The same kind of scanner you'd use to listen in on police and fire calls. You can tune them to listen in on the railroads too. I used to listen in on the KCS all the time.

Yes...see fan mags, hobby shops, and electronic stores.  They are cheap enough nowadays.

[Deggesty]

hellwarrior, here is wikipedia's address for information on the Guide, which may help you learn a bit more. It's been more than twenty years since I bought a copy of the freight issue, but it may still be possible for a private citizen to buy one. However, the maps, often, are not very good. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_Guide_of_the_Railways 

I just checked on VIA's website, and it is www.viarail.ca

A good source for information on Canadian railroads is found at www. published every year, gives much information, but does not give freight schedules. Don't enter anything that comes after the .ca

I can't think of any more information I can give you, at the moment.

 

[hellwarrior]

Ok I understand.  Thank you guys for the information.

[Deggesty]

I do not know what happened to the Bytown railoway Society's address, but here it is, again: www.bytownrailwaysociety.ca

[hellwarrior]

Thanks Deggesty for the info.  I will take a look :)