Montreal Canada

[Anonymous]

I may be going to Montreal next weekend.

Any good spotting places?[:D]

[Anonymous]

Hello ICE,

The only place I had time to fan from the last time I was in Montreal was from my room at the Delta Montreal on President Kennedy Ave. I could look down on the double track leading into the via station (right across the street from the hotel - via and Montreal transit trains) and I could see all the way to the Alstom facility. The elevator ride also gave a nice perspective but they (hotel management) might think you a bit odd [8] if all you did was ride up and down in the elevator all day (they sure gave me a stern talking to).

Wait for Kevin (theRRman) to log on tonite, Montreal is his playground.

Jeff

PS CN headquarters is just up the street and there is supposed to be a model/museum type display in or near the Via station I think.

[Anonymous]

OH, thanks for all that info.

I have another question. It seems all the tracks leading to the Central station are on a long long bridge. Is there a way to get onto that bridge? Howelse could I take picutres of trains entering and leaving the Central Station.

Oh yea, where is the VIA Maintnance Center? And would I be "prosecuted for trespassing"? lol

[Anonymous]

OH yeah, wow, where to start.. Lots of main Tracks in the area, if your take the highway 20 in, thats the 401 if your comming from Ontario, for about a long time the tracks follow right beside the highway, and there are 4 tracks there, 2 cn and 2 CP. Cp runs the commuter Trains, and it's too bad because i'm not in town this week.. darn..

There is the old WINDSOR *Lucien L'Allier* trains station loactd in Downtown montreal, and that place is a MUST for any train enthusiast. Then you can go to the... Uhh... underground CN centeral Station (not much to see there) But you can see where the old CN station (Now VIA station).

i'll think about this tommorow, and since i don't have school tommorow, i'll be sure to post back.

Bring lots of film, if it's Digital, bring lots of memory Cards.

[Anonymous]

Hey Kevin,

Thanks for all that info. I'll be sure to check Lucien L'Allier station out. I'll probably be coming on the 417/40, but I will definitely check out the tracks along 20.

So for the Central Station, can I actually get to the tracks?? Or are they all elevated on a long bridge?

[Anonymous]

I'll be looking forward to seeing you put any pictures of Montreal on the internet with your other photos once you get back!

[bnsfkline]

Instant my Message from Montreal. His Handle is Raakone. He Loves his trains nows the best places.

[Anonymous]

Like Kevin said, around the 401/20....in the "West Island" (a misnomer because it's not a different island, it's the western part of Montreal Island) there's a long stretch where CN and CP mainlines are parralel. There's a road north of the CP tracks that's an excellent point to watch trains from.....you'll see CN, CP, VIA and AMT Lakeshore....and some of the CP and CN trains have a who's who of different freight cars.....especially lots of UP on CP. Anyways, that's arguably the best place to watch trains from!

~Ra'akone

[TH&B]

Check out the Victoria bridge, that is the long interesting double track CN bridge. You can drive over it by car paralel to the tracks. Pace a train! Not sure if there is a pedestrian path, but it would be a very long walk.

[Anonymous]

Hey guys,

I found all those places on maps. Thanks for all the info.
If I go, I'll be sure to bring back lots of photos.

[BR60103]

IIRC, the tracks at Gare Centrale Station are below the main waiting room. Whatever, they are carefully screened away from public view in case it might entice the public to ride.
Check the timetables and see if you can go through the mountain and out the other side -- that's on the commuter runs. There might be some interesting operations there, but I think the traffic is low. Most of the downtown tracks have been built over.
Somebody built a huge hockey rink over the approaches to Windsor Station, so there's a long walk out to the remaining commuter platforms.

[Anonymous]

Is there a way to get to the platforms of the Gare Centrale without a ticket?

[Anonymous]

Yes there is, IceTrain, platorms 9/10 and 11/12 have alternate staircases down to them that aren't gated. I occasionly go there to watch a train on the other platform leave. If you walk all the way south on 11/12 you'll have a good view of platform 13/14 (the longest one), and the trains that run south of the station.

~Ra'akone

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ICEtrain

Hey Kevin,

Thanks for all that info. I'll be sure to check Lucien L'Allier station out. I'll probably be coming on the 417/40, but I will definitely check out the tracks along 20.

So for the Central Station, can I actually get to the tracks?? Or are they all elevated on a long bridge?

ICE,

I dug out some photos and the tracks (six of them) going into central station (at least I think it is Central Station on President Kennedy) are all elevated approximately 30 ft on a viaduct stype structure, not really a bridge. It is solid fill, inaccessible from street level and had cross streets going under/through it. It was concrete for most of the length I could see (looks pretty cool)

Jeff

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by valleytenderfoot

QUOTE: Originally posted by ICEtrain

Hey Kevin,

Thanks for all that info. I'll be sure to check Lucien L'Allier station out. I'll probably be coming on the 417/40, but I will definitely check out the tracks along 20.

So for the Central Station, can I actually get to the tracks?? Or are they all elevated on a long bridge?

ICE,

I dug out some photos and the tracks (six of them) going into central station (at least I think it is Central Station on President Kennedy) are all elevated approximately 30 ft on a viaduct stype structure, not really a bridge. It is solid fill, inaccessible from street level and had cross streets going under/through it. It was concrete for most of the length I could see (looks pretty cool)

Jeff

It may look cool..but limits railfan access! [:(!]

[Anonymous]

Can you.. good Question i've never gone to gare centrale to take pictures, although i should.. Now when you check out Windsor station, Be aware there is a big sign beofre you go outside that says somehting like "Vous avez rentrez dans l'aire du controle..." What that menas in English is that you have enetered the Train boarding area, when your on the platforms, technically if you plan on boarding a train, make sure you have your ticket on you at all times. and if you see a man with a vest that says "INSPECTEUR" on his vest, and you don't have a ticket, don't run, don't board the train, kindly explain "i'm just taking pictures", or try to make a quiet get away, now theres one inspector whose about 7 feet tall, he's a real Meiser and eats rusty nails for breakfast, like my grade 12 french teacher..HA! Be weary of him.

thats about all the advise i cna give you...
Sorry, i wish i could be there to show you around.

Kev.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kevinstheRRman

Can you.. good Question i've never gone to gare centrale to take pictures, although i should.. Now when you check out Windsor station, Be aware there is a big sign beofre you go outside that says somehting like "Vous avez rentrez dans l'aire du controle..." What that menas in English is that you have enetered the Train boarding area, when your on the platforms, technically if you plan on boarding a train, make sure you have your ticket on you at all times. and if you see a man with a vest that says "INSPECTEUR" on his vest, and you don't have a ticket, don't run, don't board the train, kindly explain "i'm just taking pictures", or try to make a quiet get away, now theres one inspector whose about 7 feet tall, he's a real Meiser and eats rusty nails for breakfast, like my grade 12 french teacher..HA! Be weary of him.

thats about all the advise i cna give you...
Sorry, i wish i could be there to show you around.

Kev.

[:0][:0]
scary....so say I don't want to get killed by mr. giant, how mcuh is a AMT train ticket? Maybe I'll just buy one. [:D]

[Anonymous]

Full fare? about 5 bucks.. Wait i have my scedual here...

Windsor- Dorion line.. full fare, 5 bucks. (5 bucks CDN is about 3.25 american)

Hey it's a cool thing to buy and stick in your scrap book, that way you have 90 minutes to stand on the platform and take all the pictures you possibly can! and if they stop by and check, your all clear!

P.s Lucien lallier station, the old windsor station has been around since the dawn of the CP, made out of old stone, The building used to have hundreds of trains leaving a day, and the history as well as a statue is posted there.

Also, if you only see the part where the trains board, your missing out on alot. That is the new Lucien L'allier station. The old one is down the road from it abit for example
{ A } St. hubert; Hockey arena {C} ======================================
____________________________ Road

Ok so the old windsor station is (A) the trains used to stop there, but since they built the Hockey arena the terminus is now at (C) , those === are the tracks starting. the hockey arena of which i speak is where the Montreal Canadians play, and thats inbetween A and C. Both A and C are both connected by road, underground tunnel, or above ground tunnel. and it's less then a 45 second walk taking the road, less then a 2 minute walk taking the tunnel or the above ground passage.
The old windsor station entrance, is exactly across the street from St. Georges church, so the church makes a good reference point.

Kev.

[Anonymous]

If you're only there to watch and not to ride, just buy a Zone 1....or if you've taken a Metro or bus to get there, keep the transfer, they'll accept that as well.

~Ra'akone

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys. So, a full fare Lucien L’Allier – Dorion ticket is $5. Does that include return? Also, how much is a metro, or bus ticket?

Thanks
PS: I’m leaving tomorrow morning.

[Anonymous]

A little more than $2 for a zone 1 ticket.....or a bus or metro ride...but they don't accept a straight bus ticket...but the TRANSFER is valid for 90 minutes in Zone 1 (out to Dorval on the Lakeshore Line). Dorion is in Zone 3 by the way, not zone 5......it's the stations of Hudson and Rigaud (don't go there, strictly "traditional commuter") and Vaudreil (partially open, temporarily Zone 3) that are in Zone 5.

~Ra'akone

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone. All your tips were very useful!
I uploaded a few photos to RailPictures.Net. Once they are accepted, I'll post the links.

Thanks again

[RudyRockvilleMD]

A good lineside station to watch trains in the vicinity of Montreal is Point Clare. Here the tracks of the CN and the CP run side-by-side. As others have pointed out the tracks of both railroads run side-by-side for quite a few miles so you might use one of the commuter stations as a vantage point for watching or photographing trains. Another place is the north mouth of the tunnel from Central Station; here you will mostly electric MU suburban trains although some more modern steeple cab electrics might haul some of the trains.

[Anonymous]

Yes, pointe Claire is a good one,

Closer to The island of montreal is the Valois Train station, but i don't know if that one is open.

[Anonymous]

anyways, too late now

I'm back...the photos link (also in another topic)
http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?name=ICE