QUOTE: Originally posted by trolleyboy Okay as promised yesterday: classic juice # 3 The Montreal and Southern Counties RY.This was an interurban line ment to link the city of Montreal with the southern Counties on the shores of the St Lawrence River. The MS&C was originally chartered federally inan act of parliament in 1897.To provide service from montreal to st lambert. A second act in 1898 allowed them to build into the counties of,Beauharnois , Chateaugay , Huntingdon , and Napierville .A third act in 1902 authorized tha MS&C to enter into agreements with other railways on the South shore of the St lawrence.and eastern township areas. An act passed in 1905 allowed them to buy out a local bus line the South shore auto car company. they were slow to build from their initial start up date of 1897,indeed until a great deal of money came from the Grand Trunk railway. Little was actually built until GT allowed the MS&C to use the Victoria Bridge to cross the river to the southern counties this happened in 1905. In november 1909 passenger service comenced between Montreal and St lambert. They ran as an independant company until 1911 when ownership went to the GT proper.and continued that way as a CNR franchise till discontiuance in 1956.Adding on of lines was slow and cautious. They reached Longiel in 1910 ( this was a point just east of the preasant day Jacques Cartier bridge )Ranelagh in 1911, Greenfield park i& Mackayvile in 1913,Chambly,Richelieu,and Mariesville in 1914. The town of Laprairie recieved a franchise in 1914 but never got the line built. The extension made it as far as Abbotsford and Granby in late 1915. With the final expansion to mariesville and Ste Angele completed in 1926 20 + years to build 50 miles of railway! All the cars and equipment were of Canadain manufacture with the Ottawa car company building the bulk. All werebuilt narrow to accomadate the dimensions of the Victorian designed Victoria bridge.Most of the cars were wood bodied with monitor or railway roofs. Some later steel cars including the same 600 series cars later used on the NS&T arrived in the 30's.the first cars were built by Ottawa in 1909 #1-8single end passenger cars. #9-10 built by the Grande Trunk were the same just double ended.built in 1911,Cars 11-15 built by Osgoode Bradley arrived in 1926 were also double ended. (all MS&C cars were mu-able as there were no turning loops )The 100 series cars 100-105( double end cars ) were built by Ottawa in 1911 then 106-107 were double end combines built by ottawa in 1912 ( 107 is at our museum today )in 1917 the 200 series trailers were built #200-209 built by Ottawa one follow up 220 was built by Ottawa in 1930 non powered trailors ( wood bodies) . Wooden 300 series work cars are as follows first 300 rotary plow built by Ruggles in 1910 second 300snowplow/flanger built by the NS&T in 1925.301 rotary plow built in 1910 by ruggles,302 and 303 de/dt sweepers built by Ottawa in 1910 and 1912. finally se wedge plows 304&307 built by Russel between 1906-1917. 305 dtline car built by the NS&T in 1924 , 306 express motor built by NS&T in 1921 DE locomotive 325 built by NS&T in1925.The first metal passenger cars 320-324 were built by Brill in1917 similar to arch roofed saftey cars ( dt ) also first non monitor roofed cars built for the MS&C. Final batch of 500 series work cars. 500 se flat motor built by Grand Trunk in 1911,SE express motors 501,502 built by National Steel Car in 1913 , 504 rexpress motor built by Ottawa in 1923 express trailors 503 & 506 were built by Ottawa in 1916 ( these were used to haul milk and mail ) The final cars were bought second hand from the defunct Sandwich & Amerstburgh Railway in 1930. They were built in 1923 and were the last interurban cars built in canada #620-623 These cars went on to run on the NS&T when the MS&C went out of business in 1956. Wordy but there it is. Have a good evening Rob
QUOTE: A loss of a friend is indeed a difficult thing to handle. For as long as you two knew one another and enjoyed the relationship, I offer: Friendship doesn't end with death - you will always have those memories - and pictures. Be ever more thankful that you and Jack shared some time on this Earth. Tom
"Don't take a wooden nickel,because it isn't worth a dime" by my Dad
"There are only 3 things you need out of life:A gentle grade,the wind in your face,and cinders in your hair.....But keep an eye on the water glass!" Jack Evans
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