Christmas chaos returns (again): Back on the Bus

Christmas Chaos returns (again): Back on the Bus

That's not a good view to have. Outside the train at...Sainte-Florence?!?

Those of you who have followed this blog over the years will know that I’ve had some, let’s say, “eventful” trips around Christmas time. To be perfectly fair, the majority of my Christmas train travels have been smooth, and so have the many trips throughout the years in between. There are delays and the odd issue here and there, but sometimes things go really wrong, and these are definitely the trips that stand out – just not for the best reasons.

My first dramatic Christmas trip was back in 2013, when a head end power (HEP) failure led to a bus ride from Matapedia, an overnight in Montreal,  and a delayed arrival on Christmas Eve. Apart from a few very delayed trains, the next excitement came nearly a decade later in 2022, in an extraordinary multi-day trip that involved trains, planes, and automobiles. That was followed in short succession by another disastrous trip in 2023, where an extremely delayed train with a freight locomotive rescue ended up failing at Campbellton, and resulting in a long overnight bus ride to Montreal.

Since that 2023 trip, I’ve had many smooth rides – several throughout 2024 and after Christmas that year, and several through the winter, summer and fall of this year. A few trains even arrived on time!

So as Christmas arrived this year and I firmed up my travel plans, I was feeling fairly optimistic that it would be a smooth trip. Alas, it seems that the railway fates had decided it was time for another one of those “eventful” rides.

This year, VIA rescheduled several trains over the holidays. The normal Wednesday departures for two weeks were shifted back to Tuesdays, so the trains that would have departed on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve were both shifted a day earlier. This was excellent news for the travelling public, as it made the trains work much better for anyone going somewhere over the holidays.

I decided to take advantage of the rescheduled trains so I could depart on Dec. 23 from Halifax, then arriving in Ottawa by the afternoon of Christmas Eve. I was already a little wary about the rescheduling, as I had learned in the past that trains on unusual days of the week can sometimes cause issues (like forgetting to call a new crew – something I encountered back in January 2018); but overall, I was hopeful that all would go smoothly.

Halifax station - with the newly renovated exterior, sign and clock unveiled earlier in 2025.

After arriving at the station and checking my bag, I noticed a new addition. There is now a “train configuration” board in the Halifax station, very similar to those they have for the Canadian at major stations. This is very helpful, especially with the Ocean’s somewhat bizarre hybrid consist, and makes it easy to figure out where your car will be in the train. There are a few minor errors on the board as it was set up there, but overall it was nice to see.

Train configuration board - a handy reference for new (and returning) passengers! Hard to photograph with the glass cover, but it's easy to read in person.

There were some errors on this board - it actually did show 4 Chateaus, but identified one as economy and didn't note the presence of car 42. One HEP economy coach and the Ren coach are also missing.

The Ren section is mostly right in the descriptions, but is using a coach for the picture of the dining car.

A festive Halifax station. There was actually a large crowd, I just strategically took the photo to avoid showing a lot of people.

At the check-in desk there were two options for lunch – noon or 1:30. I opted for noon, which oddly seemed to be less popular than the later option (that's seemed consistent since the train shifted to this earlier 11:30am departure time).

Boarding began around 10:50am, 40 minutes ahead of scheduled departure. As I headed out on to the chilly but sunny platform, I was immediately impressed by the extended train before me. For this Christmas peak, the Ocean was expanded to the longest we’ve seen since service resumed in 2021. The HEP section was expanded to include 3 HEP1 coaches and 4 Chateau sleepers, with three in service, making a 19-car train when including the standard 11-car Renaissance block. This is the first time we’ve seen 3 revenue Chateau sleepers, though it seems to have been motivated by issues with some bad ordered Ren sleepers. On this train, car 37 was out of service and those passengers had been relocated to car 42.

Stepping to the other side for a sunlit photo - the baggage car is not the classiest tail end, but the long stainless steel section on this train still looks awesome.

Looking ahead up the platform, with a short walk to my sleeper. For those in the Rens who can't manage the long walk, a golf cart makes frequent runs back and forth. 

Some Renaissance cars had been having issues through the cold winter, as they often do. A portable heating device was set up on the platform, and I was told that it can be quite the task to get everything fully thawed (especially the diner and service cars) between trips. 

Thawing the Rens - this portable heater gets a good workout between the arrival of the incoming train and the next departure. 

VIA 15 – Dep Halifax Dec. 23, 2025

6410 F40 (forward)

6413 F40 (backward)

7003 Renaissance baggage

70230 Renaissance accessible coach

7519 Renaissance sleeper (39)

7522 Renaissance sleeper (38)

7502 Renaissance sleeper (37)*bad ordered

79501 Renaissance accessible sleeper (30)

7309 Renaissance service car (Easterly)

7402 Renaissance dining car

7313 Renaissance service car (Economy cafe)

7231 Renaissance coach

7602 Renaissance transition car

8142 HEP1 coach

8130 HEP1 coach

8110 HEP1 coach (empty)

8220 Chateau Papineau (40)

8228 Chateau Verchères (41) *Roomette 7

8221 Chateau Radisson (42)

8219 Chateau Montcalm (crew)

8623 HEP1 Baggage car

 

*Consist notes: Ren coach had all Halifax-Montreal passengers, first HEP coach had Miramichi and Moncton bound passengers, second all other intermediates with half the coach taped off for overnight, third was empty. Coach line numbering has been inconsistent, with multiple cars showing the same line number, so I’m no longer noting this.

 

Boarding my Chateau sleeper, I found my roomette - #7, an upper level roomette – and got settled in. On this trip (and in fact all trains around the holidays), all Chateaus were facing forward on the westbound trip (i.e. backwards out of Montreal, forwards out of Halifax). This is the ideal configuration, as it puts the bedrooms, half the roomettes, and 2 of the 3 berths on the side with the better scenery. VIA hasn’t always been consistent with Chateau orientation on the Ocean, and the reservations system never has that information correct; but it was nice to see them all set up the better way for at least a little while. The only downside of this is that all roomettes face backwards one way, but I have never found this to be much of an issue.

Entering Chateau Verchères, from the vestibule end. Note the small luggage rack on the left, something the Chateaus have but the Manors lack. The roomettes are first at this end of the car, before the hallway jogs left to pass the bedrooms.

The step up into a raised roomette (3, 4, 7, 8). Not a huge step, but not ideal for anyone a little uneasy about navigating these on a moving train.  

Looking forward. Storage up above, sink to the right, toilet (which becomes a footstool when closed) in front.

Looking back. Bed folds down murphy-style in the upper roomettes. On the floor level ones, the bed pulls out from ahead of you to cover the seat. The bed is easy to pull down or stow yourself, but an attendant will do it for you if needed.

Roomettes have both curtains and a sliding door, which locks from the inside. The curtains provide some soundproofing and also allow you to open the door to get up out of bed (it's a tight space) while maintaining privacy. I also find the doors often slide themselves open (when not locked) as the train moves, so a good idea to zip the curtain when you leave your roomette.

The fold-down sink. A clever design, as it drains when you lift it back up to stow away.

While waiting to depart, word circulated that we would be delayed. As it turns out, the unusual Tuesday departure had resulted in one complication: the septic truck had not yet arrived to empty the toilet retention tanks! Good thing they found that before we left. Ultimately our departure was delayed until 12:23pm, 53 minutes late. 

GFL to the rescue! Toilet tanks being emptied.

This also meant that the first lunch started while we were still in the station, though we were moving by the time I was on to my main course.

Festive decor in the dining car.

A better look at the table settings on the 4-seat side.

Lunch menu. These haven't changed since the last update in August.

Clam chowder to start, an excellent option on a cold day.

The lentil pie - one of my favourite offerings on this menu, though I still feel like some greens would round out the plate.

The always exceptional caramel carrot cake - but be warned, it can be quite a lot.

Lunch was excellent, though during the course of the meal I overheard some rumbling about problems in the diner. It turned out that the hot water for the dishwashing had failed, so they would have to switch to disposable dishware and cups for the dinner service. A bit of a shame, but understandable. Between that and the initial delay, I thought I was hitting all of the “interesting” things for this trip. In the long run, they seemed to be omens of things to come…

The afternoon was smooth and uneventful. At Truro, I noted that the station attendant seems to have returned, after a long period with just security holding down the fort (I’d later hear from fellow passengers who boarded there and were very relieved to see the staff back). We made no stop at Springhill, but then did stop at Amherst and Sackville. I enjoyed my time through the afternoon between the service car and the empty HEP1 coach next to my sleeper, and stepped out for fresh (cold) air at Moncton.

Poinsettias in the service car, and a small basket of candy canes. The self-serve tea/coffee are not on offer at this time of year, but sleeper passengers can get these for free from the canteen in the economy service car at any time.  

Enjoying the view from the larger windows in the empty HEP1 coach. This particular window had a broken shade, so good that it wasn't in use for passengers trying to sleep!

Wintery views by Folly Lake, with some bits of water still unfrozen.

Late afternoon in the service car, approaching Sackville. Always love that golden hour light.

Feet up and relaxing in my roomette - hard to beat this, honestly.

Moncton sunset, with festive attire among the crew.

Dinner options were 6pm or 8pm, and having had the early lunch I decided to go with the 6pm supper. The meal was excellent again, despite the paper plates and bowls, and I enjoyed the company of a passenger from PEI who was on her way to visit family in Montreal.

Dinner menu.

Tomato bisque, served in paper due to the dishwashing issue mentioned above. The atmosphere was somewhat downgraded, but it still tasted great - and nice to still have the proper cutlery and table setting at least.

Marsala pork chop - the one option off this dinner menu I hadn't tried yet. Another winner, in my books. Very generous portion, tasty, and really enjoyable even on a paper plate.

The special Christmas dessert - a white chocolate raspberry mousse cake. 

As pretty as it looked initially, I had to include a look inside - cake, mousse, and a raspberry compote/jam(?). This was very sweet.

Afterwards, I relaxed with a book in my roomette, and ultimately got settled in for bed before we got to Campbellton. I decided not to brave the cold again, and tried to get to sleep while we were still sitting still in Campbellton. I was dozing by the time we started rolling away through the yard, and solidly asleep not too long later.

Views outside approaching Campbellton.

Roomette all set up for bed. 

Somewhere after midnight I woke up and needed to get up to use the washroom. Rather than folding up the bed in the roomette, I usually prefer to slip down the hall to the communal bathroom. As I got up, I tried flipping on the light switch, and nothing happened. I tried all the lights in my room – nothing. The fan wasn’t on either. Huh. Heading down the hall I could see that all of the hallway lights were on the bright setting that trips in when the head end power (HEP) is off and they’re running on battery backup. I could also see forward through the economy coaches, and the lights there were all on bright as well. Very strange. We were still moving, though, so I was unsure about the problem. Still groggy and only half awake, I went back to bed. At some point I noticed that the power seemed to be back on, and we stopped and started; but I fell back asleep, blissfully unaware of what was going on.

The knock at the door came at 3:30am. That’s never a good sign…

My attendant was at the door and informed me that we were stopped, we had lost power, and busses were on the way. None of these were good things to wake up to. Chatting with her a bit more, I learned that we had encountered problems due to a failure of one of the locomotives (seems to have been the trailing unit), and after stopping and trying to figure out a solution, the head end crew quickly figured out that it wasn’t something they could fix on the road. After an extended period of time without power, during which the Renaissance cars apparently got extremely cold (something I experienced back in 2013), they were able to get power working while we were stopped. But with one locomotive disabled, they couldn’t run the train at speed while also providing HEP.

An unwelcome message on VIA's TSI mobile tracker.

A look at where we last showed up on the map.

So the call had been made to cancel the train at this point, and order buses to get us onward. Looking up our location on my phone, I could see that we were between Matapedia and Causapscal, specifically at a siding in Sainte-Florence. This was apparently the nearest siding with road access that they could get the train to, which allows them to get out of the way of other traffic (including the oncoming train 14), and to get us safely off the train. An announcement informed us that they would be making a “preventative evacuation of the train”.

View outside from where we had stopped...

Here's a Google map screenshot showing where we were, in context.

It would take a while for the buses to arrive, unsurprising given that they had been arranged in the wee hours of the morning- on Christmas Eve, no less!

The first bus arrived at 4:50am, about an hour and 20 minutes after passengers had been woken up. There would ultimately be 4 buses, one of which would be a full milk-run making intermediate stops, one of which would stop at Ste-Foy and Montreal, and 2 that would just go direct to Montreal.

As we moved forward, the group of busses came into view.

Local fire department and first responders had arrived to assist with the safe evacuation of the train. This was a new one for me, as previous bustitutions had happened from VIA stations (Matapedia and Campbellton) with full platforms. While Causapscal wasn't far, that station has no facilities and barely a platform, in addition to being on single track.

Loading the buses was a bit of an ordeal, given that everything and everyone had to be unloaded from the train at a single grade crossing. They first needed to unload all checked baggage from the baggage car, then spot and unload each section of the train to avoid forcing everyone to walk too far through the train with all their things, as well as to keep people organized. They also had to move to clear the crossing to let vehicles cross a couple of times. The train first moved forward at 4:52, then made a series of backup and forward moves. Each unloading seemed to take about 10-15 minutes. Finally, my section was spotted and unloaded by 6:15am, being the second last as we were near the end of the train. We were greeted by local firefighters who were assisting with the safe unloading of the train, shown where to pick up our bags, and then directed to a designated bus based on our location. I would be in bus 3, which had 44 passengers and several crew members including my attendant and the attendant from the next car, who would act as the lead attendant for this bus edition of VIA #15.

Approaching our unloading point. Checked baggage has been arranged and is being picked up by passengers as they head to their designated bus. 

Looking ahead at our train, all of which was already unloaded by this point. This HEP1 coach is one of the six that received this teal and yellow scheme to match the refurbished HEP2 equipment in the Corridor. They look pretty sharp when coupled directly to the Renaissance section.

Outside, as the train prepares to move forward to make one more unloading stop. 

Some of the other buses that would be replacing our train.

We departed at 6:36am. Our driver informed us that we’d be making a quick stop initially at a Tim Hortons in Amqui, then getting on the road. The toilet needed to thaw out, so we were asked to reserve it for emergencies only for the first part of the trip. 

As we headed away, we got a glimpse of train 14 on its way east, just past Causapscal, and then made our Tim Hortons stop at 7:12am. Two of our buses made that stop at the Tim Hortons - I imagine the workers were not at all prepared for dozens of people arriving at once at this time of the morning - and again, on Christmas Eve! After a second quick stop to refill washer fluid, we were on the road.

On the bus. Comfortable enough, but it's no train.

We still got to enjoy some nice views, but as my seat mate commented, we would all have preferred to see them from the train. 

Our next stop would be at a highway-side rest stop after Riviere-du-Loup, so the VIA staff could retrieve snack boxes and water from under the bus. These were handed out as we got back underway, and provided a welcome bit of nourishment.

Snack bags being passed around.

Snack box - with a Clif bar, jerky stick, tuna snack and crackers, a little VIA snack mix, and another granola bar in the bag that isn't pictured here. A pretty solid mix of snacks, though it's a downgrade from the dining car breakfast I'd been looking forward to. 

We then made a proper pit stop at Lévis, where we had to change bus drivers. We had a 20 minute stop (which became 30), where we were able to stretch and get a proper bite to eat.

VIA 15 - "Excellence" bus edition. These "Excellence" buses have been the provider for each of the three bustitutions I've now experienced. 

Levis pit-stop.

By this point it was very clear that we would not make our initial connections onward beyond Montreal. Checking email on my phone, I was impressed to see that I received a notice that I had been automatically rebooked on the later train 37 to Ottawa. Passengers on 65 for Toronto would be bumped to 67. We were also informed by staff on the bus that VIA had determined our compensation – all passengers would receive a 100% refund for the trip in this direction (for me, that would be the full Halifax-Montreal segment), as well as a travel credit (100% of the fare paid) for a future trip. Quite respectable, and seemed to be well received by passengers. My refund was processed automatically within a few business days. 

Ultimately, we arrived in Montreal at 3:10pm. Despite the bus trip, this only put us 5h17min late. Retrieving my bags from under the bus, I headed inside and made my way over to the lounge to wait on train 37, which was scheduled to depart at 4:30pm – not a bad wait at all. As bus rides go – this being my third long bustitution, from nearly the same place – this was easily the best one yet.

Views approaching Montreal. Happy to be arriving here at a civilized time of day. 

A different view of arrival at Gare Centrale.

The bus and its two different drivers got us here smoothly, though I would never voluntarily choose to opt for a bus on that trip.

Central station, beautifully decorated as always.

Before moving on any further with this report, I need to comment on how impressed I was with how everyone handled this. All of the passengers I interacted with were respectful and taking things in stride. That was particularly impressive, as we had a mix of people including families with young kids, a couple with an infant, and at least one gentleman about to turn 90! This is likely due, in large part, to the exceptional job done by the on board staff. They displayed an incredible amount of resilience, professionalism, and adaptability in handling this whole situation – and at Christmas no less! It can be exhausting to go through all this as a passenger, and I know that having to experience that *and* be on duty the whole time is a lot to handle. A special shoutout to Jill and Noah, and to Service Manager Dean (who has been there on more than one of these “exciting” trips before).

The only downside with the handling of this situation is that it sounded like those who hadn't already boarded the train (at upcoming stops between Causapscal and Ste-Foy) would be offered no alternate transportation. If that was indeed the case, that seems to be a major failing on the part of VIA management, and something I hope they'll reconsider in the future, especially with such limited transportation options in many of those communities. 

With that drama behind me, it was nice to be back on a train again as I boarded train 37. It was a bit delayed arriving from Quebec, and we ultimately departed Montreal 25 minutes late.

VIA 37 – Dec. 24, 2025

6441 F40

33xx LRC coach (06)

3337 LRC coach (05)

33xx LRC coach (04)

33xx LRC coach (03)

3459 LRC Business class (91)

34xx LRC Business class (01)

9xx P42

 

This way to Ottawa.

LRCs - a less common site now, but still soldiering on for a little while longer. I will be sad to see these go.

Entering Business class, through the galley.

2+1 Business seating. I still don't care much for these physical seats, and continue to feel that the Ventures are definitely a big upgrade on that front.

I will miss the warm tones of these LRC interiors. 

After a good while of 100% Venture operation on Ottawa-Montreal-Quebec trains, VIA has recently worked some legacy trains back into the rotation on this route. My original train 35 was supposed to be Venture, but 37 was LRC. While the LRCs have stuck around longer than originally anticipated, their days are still numbered, so I was happy to get in some additional rides.

The trip was smooth, and as it got dark outside there wasn’t much to see aside from the occasional Christmas lights. There was a generally festive atmosphere on board, with this being Christmas Eve. When the attendant came around with post-dinner coffee, she mentioned that they also had Baileys for anyone interested – not something they normally have on those trains, and clearly a little something special for Christmas.

Brisket mac and cheese, with pear and goat cheese salad. One of the best Business class meals around right now. 

I finally arrived in Ottawa at 6:54pm. As we headed down the platform, one of the VIA staff was shouting out “make sure you don’t forget any of your personal items, especially your Christmas gifts, because otherwise I’ll be keeping them! Merry Christmas!”  

My original train – 35 – was actually almost an hour late that day, arriving in Ottawa at 2:52pm. So despite all of that ordeal, I was only actually 4 hours late arriving at my final destination; albeit rather exhausted. 

Arrival at Ottawa, with a spare Venture set parked off to the right.

Impressive Christmas decor in the Ottawa station, a lovely view to arrive to on Christmas Eve.

During the visit in Ottawa, I ended up around Brockville for a day. I happened upon a couple of VIA trains while there, which gave a chance to at least see a few Venture sets in operation during this trip.

Venture departing Brockville, into the sun. 

A Venture equipped train arriving at Brockville from Ottawa. This station is really beautiful after its renovation several years back. This is also where my trips to and from the east coast used to begin and end, so there's a lot of nostalgia being here. 

 

The Return

 

Ottawa station.

The rear unit on my train 26, awaiting us outside.

After that ordeal on the way up, I enjoyed a relaxing time with family, and then headed back out on December 28^th. I’m pleased to say that the return trip was, by all accounts, exceptionally smooth.

My initial departure from Ottawa was on train 26, which was running a bizarre mixed LRC and HEP2 consist. This was an incredibly busy train, packed full and with so much luggage the crew were struggling to find places to put it all. The ride to Montreal was smooth once we got going and we arrived only 3 minutes late. Corridor trains often aren’t particularly social, but I had a lovely chat with the older lady in the seat next to me, who had quite the life story, from Mauritius to England and then many years in Montreal.

VIA 26 – Dec. 28, 2025

6404 F40

3452 LRC Business class (01)

4001 HEP2 Business class (91)

3333 LRC coach (03)

33xx LRC coach (04)

41xx HEP2 coach (05)

33xx LRC coach (06)

6429 F40

Walking down the platform alongside 26, with its bizarre mismatch of LRC and HEP2 cars.

Mismatched club cars on 26, showing off the dimensional differences. All three types of Corridor equipment appear in this photo, with the Venture set off to the right.

Light lunch of smoked salmon on VIA 26.

Montreal

 

Once in Montreal, I killed a bit of time around the station and ran a couple of errands nearby, then returned to the lounge before sleeper check-in. The check-in desk opened around 5:40pm, and boarding started around 6:05pm. Dinner choices were 7pm or 8:30pm. Fellow VIA-travel afficionado Tom Box was making a trip to Halifax on the same #14, and we agreed to meet up for the first dinner sitting.  

 

VIA 14 – Dep Montreal Dec. 28, 2025

6409 F40 (forward)

6419 F40 (backward)

6402 F40 (backward)

8621 HEP1 baggage car

8216 Chateau Lévis (crew)

8218 Chateau Marquette (42)

8201 Chateau Argenson (41) *Roomette 8

8203 Chateau Brûlé (40)

8131 HEP1 economy coach

8126 HEP1 economy coach

8143 HEP1 economy coach

7601 Renaissance transition car

7227 Renaissance economy coach

7308 Renaissance service car (economy café)

7400 Renaissance dining car

7303 Renaissance service car (Easterly)

79526 Renaissance accessible sleeper (30)

7520 Renaissance sleeper (37)

7512 Renaissance sleeper (38)

7507 Renaissance sleeper (39)

70217 Renaissance accessible coach

7011 Renaissance baggage car

*Consist notes: On this train, the Ren coach had Moncton bound passengers, the next HEP1 coach had Halifax, Riviere-du-Loup and Miramichi passengers, the second HEP1 had Bathurst and Campbellton, and the third nearest the Chateaus had Campbellton and Matapedia passengers. Some sections were taped off in each coach. By the morning, that third coach nearest the Chateaus was empty and blocked off with a sign so that it could be used by sleeper passengers. I believe one Ren sleeper was out of commission on this train too, but unsure which car. We had also had a third locomotive added - this happened on both sets after our ill-fated Dec. 23 train, as an extra locomotive would have got us through to Montreal on that trip.

 

It was a left turn to Ottawa, and apparently a right to Halifax. These days, Renaissance equipment means it's the Ocean and nothing else.

Ready to board my sleeper after a long walk up the platform, as a Venture-equipped train arrives over to the left.

Settled in my roomette, I noticed that the little drinking water spigot had been removed. I've noticed this in a few cars recently, presumably taken out as they had maintenance issues. The on board guide suggests the water is potable from all taps, but there are also water bottles readily available, and filling stations in the HEP1 coaches.

Leaving Montreal, with our train stretching behind to the left and the elevated REM guideway rising above to frame the iconic Montreal skyline.

We departed 5 minutes late, and ran very slowly for the first while. We were then overtaken by a late running VIA 28, which passed us on the Victoria Bridge and made its stop at St-Lambert first.

The first call for dinner came about 5 minutes before 7, and we made the long walk through to the dining car. Dinner was excellent once again, and it was nice to be back to the usual dishware and glassware.

Dinner menu.

Chicken with rotisserie sauce.

Pot roast (not my meal, courtesy of Tom for the record)

The typical cherry cheesecake dessert.

Christmas decor in this diner. I found it interesting to see slightly different decorations between the two operating dining cars.

The evening after supper was quite relaxed, and we arrived for our first stop at Ste-Foy at 10:10pm. I stepped outside for some fresh air, and noticed there was some confusion with economy passengers. Those going to Moncton, who would be boarding the Ren coach, were going to be handled during the second stop. They were being sent up the platform to where that car would be spotted; but this was where the Chateau sleepers were stationed during the first stop. The crew sending them forward meant for them to wait there by a lightpost, but the passengers thought they should be boarding the train; and the attendants at this section kept telling them that economy was back the other way. It took a while to get sorted out, and a few passengers seemed quite irked.

A new sign I noticed on this trip, on the door of the transition car. Since this is a large open car next to the economy section, I wonder if they've encountered issues with people trying to sneak a smoke or vape in here.

Front of the train at Ste-Foy. Chateau Lévis looks in excellent shape outside, the nicest looking Chateau I've seen in years. 

Ste-Foy stop. Train always has to make two stops here, one for the baggage and front end of the train, then a second for the rear section.

Backing out of Ste-Foy, beautiful frozen river views.

At some point in the evening I noticed that there was a “train marshall” on board, wearing a reflective vest with that marked on the back. This is a recent VIA initiative to have someone designated for dealing with unruly passengers or other behaviour issues, rather than putting that onus on the on board staff. Apparently the marshalls for the Ocean board at Ste-Foy and ride to Halifax, working overnight, and then make the next return trip back to Ste-Foy.

Back on board, I got myself ready for bed and settled in. We left Ste-Foy at 10:33pm, I noticed we made a stop at Montmagny at 11:34pm. We were running ahead on time as I went to bed, but a wait for the meet with 15 would have us running late by the morning.

The next morning I woke up somewhere around Matapedia, and enjoyed the morning views until arriving at Campbellton. I took in the fresh air stop, then headed to breakfast. I enjoyed a nice meal and conversation with a young guy from Bangladesh, now living in Halifax, who had just spent Christmas in Quebec City - not to visit anyone, just to experience a very Canadian Christmas in Quebec.

Morning views with a bit of sunrise colour near Campbellton.

West end of Campbellton yard, noting that the time zone changes here for railroad timetable purposes.

At Campbellton. We made an initial stop for baggage, then pulled forward so everything else would be lined up. With a train this long, the front end winds up off the platform. This is a stop where they take on water, so they need to ensure the dining car is spotted close enough to the water supply. 

Campbellton, the second of the three fresh air breaks. 

A sign added on the end of the third forward HEP1 coach after Campbellton. This left the space reserved for sleeper passengers in the Chateaus, so we had somewhere else to stretch out and enjoy the views, without the long hike to the service cars.

Breakfast menu.

Coffee by the Baie des Chaleurs.

Continental breakfast, with oatmeal.

Frozen views on the Bay.

More icy views, looking to Gaspé.

Petit Rocher, a really cute little station owned and maintained by the town.

More formal sleeper sign on the end of the first Chateau sleeper.

Passing CN/GATX TankTrain cars at Miramichi. These still run regularly between here and the refinery at St-Romuald, near Quebec.

New bridge on the Miramichi - the replacement road bridge is now open, so the iconic structure may eventually disappear.

Lunch options were 12 or 2pm, and Tom and I went for the later option. The meal continued the trend of consistently good food across this trip.

Somewhat surprisingly, we made a stop between Rogersville and Moncton, apparently to bring in a new head end crew so our engineers wouldn’t run out of hours before then. I wasn’t clear on exactly how this all worked, but it didn’t add too much delay.

Lunch menu.

Lobster roll - this has been enhanced a bit with the addition of a side of kettle chips.

The carrot cake, again.

Moncton stop, refuelling. Again, check out the sharp exterior decoration on Chateau Lévis.

Moncton.

The afternoon was quite relaxed, and after lunch we were informed that due to our late running, sleeper passengers would be offered the now-common soup and sandwich service (economy passengers would get snacks of some sort), being served in the diner. While this meal was nothing to write home about (well…I guess I’m writing about it now…), it was still a nice tide over.

Egg salad sandwich and vegetable soup. Turkey and ham were the other options. This soup and sandwich service seems to be served on any trains running more than 1.5h late.

Between the late running and the short winter days, it was dark not long after Amherst. We had stopped at Sackville, Amherst and even Springhill Junction in this direction. As we neared Truro, we also started to encounter some nasty weather outside. The forecast had been for extended periods of freezing rain, possibly mixed with snow in some areas. Funnily enough, I had actually received a generic warning email from VIA ahead of time with a notice that “According to the latest weather forecasts, Freezing rain is expected on 28 December 2025. Please note that delays are possible for trains travelling in the affected area. It is always recommended to keep yourself informed of weather conditions and plan their travels accordingly.” That seemed to be sent to all passengers in Ontario, Quebec and east that had travel that day, as a really huge storm system was making its way across the eastern swath of the country. Some corridor trains ended up cancelled or extensively delayed. Our train, on the other hand, continued uninterrupted.

Freezing rain itself is not necessarily an impediment to trains – it doesn’t tend to do much to the rails or physical movement – but where it can be a major issue is in taking down trees that then block the tracks, or knocking out power and other infrastructure. In our case, it did none of these things, though it made for a very glossy landscape outside. We also passed through areas around Bedford that had lost power, making for a dark and eerie scene in a normally very bright area of the city.

On this particular day, I was very glad to be on the train. Halifax airport ended up closed entirely for much of the afternoon and evening, as the runways were noted to be 100% ice covered. Flights were either cancelled or diverted, with several going to Moncton and Charlottetown. We cruised through, making up some time (as is now very normal) after Truro, and ultimately arriving back in Halifax at 8:29pm, 1h53min late.

Off the train in Halifax, where the freezing rain was now just rain. Glad not to have a long walk down the platform! My checked bag was soaked by the time it made it off the cart from the baggage car.

I really love this shot of our lead locomotive, glistening with ice accumulated over the last few hours of running through freezing rain. 

All in all, this was a very nice and smooth trip back, and it certainly helped make up for the disrupted trip the other way. At the end of the day, I came away once again consistently impressed with the service, and the professionalism and kindness of the crews. Some people ask why I continue to choose the train after the various incidents I’ve run into, but on the whole those really are the rare exceptions, and even then, everyone involved has tended to handle the situations well.

 

Extra section

A few weeks after this trip, the eastbound Ocean was involved in a derailment. In the early morning hours of January 12, VIA #14 collided with two transport trucks that had been parked fouling the tracks. The trucks were parked in a lot at Aliments Asta in Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska QC, between La Pocatière and Rivière-du-Loup. Two truck drivers had pulled into the lot to park for the night, and despite having just crossed at a major road crossing, they seemingly didn’t realize the tracks were there. They backed their trucks up against the edge of the lot, and from a widely circulated photo from the lead unit on 14 we can see that one trailer was fully over the rail and the other was far too close and within fouling range. There will of course be an investigation, but I think it’s perfectly fair to assess this as clear negligence on the part of the truck drivers.

This area is clear and straight so the engineers were able to brake well in advance and slow before impact, but the collision still caused the lead locomotives and the baggage car and first three Chateau sleepers to derail. Thankfully there were no serious injuries to passengers or crew (and not to the truckers either), though passengers were evacuated and ultimately bussed from there. It seems that the town did an admirable job of accommodating people as they were taken off the train and helped out before they were sent onward. Those on the oncoming train 15 also had to be bussed from Riviere-du-Loup, and that train ultimately deadheaded back to Halifax.

There is lots of detailed discussion in this thread on the Canadian Passenger Rail group (from yours truly and others), including links to news reports and photos. I won't repeat that all here, but I encourage you to check out that link if you're looking for more detail.

Between the damage to the equipment and the railway line, the trains on the following departure were both cancelled. The damaged equipment eventually returned to Montreal and is undergoing inspections and repairs as I write this. As an unfortunate indictment of VIA’s strained equipment situation and the many out of service cars needing work, they have yet to return a second train to operation. So since the derailment, they have been alternating cancellations between 14 and 15, running with just one set of equipment. This is currently expected to last until at least January 30. Hopefully we’ll see regular service resume soon!

 

Up Next…

Starting off 2026, I ended up back in Montreal just a week after I returned, this time for work, and unfortunately by air. Despite flying both ways, I was able to check out quite a bit of interesting rail stuff when I was in town. So the next installment will feature a look at Exo’s new CRRC bilevels, the extended REM line, and one of the final rides on an Exo train on the Montreal Sub out of Central station. Stay tuned!

A little tease for next time. Allo exo!