Charlevoix Railway
Encyclopedia
The Charlevoix Railway is a short-line railway that operates in the Charlevoix
region of Quebec
Canada
. From 1994 to 2009 it was a subsidiary of the Quebec Railway Corporation, a short line operator. Since April 2009 it has been owned by
Train touristique de Charlevoix Inc., a Groupe Le Massif Inc. (owners of Le Massif
) subsidiary. With a length of 144–148 km (89.5–92 mi) it connects the city of Clermont
in the Charlevoix region to a freight yard of the Canadian National Railway
(CN) located in the Limoilou borough of the city of Quebec
. The railway runs along both the St. Lawrence River and the Malbaie River
and consists of a single non-electrified track.
The railway carried passengers at its start in the 19th century, for much of the early part of the 20th century, and as part of a dinner train
operation in the 1980s and again in the 1990s. Passenger service on a tourist train
between Quebec City and La Malbaie began in September 2011. As a freight railway the main commodities transported are: clay, timber, lumber, cement, wood chips, paper, and peroxide.
, which was in turn expected to be developed into a major seaport with ice free shipping even in winter.
The first part of the line between Limoilou and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Quebec
went into service on Saturday 10 August 1889. It was built at the time for the pilgrimage to the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré
, and the railway was nicknamed the "Railway of Good Saint Anne". Initial operations were with steam locomotive
hauled trains.
The line was electrified in 1904, when the company changed its name to Quebec Railway Light & Power (QRL&P). Between 1904 and 1959 electric trains provided an interurban
type service for passengers between Quebec and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.
The second part of the line, extending from Beaupré to Clermont in Charlevoix, was built between 1909 and 1919.
Rodolphe Forget
had built his large Manoir Richelieu at Pointe-au-Pic (now part of La Malbaie) in the 1890s. At first hotel guests would get to the hotel via Canada Steamship Lines steamships. Rodolphe Forget ran for the House of Commons in 1904 promising voters to extend the QM&C line, which was eventually done. This part of the line is very scenic because it is literally wedged between mountains
and river. It required huge investments in time and money: there are two tunnels and 900 bridges and culverts, or an average of one every 165 metres (541.3 ft).
With the line extended Manoir Richelieu hotel customers could use the QRL&P trains instead of CSL vessels to get to the hotel. The hotel building burned down in the fall of 1928 but was rebuilt to designs by John Smith Archibald and reopened in June 1929. CSL vessels continued to call on the hotel until 1966.
In 1951 CN took over as owner of the railway. The line became known as the Murray Bay Subdivision of CN, Murray Bay being an English name for La Malbaie.
In 1959 CN terminated passenger service and dismantled the overhead lines
used for electrification between Limoilou and Saint-Joachim
.
In 1984 the line saw the reintroduction of passenger service when a dinner train
known as the Le Tortillard du Saint-Laurent started operating between Quebec and La Malbaie. But the Tortillard dinner train only ran through the 1985 season before closing. In 1994 CN sold the whole line to the Quebec Railway Corporation. The Tortillard du Saint-Laurent dinner train was restarted under another company and ran again in 1995 and 1996 before declaring bankruptcy. In 1996 the Charlevoix Railway Company created a major timber transshipment yard at Clermont, which is used by almost all timber processors of the Côte-Nord
.
On 7 May 2007 Nancy Belley, who had spent more than 10 years managing the Chemin de fer Charlevoix subsidiary of the Quebec Rail Corporation, was hired by Le Massif to serve as the manager of their railway project. In April 2009 Le Massif de Charlevoix organization purchased the line between Quebec and La Malbaie from the Quebec Railway Corporation. Track rehabilitation for a new tourist line began in October 2009. Infrastructure Canada
announced in November 2009 that the governments of Canada and Quebec will contribute $5 million toward the railway line upgrade.
CN still uses the line to haul freight between Clermont and Quebec via trackage rights
. The Port of Quebec
City lists the Chemin de fer Charlevoix as a rail transport provider to the port's facilities.
Beginning in September 2011, a new tourist train service
began operation along the Charlevoix Railway between Quebec City and La Malbaie.
The original stations were:
Charlevoix
The Charlevoix region, located in Quebec, includes parts of the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River and the Laurentian Mountains region of the Canadian Shield...
region of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. From 1994 to 2009 it was a subsidiary of the Quebec Railway Corporation, a short line operator. Since April 2009 it has been owned by
Train touristique de Charlevoix Inc., a Groupe Le Massif Inc. (owners of Le Massif
Le Massif
Le Massif is a ski mountain northeast of Quebec City, Canada, overlooking the St. Lawrence river.- Description :Le Massif de Charlevoix ski area is located in Petite-Rivière-Saint François, Charlevoix, Québec, Canada, a 75 minute drive from Quebec City...
) subsidiary. With a length of 144–148 km (89.5–92 mi) it connects the city of Clermont
Clermont, Capitale-Nationale, Quebec
Clermont is a ville in the Canadian province of Quebec, and the seat of government for the Charlevoix-Est Regional County Municipality. It is located on the southern banks of the Malbaie River.-History:...
in the Charlevoix region to a freight yard of the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
(CN) located in the Limoilou borough of the city of Quebec
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
. The railway runs along both the St. Lawrence River and the Malbaie River
Malbaie River
There are two Malbaie Rivers in the province of Quebec in Canada.The Malbaie River in the Charlevoix region empties into the Saint Lawrence River at La Malbaie. Up until 1985, the river was used to transport logs downstream. The river flows through a steep valley known as Les Hautes Gorges...
and consists of a single non-electrified track.
The railway carried passengers at its start in the 19th century, for much of the early part of the 20th century, and as part of a dinner train
Dinner train
A dinner train is a relatively new type of passenger train service whose main purpose is to allow people to eat dinner while experiencing a relatively short, leisurely round trip train ride...
operation in the 1980s and again in the 1990s. Passenger service on a tourist train
Charlevoix tourist train
The Charlevoix tourist train is a passenger rail service planned to operate between Quebec City and La Malbaie, Quebec, with an additional stop in the winter at the Le Massif ski area, a distance of about . It is owned and operated by Le Massif de Charlevoix, which also owns the Le Massif ski area...
between Quebec City and La Malbaie began in September 2011. As a freight railway the main commodities transported are: clay, timber, lumber, cement, wood chips, paper, and peroxide.
History
The Quebec, Montmorency and Charlevoix Railway Company (QM&C) was incorporated by an act of the Legislature of Quebec in 1881.Baie-Sainte-Catherine, Quebec
Baie-Sainte-Catherine, Quebec is a town in Quebec, Canada. The municipal's territory extends along the Saguenay and Saint Lawrence Rivers, whereas the town itself is on the small St. Catherine Bay, which is located at the confluence of these two rivers...
, which was in turn expected to be developed into a major seaport with ice free shipping even in winter.
The first part of the line between Limoilou and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Quebec
Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Quebec
Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré is a town in La Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada, along the Saint Lawrence River, north-east of the Quebec City. The population was 2,803 according to the Canada 2006 Census...
went into service on Saturday 10 August 1889. It was built at the time for the pilgrimage to the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré
Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré
The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré is a basilica set along the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, east of Quebec City. It has been credited by the Roman Catholic Church with many miracles of curing the sick and disabled. It is an important Catholic sanctuary which receives about a...
, and the railway was nicknamed the "Railway of Good Saint Anne". Initial operations were with steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
hauled trains.
The line was electrified in 1904, when the company changed its name to Quebec Railway Light & Power (QRL&P). Between 1904 and 1959 electric trains provided an interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
type service for passengers between Quebec and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.
The second part of the line, extending from Beaupré to Clermont in Charlevoix, was built between 1909 and 1919.
Rodolphe Forget
Rodolphe Forget
Sir Joseph David Rodolphe Forget was an important Canadian business investor, stockbroker, and politician. He held national directorships and had major investments in energy companies as well as industrial concerns and railway companies in the Provinces of Quebec and Ontario...
had built his large Manoir Richelieu at Pointe-au-Pic (now part of La Malbaie) in the 1890s. At first hotel guests would get to the hotel via Canada Steamship Lines steamships. Rodolphe Forget ran for the House of Commons in 1904 promising voters to extend the QM&C line, which was eventually done. This part of the line is very scenic because it is literally wedged between mountains
Laurentian mountains
The Laurentian Mountains are a mountain range in southern Quebec, Canada, north of the St. Lawrence River and Ottawa River, rising to a highest point of 1166 metres at Mont Raoul Blanchard, north east of Quebec City in the Reserve Faunique des Laurentides. The Gatineau, L'Assomption, Lièvre,...
and river. It required huge investments in time and money: there are two tunnels and 900 bridges and culverts, or an average of one every 165 metres (541.3 ft).
With the line extended Manoir Richelieu hotel customers could use the QRL&P trains instead of CSL vessels to get to the hotel. The hotel building burned down in the fall of 1928 but was rebuilt to designs by John Smith Archibald and reopened in June 1929. CSL vessels continued to call on the hotel until 1966.
In 1951 CN took over as owner of the railway. The line became known as the Murray Bay Subdivision of CN, Murray Bay being an English name for La Malbaie.
In 1959 CN terminated passenger service and dismantled the overhead lines
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
used for electrification between Limoilou and Saint-Joachim
Saint-Joachim, Quebec
Saint-Joachim is a parish municipality in Quebec, Canada. It is part of the La Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality in the Capitale-Nationale region. Located at the foot of Cape Tourmente, it is home to the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area....
.
In 1984 the line saw the reintroduction of passenger service when a dinner train
Dinner train
A dinner train is a relatively new type of passenger train service whose main purpose is to allow people to eat dinner while experiencing a relatively short, leisurely round trip train ride...
known as the Le Tortillard du Saint-Laurent started operating between Quebec and La Malbaie. But the Tortillard dinner train only ran through the 1985 season before closing. In 1994 CN sold the whole line to the Quebec Railway Corporation. The Tortillard du Saint-Laurent dinner train was restarted under another company and ran again in 1995 and 1996 before declaring bankruptcy. In 1996 the Charlevoix Railway Company created a major timber transshipment yard at Clermont, which is used by almost all timber processors of the Côte-Nord
Côte-Nord
Côte-Nord is the second largest administrative region by land area in Quebec, Canada, after Nord-du-Québec...
.
On 7 May 2007 Nancy Belley, who had spent more than 10 years managing the Chemin de fer Charlevoix subsidiary of the Quebec Rail Corporation, was hired by Le Massif to serve as the manager of their railway project. In April 2009 Le Massif de Charlevoix organization purchased the line between Quebec and La Malbaie from the Quebec Railway Corporation. Track rehabilitation for a new tourist line began in October 2009. Infrastructure Canada
Infrastructure Canada
Infrastructure Canada is part of the Transport, Infrastructure and Communities portfolio of the Government of Canada. Established in August 2002, the organization was formerly associated with Treasury Board Secretariat, the Privy Council Office, Industry Canada, and Environment Canada...
announced in November 2009 that the governments of Canada and Quebec will contribute $5 million toward the railway line upgrade.
CN still uses the line to haul freight between Clermont and Quebec via trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
. The Port of Quebec
Port of Quebec
The Port of Quebec is an inland port located in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It is the oldest port in Canada, and the second largest in Quebec after the Port of Montreal.-History:...
City lists the Chemin de fer Charlevoix as a rail transport provider to the port's facilities.
Beginning in September 2011, a new tourist train service
Charlevoix tourist train
The Charlevoix tourist train is a passenger rail service planned to operate between Quebec City and La Malbaie, Quebec, with an additional stop in the winter at the Le Massif ski area, a distance of about . It is owned and operated by Le Massif de Charlevoix, which also owns the Le Massif ski area...
began operation along the Charlevoix Railway between Quebec City and La Malbaie.
Stations served
There are several stations served by the railway from Quebec running east and north to Clermont:- Quebec CityQuebec CityQuebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
- Limoilou
- Hedley (or Hedleyville) which has been part of La Cité–LimoilouLa Cité–LimoilouLa Cité–Limoilou is the central borough of Quebec City, the oldest , and the most populous, comprising 21.85% of the city's total population...
since 1903 - VilleneuveVilleneuve (electoral district)Villeneuve was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1949 to 1979.This riding was created in 1947 from parts of Pontiac riding...
- Sainte-Anne-de-BeaupréSainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, QuebecSainte-Anne-de-Beaupré is a town in La Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada, along the Saint Lawrence River, north-east of the Quebec City. The population was 2,803 according to the Canada 2006 Census...
- Donohue (just east of BeaupréBeaupré, QuebecBeaupré is a ville in the Canadian province of Quebec, located in La Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality. The town is along the Saint Lawrence River and Route 138 at the mouth of the Sainte-Anne-du-Nord River....
) the paper mill was sold to Abitibi-ConsolidatedAbitibi-ConsolidatedAbitibi Consolidated Inc. was a Canadian pulp and paper company based in Montreal, Quebec. Abitibi-Consolidated was formed from the merger of Abitibi-Price Inc. and Stone Consolidated Corp...
in 2000, then merged into AbitibiBowaterAbitibiBowaterResolute Forest Products , formerly known as AbitibiBowater Inc. is a pulp and paper manufacturer headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, formed by the merger of Bowater and Abitibi-Consolidated, which was announced 29 January 2007...
in 2007 - Saint-JoachimSaint-Joachim, QuebecSaint-Joachim is a parish municipality in Quebec, Canada. It is part of the La Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality in the Capitale-Nationale region. Located at the foot of Cape Tourmente, it is home to the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area....
labelled "Les Caps" by CN - Point D'Aulne (northeast of Petite-Rivière-Saint-FrançoisPetite-Rivière-Saint-François, QuebecPetite-Rivière-Saint-François is a municipality in Quebec, Canada, along the Saint Lawrence River. It is considered the gateway to the Charlevoix region.It is home to Le Massif ski resort.-History:...
) - Baie-Saint-PaulBaie-Saint-Paul, QuebecBaie-Saint-Paul is a city in the Province of Quebec, Canada, on the northern shore of the Saint Lawrence River. Baie-Saint-Paul is the seat of Charlevoix Regional County Municipality. The city is situated at the mouth of the Gouffre River...
- La MalbaieLa Malbaie, QuebecLa Malbaie is a municipality in the Charlevoix-Est Regional County Municipality in the province of Quebec, Canada, situated on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River, at the mouth of the Malbaie River...
- Wieland
- Clermont, Capitale-Nationale, QuebecClermont, Capitale-Nationale, QuebecClermont is a ville in the Canadian province of Quebec, and the seat of government for the Charlevoix-Est Regional County Municipality. It is located on the southern banks of the Malbaie River.-History:...
line ends at a former Donohue paper mill along rue de la Donohue
Quebec Railway Light & Power Network
This route map shows stations served by Q.R.L.& P.Co. from 1889 to 1959, including car stops and Upper Line to Kenthouse (Manoir Montmorency).The original stations were:
- Hedleyville (Limoilou)
- Giffard (Beauport)
- Village Montmorency
- L'Ange-Gardien
- Château-Richer
- Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré
- Beaupré
- Saint-Joachim
See also
- This article is based on the equivalent article from the French WikipediaFrench WikipediaThe French Wikipedia is the French language edition of Wikipedia, spelt Wikipédia. This edition was started in March 2001, and has about articles as of , making it the third-largest Wikipedia overall, after the English-language and German-language editions...
, consulted on 25 May 2010. - Canada's grand railway hotelsCanada's grand railway hotelsCanada’s railway hotels are a series of grand hotels across the country, each a local and national landmark, and most of which are icons of Canadian history and architecture. Each hotel was originally built by the Canadian railway companies, or the railways acted as a catalyst for the hotel’s...
- List of heritage railways in Canada