Montreal and Southern Counties Railway
Encyclopedia
The Montreal and Southern Counties Railway Company (M&SCRC) was an interurban
streetcar line that ran between Montreal
and Granby
until 1956. A second branch served the city of Longueuil
.
Operated by the Canadian National Railway
(CN), the M&SCRC had the mandate to run trams and Steam locomotivess (and Diesel locomotive
s) on the same track (outside urban areas).
on June 29, 1897. The service was inaugurated between Montreal and Saint-Lambert
via the Victoria Bridge
on October 30, 1909. The service was extended to Longueuil in 1910, toward Mackayville in 1912 and to Chambly
, Richelieu
and Marieville
in 1913, Saint-Césaire
in 1914, Saint-Paul-d'Abbotsford, Quebec
in 1915, and finally Granby in 1916.
Absorbed by the Grand Trunk Railway
, the M&SCRC became the property of CN in 1923.
The Montreal terminal
was situated at the southwest corner of McGill Street
and Rue Marguerite-d'Youville. The building that served as the station is still standing today.
The M&SCRC was managed under two divisions. The interurban division managed the traffic on the main line between Montreal and Granby, whereas the suburban division managed the branch between Saint-Lambert and Montreal South
(Longueuil).
Service declined starting in 1951, when CN replaced the electric tramways with diesel trains between Marieville and Granby. In 1955, CN decided to remove the streetcar rails on the Victoria Bridge the following year. The streetcar made its final voyage on October 13, 1956.
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...
streetcar line that ran between Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and Granby
Granby, Quebec
Granby is a city in southwestern Quebec, located east of Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 47,637. Granby is the seat of La Haute-Yamaska Regional County Municipality. It is the fifth most populated city in Montérégie after Longueuil, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Brossard and...
until 1956. A second branch served the city of Longueuil
Longueuil
Longueuil is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is the seat of the Montérégie administrative region and sits on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River directly across from Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census totaled 229,330, making it the third largest city in...
.
Operated by 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), the M&SCRC had the mandate to run trams and Steam locomotivess (and Diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s) on the same track (outside urban areas).
History
The M&SCRC was created as a result of a law passed by the Canadian ParliamentParliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
on June 29, 1897. The service was inaugurated between Montreal and Saint-Lambert
Saint-Lambert, Quebec
Saint-Lambert is a Canadian city in the province of Quebec located opposite Montreal on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. Saint-Lambert was named for either the early French Canadian hunter Lambert Closse or for Roman Catholic Bishop Lambert of Maastricht...
via the Victoria Bridge
Victoria Bridge (Montreal)
Victoria Bridge , formerly originally known as Victoria Jubilee Bridge, is a bridge over the St. Lawrence River, linking Montreal, Quebec, to the south shore city of Saint-Lambert....
on October 30, 1909. The service was extended to Longueuil in 1910, toward Mackayville in 1912 and to Chambly
Chambly, Quebec
Chambly is a city in southwestern Quebec, Canada, about to the south east of Montreal.- Geography :It sits on the Richelieu River in the Regional County Municipality of La-Vallée-du-Richelieu, at .-History:...
, Richelieu
Richelieu, Quebec
Richelieu is a city in Rouville Regional County Municipality, in the province of Quebec, Canada. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 5,208...
and Marieville
Marieville, Quebec
Marieville is a city in the Canadian province of Quebec. It is located within the Rouville Regional County Municipality in the Montérégie region about 30 kilometers east of Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 7,904.-History:...
in 1913, Saint-Césaire
Saint-Césaire, Quebec
Saint-Césaire is a city in the Canadian province of Quebec, located within the Rouville Regional County Municipality in the province's Montérégie region...
in 1914, Saint-Paul-d'Abbotsford, Quebec
Saint-Paul-d'Abbotsford, Quebec
Saint-Paul-d'Abbotsford is a municipality in the Canadian province of Quebec, located within the Rouville Regional County Municipality in the province's Montérégie region. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 2,824.-Population:...
in 1915, and finally Granby in 1916.
Absorbed by the Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
, the M&SCRC became the property of CN in 1923.
The Montreal terminal
Union Station (Montreal)
Union Station is a former railway station located in Montreal, Quebec. It is located on the corner of Rue Marguerite-d'Youville and McGill Street. The building today houses a restaurant called Union Station. There was no union station in Montreal. Each company had its own station.-History:Union...
was situated at the southwest corner of McGill Street
McGill Street
-British Columbia:* McGill Street, in Vancouver, British Columbia...
and Rue Marguerite-d'Youville. The building that served as the station is still standing today.
The M&SCRC was managed under two divisions. The interurban division managed the traffic on the main line between Montreal and Granby, whereas the suburban division managed the branch between Saint-Lambert and Montreal South
Montréal-Sud
Montréal-Sud was a suburb of Montréal located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River founded in 1906. Montréal-Sud was created from land of the Saint-Antoine-de-Longueuil parish...
(Longueuil).
Service declined starting in 1951, when CN replaced the electric tramways with diesel trains between Marieville and Granby. In 1955, CN decided to remove the streetcar rails on the Victoria Bridge the following year. The streetcar made its final voyage on October 13, 1956.
Montreal-Longueuil Line
- Montreal
- St-LambertSaint-Lambert, QuebecSaint-Lambert is a Canadian city in the province of Quebec located opposite Montreal on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. Saint-Lambert was named for either the early French Canadian hunter Lambert Closse or for Roman Catholic Bishop Lambert of Maastricht...
- Montreal South
- LongueuilLongueuil, QuebecLongueuil is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is the seat of the Montérégie administrative region and sits on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River directly across from Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census totaled 229,330, making it the third largest city in...
Montreal-Granby Line
- Montreal
- St-LambertSaint-Lambert, QuebecSaint-Lambert is a Canadian city in the province of Quebec located opposite Montreal on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. Saint-Lambert was named for either the early French Canadian hunter Lambert Closse or for Roman Catholic Bishop Lambert of Maastricht...
- Greenfield ParkGreenfield Park, QuebecGreenfield Park is a borough of the city of Longueuil, Quebec, Canada. It covers an area of , with a population of 17,491 as of December 2004. Greenfield Park is the only borough of Longueuil that has an officially bilingual status. It is primarily a post-war suburban area. Like the other two...
- Sunlight CityLaflèche, QuebecLaflèche is a neighbourhood in the Saint-Hubert borough of the city of Longueuil.-Neighbourhood:Laflèche is primarily a densely-populated residential neighbourhood. It is largely low-income, and similar to Ville LeMoyne and other parts of the Vieux-Longueuil borough...
- Croydon
- Springfield Park
- Castle Gardens
- East Greenfield
- Brentwood
- MaricourtSaint-Hubert, QuebecSaint-Hubert is a borough in the city of Longueuil, located in the Montérégie region of Quebec, Canada. It had been a separate city prior to January 1, 2002, when it along with several other neighbouring south shore municipalities were merged into Longueuil. According to the Quebec Statistics...
- Brookline
- Woodbine
- Highland Gardens
- Albabi
- Montreal River Road
- De Salaberry Peak
- ChamblyChambly, QuebecChambly is a city in southwestern Quebec, Canada, about to the south east of Montreal.- Geography :It sits on the Richelieu River in the Regional County Municipality of La-Vallée-du-Richelieu, at .-History:...
- LanjeunesseChambly, QuebecChambly is a city in southwestern Quebec, Canada, about to the south east of Montreal.- Geography :It sits on the Richelieu River in the Regional County Municipality of La-Vallée-du-Richelieu, at .-History:...
- BennettChambly, QuebecChambly is a city in southwestern Quebec, Canada, about to the south east of Montreal.- Geography :It sits on the Richelieu River in the Regional County Municipality of La-Vallée-du-Richelieu, at .-History:...
- Fort ChamblyFort ChamblyFort Chambly is a historic fort in the Canadian La Vallée-du-Richelieu Regional County Municipality, Quebec. The fort is designated as a National Historic Site. Fort Richelieu was part of a series of five forts built along the Richelieu River. Fort Richelieu is at the mouth of the Richelieu River....
- RichelieuRichelieu, QuebecRichelieu is a city in Rouville Regional County Municipality, in the province of Quebec, Canada. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 5,208...
- Rouville
- Ruisseau Barré
- MarievilleMarieville, QuebecMarieville is a city in the Canadian province of Quebec. It is located within the Rouville Regional County Municipality in the Montérégie region about 30 kilometers east of Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 7,904.-History:...
- RougemontRougemont, QuebecRougemont is a municipality in the Canadian province of Quebec. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 2,622. It is located within the Rouville Regional County Municipality in the Montérégie region about 18 kilometers southwest of Saint-Hyacinthe....
- St-CésaireSaint-Césaire, QuebecSaint-Césaire is a city in the Canadian province of Quebec, located within the Rouville Regional County Municipality in the province's Montérégie region...
- Jackman Road
- D'Arcy Corners
- Abbotsford Road
- Abbotsford
- Parish Line
- Mawcock & Milton
- West GranbyGranby, QuebecGranby is a city in southwestern Quebec, located east of Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 47,637. Granby is the seat of La Haute-Yamaska Regional County Municipality. It is the fifth most populated city in Montérégie after Longueuil, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Brossard and...
- Cowie StreetGranby, QuebecGranby is a city in southwestern Quebec, located east of Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 47,637. Granby is the seat of La Haute-Yamaska Regional County Municipality. It is the fifth most populated city in Montérégie after Longueuil, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Brossard and...
- GranbyGranby, QuebecGranby is a city in southwestern Quebec, located east of Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 47,637. Granby is the seat of La Haute-Yamaska Regional County Municipality. It is the fifth most populated city in Montérégie after Longueuil, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Brossard and...
External links
- East Greenfield: Montreal and Southern Counties Railway
- Trainweb.com : Montreal and Southern Counties
- Montreal Area Historical Rail Map (shows Montreal and Southern Counties Railway)