The Roberval Saguenay ARPA subdivision was a relatively flat and without any particular hint piece of track between Arvida and MP 14 where, in order to reach the LaBaie wharf and Port Alfred Rio Tinto aluminium plant, have to drop for more than four miles into several reverse and horseshoe curves in order to keep the grade for any westbound loaded trains acceptable. I heard many stories from locals back when the RS was an all-ALCo railroad, going downhill with a set of former LIRR C420 with a full set on the cars and throttle in notch 6, running the hell out of 251 engines as the controlled-runaway passing the yard board in a cloud of dust, smoke and thrill.
Watching a train going downhill these days was much more civilized but still quite fascinating as a combination of dynamic and air brake works together in order to prevent any runaway on "the hill". Going the other way, was simply miserable as a ridiculous amount of sand and diesel fuel was used in order to maintain walking speed.
It's exactly that speed "RS 51 Ouest" do on this September morning, pulling a lengthly cut of Bauxite-loaded hopper cars along with a few empties, freshly unloaded from a boat and bound for Rio Tinto's Arvida plant to be used in Aluminium fabrication. Lead locomotive, built from ATSF U23B 6338 and now sporting the B23-S7 designation, are the backbone of RS's locomotive fleet.
Since this picture was taken, RS purged all three "Super 7" GE product from the roster and now, along with their rebuilt GP38 fleet, run former CSX SD70ACe unfortunately not yet repainted into RS attractive paint scheme.

At least, the show remain the same, pulling loaded trains out of Port Alfred without stalling, AC technology surely helping gaining a few dot on the speedometer but the fight still happens, three times a day, six days a week for RS engine crews.

RS 1st westbound run
51, 65, 63
Milepost 14.1 ARPA subdivision
LaBaie,QC
September 12, 2015

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Montreal, Maine & Atlantic job 213, the Bedford Turn, had a vintage 1928-built Jordan Spreader up front on this cold and windy February day, rolling along Cantons-de-l'Est part of Quebec province with four loaded covered hoppers in tow, bound for J Bertrand mill in Bedford.
Former LMSX B38-8E 8546, one of MMA's 11 unit of this type, had the honours powering the diminutive train that day.

As everything could go bad real quick on plow runs, the former Canadian Pacific spreader picked up an icy farmer crossing and derailed a few miles from here, ending the chase well before reaching Bedford.
8546 and his charge reversed to the nearest public crossing and help was called in order to rerailling the old lady.

Unfortunately, it was the first and only time I managed to catch something moving over the 12.5 mile-long Standbridge subdivision. MMA's spectacular ending after Lac-Mégantic derailment ended service over this little used line at the same time.
For now, trackage still there but the new owner of former MMA assets, the Canadian Pacific, seems not interested to operate the spur anymore.

MMA 213-13
8546
Milepost 5.4 Standbridge Spur
Sainte-Sabine,QC
February 13, 2011

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With an healthy brake application from the 26LUM brake valve located in 9450's cab, a few notches were given on the throttle as L580 successfully crossed Québec Route 113 road crossing just south of the former location of Val-Piché station on remote Chapais subdivision.
With an heavy train of Zinc gons in tow and a roller-coaster track profile, a locomotive engineer working the "SM pool" have always his hands quite busy, keeping the 25MPH track speed on the dot along with minimizing slack action.
This crew workday began at 2300 the day before in Senneterre,QC, the hub of Abitibi territory operation. Deadheading by cab to Franquet, the junction point between Chapais and Matagami subdivision and one of the last reachable point on the line, in order to relieve the "1st 581 crew" who ran the job from Senneterre to Franquet. The 2nd 581 crew boarded the engine and headed thru the darkness of the 61 mile-long Matagami subdivision toward the namesake town of 1500 or so souls.
Spotting the huge Matagami Mines Zinc plant was the first thing done after arriving in town and after relieved the needs of the mine and pulling the outbound loads, diesel fuel was delivered to the local dealer along with cement and empty woodchip cars for the other railway customers in town. At the same time, they collected the released cars and built their outbound train.
It's now early in the morning and after backing up the small train toward the subdivision's half moon, the crew of two went to bed at the local railway bunk situated no more than 100 feet from the idling 645 prime mover.

The return trip began a mere 6-hours after closing their eyes. Bunk was cleaned, handbrakes released and 9450 was soon on the move bound for home.
Rolling about a mile, the train was leaved on the main and light engine rounded the east leg of Matagami wye in order to grab those loaded gons of Zinc, prepared in the wee hours of the day. After a quick brake test and a call to the RTC for an OCS clearance, L580 was quickly on the move and out of town. They must bring back the train to Senneterre before expiring on the 12th hour law.
That day, a side trip was in order to serves Langlois Mine in Grevet,QC near the end of the active part of the Chapais subdivision.
Unfortunately, a single GP40-2 can't pull all the collected cars over that hilly track profile and trafic were leave into one of Franquet back track.
And now we are, watching the diminutive train, racing back toward Senneterre yard before reaching the 12th hour of work, throttle in 4th notch dodging a "run in" from the loaded cars behind on a cloudy late afternoon day in Abitibi.

It's believe that harsh active forest fires in that area completely destroyed many parts of CN Chapais and Matagami subdivision. Damage are still unknown at this time as a part of Senneterre and Lebel-sur-Quévillon cities are stil evacuated and more than 80 fires are still active in Abitibi part of Québec.
For now, Quévillon and Matagami didn't saw active rail service since more than two weeks. CN abolished the "SM Pool" in Senneterre and trafic bout for these trackage was stacked in Senneterre yard.

Also, Matagami Mine closed their Matagami operation in June 2022 ending an operation who began in 1963. With CN's biggest customer out of town and possibly miles and miles of damaged track and structure on the line, many advanced the fact that it may be the end of the Matagami subdivision.

CN L58021-13
9450
Milepost 43.5 Chapais subdivision
Lebel-sur-Quévillon,QC
September 13th 2017

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Basking in the afternoon sun at the helm of local transfert job L527 into track MW01 was CN's last cowl unit in active service. Still proudly sporting the notorious BC Rail colours introduced back in 1983 by the British Columbia government on everything associated with them including of course the BC Rail, the 26-unit fleet had gradually being stored (and some scrapped) by CN.

The 4609 was the last of them.

Some local agreement were made with the company officials at Southwark Yard on this cold and cloudy morning and after a few locomotives rearrangement, the 4609 was finally put in leading position for the 16 miles round-trip to Taschereau Yard.
Some PCS valve issues with the old lady almost ruins the day for many of us. An almost 30 minutes-long call to the "diesel doc" was made and at the fourth attempt, she finally stop playing with us and recovered the emergency application like she always did before.
Sure she didn't look that good with that brand new black cow-catcher who didn't match well the silver paint GE workers applied on the unit back in 1990. Some rust spot started to show up too at many location and the "rock lights", specially ordered by BC Rail regarding the kind of mainline they operates, are no longer connected to the "corner light" switch in the cab. The cab was quite dirty too, kind of normal after more than 32 years hosting crew for 8, 10, 12 or even more hours shifts.

But the magical was still there.
Cab-mounted air bell, class lights, four windows cab, disconnected Locotrol equipment stil mounted on and above the control desk, side doors like an old passenger unit, real air gauges with needles and of course, the Draper Taper design, dating from CN's days into locomotive improvement business.

When I stepped off from CN C40-8M 2420 back in October 2020, my thought were I will never run or even ride one of CN's cowl fleet again . Never.
I was quite thrilled when the stars aligned again on this winter morning, catching the very last unit of the fleet, on my consist.

Many thanks to the Rolling Museum, you made my day again !

CN L52721-08
BCOL 4608 8021
Montreal Taschereau Yard
January 8, 2023

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Rolling thru a great set of autumn colours along Restigouche river, Société du Chemin de Fer de la Gaspésie train 565 was about 4 miles from his destination at Matapédia with the daily production from the Temrex plant at Nouvelle in tow.
These former SP cars, complete with SP marking, are definitively eyes catching in this part of the country.

SFG 565-06
1868 1865 1821
Milepost 3.8 MTQ Cascapedia subdivision
Sellarsville,Qc
October 6, 2022

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