Caption: MPA-18a 6776 leads the westbound Halifax - Saint John - Montreal "Atlantic" at Onslow, Nova Scotia, on Wednesday, July 23, 1986. The "Atlantic" had a checkered history. Its first incarnation was from October 29, 1979, through November 15, 1981. It was then replaced on the eastern end by a daily Halifax to Fredericton Railiner. The "Atlantic" returned on June 1, 1985, and ran daily until the Titantic cuts of January 15, 1990. After that, it began running on a trice-weekly basis departing the end terminals each Monday, Thursday and Saturday. During this period, the Halifax - Montreal "Ocean" also ran via Campbellton, New Brunswick, with departures each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. CP Rail announced its intention to discontinue freight service east of St. Jean, Quebec, at the end of 1994. The service interruption ultimately lasted only a few days. Nonetheless, the federal government seized the opportunity to terminate the "Atlantic" and shift the trains to the route of the "Ocean" effective December 15, 1994.

CN provided most of the consist of the train included units 6776 and 6864, baggage 9667, coaches 5442 5569 and 5590, coach cafe lounge 2514, daynighter 5746, 6-6-4 sleepers GREENWAY and GREENING, ex Milwaukee Road 10-6 [Lake Keechelus PS-1948] WARPATH RIVER, diner 1358 and ex CP EVANGELINE PARK.

The "Atlantic" paused at Belmont to meet its eastbound counterpart, Train 12, at 2.30 p.m. Belmont at Mileage 7.6 of the Truro - Moncton Springhill Subdivision marked the west end of double track that improved traffic flow at the junction with the CN line to Sydney. The eastern end of the double track was at Hyde, 2.5 miles towards Halifax on the Bedford Sub.

FPA-4 6776 (MLW 2-1959 #83154) was one of several specially equipped with FRA glass and other features for operation through Maine on the route of the "Atlantic." You may see it today at the Grand Canyon National Park depot of the Grand Canyon Railway.