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Caption: Closing in on seventy years since this scene was captured, Montreal & Southern Counties interurban car 602, built by National Steel Car in 1913, sits on the station track at Marieville while Canadian National train 705 from Granby led by CLC H-10-64 7615 pulls away from the station (note order board above coaches) at 14:35h bound for Montreal.
Passenger service over the Granby Sub was nearing an end by this time. Originally constructed by the Montreal, Portland & Boston Railway during the 1870s, and operated under the South Eastern Railway name, the line began service in 1877 between Longueuil and Felighsburg via Marieville and Farnham. The line came under control of the Central Vermont in 1891. The CV would later come under control of the Grand Trunk Railway in 1896. The Montreal & Southern Counties Railway, founded 1897 and under GTR ownership in 1906, consisted of two divisions; the Suburban and Interurban. The Interurban Division ran east out of Montreal to Marieville and on to Granby, plus a branch from Marieville to Sainte-Angele-de-Monnoir with service opening to Marieville in September 1913. The line would open to Granby in 1916, and the branch in 1926. Electric operations would be cut back from Granby in 1951 seeing electric operations terminate at Marieville. In their place, trains of conventional CNR equipment would operate via Marieville to Granby. The M&SC's final run over the Interurban Division would take place on October 13, 1956, with the Suburban Division closing the following day. CNR passenger service was down to one train each way per day by the end of the decade, ending April 29, 1961 as the new timetable came into effect the following day. The Granby Sub (1978 timetable) remained in service until 1994 when CN received permission to abandon the line from Marieville to Granby. The remainder of the branch from Marieville to the junction with the Rouses Point Sub at Castle Gardens would follow not long after.
The 7615 was part of a 1951 order to CLC for eighteen 1200hp units numbered 7600 - 7617, with the last three being equipped with steam generators in the short hood. They were similar to their American Fairbanks-Morse counterparts (H-10-44) however the Canadian units were built with A-1-A trucks, designated H-10-64. A second order was placed for twelve units (H-12-64s) numbered 7618 - 7629, delivered between 1952 and 1953. These units would all be renumbered in 1956 to the 1600 series, with 7615 becoming 1615. All would be retired between 1957 and 1968.
Note the early CNR paint scheme (pre 1954 black and gold striping,) the early CNR maple leaf logo introduced in 1948, and the lack of tie plates on the nearest track, something seen on other interurban lines including the NS&T.
Original Photographer Unknown, Jacob Patterson Collection Slide.
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This picture is a gem ! Was fortunate enough to have ridden the M&SC to Marieville, Que. on a sister interurban car of 602. Note the matching “CNR green” on the CLC 7615, the cars it is towing and M&SC interurban 602. Unlike the other CNR owned interurban railway, the NS&T, the M&SC cars did not show any CNR marking other than the green colour. Car 602, which appears to have had recent paint job, is parked (both poles down) awaiting for a return trip to McGill Street Terminal in downtown Montreal. When this picture was taken, there was dismay among the traction enthusiasts that interurban car car operation to Granby had been cut back to Marieville, but at least the replacement passenger train has interesting diesel power. Note the express box car on the tail end of train 705 in CNR passenger green. Thank you Jacob for sharing this picture and the very interesting and informative caption, John
I’m glad you enjoyed it, John, and thank you for pointing out these details. The line has quite a convoluted history.