Rails to the Atlantic: Exploring the Railway Heritage of Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces

by Ron Brown

Overview

Follow Rails to the Atlantic through eastern Canada’s railway heritage. Visit preserved railway stations in various states of use, or take in the architecture of the grand era of station building in Quebec City, Halifax, and St. John’s. Board scenic railway excursions on the Orford Express or Le Train du Massif de Charlevoix, or travel to VIA Rail's destinations in remote northern Quebec.

Rail trails lead through the Laurentian mountains and Quebec’s Eastern Townships. Museums exhibit Newfoundland’s colourful railway heritage, while Canada’s largest railway equipment display lies near Montreal. Magnificent railway hotels include the Fairmont Le Château Montebello and the Algonquin Resort, as well as the stunning Chateau-style station hotel at McAdam, New Brunswick. Often forgotten are the railway bridges and trestles, stunning feats of engineering that stretch across wide valleys and churning rivers, the construction of which sometimes led to deadly consequences. Lesser-known attractions, such as roundhouses and employee housing, are profiled to help bring the railway era back to life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459728790
Publisher:	Dundurn Press
Publication date:	08/08/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	13 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Ron Brown is a geographer and travel author of more than twenty books, including Rails Across the Prairies, The Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore, and Back Roads of Ontario. He is past chair of the Writers' Union of Canada and leads tours of Ontario's unusual sights. He lives in Toronto.

Ron Brown, a geographer and travel writer, has authored more than twenty books, including Canada’s World Wonders and The Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore. A past chair of the Writers’ Union of Canada and a current member of the East York Historical Society, he gives lectures and conducts tours along Ontario’s back roads. Ron lives in Toronto.

Ron Brown, a geographer and travel writer, has authored more than twenty books, including Canada’s World Wonders and The Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore. A past chair of the Writers’ Union of Canada and a current member of the East York Historical Society, he gives lectures and conducts tours along Ontario’s back roads. Ron lives in Toronto.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 7

Introduction: Celebrating the Legacy 9

1 The Rails Arrive: The Growth of the Rail Network in Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces 13

2 Bridging the Gap: The Trestles and Tunnels of Eastern Canada 19

3 The Face of the Railways: The Stations 30

4 Life on the Line: The Railway Towns 63

5 The Castles of the Line: The Railway Hotels 75

6 Structures: The Hidden Faces of the Railways 90

7 Celebrating the Heritage: The Railway Museums and Displays 101

8 Ghost Tracks: The Rail Trails of Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces 111

9 All Aboard: Train Trips You Can Still Enjoy 125

Bibliography 131

Index 137

Editorial Reviews

Brown covers a lot of ground and presents an amazing amount of historical fact and current state-of-affairs information in this interesting, attractive, and very readable publication.

The Michigan Railfan

This gem of a book is a workhorse that covers railway and local histories, economics, heritage and tourism.

Atlantic Books Today