Steam train Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield

The steam train Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield is one of 8 principal tourist attractions in the administrative area of the Outaouais. Composed of two machines, the engine with vapor 909 and the diesel equipment 224, the steam train Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield is in function since 1992.

Purchase and displacement

The engine with vapor 909 was bought in Sweden at the time of a national sale. Built in 1907, the 909 was used until the end of the Second world war then stored with some 200 other machines through Sweden if. After the Fall of the Berlin Wall, the Swedish government did not need more to maintain the machine and decided to sell it. A group of business men coming from the Ontarian east, whose Jean Gauthier, acquired of it in 1992 with the machine with diesel, the 244, and 9 coaches (all built between 1942 and 1946 then renovated during the years 1970). The whole was charged on a transported boat then with Montreal with stopover in Germany. Light modifications were carried out on its arrival in Canadian ground.

1992 - 1994: Choo-Choo Company Train

From 1992 to 1994, the 909 carried out a way of Hull with Wakefield on the basis of the restaurant Laurier, street Montcalm, located at the downtown area of Hull. The first years were difficult in particular by the lack of services on board (not-air-conditioned, any animation, difficulty of radiation) making the experiment unpleasant. The launching of a Steam train did not rain with the residents of the railway. A restricted number of them tried to prevent the train while placing engine oil along a coast the first days. Finally, of the administrative difficulties to the board of directors have put an end to Choo-Choo Train Company. One of the administrators, Jean Gauthier, repurchased the complete equipment and started again the company using its family, of which mainly André and Louise Groulx. A detailed plan of business was presented at the time with the mayor of Hull, Yves Ducharme, which erased the municipal debt of the company and made it possible the latter to start again. Serious modifications were made to the way and the approach towards the customers of which the displacement of the station in the industrial park of Hull with 165 rue Devault. A coach first classifies, called the Ottawa coach in an original manner then renamed the “Riviera Club”, and of the units of air-conditioning were added. The decision was judicious because the company is always in function today and represents the floret of tourism in Outaouais. This with license of fallen down economic tourist several million dollars. Tourist attraction with gained several prices of tourist merit in Quebec.

1994 - Today: Steam train Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield

Since family management by the Gauthier family, the service clearly improved. A single experiment, entitled the train of savors on train makes it possible to taste savors of Outaouais in collaboration with the Coffee Henry Burger until 2004 then, with the Aubrey House since 2005. The train of savors leaves usually Fridays and Saturdays evenings towards 18:30 and returns to 22:30 In spring 2005, important restorations transformed the coach Quebec into Coffee-kitchen and souvenir shop. Since, the Steam train Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield with the one of the greatest capacity of service cooks simultaneous with edge of a tourist train in North America.

909

Machine 909 can draw up to 700 tons and go at a maximum speed of 125 km/h. It weighs 93 tons and can contain several tens of thousands of liters of water. In the event of dry breakdown, a device of valve of exhaust makes it possible to evacuate the exceeding vapor.

The way

The Steam train Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield (64 km) leaves the station located at 165 rue Devault to go to the small village of Wakefield while crossing the municipality of Chelsea (from where the name). Its destination, a manual s3eance table, one of rare still in function in Canada, make it possible to turn the machine to 180 degrees for the return towards Hull. Energy at an approximate speed of 22-23 km/h, way the one hour and half makes it possible to appreciate the hills of Gatineau and the Rivière Gatineau. The engine with vapor 909 is the single machine of displacement, the Diesel loco is present in the event of problem.

Stopover with Wakefield

The Steam train Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield stops in Wakefield to make it possible to the tourists to visit the village of antan and to visit the machine of the interior. On the spot, the visitors can see the operation of engine 909.

Bonds

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