The Orford Express tied-up in Magog siding on the Montreal Maine & Atlantic Sherbrooke subdivision. The consist includes ex-Roberval & Saguenay M420TR number 26, ex-CP RDC-1 number 6125, ex-NP Dome-lounge number 310, and ex-CN RDC-1 number 6121 - 21 Oct 2012 Lorence Toutant.
1 October 2013 Tourist Train Visit Part of
Devastated Town's Recovery Lake Megantic Quebec - In "a step towards reclaiming our town," the mayor of Lake Megantic announced Tuesday that trains will return to the Quebec town later this month, the first time since the derailment disaster that killed 47 and wiped out a swath of the downtown core.
A regional train called the Orford Express will carry an estimated 5,000 people to Lake Megantic beginning 14 Oct 2013, part of a tourist attraction that takes riders on routes throughout Quebec.
The train will run on tracks a few kilometres outside the town, and bring passengers to a park beside the lake. Trips are scheduled during the last two weeks of October.
"We've been through a tragedy. Nevertheless, we have to move forward and the Orford Express coming through Lake Megantic is a step towards reclaiming our town and an interesting occasion for its economy," mayor Colette Roy Laroche said in a statement Tuesday.
The plan for the tourist train was arranged before the 6 Jul 2013 disaster. Organizers met with town representatives after the derailment and decided the route should go ahead, as it would help bring visitors to the area.
More than 2,000 tickets have already been sold, according to a Lake Megantic spokesperson.
Just days after the disaster, Laroche urged tourists not to cancel their plans to visit the town, saying "if you want to help us, don't abandon us."
Laroche announced the arrival of the tourist train at a press conference Tuesday morning, where she also provided updates on the reconstruction of the downtown area.
Four buildings being constructed just outside the centre of town are on schedule to open next month, Laroche said, and will house some businesses that were destroyed in the explosion.
Work continues in an effort to decontaminate the area of the explosion, several hundred thousand litres of oil seeped into the soil and nearby river following the derailment and blaze, contaminating about 31 hectares of land.
Workers have dug trenches to collect rain water that would otherwise accumulate in the contaminated zone, then run into the lake and nearby Chaudiere river.
Requests for proposals have been issued for the excavation of contaminated soil, the demolition of buildings, and other related work.
Wendy Gillis.
Vancouver Island
British Columbia
Canada |