VIA Rail celebrates 100 years of Ocean service

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor

VIA Rail Canada celebrated the 110th anniversary of its Ocean service July 2, which serves 26 communities between Montréal and Halifax.

 

“The Ocean is not only a great travel choice for discovering the beauty of Eastern Québec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, but it is also a part of our heritage,” declared President and CEO Yves Desjardins-Siciliano. “For 110 years, this train route has been an important connection between many communities. For the population it is a treasure and we are proud to continue this tradition now and for years to come.”

110 years ago, the Ocean, then named the Ocean Limited, first carried Canadian immigrants to their newly-forming communities, contributing to the development of Canada. Throughout the two World Wars, troops of soldiers traveled by train to Halifax, where they transferred to ships that carried them overseas. When the wars were over, the soldiers headed back to Halifax and boarded the trains once again, on their way back home. 110 years later, the Ocean still travels the same 1,346 kilometers (836 miles) of tracks along the St. Lawrence, through the Matapedia valley, linking the cities of Campbellton, Moncton, Truro and Halifax, with central and western Canada.

 

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