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The end is near ... it's early morning on a warm Saturday, June 18,1955. Final preparations are being made. A link with the past is about to be severed forever in the name of progress. In less than 24 hours, the Terminal Station of the Montreal & Southern Counties Railway Company, situated at McGill and Youville Streets opposite Montreal's waterfront and the Lachine Canal, will fall silent and the lights in the station will be extinguished for the last time. The big green interurban cars that ply the tracks between Montreal and East End on the opposite side of the Victoria Jubilee Bridge at St. Lambert will pass into history. The M&SC will have cut its link to the island of Montreal, leaving only the Montreal Transportation Commission as the sole survivor of electric street transportation in the city, and that was to last a mere four years, when the last MTC streetcar operation took place on August 30, 1959. It was on another Saturday, almost 46 years before, on October 30, 1909, that a dream came true. The official opening of the first section of the M&SC took place. Car Nos. 1 and 2, single-ended 50-foot passenger cars built by the Ottawa Car Company in 1909, transported invited guests on that afternoon to St. Lambert to officially inaugurate the opening of the M&SC. After a number of speeches from the mayor of St. Lambert, M&SC president Sam Wellett, and others, the contingent were invited for refreshments at the Brooklyn Park clubhouse. Guests were then returned to McGill Street at about 5 P.M., taking but a mere three minutes to cross the 6,600-foot Victoria Bridge. Regular service commenced between St. Lambert and Montreal on Monday, November 1,1909, with the first run starting at 06:30 as cars simultaneously left both ends of the line and continued on half-hourly headways until almost midnight. Cost for a one-way trip was a stupendous 15 cents, a far cry from the current one-way fare on most city transportation systems in Canada (eg. $1.80 in Ottawa for the peak travel period). During the next few years, the M&SC lines were gradually extended to reach Longueuil in 1910 (near today's south end of the Jacques Cartier Bridge), to Marieville in 1913, and Granby in 1916. Similar to events during the inauguration of the line, special cars were used and speeches took place when these extensions were completed, specifically in Granby on April 29, 1916. After completion of the line through Chambly in 1913, the M&SC issued a brochure entitled "Historic Chambly and Pine Grove Park" inviting Montrealers during the humid weeks of summer, who "yearn for country scenes, for fresh air, sunshine, and the beauty of nature to spend a day with mother nature." This resort, within 45 minutes of Montreal, could be reached through M&SC's expeditious and comfortable service where splendid views could be obtained on one of its modern cars. The brochure went on to highlight points of interest which included Chambly Basin, Richelieu, and Pine Grove Park where one could unpack a hamper and enjoy a comfortable outing even during the hottest of days. The park boasted a plentiful supply of pure drinking water from an artesian well. A restaurant and dance hall were available for the public's enjoyment. Car service between Montreal and Chambly started from McGill with extra service on Saturday afternoons, Sundays and holidays. Special trains were put on at any time to accommodate private parties. All one had to do to obtain further information as to rates, schedules, etc., was to contact Mr. W.H. Howard who was in charge of Pine Grove Park, or telephone Mr. J.E. Laporte at head office at PLateau 1144, or Mr. J. Callaghan at the Terminal Station on McGill Street at Main 6650. They would ensure that an enjoyable outing would be had by all. After reaching Granby in 1916, it was another ten years before the final M&SC extension was opened. On January 6, 1926, service commenced between Marieville and Ste. Angele. With the opening of the Jacques Cartier Bridge in 1932, service was cut back from Longueuil to Ste. Helene Street in Montreal South. No further cutbacks were made until 1951 when a major reduction in service took place with the elimination of service between Marieville and Granby. During the years, no less than 80 pieces of varied equipment plied their trade between the McGill Street terminal and points in the southern counties, transporting passengers and freight, including milk from the farms, to points in between. The day is upon us - June 18,1955. Car 326, a double-ended passenger motor built by the Brill Company in 1917 for the Washington-Virginian Railway, is being readied. Workers are busily cleaning and polishing the interior of the car while the exterior is being washed down. The benches in the McGill Street station are empty. There is not a sound but the old clock on the western wall of the station with the "M&SC" script on the glass ticking away, oblivious of the impending event. The lonely station agent is passing the time away counting the unsold tickets. In a few hours it will be all over. The sun sets over Montreal that warm evening. Train 826 to Brookline completed its run; Train 436 to Marieville completed its run; then Trains 438, 442 and others made their final runs. It's near midnight and 326 is ready! The 'die-hards' are beginning to fill the benches in the station in anticipation of the final run. In the early morning hours of Sunday, June 19, 1955, the lights in the station are turned off for an eternity. The door of the station is locked and the pendulum of the clock stops forever. Car 326, with a full complement of passengers, maneuvers through the curve onto McGill Street and shares the MTC's trackage between Youville and Common Streets for the last time (there is no PCC car on the Route 29 return loop on Youville at this hour; no boats entering the Lachine Canal locks; nobody working at the nearby customs house). All is quiet. The last trip, free for the passengers, begins. Car 326 slowly weaves its way over Black's Bridge, along Mill Street to the entrance to Victoria Bridge, and then traverses the steel structure with passengers singing "Auld Lang Syne". It's over. It's near 02:00 and now Car 326, having completed its last run, rests silently in front of the barns at St. Lambert. The interurban right-of-way over the Victoria Bridge would soon be supporting automobiles, trucks and buses. Another chapter in the life of the M&SC has been completed. The final chapter was to take place in October of the following year, notably on October 13,1956. But that's another story .... Montreal & Southern Counties double-end No. 322, built by Brill in 1917 for the Washington-Virginian Railway, heads along a residential street in the 'south shore' community of St. Lambert, Quebec, on September 6, 1951, enroute to Montreal. No. 322 was one of seven steel cars acquired by the Niagara, St. Catharines & Toronto in 1929 - six of the cars were transferred to the M&SC in 1947. All six were scrapped in 1956. M&SC single-end express motor 504 lays over at the Common Street Yard adjacent to the McGill Street Station in 1953. No. 504 was donated to the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1956. M&SC double-end wooden car 102 reposes at the St. Lambert shops in 1955. Built by Ottawa Car in 1912, the venerable car met the torch in 1956. All photos • Thomas Grumley collection. |