The linear Park of p' tit train du Nord
The commuter train Montreal / Blainville
Song : le train du Nord ( 1951 )
The region of the Laurentians is situated North of Montreal and leads towards Abitibi-Témiscamigue. The physiographique region of the Laurentides consists of the Canadian Shield and the small part of the St-Lawrence valley. The hydrographic region of Laurentians is the basin of the Atlantic Ocean. The vegetation of this region is the mixed forest. The Laurentians are having a wet continental climate ( warm summers and winters colds, plentiy of precipitation). The territory of the Laurentians is mostly forested (85 %). The forested industry constitutes the main economic engine of this region. We find also a lot of employment related with the touristic industry.
In 1840 the situation in the seigniory is at the worst, young people choose the exile to United States. Therefore, the Curé Labelle goes up along the Rivière-du-Nord , to the assault of les Pays-d'en-Haut. The North of Laurentians appears to him as a promised earth for his people. And so the first lots are granted by 1878 on the territory of " Chutes au Iroquois (Iroquois' falls) " on the mission of " Nativité-de-Marie " in 1880. During several years, the agriculture, the wooden construction sites and the drave are the jobs of the colonists.
A person mattering in the history of the colonization of the Laurentians: the Curé Antoine Labelle " King of the North ". He was born in Ste-Rose (Jesus Island ) North of Montreal on November 24, 1833. His parents were farmers. He entered at the age of 11 years at the Petit Séminaire of Ste-Thérèse. From 1852 till 1855, while ending his clericature, he helps to teach. This is demonstrates his leadership. He completed his studies at the Grand Seminaire of Montreal. He was ordered priest on June 5, 1856, under Mgr. Bourget's episcopate. He begins his career as vicar at Sault aux Récollets parish. The Young vicar takes charge of the construction of the convent of the Sacre-Coeur. At the age of 26, he becomes cleric of St-Antoine-Abbé's parish, situated South of Châteauguay. On February 7, 1863, he becomes cleric of St - Bernard de Lacolle's parish and was named on May 15, 1868 cleric of St-Jérome. During one year, the curé Labelle went accross the vast territory of the Laurentians to conceive his project of devellopping a big center. He plants crosses where he plans to establish future churches. He begins to mobilize the population of St-Jérome and puts itself in campaign to obtain what seems to him essential for the region: new schools and especially a railway.
Antoine Labelle 1833-1891
With the aim of finding supports for his p' tit train du nord, he is going to knock at doors. The Curé Labelle receives the support of Adolphe Chapleau, Prime Minister of the province of Quebec and Terrebonne's deputy from 1879 till 1882, and lieutenant governor of Quebec from 1882 till 1898. The curé Labelle calls the necessity of a train for commercial reasons. The train could carry the wood to Montreal. To prove his statements, he will not hesitate to organize to Montreal on January 12, 1872, 80 cars pulled by horses, loaded with wood. This day there, the habitants of St-Jérome brought 60 cars loaded with wood to the poor people of Montreal. The Curé Labelle began to collect money and looks for all the possibilities of subsidies for the construction of his railway. In 1876, he obtains his railway. The Quebec Montreal and Ottawa Occidental railway will build 60 KM railway between Montreal and St-Jérome. The railroad line opens in 1879.
But the giant of 6 feet and 334 pounds does not stop there. What he wants, it is the continuation of the train up the North.
His personality sees to that the Prime Minister of Quebec, Honoré Mercier, names him deputy minister of the colonization on May 16, 1888. He will occupy this function until December 26, 1890, which he resigns. He dies on January 4, 1891, in the age of 58 years. Three years after its death, the village of Chute-aux-iroquois has been renamed village of Labelle
The Curé Labelle created in his lifetime a legend which lives even today.
It is the predecessor of the Curé Labelle, the Curé Alphonse Grenier, who will obtain the continuation of the line northward. On October 26, 1893, the railroad line is prolonged up to village of Labelle and afterward up to Mont-Laurier in 1909.
Le P' tit train du Nord is going to allow the intensification of the economic relations with the Montreal region. Indeed, at this beginning of 20-th century, the train is going to favorise the developement of the tourist industry of Laurentians.
Thanks to a Norwegian engineer, a sport then underestimated by all will make its appearance: the Ski. It is Herman Smith Joanson named " Jack Rabbit " who was the father of the ski. Resorts center such Greyrock, St-Sauveur, Ste-Agathe, Val-David, Mont-Tremblant, Estérel, Lac-Nominingue take life thanks to the ski and to the railway. The Montreal Ski Club is even going to convince the Canadian Pacific railway to implant a train for the skiers.
In 1928, Laurentides counts 1639 km ski trails. To supply to the growing demand of the city-dwellers for this sport, the CPR is going to implant his famous "train des neiges". The p'tit train du nord knows an unprecedented success. The demand is such as it will be necessary set-up 30 trains by weekend to transport the numerous skiers who leave Montreal every weekend.
In the 50's, the development touristic industry of the Laurentians is such as the train does not statisfy the demand.
The automobile and the construction of the road 11 ( 117 ) and the Laurentians highway ( 15 ) in 1960 is going to push the p' tit train du nord on the siding. Regrettably, on November 15, 1981, we saw the last passengers train and in 1989, the last freight train. At the beginning of the 90's, it is the dismantling of rails.
In 1996, it was the inauguration of linear park p' tit train du nord. Since then, the rail stations were restored and transformed into points of services. The linear park generates tourist activity : bicycles, skis and snowmobile riders. In 1999, the Labellien's dream is always alive: bring in the region tourism.
Since its official inauguration in 1996, the 200 km path, which is the longest cyclable park of the world, occupies the former railroad of the CPR, between St-Jérome and Mont-Laurier and welcomes about 400 000 cyclists a year.
Divided into four sections, the park offers several possibilities. The cyclists however seem to favorise the section of Rivière-du-Nord and Pays-d'en-Haut, situated between the cities of Saint-Jérome and Val-David. The 80 KM ride between these two municipalities gives to see several beautiful mountainous landscapes. You will have the possibility of bathing in the lake Raymond ( Val-Morin) and of contemplating the beautiful rail stations of neogothic style. If most of these buildings were reconstructed during 1990s, those of Prévost and Mont-Rolland, built respectively in 1898 and 1904, always contain their original structure.
In May, 1997, the p' tit train du nord was put back in service between Montreal and Blainville. The Metropolitan Agency of Transport ( AMT) has implanted this service as temporary measure during the repairs of bridge Marius Dufresne (Road 117), which connects Laval and the North Shore. Since August 15, 2000, this line became permanent.
The speed and the efficiency of the service are largely responsible for the success of the commuter train offered Montreal / Blainville, which transports more than 8500 passengers daily. The record clientele of this commuter train exceeds widely the objectives that the AMT had settled.
On Thursday , September 20, 2001, at Ste-Thérèse's station, Prime Minister of Quebec, Mr. Bernard Landry, announced 14,5 million dollar investments to increase the capacity of the line of commuter trains Montreal / Blainville. Thanks to this major investment, the capacity of trains will be increased by 25 %, which will allow to about 1000 supplementary customers to go aboard every morning.
Photos from Marc Dufour, Station Bois-de-Boulogne (Henri-Bourassa) , 2001.05.24 arround 16h05.
Photos from Marc Dufour, 2002.08.29, crossing on Wilderton st. corner Jean-Talon st.
Photo from Marc Dufour, 2002.08.29
Like the Curé Labelle, more than a
century ago, Saint- Jérome's residents were requesting to be connected to Montreal by the
commuter train. Since January 08th 2007, Saint Jérome is connected again to the commuter train network. There is 4 departures from Saint-Jérome in the morning and 4 departures in the afternoon from Montreal to Saint-Jérome to accomodate the workers, students and travellers. The new Saint-Jérome train station free parking can accomodate 325 cars.
Curiously, it
is the worst enemy of the train, the automobile, that is at the origin of the popularity
of the commuter train
Montreal/Blainville. And may be we shall see again one day the p' tit train du Nord
going to Mont-Laurier. Words and music
Dans l' train pour Sainte-Adèle
Y avait un homme qui voulait débarquer
Mais allez donc débarquer
Quand le train file cinquante milles à l'heure
Et qu'en plus vous êtes conducteur!
Oh! Dans l'train pour Sainte-Adèle
Y avait rien qu'un passager
C'était encore le conducteur
Imaginez pour voyager
Si c'est pas la vraie p'tite douleur!
Oh! Le train du nord
Tchou tchou tchou tchou tchou tchou...
Le train du nord au bord des lacs, des p'tites maisons,
Ça vire en rond
Le train du nord c'est comme la mort quand y a personne à bord
Oh! Le train pour Sainte-Adèle
En montant la côte infidèle
Le conducteur et puis l' chauffeur
S' sont décidés à débarquer
Et l' train tout seul a continué
Oh! Le train pour Sainte-Adèle
Est rendu dans l' bout d' Mont-Laurier
Personne n'a pu l'arrêter
Paraîtrait qu'on l'a vu filer
Dans l'firmament la nuit passée
Oh! Le train du nord
Tchou tchou tchou tchou tchou tchou...
Le train du nord a perdu l' nord rendu l'aut' bord
Le train du nord a perdu l' nord et c'est pas moi qui vas l' blâmer
Non, non, non!
Research: Jocelyn Vachet
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