Caption: The 1984 view of Levis, P.Q. from the Terrasse Dufferin ( Promenade du Gouverneurs) in front of the Chateau Frontenac.

The Via Rail special, destined for Montreal, powered by a pair of (Quebec built) FPA-4's, is at the south shore Gare du Levis platform (mile 114.8 Montmagny Sub.). Station building is to the left out of the image. The Gare du Levis was within a short walk of the Ferry Terminal with frequent service to Lower Quebec City.

The reason for the special: 1984 marked the 350th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City. The Federal Government expended considerable monies to celebrate by way of a week long festival including the 1984 Tall Ships regatta.

Perhaps the Gare du Levis was utilizied due to road and related construction near the Gare du Palais closing that station to rail traffic for several years. Throughout the mid eighties all Quebec City trains terminated / originated at Ste-Foy, 12.3 rail miles west of the Gare du Palais.

Levis, P.Q. was a station stop for the daily trains #14 and #15 Ocean ( 22:28 and 04:57 ) as well as the daily trains #16 and #17 Chaleur ( 02:57 and 10:19 ) with the 24 hour Ferry connection to lower Quebec City, a nine minute ride from the Levis dock.

Today this section of the Montmagny Subdivision is gone, lifted from St-Charles (mile 101.3) to east of Charny ( mile 122.9) and the Ocean now stops on the north shore at Ste-Foy.

June 29, 1984 Kodachrome by S.Danko

What's interesting:

The 1984 Tall Ship regatta included a tall ship full fleet all colour sail past ( tall sail ships from Argentina, Britain, France, Germany ( East and West - separate countries ), Poland, U.S.A., U.S.S.R. (the Soviet country), Venezula and more were invited and attended), hence the Via special.

During this time the Quebec Separatist movement (Rene Levesque of the P.Q. was the Quebec Premier ) was quite strong and the Federal Government was doing whatever possible to boost Federalism. Via Rail was included as part of the festival as an access partner and the CNR ( owned by the Federal Government) and CP Rail also contributed operational assistance for the National Museum owned ex CPR #1201 as part of the transportation celebration.

see Charny

And yes that is a pontoon equipped helicopter above the lead FPA-4.

The Ste-Foy / Gare du Palais shuttle initiated during the construction that closed the Gare du Palais to rail traffic (during the mid-eighties) continues to operate today.

More sights on the way to Quebec City:

Monk

Drummondville

Baie St Paul

sdfourty