2010

The Gaspe line is owned and operated by the Gaspesie Railway Society.

VIA Rail passenger train service is running 3 days a week between Matapedia and Gaspe. The Temrex sawmill in Nouvelle is the only major freight customer. Regular freight train service is provided between Matapedia and Nouvelle and occasionally to New Richmond and Caplan. No freight customers east of Caplan. The Gaspesie Railway Society runs a work train occasionally between Caplan and Gaspe.

2011

In December VIA Rail passenger train service is suspended between Matapedia and Gaspe. The reason why the service was suspended is because of the condition of the line and the bridges. A study reveals that almost $100 million is needed in repairs to eliminate all the slow orders on the line between Matapedia and Gaspe. Regular freight train service is provided between Matapedia and Nouvelle and occasionally to New Richmond and Caplan. No freight customers east of Caplan. The Gaspesie Railway Society runs a work train occasionally between Caplan and Gaspe.

2012

Major inspection work is carried on the entire line. Some repair work is carried out on the railroad bridges in Cascapedia-Saint-Jules. In May VIA Rail passenger train service is restored between Matapedia and New Carlisle. Quebec government announces $17 million to start some repairs. Regular freight train service is provided between Matapedia and Nouvelle and occasionally to New Richmond and Caplan. No freight customers east of Caplan. The Gaspesie Railway Society runs a work train occasionally between Caplan and New Carlisle.

2013

Quebec government announces $10 million to start carrying out major repairs between Perce and Gaspe. In August VIA Rail passenger train service is suspended between Matapedia and New Carlisle. The reason why the service was suspended is because of the condition of some signals at grade crossings. And because of the bridges.

In the Summer and Fall the Gaspesie Railway Society starts operating a tourist train mainly between Perce and Gaspe. Regular freight train service is provided between Matapedia and Nouvelle and occasionally to New Richmond and Caplan. No freight customers east of Caplan. The Gaspesie Railway Society runs a work train occasionally between Caplan and New Carlisle.

2014

In July the tourist train travels over the entire line to get to Gaspe. This is the last time a train traveled on the entire Gaspe line. In the Fall the Gaspesie Railway Society operates a tourist train between Perce and Gaspe. Regular freight train service is provided between Matapedia and Nouvelle and occasionally to New Richmond and Caplan. In November the Gaspesie Railway Society runs into financial difficulties and declares bankruptcy.

2015

In the Spring the Quebec government announces that it will buy the Matapedia to Gaspe line to pay off the Gaspesie Railway Society’s debt. The Gaspesie Railway Society remains the operator of freight trains. Regular freight train service is provided between Matapedia and Nouvelle and occasionally to New Richmond and Caplan. The line between Caplan and Gaspe is put in a dormant state waiting for business opportunities.

2016

Businesses east of Caplan start expressing a interest in using the railroad to ship freight. The Gaspesie Railway Society sets up a transshipment site in New Richmond. With the idea of bringing freight to New Richmond by truck and then transferring it to railcars. In December LM Windpower in Gaspe starts shipping all of its windmill blade production by rail. The windmill blades are trucked from Gaspe to New Richmond. Regular freight train service is provided between Matapedia and Nouvelle and occasionally to New Richmond and Caplan.

2017

In May the Quebec government announces $100 million and a plan to completely repair the entire Matapedia to Gaspe line. Track repair work is carried out between Matapedia and Caplan. In August McInnis Cement in Port-Daniel starts shipping a portion of its cement production by rail. The cement is trucked from Port-Daniel to New Richmond. Regular freight train service is provided between Matapedia and New Richmond.

2018

Track repair work is carried out between Matapedia and New Carlisle. Weight restrictions on the railroad bridges in Cascapedia-Saint-Jules force a portion of cement to be trucked from Port-Daniel to Nouvelle. Regular freight train service is provided between Matapedia and New Richmond.

2019

Track repair work is carried out between Matapedia and Port-Daniel. Major bridge repair work is carried out in Cascapedia-Saint-Jules. In August the federal government announces $46 million to help with repairs. Regular freight train service is provided between Matapedia and New Richmond. The Gaspesie Railway Society’s annual freight traffic is nearing 5,000 carloads!

Summer 2019

Major project (bridges).

Construction of 2 new railroad bridges over the Cascapedia River in Cascapedia-Saint-Jules started in June. Work is progressing well.

Asset maintenance work.

Change of 50,000 ties on the first two sections from Matapedia to Port-Daniel. All ties were changed between Saint-Jules and Port-Daniel between Mile 58 and Mile 85 Cascapedia Subdivision and between Mile 0 and Mile 19 Chandler Subdivision.

Spreading of 12,000 tons of ballast between Nouvelle and New Richmond.

Leveling of the track by a surfacing crew between Matapedia and New Richmond. Mile 0 to Mile 70 Cascapedia Subdivision.

Anthony Bernard Prince
Coalition of Gaspesians for the future of the train.
Port-Daniel, Quebec