HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — VIA Rail Canada is marking 120 years of continuous operation of the Ocean, Canada’s oldest named passenger train, with ceremonies today (July 15, 2025) in Halifax.
The event includes unveiling of restoration work at the Halifax station and public tours of the train’s equipment.
“This isn’t just a train, it’s a thread that’s woven together families, communities, and memories for 120 years,” Jonathan Goldbloom, chair of VIA’s board of directors, said in a press release. “From soldiers leaving for war, to families reuniting at the holidays, to students heading off to start new chapters, The Ocean has carried them all. Today we honor that proud legacy and renew our commitment to keeping Canadians connected for generations to come.”
The train between Halifax and Montreal was launched on July 3, 1904, as the Ocean Limited, a summer-only offering of the Intercolonial Railway of Canada, a Canadian National predecessor. The train retained its historic name when CN spun off its passenger operations into VIA Rail Canada in 1978. Long a daily train, it was reduced to three-day-a-week service from 1990 to 1994; restored to six-day operation until 2012, then returned to its current three-round-trip schedule in June 2012.
The 1,346-kilometer (836-mile) trip has an average consist of two locomotives and 18 cars, according to VIA, using a combination of VIA’s stainless steel Budd Co. cars built for Canadian Pacific and Renaissance cars built in the United Kingdom and acquired by VIA in 2000.
VIA also used the event to celebrate its coming fleet of new long-distance equipment that will eventually replace the current cars used by the Ocean and the Toronto-Vancouver Canadian [see “VIA Rail Canada seeks bids …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 9, 2024]. The Canadian celebrated its 70th anniversary earlier this year [see “VIA’s Canadian turns 70 …,” News Wire, April 23, 2025].
“This new fleet isn’t just about replacing trains from the 1950s; it’s about creating the kind of passenger experience Canadians deserve in the 21st century,” said VIA CEO Mario Péloquin. “Comfortable. Accessible. Energy-efficient. These investments will ensure that the next generation can create cherished memories on The Ocean and all our iconic routes.”
Canada’s Transport Minister, Chrystia Freeland, also marked the occasion, saying in a statement, “The Ocean is a vital link connecting communities, supporting local economies, and driving regional development. Investments in modern, accessible rail service are helping to strengthen economic opportunities and build a more connected, resilient Canada.”
More information on the train is available at VIA’s website.
— Updated at 1:40 p.m. CT with additional photos
2 locos for 18 cars? Ruling grade must be slight.
Despite changing times and conditions, this invaluable passenger train service must continue to exist!
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Invaluable? I’d call it worthless.
Rode this train WB last year. Top notch experience. Three fine meals, wonderful service, nice accommodations, and stunning views of the sun setting on the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
A Sleeper Plus class experience on this train is still worth a try for any railfan…
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Charles Landy, I could not agree more. I spent many a happy fall fishing trip in NB in the 60’s and 70’s and rode CN/VIA many times. Great trains, great food and service. Very sad demise.
And why can’t theybturn the train around in Halifax anymore?
The tracks in the nearby container terminal formed a loop which had been used to turn the train. Those tracks have been severed and no longer for a complete loop.
The construction of the Intercolonial Railway of Canada, upon whose rails (now CN) the Ocean runs, was driven in part by ongoing fears of an American invasion, and the need to move troops from Halifax to Montreal. Fears of the big bad country to the south continue to this day.
Celebrate? What’s to celebrate? A tri-weekly train along with the discontinuance of all other VIA services to or within the Maritimes. Nothing to celebrate, it’s a disgrace.
Same could be said about the 70th anniversary of the Canadian