1152:, now the Westin Nova Scotian. The South End Container Terminal balloon track used to turn locomotives and passenger cars was taken out of service in late 2020 to create more storage space for containers and the balloon tracks were severed in the fall of 2021. As a result, the two F40PH passenger locomotives are coupled "back to back", unique for Via Rail trains, to allow the locomotives to couple to the opposite end of train in Halifax for the return trip to Montreal. This also resulted in the dropping of the iconic Park car (customarily the trail end dome car on Via's long-distance trains) from the Ocean train consist as it needed to be turned after arrival.
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ticketing/baggage counters. At the time of its construction, the station had a massive covered train shed which extended for 1,500 feet south over the station tracks to protect passengers boarding and disembarking from the weather. The earlier 1920 "temporary" station was converted to an attached baggage and express shed. CNR also had a coach yard with repair/service shop facilities for its passenger train equipment immediately southwest of the station's trainshed. Finally, a turn-table was located immediately southeast of the trainshed to permit locomotives and cars to be turned around, since the station was a stub-end terminal.
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Major budget cuts were announced to Via Rail in the 1989 federal budget which resulted in over 50% of Via services cut on 15 January 1990. The impact on the
Halifax Railway Station included cancellations of Dayliner service on the routes from Halifax to Sydney, Yarmouth, Saint John, Edmundston, and
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ocean liner passenger terminal by an overhead walkway that crossed the numerous sidings feeding the ocean terminal sheds. Frequently, CNR passenger trains connecting to ships would operate to the
Halifax Ocean Terminal, then back into the Halifax Railway Station afterward, or vice versa. A booking
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The station saw intensive traffic during World War Two, moving military personnel to East Coast bases and overseas. Station use declined in the postwar period as part of the broad loss of rail passenger traffic. Locals runs, which also served as suburban trains for
Halifax, were the first to be
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The station building was renovated at a cost of C$ 1.6 million over six months in 1988, a project that restored many of the original heritage features. The passenger waiting area was increased in size, from 5,000 square feet to over 8,500 square feet. The false ceiling was removed, exposing the
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The new, and present, station opened on June 19, 1930 at the south end of Hollis Street, opposite
Cornwallis Park. The structure is constructed of white limestone and has a colonnaded entry off Hollis Street. Inside, the Ticket Lobby has a high arched ceiling with a seated waiting area and
1121:. The Halifax Maintenance Centre was closed and sold for commercial use as workshops, warehouse and film production space. The station turntable was dismantled and filled it. Locomotives and passenger cars needing to change direction used a balloon track through the
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was designed by David
Stirling, who also designed the Provincial Building and St. David's Presbyterian Church on Grafton Street. The station was faced by the King Edward Hotel, located immediately west of the station, which stood roughly beneath the present-day
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During the 1980s, Via Rail continued to implement changes to the
Halifax Railway Station. The train shed was demolished after requiring major repairs to its roof. The former CN coach yard facilities were closed and the site razed after a Via opened its new
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a rebuild of
Canadian Naitional's old car shops near the turntable southeast of the station. The maintenance centre was responsible for overhauling and repairing the numerous Dayliners and many of the cars that operated on the long-distance trains in the
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intercity bus company shifted its service from its Bus
Station on Almon Street to the Halifax Railway Station, taking over the stub of the station's old baggage and express shed. The station remains connected by an interior walkway to the old
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on 6 December 1917. Passenger trains were temporarily diverted to the unfinished south end terminal tracks for two days. However the North Street
Station was quickly repaired to enable it to operate another two years before closing in 1920.
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The official start of construction is dated 31 July 1913 and equipment was moved into
Halifax by the fall. Crews proceeded from the north, with trains hauling the rock to the southwestern corner of
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The ICR's owner the Government of Canada, announced at a Halifax Board of Trade luncheon on 30 October 1912 that plans were being drafted for a major railway and shipping terminal at Greenbank, near
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by F.W. Cowie, a government engineer. This project required a deep cut extending up to 100 feet deep through solid Halifax slate for 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) to connect with the main line at
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in 1858. The location was a considerable distance northward from downtown Halifax. The extension of the line to the south was blocked by concerns that locomotive embers would threaten the
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856:(CNR) in 1918. The CNR opted to locate a temporary new passenger station in the Halifax Ocean Terminal project at the south end of the city that fall and on 22 December 1918, the
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original 24-foot ceiling, which was restored along with the original skylight. The station building was officially reopened on 20 June 1988 by Halifax member of parliament
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located to the south. The first station was a large, plain wooden building with enclosed platforms. A horse-drawn street railway connected the station to the downtown.
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974:, was also built as part of the same project, although it opened 2 years later on 23 June 1930 and has a markedly different, yet complementary, architecture style.
748:(ICR), opened a magnificent new terminal railway station at the foot of North Street, south of Richmond and much closer to the city's downtown. This impressive
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The Halifax railway station continues the history of passenger rail service to the city and is the eastern terminus of North America's passenger rail network.
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also gradually reduced departures to a single daily voyage in each direction from the Halifax Railway Station to Yarmouth via Kentville and Digby.
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The plans to shift to a south end station were accelerated in late 1917 when much of the North End tracks and facilities were badly damaged by the
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The Halifax station was given federal heritage protection in 1991 when it was designated a Heritage Railway Station under the newly passed
646:, Via Rail's eastern transcontinental train which operates between Montreal and Halifax; thus it is also the eastern terminus of Via Rail.
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was also cut from 7 days/week to 3 days/week, but restored to its eastern terminus at the Halifax Railway Station, and the
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831:) and the ICR had plans to build a larger railway station and adjoining hotel, however Canada was deeply committed to the
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inter-city bus company moved its Halifax terminal from Almon Street in the North End to the Halifax Railway Station.
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The station was a long, single-story brick structure. Although considered "temporary", it operated for ten years.
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passenger terminal near the Halifax Ocean Terminals which included the new ocean liner passenger terminal at
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upgraded to 6 days/week, however the train frequency at Halifax was not affected. In 2000, the
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and the North Street Station continued to be the only railway station serving the city.
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is North America's longest running "named passenger train" as it was introduced by the
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By the mid-1920s, CNR and the federal government were able to agree on building a new
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Ware, Beverley (21 June 1988). "VIA Rail station goes back in time for renovations".
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was cut from 7 days/week to 3 days/week, sharing its equipment with the
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In 1978, CN and CP turned over their passenger services to new federal
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The newly built station alongside the Hotel Nova Scotian in 1931, with
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was dropped from Halifax when its eastern terminus was moved west to
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A route for the railway was chosen along the western side of the
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where it crosses Barrington Street opposite the main gate to
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service cancelled, however it was restored in 1985 and the
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A 1994 change to Via Rail routes in the Maritimes saw the
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Displayed beside the new station was the 1839 locomotive
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Via Rail station page for Halifax station (Nova Scotia)
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The first railway station in Halifax was opened by the
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986:trains when large numbers of immigrants arrived.
954:. Halifax Station is on the far right beside the
1332:Buildings and structures in Halifax, Nova Scotia
1060:which was extended from its eastern terminus at
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1229:"List of Designation Stations: Nova Scotia"
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640:The station is the eastern terminus of the
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1231:Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act
1172:, Ottawa: Trackside Canada (2004), p. 61
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667:The Halifax Railway Station adjoins the
1170:The Ocean Limited: A Centennial Tribute
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1006:, along with various local services to
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1223:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
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720:North Street station (1877–1920)
27:Railway station in Nova Scotia, Canada
1271:Halifax railway station (Nova Scotia)
994:during the early 1970s, leaving only
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620:is an inter-city railway terminal in
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1254:Nova Scotia Railway Heritage Society
18:Halifax, Nova Scotia railway station
696:Richmond station (1858–1877)
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1327:Transport in Halifax, Nova Scotia
1300:"VIA Rail Guide: Halifax Station"
1125:'s South End Container Terminal.
1337:Via Rail stations in Nova Scotia
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1082:Halifax Maintenance Centre
854:Canadian National Railways
774:South End terminal project
740:. In 1877, a new federal
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287:Canadian National Railways
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1101:, and VIA Rail president
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759:Angus L. Macdonald Bridge
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937:Stellarton, Nova Scotia
810:Mt. St. Vincent College
752:structure known as the
569:Show map of Nova Scotia
566:Location in Nova Scotia
253:Halifax railway station
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822:Halifax Ocean Terminal
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628:, Canada, operated by
1273:at Wikimedia Commons
1168:Douglas N. W. Smith,
1139:discontinued and the
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746:Intercolonial Railway
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655:Intercolonial Railway
97:44.63944°N 63.56806°W
754:North Street Station
730:North Street station
691:Predecessor stations
1241:"Lost Connection",
1038:at Halifax in 2008.
962:is at lower centre.
916:into Halifax using
814:classification yard
780:Point Pleasant Park
714:Royal Navy Dockyard
702:Nova Scotia Railway
102:44.63944; -63.56806
93: /
53:General information
1150:Hotel Nova Scotian
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972:Hotel Nova Scotian
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602:Show map of Canada
599:Location in Canada
479:Following station
471:Preceding station
435:Following station
427:Preceding station
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380:Preceding station
319:Following station
306:Preceding station
197:Bicycle facilities
61:1161 Hollis Street
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1269:Media related to
1109:Campbellton. The
1103:Denis de Belleval
1044:Crown corporation
842:Halifax Explosion
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767:Halifax Explosion
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1311:, 2019-9-14
1099:Ron Wallace
879:RMS Olympic
636:Current use
626:Nova Scotia
158:Connections
100: /
76:Coordinates
68:Nova Scotia
1321:Categories
1210:2008-07-15
1156:References
1062:Saint John
950:docked at
881:docked at
497:Main Line
205:Accessible
88:63°34′05″W
85:44°38′22″N
1309:InfiNorth
1087:Maritimes
1016:Dayliners
968:CNR Hotel
784:South End
237:IATA code
123:Platforms
1219:cite web
1137:Atlantic
1115:Atlantic
1066:Atlantic
1057:Atlantic
1048:Via Rail
1000:and the
948:Majestic
912:and the
906:Yarmouth
799:Fairview
710:Richmond
679:banner.
630:Via Rail
534:Location
503:Terminus
490:Yarmouth
465:Terminus
454:St. John
446:St. John
421:Terminus
413:Atlantic
404:Montreal
389:Via Rail
347:Terminus
330:Montreal
315:Via Rail
297:Services
117:Via Rail
113:Owned by
58:Location
1305:YouTube
1074:Moncton
1052:Scotian
1018:. The
997:Scotian
979:Pier 21
952:Pier 21
894:Pier 21
883:Pier 21
829:Pier 21
732:in 1878
683:History
622:Halifax
488:toward
485:Armdale
458:Halifax
444:toward
441:Armdale
402:toward
328:toward
273: (
260:History
248:Website
189:Parking
71:B3J 2P6
64:Halifax
36:Halifax
1012:Sydney
970:, the
960:Samson
933:Samson
744:, the
265:Opened
218:Status
134:Tracks
1141:Ocean
1119:Ocean
1111:Ocean
1070:Ocean
1036:Ocean
910:Digby
651:Ocean
643:Ocean
399:Truro
339:Ocean
325:Truro
1225:link
1034:The
1010:and
958:and
728:The
649:The
275:1928
268:1928
230:HLFX
1303:on
708:at
242:XDG
208:Yes
200:Yes
192:Yes
1323::
1307:,
1221:}}
1217:{{
1132:.
1105:.
1089:.
1076:.
1046:,
939:.
908:,
844:.
786:.
632:.
624:,
456:–
126:3
66:,
1227:)
1213:.
277:)
137:4
20:)
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