(The following story by Dave Rogers appeared on the Ottawa Citizen website on June 2.)
OTTAWA — Seven potential buyers have shown interest in the Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Steam Train after it stopped operations indefinitely in May because of a dispute between the owner and the municipalities that own the line on which it runs.
André Groulx, who has operated the train for his father-in-law, Jean Gauthier, for 15 years, said Monday the train is advertised for $2.5 million on www.ozarkmountainrailcars.com, based in Missouri.
Mr. Groulx said people from the United States, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec are interested in the train, but no one has made a firm offer for the excursion business.
“We would like the train to stay in the region because it is an important part of the tourism industry in the region,” Mr. Groulx said. “The train earns $8 million a year and there are 100 jobs that depend on it.
“But if there is an offer to take the train out of the area, we will consider it because our objective is to sell the rolling stock.”
The train ground to an indefinite halt on May 12 after a landslide near the tracks north of the Alonzo Wright Bridge in Chelsea. André Guibord, a spokesman for Mr. Groulx, said Quebec transport ministry engineers ruled that the tracks were safe, but Mr. Gauthier had already decided to sell the business because of frequent demands for improvements from Gatineau, Chelsea and La Pêche, which own the former CP line.
“There is nothing wrong with the tracks and nothing makes sense in this situation,” Mr. Groulx said. “The municipalities operating as the Compagnie de chemin de fer de l’Outaouais wanted an extensive study of the culverts, bridges and tracks.
“The company doing the study has no railway expertise, but kept making ridiculous demands before the train could roll. It wanted a wooden skid beside the tracks removed and a small tree we had passed for 15 years cut down or the train would be cancelled.”
Mr. Groulx said the train was not cancelled because of the landslide. The owner decided to sell, he said, because the municipalities refused to agree that ministry approval was enough for the train to continue.
Karl Lavoie, director of the Gatineau Chamber of Commerce, said Mayor Marc Bureau should have provided more leadership on the issue.
“Gatineau, which is the main city in the region, should have shown more leadership on the train,” Mr. Lavoie said. “Almost 30 per cent of people who book package tours get a ride on the train. It is not for me to say what Gatineau should do, but it would be unacceptable if the train stopped running.”
Martin Potvin, a spokesman for Mr. Bureau, said the mayor would not respond to criticism of his handling of the steam train issue.