The Montreal Maine & Atlantic Railway company
The Montreal Maine & Atlantic Railway company

The Montreal Maine & Atlantic Railway company

The Montreal Maine & Atlantic Railway company

Bankruptcy and other disasters

Eastern Townships (Quebec), Canada

Well, to be honest, the railway Montreal Maine & Atlantic Railway site we visited is not a real urbex site. At least not yet. But between you and me, it should not take long.

A story that everybody hear about

Whether you live in Quebec or not, you've probably heard of this tragedy in Lac-Megantic where a railway convoy of the Montreal Maine & Atlantic Railway (MMA) has literally destroyed the city in an explosion that  killed more than 47 people. Since then, the company faces prosecution, had to be placed itself under the bankruptcy protection law and its poor crisis management has enrages all the country.

In short, the company is in big trouble and, after fired most of its employees, it is unclear how the company will get out of this situation. The many sites owned by the company are now deserted and many of them were vandalized by an angry population that holds the company responsible for the tragedy.

There was therefore no one during our visit in this Saturday afternoon, and even if we found few buildings (which will surely be abandoned in the coming weeks), we rather focused on trains and different rusted structures we could find on the site. I will have the chance to come back for the buildings by the end of summer when the activity of the company will be completely stopped.

This choice was the good one, because several trains could be visited. While some structures had no interest, others against, were very informative. So here is some pictures of this little trip where I will, for sure, be back in the coming weeks.

Related content

The old abandoned sawmill

The advantage of a 4 hours ride to visit an abandoned sawmill is that we increase our chances of finding an intact place without the slightest trace of vandalism. Or at least, very little.

All along the road, the fear of finding a...

The old board mill
Estrie, Quebec (Canada)

It was October 3, 2014 when it has been heard for the last time the siren for the end of the work shift. The last 180 employees picked up their belongings and closed the door behind them, thus ending an industrial history of over 125 years.

...
The old Minas de Riotinto locomotives
Minas de Riotinto, (Spain)

We are talking about over 5000 years of mining history in this area. The landscape has been changed forever, and it looks at some places like a alien planet where red, yellow, purple mingle with green, gray and ocher.

The ten abandoned...

The former Grands Moulins de Paris company
Marquette-Lez-Lille, (France)

Built in 1921 on the left bank of the Deule in Marquette-Lez-Lille (north of the France), the majestic Grands Moulins de Paris's mill is a huge structure adrift waiting for a renaissance that is pending since few decades.

The history of...