Dorval (Via/Exo Station) – Dorval, Quebec, Canada | Train Spotting Location

Poised just west of Montréal and a short shuttle ride from Montréal–Trudeau International Airport, Dorval (VIA/Exo Station) is one of Québec’s liveliest rail-viewing posts, where high-speed VIA Rail corridor trains, CN transcontinental freights, and Exo commuter sets share the same quadruple-track main line. Few places in the province deliver such a steady parade of varied rolling stock within arm’s length of a safe public platform, making Dorval a must-visit stop for any railfan traveling through the Montréal region.

🛤️ The Trainspotting Experience

Upon arrival, railfans find two long island platforms with ample yellow-line clearance, allowing close yet secure access to trains gliding by at main-line speed. VIA Rail’s stainless-steel corridor consists routinely bustle through at 80–95 mph, their deep horn blasts resonating off the station’s glass shelter. Commuter sets on Exo’s Vaudreuil–Hudson line perform brief stops every weekday peak hour, giving photographers a slower, more predictable subject to capture. Between passenger moves, CN manifest freights thunder through the middle tracks, often longer than 8,000 ft and led by wide-cab GEs. Expect brisk wind kicks from the displacement of fast passes and a distinct shift in acoustic signature: the high-pitched woosh of LRC coaches, the rhythmic thump of welded-rail joints under multilevel cars, and the low-frequency rumble of heavy freight. Even a short visit can deliver back-to-back action, so keep shutters ready.

🌄 Landscape, Setting and Local Atmosphere

The station sits on level ground at the south edge of Dorval’s airport district. Surrounding terrain is flat, exposing a broad sky that catches dramatic sunsets over the Montréal skyline in the distance. Sparse shrubbery lines the right-of-way, and low industrial buildings leave sightlines mostly unobstructed. Aircraft on final approach to Runway 24L pass overhead, adding an aviation soundtrack and occasional photo-bomb for those chasing multimodal shots. Weather can change quickly off nearby Lac Saint-Louis: humid summers brew dense cloud towers, while winter visits mean crisp air, squealing steel, and snow-plume effects when locomotives plow through fresh powder. Street noise is modest; the dominant ambience remains rail-centric.

🚂 Type and Frequency of Train Activity

• VIA Rail Canada: Approximately 35–40 corridor trains on an average weekday, including the Toronto–Montréal, Ottawa–Montréal, and Québec City–Windsor services. Most consists are 5–8 cars, powered by F40PH-3d or Siemens Charger units, with occasional legacy LRC coaches.
• Exo (Vaudreuil–Hudson Line): Roughly 11 inbound and 11 outbound trains on weekdays, fewer on weekends. Trains comprise ALP-45DP locomotives or Electric-Diesels sandwiching Bombardier bi-level coaches.
• Canadian National Railway: 10–15 freights daily—mixed manifest, intermodal stacks, and autoracks—plus section maintenance equipment. Lead power often sports modern CN red/black dash-nines, with the occasional leased unit.
• Seasonal Extras: VIA’s “Ocean” to Halifax and chartered private cars sometimes detour via Dorval, offering rarer sightings. All told, railfans can anticipate a movement every 10–15 minutes during daylight peaks.

📸 Best Angles for Photos and What Railfans Enjoy Most

1. South-side Island Platform: Stand near the west end; afternoon sun backlights eastbound VIA consists, while the low roofline keeps shadows off the trucks.
2. Pedestrian Overpass: The glassed-in footbridge affords a top-down panorama of all four tracks—ideal for capturing consist length and locomotive lash-ups. Dawn light paints westbounds golden; dusk favors eastbounds.
3. Herron Road Bridge (public sidewalk): Slight elevation lets lenses shoot across the ballast at nose level, creating dramatic three-quarter wedges of speeding freights. A 70–200 mm lens covers most compositions.
4. Airport Shuttle Loop: From the curb you can stage hybrid plane-and-train frames when jets intersect the backdrop; mid-range zooms work best.
   Seasoned spotters love the “compression” shots achievable with longer glass, highlighting the curve just east of the station where locomotives appear to lean into the platform.

🕰️ Historical or Cultural Relevance

Dorval has served rail travelers since Grand Trunk Railway days in the late 19th century. The modern station opened in 1988 to coincide with airport improvements, creating one of Canada’s first intermodal rail-to-air connections. Its placement on the Kingston Subdivision—Canada’s busiest passenger-rail corridor—marks Dorval as a strategic dispatch point: heads-up signals here dictate spacing into Montréal’s Central Station bottleneck. For locals, the station symbolizes suburban mobility; murals inside the shelter celebrate both the steam era and Québec’s contemporary rail revival.

🧭 What Makes This Spot Different from Others

Unlike remote sidings or single-purpose commuter stops, Dorval blends three distinct operations—long-distance, commuter, and heavy freight—within a compact, publicly accessible footprint, all minutes from a major international airport. The ability to log VIA train numbers, catch a rare CN potash extra, and still photograph an ALP-45DP toggling from diesel to electric mode—all without moving your tripod—sets Dorval apart in the eastern Canadian railfan scene.

📚 Additional Resources

VIA Rail – Dorval Station
Exo – Vaudreuil–Hudson Line Schedule
Canadian Railway Historical Association"