VIA Rail

[steveintoronto]

Travelling by train from Ottawa to Toronto, passengers are treated to a good view of the Rideau River as they pass over a high bridge just before diverging towards Smiths Falls at Federal. Many have enjoyed the view but few are aware of the controversy that surrounded the bridge and which nearly resulted in its removal.
[...]
http://www.railways.incanada.net/Articles/Article2008_15.html

 

[mdrejhon]

At the end of the day, if *somehow* the freight companies and VIA could get into an irrevocable agreement (perhaps policed by CBTC & GPS train locations, and a VIA-guaranteed-priority track added), there's so much corridor capacity that will allow reliable VIA HFR while still going through Kingston. I kind of have mixed feelings bypassing Kingston. And there'd be theoretical cost savings by having a lot less redundancies. The milkrun trains could still let themselves get bumped around to sidings or freight track (as today) by the freight companies and even HFR itself, to preserve HFR-priority and reliability on HFR-owned/leased priority track.

But, both Peterborough HFR routing and Kingston HFR routing options are horrendously complex (for very different reasons). The real question is how far $3bn gets you ($4.3bn if electrified + EMUs) and whether or not CN/CP is interested in that money while guaranteeing VIA priority on an adjacent track in their corridor (including complications such as crossover contention for freight customers, etc), and/or whether the funds are enough for a corridor-splitting purchase. Freight-priority track owned by freight but with VIA running rights, and a guaranteed-VIA-priority track owned by VIA but with freight running rights, and maybe a large number of off-bridge bunch of passing tracks thrown in for good measure.

Many (but not all) two-track bridge widenings may actually end up being avoided as a result, thanks to a signalling upgrade that can allow freight companies to lease/cede half of their bridge widths to VIA priority in a complex hybrid corridor purchasing/leasing agreement... CN/CP does look at agreement paper that might give them a billion (or two) especially with a bunch of incentives including perhaps a free signal upgrade is thrown in to help them push more trains through the corridor...

Future incremental upgrades can add additional track and capacity, and even a migration path to HSR when appropriate.

Question is... is this simpler than Peterborough?

 

[steveintoronto]

Question is... is this simpler than Peterborough?

The real question is, if it is, why has CN made life close to impossible with VIA all this time?

VIA, for good reason, want their own tracks. CN's position is (and completely understandable) "we need all the capacity we have for freight". It's not true, especially with freight volume decreasing, but until CN changes attitude, VIA must go her own way.

 

[crs1026]

To replace swing bridges in the fastest time, without an EA, and the lowest cost option in those cases. The whole idea of re-using existing corridors is to avoid EAs, and re-utilize what's already extant.

Avoid EA's? They will be mandatory in any scenario. The question is what they will discover in terms of environmental impacts, mitigation required, etc. and what the costs of that will be. I can't imagine that adding more track along an existing heavily-used line will be found to have as much impact as laying a new track on a route that is currently natural.

We don't have data to confirm that two long bridges in Northumberland versus one river crossing in Peterboro will be the swing factor in pricing the two lines. The existing tracks on the current bridges may be sharable, for that matter. Consider how many replacement bridges and culverts would be needed between Smiths Falls and Agincourt. And consider the need for a rather long, high bridge over the Don Valley to reach Toronto from Peterboro. There are too many put's and take's to do much more than speculate.

As to using what is extant - we do know that on the Lakeshore line, there are three tracks in ready to operate condition. If the freight can be moved onto only two of the three, what's extant in the third is close to sufficient. What's extant on the Peterboro route is....a hiking trail.

- Paul

 

[steveintoronto]

Avoid EA's? They will be mandatory in any scenario.

Not according to the Transportation Act. Section was quoted by Urban Sky about a month back, and discussed by a number of us. There are limits to what you can do on *an existing* RoW w/o an EA, but replacing a swing bridge with a bascule one wouldn't be one of the limits. Since the Transportation Minister also has jurisdiction over the national park canals, it's a ministerial privilege to sign-off on it, and add any new stipulations he cares to add within what the Act allows.

Approval to construct a railway line
Who does this apply to?
If a federal railway company intends to construct a railway line, it must file an application with the Agency under section 98 of the Canada Transportation Act for approval. This includes main lines, branch lines, yard tracks, sidings, spurs or other track auxiliary to a railway line.

No approval is needed to construct a railway line:

• within the right-of-way of an existing railway line, or
• within 100 metres of the centre line of an existing railway line for a distance of no more than three kilometres.

How does the process work?
The Agency may grant the approval if it considers that the location of the line is reasonable, taking into consideration:

1. the requirements for railway operations and services; and
2. the interests of localities that will be affected by the line.

The railway company is responsible for demonstrating to the Agency that the requirements of section 98 of the Canada Transportation Act are met.

Interests of localities
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012) came into force on July 6, 2012, replacing the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and removing the requirement for an environmental assessment for certain railway line construction projects.

Following the legislative changes, railway companies were consulted regarding the Agency's proposed approach to applications under section 98 of the CTA, resulting in an understanding that railway companies remain responsible for demonstrating to the Agency that the requirements of that provision are met, whether an environmental assessment is required or not.

The Agency adopted the following approach, indicating that railway companies will:

• undertake consultations with the localities with a view to developing collaborative measures to address the relevant issues raised;
• consult with municipalities, adjacent landowners and Aboriginal groups, when and as applicable;
• provide information to allow an adequate understanding of the project and to ensure that consultations are meaningful;
• provide the Agency with a detailed account of these consultations and any agreements put in place to address objections that may have been raised; and
• identify issues where no agreement was reached and that must be dealt with by the Agency.

Construction projects subject to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency may initiate an environmental assessment pursuant to CEAA 2012.

The Agency can only then proceed with approval under Section 98:

1. once an environmental assessment has been conducted; and
2. if it has been determined that the project will not cause significant adverse environmental effects.

For more information, see the Overview of the Canadian Environmental Assessment 2012.

The Regulations Designating Physical Activities set out which projects are subject to an environmental assessment under CEAA 2012, including:

• railway projects in a wildlife area or migratory bird sanctuary;
• railway lines longer than 32 km;
• railway yards with seven or more yard tracks or a total of 20 km or more;
• railway lines designed for trains that have an average speed of 200 km/h;
• international or interprovincial bridges or tunnels.[...]

https://www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/approval-construct-railway-line

What's extant on the Peterboro route is....a hiking trail.

A "hiking trail"? Actually, where there is trail, it's the Trans-Canada, and it's far more than just hiking. Been discussed and ownership searched on the matter here some weeks back. The Peterborough route will be far cheaper to do than Lakeshore, and aren't you overlooking the "electrification" factor? CN has stated time and again: "No catenary".

 

[Le Gique]

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO TRAVELLERS

On June 9, 2016, UNIFOR, the union representing more than 1 800 of the 2 500 employees who work in stations, telephone sales offices, maintenance centres and administrative offices, informed VIA Rail of its intent to exercise its strike mandate at 12:01 a.m. (ET) on June 13, 2016 should no agreement be reached by that time. In the event of a trains strike, all services across the VIA Rail network will be interrupted.

With the assistance of government’s conciliators, VIA Rail and the union are currently negotiating as part of the normal process of renewal of collective agreements which expired on December 31, 2015. We are doing our utmost to reach a settlement without service disruption before the strike deadline.

If you absolutely need to travel, we suggest that you modify your plans and find alternative transportation before the departure date indicated on your ticket. You can exchange your ticket for travel at a later date or get a full refund without any service fees, if at least one segment for travel between June 13 and June 19, 2016.

EXCEPTIONAL SITUATIONS FOR LONG-HAUL TRAINS

In the event of a strike on 12:01 a.m. (ET) on June 13, 2016 , the following trains with departure dates on June 9, 10 and 12, 2016, WILL BE OPERATING and bringing passengers to their destination.
...
http://www.viarail.ca/en/collective-bargaining

 

[Urban Sky]

The strike has been averted:

http://www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-...16-via-rail-and-unifor-reach-agreement-potent

 

[mdrejhon]

I am glad, because my visiting Dad just caught a VIA train today.

 

[SaugeenJunction]

Traveling back home on the GO and saw the "Network South West" VIA RDCs sitting at Willowbrook:

 

[SaugeenJunction]

Cobourg resident participates in Via Rail focus group
Northumberland Today - http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/2016/06/22/cobourg-resident-participates-in-via-rail-focus-study

A Cobourg resident who recently participated in a VIA rail focus group study discussed what VIA asked her about. Here are some highlights:

• "Via Rail has initiated a consultation process for the renewal of its fleet for the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor," Via spokesperson Mariam Diaby stated in an e-mail. "The objective is to gather input on some of the features that should be considered for our Corridor fleet renewal project. We want to know what to consider when choosing the trains that will serve our customers for the next 30 years."

• Two ideas – the use of double-level cars and the addition of bistro cars – were floated during her session, Rayment said. Her group didn't support the ideas because the largely more senior customers who travel with Via can have difficulty using stairs to access upper train levels and carrying foods and drinks back to their seats, she said.

• "High frequency trains at top speeds of 180 kph can be done quickly and cheaply versus a high speed project which would cost more, take more time to build and which would ultimately have a consumer price tag that excludes the middle class. We don’t believe high speed is worth it. "The key reason this project can be done so quickly is that it is based on abandoned or little used rights of way.”
  

 

[ShonTron]

Much of the old Canadian Northern right of way is still intact between Brighton and Port Hope - it closely follows the CN and CP tracks. That route between Trenton and Napanee is to the south and built upon through Trenton and Belleville. The Napanee-Smiths Falls section of the CNoR is intact as a trail, but it misses Kingston. (VIA uses former CNoR track between Smiths Falls and Ottawa and owns the old M&O track between Otttawa and Rigaud.

The M&O Sub might be part of VIA's plans. Parts of the CNoR might be useful.

Why are bistro cars a problem? Amtrak has these, with some seating for those who wish to consume their snacks and beverages in the car. I prefer it over VIA's cart service in economy class. Double-deckers are fine too - the lower level allows for easy boarding from low platforms without lifts. This is how GO - and Amtrak's Superliners - work.

 

[reaperexpress]

Why are bistro cars a problem? Amtrak has these, with some seating for those who wish to consume their snacks and beverages in the car. I prefer it over VIA's cart service in economy class. Double-deckers are fine too - the lower level allows for easy boarding from low platforms without lifts. This is how GO - and Amtrak's Superliners - work.

Except that Montréal Gare Centrale has high-level platforms and VIA plans to build high-level at Ottawa Tremblay station as well. Sounds like they're aiming for level boarding with single-level coaches, which seems to make sense given the relatively small passenger loads on our intercity trains. And I see where they're coming from - even if they can get into the train without stairs, moving around within it would be challenging. In these longer distance trains, there is much more cause to walk around than a GO train, where you just sit in your seat for a relatively short time. Especially if they replace cart service with a café car as Amtrak did on their regional services.

 

[steveintoronto]

Cobourg resident participates in Via Rail focus group
Northumberland Today - http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/2016/06/22/cobourg-resident-participates-in-via-rail-focus-study

Alex: Good find! But you missed quoting this part, which I find the most intriguing (albeit it is the view of the interviewee, not VIA's official position):

It also appears to her that Via is focusing on developing short-haul (computer-type Cobourg/Port Hope to Toronto) service instead of the long-haul focus of the past, Rayment said in an interview this week.

Questionable, but intriguing.

I took a great interest in the Cdn Northern at one time, being resident in Port Hope for a few years as a child. At that time, the Min of Transport had tenancy of the Port Hope Northern station, albeit very little of the RoW is visible around Port Hope. More is visible as you get closer to the present CN Cobourg station, as all three transnationals ran side-by-side. I'm skeptical that enough is left of the Northern RoW close to the lake to be re-usable, but we'll see.

 

[MisterF]

Alex: Good find! But you missed quoting this part, which I find the most intriguing (albeit it is the view of the interviewee, not VIA's official position):
Questionable, but intriguing.

I took a great interest in the Cdn Northern at one time, being resident in Port Hope for a few years as a child. At that time, the Min of Transport had tenancy of the Port Hope Northern station, albeit very little of the RoW is visible around Port Hope. More is visible as you get closer to the present CN Cobourg station, as all three transnationals ran side-by-side. I'm skeptical that enough is left of the Northern RoW close to the lake to be re-usable, but we'll see.

The Canadian Northern right of way through Cobourg is owned by the town and is planned for the eventual extension of Kerr Street. In other areas there's often very little left of the right of way, which has been built over with streets and buildings in most of the towns it goes through. It was abandoned way back in the 1920s and 30s.

That quote about Via focusing more on commuter service rather than longer haul service fits into the rumour about the CP line through Peterborough being used - northern line for long haul intercity service and the lakeshore route for short haul, commuter focused service.

 

[SaugeenJunction]

BIG NEWS! VIA Rail has put out an RFP for it's Corridor fleet renewal. Had no idea this was moving this fast. See description below:

VIA Rail Fleet Renewal - Notice to Industry

The Government of Canada's 2016-2017 budget proposes to provide VIA Rail with funding to support technical studies and other pre-procurement activities related to the renewal of VIA Rail’s Québec-Windsor Corridor fleet. It is further to such proposal that VIA Rail issues this notice.

Accordingly, VIA Rail hereby gives notice to potential suppliers that it intends to invite the industry to submit credentials, current product pipeline information, and relevant financial information over the coming weeks.

Additionally, VIA Rail intends to hold a one day “Market Day” on July 21, 2016 in Montreal to meet with interested suppliers.

See the document provided herewith for greater detail.

N22: Railway Equipment
N2200: RAILWAY EQUIPMENT
N2210: LOCOMOTIVES
N2220: RAIL CARS

Link to RFP: http://www.merx.com/English/SUPPLIER_Menu.asp?WCE=Show&TAB=3&PORTAL=MERX&State=7&id=PR372988&src=osr&FED_ONLY=0&ACTION=&rowcount=&lastpage=&MoreResults=&PUBSORT=2&CLOSESORT=0&IS_SME=N&hcode=YAYJw7NaV7JuYA7TtjxSQA==

EDIT/More info to add:

VIA Rail’s review of supplier information will be very important to the basis of its recommendations to the Government of Canada, no later than September 9, 2016, for contracting authority and funding to VIA Rail to proceed with a formal procurement process. If such authority and funding are granted to VIA Rail to proceed with the renewal of its Corridor fleet, the target date for deliveries of the new fleet is expected to begin as early as 2019.

What VIA is looking for in its new fleet (especially interesting info):

Flexibility to Operate:

• The intent is to specify trainsets for bi-directional operation (Push-Pull).
• VIA Rail intends to contract with one supplier. Bidders who only offer motive power or seated vehicles must partner to offer a complete trainset solution.

Performance:

• Trainsets must be able to operate at speeds of up to 100 mph or 161 km/h on shared Class 5 non-electrified infrastructure, non-grade separated, using diesel power.
• Trainsets must also be able to operate at a maximum of 125 mph or 201 km/h on new dedicated Class 7 infrastructure, non-grade separated, using in diesel mode and electric mode where electrified.
• Transition between modes of power must be seamless with minimum impact on the passenger experience.

Delivery:

• The trainsets must be proven in service or made up of proven elements, and either be in production or quickly be ready for production in order to minimize lead time.

Fleet Size Final:

• quantities remain to be confirmed; however the intent is to replace the current fleet of 40 locomotives and 160 cars with bi-directional trainsets providing equivalent seat capacity currently totalling 2200 Business seats and 7800 Economy seats. An option for additional trainsets could be required, depending on the timing of other initiatives planned by VIA Rail.

Detailed info from VIA: http://www.viarail.ca/sites/all/files/media/pdfs/About_VIA/INTERCITY_PASSENGER_RAIL.pdf