VIA Rail

[crs1026]

The TGV's have only just been retired after a 40-year run, UK's HST likewise. Amfleet is only just turning over.

The LRC fleet probably should have been gone a few years ago, but we aren't that far behind, and maybe we deserve credit for squeezing the last bit of juice out of the lemon. Point is, they were kept up to date internally and even now they are still very good railcars to ride in, even if they are structurally worn out.

Fleet size certainly could have been increased, if we had the track to run them on. But I'm not sure that more or newer trains would have helped much, given the absence of investment in better tracks.

The country's apathy towards better rail passenger service over the past few decades is regrettable, but it is what it is. Personally I'm much more fixated on advancing the tracks than bemoaning the equipment.

- Paul

 

[dowlingm]

The HST fleet isn’t retiring, it’s just going somewhere warmer like many old timers do

 

[crs1026]

The HST fleet isn’t retiring, it’s just going somewhere warmer like many old timers do

LOL The Brits have held more HST "last run" events than Del Duca has held press conferences. The darn things keep on popping up on different lines.

- Paul

 

[Mihairokov]

So....back to VIA Rail.

I took Train 48 on Monday but it wasn't the new trainset. Any idea what happened?

The entire boarding process was weird, as well. Train 48 boarded far earlier than usual, to the point where they directed me up the elevator to the platform. I was told this was because another train had just arrived and was deboarding, so all of those passengers were coming down the escalator. I have to admit that that platform actually felt busy and European for once as people went in all different directions from multiple trains, but it really showed the issues inherent to Union's platforms and design.

 

[Urban Sky]

So....back to VIA Rail.

Thank you! I deeply appreciate any efforts to bring and keep the discussions here on track…

I took Train 48 on Monday but it wasn't the new trainset. Any idea what happened?

According to discussions on the “Railfan Canada” Discord, the trainset was swapped in Ottawa at the last minute before its round-trip to Toronto, presumably due to equipment issues.

The entire boarding process was weird, as well. Train 48 boarded far earlier than usual, to the point where they directed me up the elevator to the platform. I was told this was because another train had just arrived and was deboarding, so all of those passengers were coming down the escalator. I have to admit that that platform actually felt busy and European for once as people went in all different directions from multiple trains, but it really showed the issues inherent to Union's platforms and design.

This is unfortunately the only practical way to move VIA passengers bidirectionally between platform level and the VIA concourse and it shows why the platform layout is so inferior to anything you might have got used to in Europe…

 

[Mihairokov]

According to discussions on the “Railfan Canada” Discord, the trainset was swapped in Ottawa at the last minute before its round-trip to Toronto, presumably due to equipment issues.

I meant to ask the staff onboard but decided against it. Assumed this was the issue but wasn't entirely certain. I've had this train in Toronto delayed many, many times before due to equipment issues (waiting on other trains to arrive) but i'm not sure what that specifically means. Are they taking items from one train and using them on another?

This is unfortunately the only practical way to move VIA passengers bidirectionally between platform level and the VIA concourse and it shows why the platform layout is so inferior to anything you might have got used to in Europe…

Unfortunately that's the case. I don't recall any formal discussions on it but I imagine expanding the VIA platforms at Union would be tricky.

 

[Urban Sky]

I meant to ask the staff onboard but decided against it. Assumed this was the issue but wasn't entirely certain. I've had this train in Toronto delayed many, many times before due to equipment issues (waiting on other trains to arrive) but i'm not sure what that specifically means. Are they taking items from one train and using them on another?

Equipment issues can be mechanical or electric issues. This is not the same as “late equipment”, where the problem is that a train can’t start boarding before it has arrived at the station, previous passengers (if any) are unloaded and supplies are loaded. At a station like Toronto Union, supplies are stocked at the station or (for trains originating there) at the Toronto Maintenance Centre (TMC)…

Unfortunately that's the case. I don't recall any formal discussions on it but I imagine expanding the VIA platforms at Union would be tricky.

“Wider platform” also means “less platform”, so this is a real trade-off. Apart from that, the positioning of the columns supporting the roof and of the facilities at concourse level severely limit the scope at which you can move tracks…

 

[dowlingm]

One of the issues with the underground corral at Union is that unlike at an airport where you can mostly look out the window at the jetway, it’s hard to know if your equipment is even upstairs.

I assume there is no way to construct a “penthouse concourse” where the shed roof is now* - even if the supports were figured out, there would be difficulty with elevator bases below platform level given the complexity beneath? One gets such wild ideas when looking at the CIBC deck park beside.

* deploying my usual heritage Philistinism

 

[Frank_Lee]

One of the issues with the underground corral at Union is that unlike at an airport where you can mostly look out the window at the jetway, it’s hard to know if your equipment is even upstairs.

I assume there is no way to construct a “penthouse concourse” where the shed roof is now* - even if the supports were figured out, there would be difficulty with elevator bases below platform level given the complexity beneath? One gets such wild ideas when looking at the CIBC deck park beside.

* deploying my usual heritage Philistinism

What about just installing a bunch of Displays and Cameras? I can't imagine this would be that expensive, although it wouldn't be particularly sightly.

 

[Urban Sky]

What about just installing a bunch of Displays and Cameras? I can't imagine this would be that expensive, although it wouldn't be particularly sightly.

Given that there are two tracks at every platform and often two trains on the same track, how can the average non-train-nerd traveller determine that his train has already arrived? And even if he would be able to determine that it has: what would that knowledge change?

 

[nfitz]

Given that there are two tracks at every platform and often two trains on the same track, how can the average non-train-nerd traveller determine that his train has already arrived. And even if he would be able to determine that it has: what would that knowledge change?

It doesn't sound like a realistic idea, but you could just use a split screen, labelling each quadrant of the screen as Track 5A / 5B / 6A / 6B

Seems like a solution in search of a problem though.

 

[Garuda]

LOL The Brits have held more HST "last run" events than Del Duca has held press conferences. The darn things keep on popping up on different lines.

- Paul

That's a lot of press conferences!

 

[littlewill1166]

What about just installing a bunch of Displays and Cameras? I can't imagine this would be that expensive, although it wouldn't be particularly sightly.

On the displays in the great Hall, a star shows up next to the platform number to indicate that the train is in the station

 

[Urban Sky]

On the displays in the great Hall, a star shows up next to the platform number to indicate that the train is in the station

I’m still trying to figure out what the information need is here: whether the train is already standing at the platform or when boarding is expected to start? For what it’s worth, the departure board in Montreal shows the boarding time in addition to departure time…

 

[littlewill1166]

I’m still trying to figure out what the information need is here: whether the train is already standing at the platform or when boarding is expected to start? For what it’s worth, the departure board in Montreal shows the boarding time in addition to departure time…

I don't know, I was just responding directly to Frank_Lee's questions. The displays and cameras are already installed. The displays in the Great Hall in Toronto have already indicated that a train was in the station for at least 8 years already.

The screens next to the escalators in the VIA concourse are connected cameras facing the top of the escalators. If you look closely you may be able to see a train (but these screens are used by staff to facilitate boarding). Sometimes these screens are turned off or set to show something else, so they aren't always available.

I personally just use tsimobile.viarail.ca, a cycling plan, and the train status emails VIA sends to figure out if I can show up late to the station because my train is late.