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VIA Rail
- Thread starter ehlow
- Start date
crs1026
Superstar
Brockville has more than one track.
If the train hasn't moved - there is likely a mechanical reason why not. I won't speculate, but there are certainly things that might need on-location attention before one would move the train. It might take time to assemble the necessary people and equipment. Or, the preliminary steps might be beyond simply coupling up and J-training.... so not advisable to delay that next train to drag it home.
- Paul
Bordercollie
Senior Member
So how did the morning train pass the station with a disabled train blocking the platform?
crs1026
Superstar
The article indicates that the disabled train was pushed out of the way, presumably for a short distance. How or where, it doesn't say. But a path was clearly made available.
- Paul
Bordercollie
Senior Member
I would guess it has to do with the fact that the legacy fleet is not compatible with the simens train preventing it from being towed.
So they might have to deploy another Siemens set to rescue that train. And find a crew to operate it and have CN give them a slot. I guess I they could J train an Ottawa or Montreal train to Brockville.
But they should tow it to a siding because it's blocking the platform.
lenaitch
Senior Member
I believe we have been told here that the end couplers are NA standard. Depending on what the issue is, wouldn't it have to be towed to Montreal? Is the TMC ready for Seimens equipment?
Bordercollie
Senior Member
But they did a static test with a GO trainset and towed it around the yard so that shouldn't be the case
Trackside_Treasure
Active Member
December 10 - No 669 broke down near Mallorytown and had no power. (No 669's equipment arrived in Montreal as No 62 in the morning, departing Toronto 2 hours late, swapped from Set 6 to Set 14 in Toronto, then continuing back west as 669. No 48 (Set 7/25) pushed disabled 669 to Brockville. At first they couldn’t couple 48 to 669 so that caused a delay. After 48 and 669 got to Brockville, they could not get them uncoupled. Passengers from dead 669 got on 54's equipment on adjacent track. Passengers from 48 squeezed onto 54. Engineers had to be swapped out due to length of shift and replacements had to travel to Brockville. Mechanics sent to uncouple 48 from 669. No 669 arrived in Toronto 8 hours late. Buses sent from Montreal to take passengers to Ottawa. No 48 still had not arrived in Ottawa by noon December 11 having spent the night in Brockville (Set 7/25 still there at 1100 Dec.11 and the ETA for passengers was Ottawa noon - 13 hours, likely aboard No 50! Passengers were allowed to find their own means at Brockville. December 11: No 641 running 5 hours late; No 41 4 hours late, J-trained. Exceptional service recovery for 669's passengers, due to loss of HEP for a significant duration: full refund and 100% travel credit.
Bordercollie
Senior Member
What a disaster.
How were they not able to uncouple the trains?
I'm sure that this is due to compatibility between old and new equipment.
They need to work on deploying more Siemens trains to the corridor and improve their reliability.
roger1818
Senior Member
If I had to guess, ice and snow buildup somehow prevented uncoupling.
Trackside_Treasure
Active Member
Interesting timing based on the Brockville tribulations. Anyway, if you've been wondering about just how serviceable VIA's Ventures are, I just published citizen-science figures for the past 11 months:
tracksidetreasure.blogspot.com
VIA Venture Sets' Serviceability in 2025 - Citizen Science
For the last year, I've been doing some 'citizen science' to find out what VIA couldn't or wouldn't share - Siemens Venture serviceability d...
tracksidetreasure.blogspot.com
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Trackside_Treasure
Active Member
It was like a flash-freeze last night. Accumulated slush would have been in every crevice. Just not enough fusees to thaw everything?
Bordercollie
Senior Member
So they sent morning trains through Brockville knowing that there is a train blocking the platform and telling customers that they will be moving shortly is incredibly stupid.
There used to be a siding behind the station building but it was torn up. Perhaps an additional track to allow trains to pass even if the station is blocked might be a good idea.
Even doing Uber pool to transport people to Ottawa would have been better than leaving people stranded.
Jm gravel
New Member
So Via…but I like accumulating points from late trains. But could someone not tell me why they can’t have a standing offer for an Uber Eats service in Kingston, Brockville etc. when they run out of food? How hard is it to phone ahead for a refill of chips and coke? I have had this happen a couple of times recently even without an unscheduled overnighter…
Bordercollie
Senior Member
One of the passengers did say that they are being fed. I don't know what that means thou.
They don't have a contingency or a plan to get people hotels?
It's Brockville I'm sure they can find 100 empty rooms or send people to Ottawa by Taxi or Uber. The roads couldn't have been that bad.