VIA Rail

[smallspy]

There are very, very few locations where the zone passenger speed is 100mph, but there are a couple of sections of it, primarily in eastern Ontario.

I need to correct myself on this.

In the mid-2000s and later, this was true - there were long sections of track on both the Kingston Sub and Drummondville Sub where the "Passenger" speed allowed a full 100mph for any trains capable of reaching it (excepting, of course, any localized speed restrictions that limited the maximum speed to something lower).

But as of 2020, there are none remaining. Only the "LRC" speed limit allows for higher than 95mph.

Dan

 

[micheal_can]

Today is an historic day for Via.
Anyone know what is significant about today?

 

[cplchanb]

Today is an historic day for Via.
Anyone know what is significant about today?

it was formed?
it was defunded by the feds?

 

[micheal_can]

it was formed?
it was defunded by the feds?

The major cuts to routes happened today in 1990. The PCs were in. My hope is that if the CPCs get in, we don't see more cuts.

 

[Allandale25]

 

[roger1818]

it was formed?

Off by 3 days. That was January 12, 1977 (the year of Queen Elizabeth II silver Jubilee)

it was defunded by the feds?

Saved from its financial death spiral.

 

[Bordercollie]

View attachment 533504

How many are now in service?

 

[Urban Sky]

How many are now in service?

5 Sets, on any given day:

 

[roger1818]

5 Sets, on any given day:
View attachment 533534

I'm assuming that by saying "on any given day" you are meaning there are likely additional sets in rotation (active spare(s) and in regular maintenance)?

This brings up the question, how frequently do the corridor trains need to be taken out of service for regular maintenance? Is the interval more frequent for locomotives than coaches?

 

[crs1026]

This brings up the question, how frequently do the corridor trains need to be taken out of service for regular maintenance? Is the interval more frequent for locomotives than coaches?

That chart shows every set terminating at night at least once a week in Montreal, so it would be quite easy to peel out any set needing planned work and substitute another trainset in that schedule

Obviously, if something is more urgent, it can be replaced at any time in between.

- Paul

 

[smallspy]

I'm assuming that by saying "on any given day" you are meaning there are likely additional sets in rotation (active spare(s) and in regular maintenance)?

An additional set may be pressed into service solely to cover another trainset's run, but that's more on an emergent basis than planned.

That the sets need to be set up in the schedules and booking system makes it more complicated than simply pointing at a train and saying "you're going to use Siemens from now on", unfortunately.

This brings up the question, how frequently do the corridor trains need to be taken out of service for regular maintenance? Is the interval more frequent for locomotives than coaches?

Locos need to be removed from service every 92 days for a major inspection.

Cars need to be removed from service much less frequently for their major inspections.

Major brake inspections to all rolling stock need to be made every two weeks. But this is less intensive, and usually only requires holding a trainset out for a couple of hours, not days.

There's more, but those are the ones that immediately come to mind.

Dan

 

[kEiThZ]

View attachment 533504

How many are now in service?

5 Sets, on any given day:
View attachment 533534

I'm assuming that by saying "on any given day" you are meaning there are likely additional sets in rotation (active spare(s) and in regular maintenance)?

This brings up the question, how frequently do the corridor trains need to be taken out of service for regular maintenance? Is the interval more frequent for locomotives than coaches?

An additional set may be pressed into service solely to cover another trainset's run, but that's more on an emergent basis than planned.

That the sets need to be set up in the schedules and booking system makes it more complicated than simply pointing at a train and saying "you're going to use Siemens from now on", unfortunately.


Locos need to be removed from service every 92 days for a major inspection.

Cars need to be removed from service much less frequently for their major inspections.

Major brake inspections to all rolling stock need to be made every two weeks. But this is less intensive, and usually only requires holding a trainset out for a couple of hours, not days.

There's more, but those are the ones that immediately come to mind.

Dan

Let's try and move this discussion to the Corridor thread.

 

[Frank_Lee]

Since there is not a lot going on to be excited about in terms of H*R or anything else, I wanted to ask this group of wise folks a wild-ass hypothetical. Suppose, instead of giving 13 Billion in subsidies to VW for a battery plant, the federal and Ontario governments gave this money to Via. How would you spend it? What do you think we could actually get for it?

 

[micheal_can]

Since there is not a lot going on to be excited about in terms of H*R or anything else, I wanted to ask this group of wise folks a wild-ass hypothetical. Suppose, instead of giving 13 Billion in subsidies to VW for a battery plant, the federal and Ontario governments gave this money to Via. How would you spend it? What do you think we could actually get for it?

Replacement of the long distance fleet. Considering the new Siemens fleet is under $1B, $13B should get us modern coaches and other cars that are needed.

 

[Urban Sky]

Since there is not a lot going on to be excited about in terms of H*R or anything else, I wanted to ask this group of wise folks a wild-ass hypothetical. Suppose, instead of giving 13 Billion in subsidies to VW for a battery plant, the federal and Ontario governments gave this money to Via. How would you spend it? What do you think we could actually get for it?

Like-for-Like fleet renewal for the non-Corridor fleet (cost: maybe $3 billion?) and the rest on HFR in the Corridor plus a token study for other “corridors” like Calgary-Edmonton…