VIA Rail

[Urban Sky]

• a few LRCs went through refurb a few years ago at the time of the demise of IRSI. What lifespan do those coaches have, and is it enough to be available for service and not just decorating a yard track in Montreal?

I would not assume that any LRCs will remain in VIA’s active roster beyond the time the 32nd trainset gets delivered, as these cars must be retired as soon as feasible…

 

[dowlingm]

Rumour is the RDCs for the Sudbury -White River will be replaced

I left White River out because we don’t need a second round of that particular discussion

 

[micheal_can]

I left White River out because we don’t need a second round of that particular discussion

I would almost leave everything out of it as it is all speculation. My guess on the LDF is once approved, all of the existing fleet will get retired once it all arrives. As to what goes there from the Corridor fleet.my assumptions are they are going to scrap or donate the worst ones first. Or they do it all in one fell swoop. Or they do something crazy, like open new routes with them. I doubt anyone here knows for certain, or can say for certain what will happen to all of it.

 

[dowlingm]

Since Exporail has an LRC engine, I hope they can get a few coaches

Perhaps Exporail, VIA and Rapido/TRHA should do a deal to form a consist with 6917, a small number of coaches and 6921, and move it from one city to the other twice a year for static display. Maybe move it at the end of June so it can spend the Canada Day weekend parked at Ottawa station and the festival organizers can chip in for some touch up paint and cleaning. There is probably more money spent for worse reasons on those weekends in the nation’s capital

 

[micheal_can]

Perhaps Exporail, VIA and Rapido/TRHA should do a deal to form a consist with 6917, a small number of coaches and 6921, and move it from one city to the other twice a year for static display. Maybe move it at the end of June so it can spend the Canada Day weekend parked at Ottawa station and the festival organizers can chip in for some touch up paint and cleaning. There is probably more money spent for worse reasons on those weekends in the nation’s capital

You want to block an active rail line with a static display? If you think that should happen, maybe build a siding that can be blocked off from the active line so that it is safe.

 

[nfitz]

Perhaps Exporail, VIA and Rapido/TRHA should do a deal to form a consist with 6917, a small number of coaches and 6921, and move it from one city to the other twice a year for static display

Would it be even safe to move the coaches by rail? Though I don't understand how they can still be allowed in service.

 

[Urban Sky]

Would it be even safe to move the coaches by rail? Though I don't understand how they can still be allowed in service.

I don’t recall any safety concerns related to the LRC cars other than for the safety of passengers on board in the case of an accident…

 

[roger1818]

You want to block an active rail line with a static display? If you think that should happen, maybe build a siding that can be blocked off from the active line so that it is safe.

Ottawa Stsrion has 4 through tracks (all of which are long enough for two Venture trainsets) plus 4 terminal tracks (2 facing each direction), Since there are only 2 routes served by the station, there is plenty of excess track space for a static display. In fact, this has been done before on several occasions. I’m not saying that @dowlingm’s idea should be done, but lack tracks in Ottawa isn’t a reason not to.

 

[crs1026]

Would it be even safe to move the coaches by rail? Though I don't understand how they can still be allowed in service.

Lots of creaky old stuff does get moved, unoccupied and perhaps at low speed, after it has passed a Car Dept inspection..... which ensures wheels, brakes, draft gear, and such are all still within standard. Nothing we have heard about LRC's reaching end of life says that the entire fleet is so creaky that they are incapable of passing that kind of inspection. But don't expect an excursion.

- Paul

 

[trainfanjacob8]

Once the Venture fleet is fully in service - all consists delivered, all maintenance facilities online, all needed crews trained to operate as many services as the Venture maintenance cycles permit:

What is VIA Rail likely to have available to it at that point? (But before any other new rolling stock)

I think the assumption is that

• the Rens are done
• the P42DCs are done.
• The LRCs are done or largely done.
• Some HEP1 and HEP2 equipment is beyond economic repair and therefore done,
• any HEP1 equipment on corridor routes would be pooled for Canadian/Skeena/Ocean/Churchill
• There is little or nothing in the US second hand market that isn’t similarly decrepit or headed to Mexico

So what does that leave? F40s to run the LDs, Jonquiere. Am going to leave White River/Gaspe in the who knows column. Here’s the stuff that I’m thinking about in respect of surge / backup / route proving / whatever:

• Are there going to be enough F40s go through refurb to operate service other than named above?
• a few LRCs went through refurb a few years ago at the time of the demise of IRSI. What lifespan do those coaches have, and is it enough to be available for service and not just decorating a yard track in Montreal?
• HEP2s similar question: are they only good to the full rollout of the Ventures or could they possibly permit some additional frequency on service at peak travel periods

Aside from squeezing the max possible life out of VIA assets and provision capacity above the Venture fleet max (but not to the point where they will predictably fail in service and jam up other trains), I do have a concern that if something shows up in either VIA Charger or Venture trainsets which requires immediate action across the fleet, other than whatever LD cars are not in use at that time, what can VIA field to mitigate that situation?

I'm thinking VIA will keep the Renaissance equipment for the Ocean due to the lack of HEP sleepers in the peak season. They'd also need to keep the accessible Renaissance Sleeper Cars until a new long-distance fleet arrives.

 

[trainfanjacob8]

I would not assume that any LRCs will remain in VIA’s active roster beyond the time the 32nd trainset gets delivered, as these cars must be retired as soon as feasible…

A good example as to why VIA's fleet needs to be replaced ASAP. Thankfully, the Ventures will provide long-term fleet stability in the Corridor. As I've said in another group, I believe securing funding for new equipment across the entire network should be everyone's top priority, not fantasizing about keeping the HEP equipment around forever or altering the route of the Canadian!

 

[roger1818]

I'm thinking VIA will keep the Renaissance equipment for the Ocean due to the lack of HEP sleepers in the peak season. They'd also need to keep the accessible Renaissance Sleeper Cars until a new long-distance fleet arrives.

The problem with this idea is that it isn’t HEP coaches that VIA has a lack of, it is sleepers, and this will be even more true once they start removing HEP coaches from corridor service. They might keep them around as spares (or for spare parts), but that’s about it.

 

[Urban Sky]

They'd also need to keep the accessible Renaissance Sleeper Cars until a new long-distance fleet arrives.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no requirement to offer accessible equipment on the Ocean once you’ve removed the other Renaissance revenue cars, as the legacy HEP fleet (except Prestige Class) is exempt from much more recent accessibility requirements…

 

[micheal_can]

The problem with this idea is that it isn’t HEP coaches that VIA has a lack of, it is sleepers, and this will be even more true once they start removing HEP coaches from corridor service. They might keep them around as spares (or for spare parts), but that’s about it.

Would it be worth keeping the best coaches and converting them to sleepers?

 

[roger1818]

Would it be worth keeping the best coaches and converting them to sleepers?

I would assume no. From what I have heard they are rust buckets and the money spent doing the conversion would be better spent on a replacement fleet. Also, it isn't as if the conversion could be done overnight. The better solution would have been to build up more of the shells they bought instead of scrapping them, but that ship sailed long ago.