VIA Rail

[T3G]

Call me weird, but, instead of bringing back old liveries, why not have each route a different livery all together. So, for instance, any Montreal-Toronto train will have a different livery than the Toronto - Windsor trains.

In the event that a route had an equipment shortage and had to borrow another, the liveries would be all out of whack and lose their meaning altogether.

 

[crs1026]

Call me weird, but, instead of bringing back old liveries, why not have each route a different livery all together. So, for instance, any Montreal-Toronto train will have a different livery than the Toronto - Windsor trains.

Because the trains will cycle between routes regularly, if not daily.

Off-norm liveries are fine, and perhaps they break up the monotony of the standard fleet.... but a little goes a long way. Pretty soon appliances such as doors and appliance covers get swapped out, things get dinged and need retouching. Doesn't take long for things to start looking motley.

They probably do improve marketability, but I wouldn't take that too far. The core table stakes for marketability remain timing, comfort, choice of trains, pricing, and service, etc. The novelty exterior is is the table setting but not the meal itself.

- Paul

PS - And if you look at the Lumi and say, hey it's just like the old Turbo..... you probably aren't from the demographic that VIA most cares about, and most needs to sell to.

 

[micheal_can]

In the event that a route had an equipment shortage and had to borrow another, the liveries would be all out of whack and lose their meaning altogether.

Would that be a bug, or a feature?
For a traveler, they know they are on the right train because of the colours, unless it is a borrowed train from another part of the system.
For a rail fan, they would scream over seeing something on a line they don't normally see.

 

[micheal_can]

Because the trains will cycle between routes regularly, if not daily.

Off-norm liveries are fine, and perhaps they break up the monotony of the standard fleet.... but a little goes a long way. Pretty soon appliances such as doors and appliance covers get swapped out, things get dinged and need retouching. Doesn't take long for things to start looking motley.

They probably do improve marketability, but I wouldn't take that too far. The core table stakes for marketability remain timing, comfort, choice of trains, pricing, and service, etc. The variety exterior is is the table setting but not the meal itself.

- Paul

PS - And if you look at the Lumi and say, hey it's just like the old Turbo..... you probably aren't from the demographic that VIA most cares about, and needs to sell to.

If the livery is a vinyl wrap, then if a door gets replaced, the wrap could also be replaced. They could even have all replacement parts be a plain colour.

 

[T3G]

Would that be a bug, or a feature?
For a traveler, they know they are on the right train because of the colours, unless it is a borrowed train from another part of the system.
For a rail fan, they would scream over seeing something on a line they don't normally see.

But that's my point, if there's a possibility of a mismatched train being dispatched, suddenly the traveller doesn't know they are on the right train.

 

[micheal_can]

But that's my point, if there's a possibility of a mismatched train being dispatched, suddenly the traveller doesn't know they are on the right train.

That is a possibility, but not likely to happen for a few decades.

 

[T3G]

Why would it be unlikely to happen for a few decades? Is it so outrageous that a train might break down, and instead of cancelling the trip, equipment might be taken from another line's supply pool to keep the service going? That can happen anytime.

 

[micheal_can]

Why would it be unlikely to happen for a few decades? Is it so outrageous that a train might break down, and instead of cancelling the trip, equipment might be taken from another line's supply pool to keep the service going? That can happen anytime.

True, it can happen at any time, but the likelihood is much lower of it happening till it is much lower. If we assume that there are going to be more trains that is ever needed to run all routes, then it could be assumed that they could have those spares of each livery.
I know it was a silly thought.

 

[Urban Sky]

Call me weird, but, instead of bringing back old liveries, why not have each route a different livery all together. So, for instance, any Montreal-Toronto train will have a different livery than the Toronto - Windsor trains.

Excellent idea, but why stop here? Why not also paint the train number on the train? And its schedule? And the food menu in Business Class? And the estimated arrival time at the next station?

 

[micheal_can]

Sure, but why stop here? Why not also paint the train number on the train? And its schedule? And the food menu in Business Class? And the estimated arrival time at the next station?

.... I know you are joking, but that all exists on the train....

 

[lenaitch]

For a rail fan, they would scream over seeing something on a line they don't normally see.

Always a solid region to guide operational decision making.

Let's let GO do it first; different liveries for different routes. Or even better - different horns. That seems to get some people really excited.

 

[micheal_can]

Always a solid region to guide operational decision making.

Not really. Hence it being a weird idea.

Let's let GO do it first; different liveries for different routes. Or even better - different horns. That seems to get some people really excited.

Would be nice if they did.

I would ask, why waste the time and effort on doing one train as a heritage unit? Many railways are doing it. It seems like the thing to do. CN, CP and ONR have all done it. There may be others that have too. I don't get it. What next, all black to show their steam era?

 

[Urban Sky]

Not really. Hence it being a weird idea.

Maybe as a life hack for the future: if one of your own thoughts strucks yourself as “weird”, it’s most probably too stupid of an idea to write it down and post it somewhere…

.... I know you are joking, but that all exists on the train....

Maybe another life hack: when people here start to mock you because they can’t find any reason to take you and whatever ideas you sprout here serious, it might be a good time to take a break from spamming this thread…

 

[dowlingm]

Jake Landau rode Amtrak/VIA Maple Leaf and boy was he unimpressed

The Maple Leaf train from Toronto to NYC is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, because I'll be damned if I ever ride it again.

If you love your family, you will never let them ride this train.

www.jakelandau.ca

Hopefully no such arrangement is contemplated for Detroit-Windsor-Toronto.

 

[Urban Sky]

Jake Landau rode Amtrak/VIA Maple Leaf and boy was he unimpressed

The Maple Leaf train from Toronto to NYC is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, because I'll be damned if I ever ride it again.

If you love your family, you will never let them ride this train.

www.jakelandau.ca

Hopefully no such arrangement is contemplated for Detroit-Windsor-Toronto.

The plan involves a preclearance facility in Windsor, where passengers would clear customs and immigration while switching trains. The experience would resemble that on Amtrak’s Cascades, not the Maple Leaf (which is a lot worse than the Adirondack)…