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VIA Rail

crs1026 said:
Which begs a question. Has there been any indication that VIA is advancing high-platform construction as a corridor wide strategy? They have work going at Ottawa, and eventually may do so at Toronto - but is that the limit? High platforms may not be compatible with stops along way where freights operate, but some further locations (Windsor, London, Kitchener's new station, and possibly Kingston, given some addition of platform trackage) would benefit and do not have conflict with freight.

The various announcements about station upgrades hint at "platform improvements", but I haven't seen direct reference to high level platforms in announcements or VIA's strategy documents.

- Paul
Click to expand...

I don't think there is a corridor-wide strategy, but VIA's thinking is to upgrade the busiest stations first. For example, Ottawa recently upgraded a platform to high level, and I could see London getting the same treatment due to the sheer volume of passengers there.
 
Those Brightline trains would be a great choice -- compatible with VIA today *and* VIA HFR.

Although it doesn't have a pantograph, it meets the specifications needed to satisfy VIA's fleet renewal, while also being HFR compatible (201 kph max).

It would be easy swap-out with a future electric locomotive, if need be.

Or it can be used to improve service elsewhere when finally VIA EMU HFR (that's a mouthful of acronyms!).
 
alexanderglista said:
I don't think there is a corridor-wide strategy, but VIA's thinking is to upgrade the busiest stations first. For example, Ottawa recently upgraded a platform to high level, and I could see London getting the same treatment due to the sheer volume of passengers there.
Click to expand...

On that note, will VIA upgrade union station, its busiest, to high platform anytime soon?
 
crs1026 said:
Which begs a question. Has there been any indication that VIA is advancing high-platform construction as a corridor wide strategy? They have work going at Ottawa, and eventually may do so at Toronto - but is that the limit? High platforms may not be compatible with stops along way where freights operate, but some further locations (Windsor, London, Kitchener's new station, and possibly Kingston, given some addition of platform trackage) would benefit and do not have conflict with freight.

The various announcements about station upgrades hint at "platform improvements", but I haven't seen direct reference to high level platforms in announcements or VIA's strategy documents.

- Paul
Click to expand...

Kitchener has some freight traffic, but hopefully a new Central Station will deal with that.

Toronto, London, and Windsor are definite candidates for high platforms, but so are Fallowfield, Smiths Falls, and Guildwood. Possibly Kingston and Belleville too.

I would really like to see a new intermodal station at Kingston that can consolidate bus and rail service in one location, allowing for more services (like food vendors) at a single location, and allowing Kingston Transit to serve a single location, instead of two.
 
Are VIA trains compatible with the high level platforms at Weston and Bloor?
 
alexanderglista said:
I don't think there is a corridor-wide strategy, but VIA's thinking is to upgrade the busiest stations first. For example, Ottawa recently upgraded a platform to high level, and I could see London getting the same treatment due to the sheer volume of passengers there.
Click to expand...

Paul raises a very good point however - there aren't many places where high level platforms could be built without some investments above and beyond the platform itself. As it turns out, London is one of those places - but there aren't many others.

Garuda said:
Are VIA trains compatible with the high level platforms at Weston and Bloor?
Click to expand...

Yes.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
 
I could see VIA going with these dual mode locos, no?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALP-45DP

Bombardier_ALP-45DP_at_Innotrans_2010.jpg


" The diesel engines meet Tier 3 EPA emission standards, and work is being done to enable an upgrade to Tier 4 standards, which took effect on January 1, 2015."

They can go 125mph in electic mode, which is what they would hopefully use on the HFR corridor.

They can do 100mph on diesel, which is what the restriction is currently on the corridor.
 
robmausser said:
I could see VIA going with these dual mode locos, no?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALP-45DP

Bombardier_ALP-45DP_at_Innotrans_2010.jpg


" The diesel engines meet Tier 3 EPA emission standards, and work is being done to enable an upgrade to Tier 4 standards, which took effect on January 1, 2015."

They can go 125mph in electic mode, which is what they would hopefully use on the HFR corridor.

They can do 100mph on diesel, which is what the restriction is currently on the corridor.
Click to expand...

These locomotives are heavy and very expensive because of the dual-mode operation. They're good for NJ Transit and AMT (now RTM), as they both have commuter lines that require partial electric operation (in Montreal's case at least until REM takes over the Mont-Royal tunnel).
 
alexanderglista said:
Yes it is, and VIA tried to get Metrolinx to let them do it to make the transfer to the UP Express faster. Metrolinx said no.

Letting Via riders transfer to UPX trains at Weston 'not feasible'
Click to expand...

i think the issue is logistics not physical. They do have a point there in terms of scheduling.... with so many trains for 3 tracks and also since via regularly gets delayed,
it would make it very difficult to slot them in. Which trains would be going through there anyways? If they got a 4th track in, maybe they can make it work
 
cplchanb said:
i think the issue is logistics not physical. They do have a point there in terms of scheduling.... with so many trains for 3 tracks and also since via regularly gets delayed,
it would make it very difficult to slot them in. Which trains would be going through there anyways? If they got a 4th track in, maybe they can make it work
Click to expand...
What about abandoning the Malton Station and using Weston? Even that might not be feasible until the fourth track is in use.
 
Garuda said:
What about abandoning the Malton Station and using Weston? Even that might not be feasible until the fourth track is in use.
Click to expand...

For the number of existing trains, a dedicated shuttle bus between Terminal 1 and every VIA train at Malton would be very cheap and easy to implement. Put a VIA ticket machine in T1 down where the TTC fare machine is. Might as well stop at T3 also. Revisit when VIA actually has some service west of Malton. Could connect to GO service also, I suppose.

- Paul
 
Allandale25 said:
Why? Can you expand on your thinking?
Click to expand...

I mentioned it as reference to how Via Rail has a history of "baiting" manufacturers to participate in the RFPs. Then completely binning the project once participants have gone through all the hassle of accumulating data, estimations and devoting time and resources to the bid.

Guess we can only wait to see what happens this time around.
 
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