VIA Rail

[Urban Sky]

Do they need to remove the seats and pull the floor to inspect the frame? That alone is labour intensive and put the cars out of service.

Can some be fixed if they are not in bad condition? Bracing?

I would assume that there is a certain set of thresholds for cracks where the car has to be immediately repaired, a different one for when it needs to get immediately retired and a third one where the entire fleet would need to be immediately retired…

 

[Bordercollie]

I would assume that there is a certain set of thresholds for cracks where the car has to be immediately repaired, a different one for when it needs to get immediately retired and a third one where the entire fleet would need to be immediately retired…

Do they have the in-house expertise to complete these repairs?

 

[Urban Sky]

Do they have the in-house expertise to complete these repairs?

A company lawyer might insist on an external structural engineer to sign off the fate of any damaged car, but I would assume that some lighter repairs can be done in-house and the others by contractors. However, there is also the question of the time and money it would take to fix a given car…

 

[lenaitch]

A company lawyer might insist on an external structural engineer to sign off the fate of any damaged car, but I would assume that some lighter repairs can be done in-house and the others by contractors. However, there is also the question of the time and money it would take to fix a given car…

Or perhaps NRC engineers, but agree that an arms-length second opinion would be desireable.

 

[Bordercollie]

Are we about half way to getting the HEPII fleet rebuilt?

 

[dowlingm]

via the Transport Action Canada twitter, Trains covers the VIA buffer car issue:

VIA Rail Canada adds ‘buffer’ cars to rear of all heritage-equipped trains - Trains

MONTREAL — An independent consultant’s inspection requested by VIA Rail Canada management has prompted the company to immediately assign non-revenue buffer cars at the rear of all trains that utilize HEP-1 and HEP-2 stainless steel equipment manufactured more than 60 years ago. The action was...

www.trains.com

 

[cplchanb]

via the Transport Action Canada twitter, Trains covers the VIA buffer car issue:

VIA Rail Canada adds ‘buffer’ cars to rear of all heritage-equipped trains - Trains

MONTREAL — An independent consultant’s inspection requested by VIA Rail Canada management has prompted the company to immediately assign non-revenue buffer cars at the rear of all trains that utilize HEP-1 and HEP-2 stainless steel equipment manufactured more than 60 years ago. The action was...

www.trains.com

bit of an embarrassment seeing that we need to provide these makeshift measures due to our inability to let go of these dinosaur relics.
these cars shouldve been pulled at least 10 years ago

 

[Bordercollie]

via the Transport Action Canada twitter, Trains covers the VIA buffer car issue:

VIA Rail Canada adds ‘buffer’ cars to rear of all heritage-equipped trains - Trains

MONTREAL — An independent consultant’s inspection requested by VIA Rail Canada management has prompted the company to immediately assign non-revenue buffer cars at the rear of all trains that utilize HEP-1 and HEP-2 stainless steel equipment manufactured more than 60 years ago. The action was...

www.trains.com

Sorry for my ignorance but is there a difference in the buff force strength between the stainless steel fleet, LRC'S, or even something like EX GO single level or GO Bi-levels? Are they not all built to the same standard?

Especially considering the LRC's have structural issues shouldn't they be required to have buffer cars as well?

And why after almost 60 years in service are they now unsafe? I thought the reason why passengers are not allowed in the gangway area is because this space is a crumple zone and could cause injury during a collision? On top of this the first 10FT of the car on either end is used for baggage or crew areas. Park cars and dome cars don't have this space so it may not be as safe.

If the stainless steel cars are unsafe then, anything pre CEM rolling stock is unsafe. Unless it specifically is because the structure of the cars are compromised due to their age.

 

[Bordercollie]

bit of an embarrassment seeing that we need to provide these makeshift measures due to our inability to let go of these dinosaur relics.
these cars shouldve been pulled at least 10 years ago

But what makes them any safe than Amfleets?

 

[cplchanb]

But what makes them any safe than Amfleets?

At least amfleets are DECADES younger than most of the hep cars

 

[crs1026]

The issue is indeed age, and metal fatigue. All rail cars wear out eventually. This is a real thing, not a hypothetical concern….. the cracks are showing up in both the Budd and LRC fleets.

Any other fleet will have a life-cycle plan that recognises the reality of aging and has a plan to replace the fleet before end of life is reached. Amfleet will eventually be replaced when the same fatigue issues begin to be seen. With VIA, Ottawa has stuck its head in the sand and squeezed every last ounce of use out of the current fleet - but the final curtain is here.

- Paul

 

[cplchanb]

The issue is indeed age, and metal fatigue. All rail cars wear out eventually. This is a real thing, not a hypothetical concern….. the cracks are showing up in both the Budd and LRC fleets.

Any other fleet will have a life-cycle plan that recognises the reality of aging and has a plan to replace the fleet before end of life is reached. Amfleet will eventually be repaced when the same fatigue issues begin to be seen. With VIA, Ottawa has stuck its head in the sand and squeezed every last ounce of use out of the current fleet - but the final curtain is here.

- Paul

Yup... via whether it be due to lack of funds or just too naive to plan and invest are wasting more money to keep these relics alive like the walking dead rather than to renew for cheaper overall.

 

[dowlingm]

Yup... via whether it be due to lack of funds or just too naive to plan and invest are wasting more money to keep these relics alive like the walking dead rather than to renew for cheaper overall.

there is all those lovely dollars for and photo ops with rebuilding shops too... given the high likelihood that new cars will not be built here.

 

[Bordercollie]

there is all those lovely dollars for and photo ops with rebuilding shops too... given the high likelihood that new cars will not be built here.

But where these issues discovered during rebuild? I know that some of the sleeping cars were beyond repair so they abandoned the upgrade with WiFi and such.

But we still don't have a plan to replace them. So are we going to be riding potentially unsafe equipment for another ten years?

 

[dowlingm]

But where these issues discovered during rebuild? I know that some of the sleeping cars were beyond repair so they abandoned the upgrade with WiFi and such.

But we still don't have a plan to replace them. So are we going to be riding potentially unsafe equipment for another ten years?

The timing of VIA's seeking an independent report is interesting - one would think these are the sort of issues that would be reported on prior to committing to a legacy fleet rebuild. In another country we might have a rail regulator independent enough to see a development like this, call in the train operator to demand a timetable for replacement with safe vehicles, and tell the public it's happening - it would then be for the government to either find the money or reduce the scope of the train operator's obligations to the extent they have enough safe vehicles to operate them. I don't believe we have that here...