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VIA Rail

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cplchanb said:
Any possible causes? Speed? Poorly maintained track??
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A knowledgeable source tells me that first reports didn’t cite a cause - implying that the crew didn’t detect or advise of any adverse condition ahead of the incident or immediately afterwards.

The most benign theory one might look at given weather and location would be ice in the flanges at a level crossing, possibly built up by road plows. But that’s just me speculating.

- Paul
 
DSC said:
This is the train from Churchill, if it only had 12 people aboard (5 crew plus 7 passengers) it was certainly not making any money!
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I wonder if the recently repaired track was at fault. The train was reportedly traveling at 100 kph, so it must have been a section that was assumed to be sound and straight.

If the Winnipeg-Churchill freight and/or passenger run is not making money, it’s time to cut it loose. I say Ottawa should gift the rail system, service, engines and the passenger cars to the Keewatin Railway Company or another indigenous group. I’d support Ottawa and Alberta guaranteeing bitumen rail shipments to the port of Churchill to bring some money its way.

They’ve got the port. With the Wheat Board gone no one is shipping grains via Churchill. But bitumen by rail would make this place wealthy.

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^The train derailed on a line that is quite close to Winnipeg, and is part of the central Manitoba rail infrastructure. It would be sustainable even if the Churchill line were abandoned. And it was maintained throughout the closure of the northern line. The fate of the northern line has no real bearing on it.
The passenger count of a particular train ought not to be debated based on any single day. One ought to look for the ridership over a longer period and over the entire route.
This particular train was running something like 17 hours late. That can’t have helped the passenger count.
- Paul
 
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I don't think it would really matter who ran the passenger service,, it would still need to be subsidized. I doubt the highways to Pickle Lake or Armstrong are 'cost effective' given annual maintenance, but that's what governments do - provide services to all the population. Shipping bitumen would require construction of facilities at the port and probably track upgrades - those trains are heavy.
 
Allandale25 said:
^ Good to hear there are no serious injuries. Hopefully the equipment can be repaired.
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DSC said:
A fair question but we do not have info on the load on the way out nor whether this was a particularly small load because of the season. Of course, Churchill is not easy to reach by other means too.
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this is where small consists of DMUs make sense. Its such a waste sending a loco with 3 or 4 cars where a pair of DMUs can do the trick. If only via joined in on the UPX order.
 
cplchanb said:
this is where small consists of DMUs make sense. Its such a waste sending a loco with 3 or 4 cars where a pair of DMUs can do the trick. If only via joined in on the UPX order.
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They run RDC's on the rest of the route and have a loco to Churchill. The current UPX trains are probably being replaced by EMUs once electrification is done so VIA might be able to buy them up.
 
lrt's friend said:
The Churchill train provides overnight service. UPX coaches are not enough if you want tourists on this line.
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The seating and interior fit out is the easy part and obviously will be be different froom upx. What i meant is to tag on the order so that they can maintain the production line.
 
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