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VIA Rail

kEiThZ said:
This is kinda what I've been curious about.

When HFR started it was a $6B dedicated corridor project. It's now up to $10-12B. If we're spending that much, I'd hope that Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal runs closer to 4:15 hrs without any bypass. So I'm wondering where the choke points are and where the greatest investment return is. I would hope they can get Toronto-Ottawa down to 2:50 hrs and Ottawa-Montreal down to 1:15 hrs.
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Smith Falls, Union Station corridor, and it wont be a dedicated corridor from Union to Wherever the corridor starts (Somewhere in Scarborough). Getting into montreal station also has its challenges.
 
^Someone who noted car numbers reported one car in each of two series of business cars, two series of coaches, and the cab car. So that is likely a complete first set with one of each flavour of car configuration.
Hoping the testing starts soon.

- Paul
 
crs1026 said:
^Someone who noted car numbers reported one car in each of two series of business cars, two series of coaches, and the cab car. So that is likely a complete first set with one of each flavour of car configuration.
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In reference to the consist posted elsewhere and the configurations we already know (esp. NEGC 2021, slide 11), I would assume the following:
  • 2200 (Locomotive of 1st trainset)
  • 2600 (Business 3A)
  • 2700 (Business 3B)
  • 2900 (Economy 1B)
  • 2800 (Economy 1A)
  • 2300 (Economy 4A - cab car)
  • 2201 (Locomotive of 2nd trainset)
Hoping the testing starts soon.

- Paul
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Seems like they are on schedule (delivery of 1st set just before the start of 2021-Q3), which would mean that testing should start soon:
1632971568648.png

Source: NEGC 2021 (slide 4)
 
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Urban Sky said:
Seems like they are on schedule (delivery of 1st set just before the start of 2021-Q3), which would mean that testing should start soon:
1632971568648.png

Source: NEGC 2021 (slide 4)
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Does VIA use calendar quarters or financial quarters for project management? Tomorrow is the start of Q4 2021 on the calendar year and Q3 2021 on the fiscal year.
 
kEiThZ said:
Does VIA use calendar quarters or financial quarters for project management? Tomorrow is the start of Q4 2021 on the calendar year and Q3 2021 on the fiscal year.
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Sorry, VIA's financial year matches the calendar year (unlike Amtrak's, which ends with the month of March actually ended today). I got confused, but yesterday's delivery of the first trainset (though one quarter late, based on the timeline I posted) seems to satisfy the contractual requirements laid out in the RFQ PDF:
The Applicant’s proposed master schedule will be evaluated based on the extent to which:
[...]
• the first trainset will be available for winter corridor testing in or before October 2021; and
• the first trainset will be available to begin revenue service at or before the end of second quarter of 2022 and the last trainset will be accepted in or before 2024.
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Urban Sky said:
Sorry, VIA's financial year matches the calendar year (unlike Amtrak's, which ends with the month of March). I got confused, but yesterday's delivery of the first trainset (though one quarter late, based on the timeline I posted) seems to satisfy the contractual requirements laid out in the RFQ PDF:
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That explains why they pushed to get the train from Florin, CA to MMC so quickly. On Monday VIA tweeted that it was on its way, and on Wednesday, VIA tweeted a picture of the train at MMC in daylight.
 
I'm going to guess the first series of tests are in the yard (e.g. mechanical, maintenance, interiors, onboard equipment, etc.) followed by testing between Montreal and Ottawa on track they own. Is there a document covering the test phase details. I can't wait to hear that it is on its way to Toronto in a test. I wouldn't mind seeing it do the 16km/h test in Guelph :)
 
EnviroTO said:
I'm going to guess the first series of tests are in the yard (e.g. mechanical, maintenance, interiors, onboard equipment, etc.) followed by testing between Montreal and Ottawa on track they own. Is there a document covering the test phase details. I can't wait to hear that it is on its way to Toronto in a test. I wouldn't mind seeing it do the 16km/h test in Guelph :)
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The 16 km/h test, is that the test where they simulate being stuck behind a freight train?
 
EnviroTO said:
I'm going to guess the first series of tests are in the yard (e.g. mechanical, maintenance, interiors, onboard equipment, etc.) followed by testing between Montreal and Ottawa on track they own. Is there a document covering the test phase details. I can't wait to hear that it is on its way to Toronto in a test. I wouldn't mind seeing it do the 16km/h test in Guelph :)
Click to expand...

From what I gather, all of the testing will be done between MMC and Ottawa (no testing in Toronto). Even after they start revenue service, they will be kept close to MMC on the Montreal-Ottawa and then Montreal-Quebec routes and gradually extending further afield from there. Apparently they won't be used on routes west of Toronto until after TMC is upgraded.
 
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