VIA Rail

[Urban Sky]

The UPX trains, although I keep hearing they are crap quality.

The production line for the Sharyos has long been closed and will certainly not be reopened for a single-digit number of trainsets (the only daytime-only non-Corridor services are MTRL-JONQ/SENN, SUDB-WHTR and JASP-PGEO-PRUP, which collectively only require 5 sets plus spares). Any procurement of non-Corridor equipment will inevitably need to replace the entire non-Corridorr fleet and would ideally be compatible with VIA's existing or new maintenance facilities...

 

[robmausser]

The production line for the Sharyos has long been closed and will certainly not be reopened for a single-digit number of trainsets (the only daytime-only non-Corridor services are MTRL-JONQ/SENN, SUDB-WHTR and JASP-PGEO-PRUP, which collectively only require 5 sets plus spares). Any procurement of non-Corridor equipment will inevitably need to replace the entire non-Corridorr fleet and would ideally be compatible with VIA's existing or new maintenance facilities...

OH I meant to literally buy the UPX trains. Metrolinx is looking to replace them once they electrify the corridor in the next 7 years.

 

[44 North]

Saw the new VIA train going down the RH line. It was through the trees, and def wasn't a go train. Neato

 

[Urban Sky]

OH I meant to literally buy the UPX trains. Metrolinx is looking to replace them once they electrify the corridor in the next 7 years.

What VIA service would they possibly be good for? They are designed for Commuter Rail after all…

Saw the new VIA train going down the RH line. It was through the trees, and def wasn't a go train. Neato

Definitely wasn’t the “new VIA train” (if we are talking about the one which was presented to the public two days ago in Ottawa and still sits there, if I’m not mistaken), either, I’m afraid…

 

[44 North]

What VIA service would they possibly be good for? They are designed for Commuter Rail after all…


Definitely wasn’t the “new VIA train” (if we are talking about the one which was presented to the public two days ago in Ottawa and still sits there, if I’m not mistaken), either, I’m afraid…

I dunno. No other trains on that line in like a decade other than GO. And it looked like the new VIA train. Hopefully I'm not way off base, but I think it was it.

 

[Urban Sky]

I dunno. No other trains on that line in like a decade other than GO. And it looked like the new VIA train. Hopefully I'm not way off base, but I think it was it.

Probably was one of the countless Corridor trains which are currently diverted due to the tragic accident which has paralyzed the Kingston Subdivision near Port Credit Union just West of Pickering Junction…

 

[reaperexpress]

What VIA service would they possibly be good for? They are designed for Commuter Rail after all…

In the 2014 3-year service plan, Via proposed a number of new short-distance trips, such as Sarnia - London, Niagara Falls - Toronto, Stratford - Toronto and London-Kitchener-Toronto. Those proposed short distance runs are poorly suited for Via's current operating method with variable pricing and assigned seating, and they are poorly suited for their current rolling stock which has terrible doorway capacity. In order for VIA to operate those regional services effectively, they would have needed to create a "VIA Regional" brand with fixed fares, unreserved seating and regional rail trainsets such as the ex-UPX DMU's.

But in more recent service plans VIA have dropped proposals for those services, and are focusing instead on longer-distance routes. Those previously-proposed regional services are increasingly being served by GO, with the exception of Sarnia-London. The latest VIA service plan even stated outright that they will not increase service in the Toronto-Niagara corridor above the current (theoretical) daily through service to New York, and that the corridor is instead primarily to be served by GO. I think this is a good decision since I don't think it would be in the public interest for VIA to compete with GO in the Southwestern Ontario regional rail market. It would split the demand and undermine efforts for hourly GO service to places like Kitchener, London and Niagara Falls. Instead VIA can complement GO services by doing what they do best, which is providing faster, pricier and more comfortable intercity services.

I dunno. No other trains on that line in like a decade other than GO. And it looked like the new VIA train. Hopefully I'm not way off base, but I think it was it.

You may have seen the Northlander test train. It had blue coaches with some yellow accents.

Or you may have seen an ordinary VIA train, since those were also detouring up the RH line recently.

And VIA does run regular service down the RH line, the eastbound Canadian uses it the whole way to Union. Westbound heads up the Barrie line and then across the York sub, then north on the RH line

 

[smallspy]

* Port Union

None of the above, actually.

The accident happened in Pickering. About Mile 314.

Dan

 

[44 North]

Thanks for the clarification guys. Guess I jumped the gun thinking they're to showcase the new train at Union. Whoops.

 

[nfitz]

Thanks for the clarification guys. Guess I jumped the gun thinking they're to showcase the new train at Union. Whoops.

I'd assume they will sooner or later. VIA showcased the LRC at various location - I remember seeing it at the old CN/GTR station in Kingston. And, if I remember correctly, Windsor station in Montreal. Gosh, two stations that no longer have tracks. They'd be hard-pressed to find a good spot in either of those cities now - underneath Place Bonaventure is a pretty dark place to showcase it. I'm not sure what that leaves them - Parc?

 

[Urban Sky]

Clearly we were not talking about CN selling their own mainline. We were talking about CN selling the London-Kitchener railway which they barely use - and hence barely maintain. Personally I think that Metrolinx would be a better fit as track owner than VIA, but either way there would certainly be many oportunities to improve London-Kitchener-Toronto service if that dilapidated line were fixed up to its original state (70 mph instead of 30 mph) and a couple more passing sidings were added:

London-Sarnia is their dedicated mainline corridor though. The Kitchener-London corridor is barely used and in disrepair.

I was responding to a post which asked "How much longer until Metrolinx buys the corridor so they retain control of the corridor?" and you don't control a Corridor until you own it in its entirety, which is not going to happen anytime soon on the segments I mentioned.

Granted, probably nobody was implying that ML should try to buy London-Sarnia, but the problem with Kitchener-London is still what I already called the "chicken-and-egg-problem": ML will struggle to justify buying that segment until they operate a significant number of services over it, but they will also struggle to massively expand their services West of Kitchener as long as the infrastructure limits speeds and capacity so drastically...

 

[robmausser]

What VIA service would they possibly be good for? They are designed for Commuter Rail after all…

They are being used for comm rail but they are definitely more posh and were designed for intercity rail if you ever travel on one. Baggage storage, comfortable seats, overhead bins, bathrooms.

They could easily be converted to be used as DMU's on the areas that VIA currently and previously used DMUs. Thats what we were talking about. Replacing the RDC's. I think they would be a perfect replacement for the RDCs.

They would need to be modded with foldout stairs like the LRCs have because they are high platform, but NS did have this as an option when they were made, i'm sure its possible to get them modified for such.

 

[roger1818]

A while back I stumbled across VIA Rail's Triennial Plan (dated September 17, 2018) which lists the track owned by VIA Rail. The following I knew about and make total sense:

• Alexandria Sub (milepost 0.40 to 76.43),
• Beachburg Sub (milepost 0.00 to 6.00),
• Smiths Falls Sub (milepost 0.00 to 34.40),
• Brockville Sub (milepost 0.10 to 27.80), and
• Chatham Sub (milepost 63.90 to 105.60).

However, the following two caught me off guard:

• Bridge Sub (milepost 15.71 to 15.90), and
• Grimsby Sub (milepost 0.35 to 0.47).

I double checked against CN's Three-Year Rail Network Plan (dated July 4, 2019), and sure enough they don't include those sections of track. They only have listed:

• Bridge Sub (milepost 0.00 to 15.70), and
• Grimsby Sub (milepost 0.47 to 43.70).

After a bit of digging, I discovered that the section of the Bridge Sub in question is the stub of track leading into Gare du Palais in Quebec City, so that makes sense (AFAIK, VIA owns the station).

The Grimsby Sub is confusing though. From my digging, Niagara Falls Station is at milepost 0.6, so that would mean that VIA owns is the 0.12 miles (approx. 195m) of track 0.13 miles (approx. 210m) east of the station. According to my estimates, that would be the section of track highlighted in the map below. Does this make any sense to anyone?

View attachment 353932
map courtesy Canadian Rail Atlas

Just as a follow-up, I mentioned these two sections of track to the RAC and they have updated the Canadian Rail Atlas accordingly:

VIA Grimsby Sub (milepost 0.35 to 0.47), Niagara Falls, courtesy Canadian Rail Atlas

VIA Bridge Sub (milepost 15.71 to 15.90), Quebec City, courtesy Canadian Rail Atlas

 

[Urban Sky]

They are being used for comm rail but they are definitely more posh and were designed for intercity rail if you ever travel on one. Baggage storage, comfortable seats, overhead bins, bathrooms.

They could easily be converted to be used as DMU's on the areas that VIA currently and previously used DMUs. Thats what we were talking about. Replacing the RDC's. I think they would be a perfect replacement for the RDCs.

They would need to be modded with foldout stairs like the LRCs have because they are high platform, but NS did have this as an option when they were made, i'm sure its possible to get them modified for such.

You want to operate a DMU designed for short trips with commuters and airport passengers on a 8+ hour service with passengers more likely to transport canoes, fishing gear and sometimes even ATVs than briefcases and suitcases?

 

[robmausser]

You want to operate a DMU designed for short trips with commuters and airport passengers on a 8+ hour service with passengers more likely to transport canoes, fishing gear and sometimes even ATVs than briefcases and suitcases?

I fail to see how any of that would be any more or less possible than the RDCs.