VIA Rail

[Bordercollie]

Regarding this via promo for 40% off. The tickets at 40% off are more expensive than regular prices.

I ended up using a 10% corporate discount on top of the regular price instead of 40% off.

 

[dowlingm]

The fact that UK passenger numbers have grown since privatization doesn’t mean that there weren’t disasters along the way, like Railtrack, and franchise failures/hand backs.

what did help was the injection of non-state capital, for example the advent of ROSCOs like Porterbrook, who are not merely financiers but also fund projects to improve running costs of their stock, plus the Channel Tunnel’s demonstration of what rail can do with the right infrastructure. But Canada has lots of non-state capital in the form of CN, CP et al; the tricky part is who has ultimate control over which parts of the rail solution. In the UK, the private infrastructure operator Railtrack failed and the assets were transferred (back) into public ownership, as Network Rail.

I have often wondered why a firm like Bombardier, with so much experience in aircraft leasing, couldn’t find a way to create a ROSCO entity for “white-livery“ trainsets to provide seasonal capacity or allow a transit system to ramp up quickly while their own equipment is being constructed. Obviously the fragmented US signalling/PTC systems and the bureaucracy around route clearance isn’t anything like moving an aircraft from place to place; it seems a shame that North American passenger agencies are stuck with either re-refurbishing relics or negotiating for new equipment while hoping the government doesn’t change hands before contract signing.

 

[Darwinkgo]

Those that point to the UK failures I would say: we can learn from the failures. Just like eglinton crosstown has learned from the tfl failures.

 

[robmausser]

Regarding this via promo for 40% off. The tickets at 40% off are more expensive than regular prices.

I ended up using a 10% corporate discount on top of the regular price instead of 40% off.

I noticed the deal for me only affected business class prices. Which went about as cheap as Economy. But Escape was still cheaper. 10% corperate will bring economy prices down further than the sale.

 

[Urban Sky]

Regarding this via promo for 40% off. The tickets at 40% off are more expensive than regular prices.

I ended up using a 10% corporate discount on top of the regular price instead of 40% off.

I noticed the deal for me only affected business class prices. Which went about as cheap as Economy. But Escape was still cheaper. 10% corperate will bring economy prices down further than the sale.

40% was only promised for Sleeper Plus, for Business and Economy the applicable discounts were only 25% and 15%, respectively, with the latter (Economy) being restricted to certain ticket types, routes and weekdays…

Did your attempted bookings comply with the applicable terms&conditons (see below)?

Spoiler

 

[Bordercollie]

40% was only promised for Sleeper Plus, for Business and Economy the applicable discounts were only 25% and 15%, respectively, with the latter (Economy) being restricted to certain ticket types, routes and weekdays…

Did your attempted bookings comply with the applicable terms&conditons (see below)?

Spoiler

View attachment 404884View attachment 404885View attachment 404886

Missed the travel after June 15 part.

 

[Undead]

Today at Langstaff:

 

[Bordercollie]

Today at Langstaff:

View attachment 405579

With Renovations "complete" at Union station. Does that mean that the boarding process is status quo? No proper ques, rolling signs to tell people where to line up.

Also the first departure is 6:30 and the business lounge doesn't open until 6am, even though the train boards at 6:05.

I find that odd.

 

[Urban Sky]

Also the first departure is 6:30 and the business lounge doesn't open until 6am, even though the train boards at 6:05.

I find that odd.

I’ve checked the opening hours of Deutsche Bahn’s DB Lounges at the most important stations in its network and none of them opens before 6am:

 

[Bordercollie]

I’ve checked the opening hours at Deutsche Bahn’s DB Lounge at the most important stations in its network and none of them opens before 6am:
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View attachment 405734View attachment 405735View attachment 405736View attachment 405737

That's interesting.

Also it looks like VIA is not interested in being a commuter rail service.
CBC.ca: Via quietly axed its London-to-Toronto train during the pandemic. There's a push to get it back.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/london-toronto-train-via-1.6480397

Mayor's of Cobourg and Belleville have expressed similar concerns.

Could GO transit pickup those time slots and run their trains instead? They already layover in London today.

Kingston may require a deadhead move from their east maintenance facility.

 

[roger1818]

That's interesting.

Also it looks like VIA is not interested in being a commuter rail service.
CBC.ca: Via quietly axed its London-to-Toronto train during the pandemic. There's a push to get it back.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/london-toronto-train-via-1.6480397

Mayor's of Cobourg and Belleville have expressed similar concerns.

Could GO transit pickup those time slots and run their trains instead? They already layover in London today.

Kingston may require a deadhead move from their east maintenance facility.

Train 82 ran via Brantford on the Dundas Sub. Since GO doesn't run any trains along the Dundas Sub, they would have to train operators to run along it. A lot of work for 1 missing train. Similar for running a train east of Oshawa to Kingston.

 

[crs1026]

Train 82 ran via Brantford on the Dundas Sub. Since GO doesn't run any trains along the Dundas Sub, they would have to train operators to run along it. A lot of work for 1 missing train. Similar for running a train east of Oshawa to Kingston.

There's also the issue of how that train got to London to lay over for the night. That may now be a problem. Or VIA may not be convinced that the ridership is there, given that people haven't really returned to the office in droves yet.

Or there may be some further negotiation going on between any or all of VIA, Ontario, Ottawa, or CN.

- Paul

 

[nfitz]

With Renovations "complete" at Union station. Does that mean that the boarding process is status quo? No proper ques, rolling signs to tell people where to line up.

Also the first departure is 6:30 and the business lounge doesn't open until 6am, even though the train boards at 6:05.

I find that odd.

Would there be much demand? It's not like people will be showing up very early after working, with transfers, or giving extra travel time to get there.

More than enough time to go in for 20 minutes, get a coffee, etc.

 

[Bordercollie]

Train 82 ran via Brantford on the Dundas Sub. Since GO doesn't run any trains along the Dundas Sub, they would have to train operators to run along it. A lot of work for 1 missing train. Similar for running a train east of Oshawa to Kingston.

Maybe if you build it they will come? Have 3 trains in the morning and 3 in the evening. You would only need a 6 car train at most.

 

[Urban Sky]

Maybe if you build it they will come? Have 3 trains in the morning and 3 in the evening. You would only need a 6 car train at most.

If you build what? An entirely new ROW?

CN is not going to grant you 3 slots in the morning…