VIA Rail

[MisterF]

I can sort of understand why they continue to treat the platforms at Union Station as an airport-style secure zone since they're so claustrophobicly narrow. Hopefully when the new, wider platforms are done they start using a more civilized boarding process.

In Ottawa, on the other hand, it makes no sense whatsoever. They've rebuilt the platform closest to the station building - it's level with the trains and there's plenty of space. Yet you can't just go to the platform when the train is there, they still make people line up and have staff checking tickets. Some people even have to weigh their bags as if that makes a difference on a train of all things. It's like Via is just blindly copying airlines without even thinking about whether it makes sense for a railway.

I've never understood why, now that there's reserved seating, that anyone shows up down there until 5 minutes before departure.

The last train I look out of Union they changed from reserved seating to general seating just before boarding. So needless to say if you're travelling with someone and it's a full train you'll get split up if you show up 5 minutes before departure.

 

[roger1818]

Why bother doing any extra work?

To provide useful, accurate information rather than just bitch and complain.

In all fairness the boarding process does suck.

Yes, but there are reasons for it that most people don’t know about.

 

[crs1026]

Yes, but there are reasons for it that most people don’t know about.

Agreed, but there is definitely an adverse impact that affects the customer experience, so one would hope that VIA would try to tackle some of those reasons rather than standing pat or saying “We have to do it this way and always have”. Railways the world over do it differently than VIA so there’s lots of proof that this practice isn’t optimal.

There’s an old joke about “the three biggest lies that anyone will tell you”… “The cheque is in the mail”, “I’m from Headquarters and I’m here to help”….. my nomination for #3 is when an airline employee uses the phrase “For your safety and security please xxxx”……. airline directives are generally arbitrary and meant to create convenience for the airline, not ensure anyone’s safety or security. VIA should be reexamining its gate procedures from the customers’ POV

- Paul

 

[Gino29]

To provide useful, accurate information rather than just bitch and complain.

we are talking about BlogTO, correct?

 

[JasonParis]

Everyone should complain and tag Mosses in their tweets when it comes to that farce of an info source.

 

[CapitalSeven]

Some people even have to weigh their bags as if that makes a difference on a train of all things. It's like Via is just blindly copying airlines without even thinking about whether it makes sense for a railway.

This is probably the most annoying thing. It makes virtually no difference to the operation of the train, yet they go out of their way to alienate passengers and make some of them wish they had taken another carrier. Not sure about the present, but at one point VIA had significantly smaller limits than some of the airlines, so that if you were flying to Canada for a visit, bags you had flown with for free incurred a charge on a massive, partly empty train.

 

[Bordercollie]

This is probably the most annoying thing. It makes virtually no difference to the operation of the train, yet they go out of their way to alienate passengers and make some of them wish they had taken another carrier. Not sure about the present, but at one point VIA had significantly smaller limits than some of the airlines, so that if you were flying to Canada for a visit, bags you had flown with for free incurred a charge on a massive, partly empty train.

After the crash in Burlington, transport Canada implemented some rules about luggage on trains. Before there was no net to secure the luggage or if there was it was never closed. Also beside the garbage can there was a section for oversize luggage, which was also not secured.

I bet it has something to do with the physical force that the luggage can have that could cause the straps to break.

But they could have a counter that checks your ticket and your luggage and then allows you to proceed to a closed gate. That would make sense.

They could leave the middle of the concourse open but close the east and west side. And then have that area closed to passengers who checked in. They could have shops or food to purchase.

Passengers going west can use the west escalator and the ones going east can use the east ones.

The problem is when GO uses the same platforms. You would need to bypass that secure area.

But when the southern platforms are rebuilt I don't think that they will be sharing platforms.

 

[crs1026]

After the crash in Burlington, transport Canada implemented some rules about luggage on trains. Before there was no net to secure the luggage or if there was it was never closed. Also beside the garbage can there was a section for oversize luggage, which was also not secured.

I bet it has something to do with the physical force that the luggage can have that could cause the straps to break.

This has been a TC pet peeve with several previous incidents as well. It has some validity in a more serious crash where a car is completely upended, although the integrity of the seats and the lack of seatbelts are probably statistically more significant risk factors (and no, I'm not arguing for seatbelts). Frankly, a roomette is a hugely unsafe place to be in a serious derailment.

I can understand a limit on size and number of bags, rather than weight......to be fair, VIA's baggage capacity in coach is far more generous than some foreign trains I have taken, but it's amazing how some people turn up with unreasonable amounts and types of cabin baggage.

- Paul

 

[Bordercollie]

This has been a TC pet peeve with several previous incidents as well. It has some validity in a more serious crash where a car is completely upended, although the integrity of the seats and the lack of seatbelts are probably statistically more significant risk factors (and no, I'm not arguing for seatbelts). Frankly, a roomette is a hugely unsafe place to be in a serious derailment.

I can understand a limit on size and number of bags, rather than weight......to be fair, VIA's baggage capacity is far more generous than some foreign trains I have taken, but it's amazing how some people arrive with unreasonable amounts and types of cabin baggage.

- Paul

Having a baggage car will help when the new trains arrive. They can store large bags in a dedicated space. Hopefully they will also allow pets larger than a hamster, which is what the rules are currently.

 

[Urban Sky]

I can understand a limit on size and number of bags, rather than weight......to be fair, VIA's baggage capacity in coach is far more generous than some foreign trains I have taken, but it's amazing how some people turn up with unreasonable amounts and types of cabin baggage.

- Paul

I wish I could quote some notes from VIA’s internal morning reports, but I recall reading about a man being denied boarding the Ocean at Bathurst or Miramichi after he refused to pay any excess luggage fees for transporting his thirteen (!) bags…

 

[drum118]

You would be amaze at the size luggage as well the number of them in 1st class to the point they were blocking the aisleways I saw on my 9 trains in Europe this year. Some trains had no overhead bins and lack of space on the floor for luggage.

We had 2 suitcases and it was common to see people with 3 to 6 or more. On one train, we had single seats with our suitcases beside us as there was no room for them as well for other riders.

2nd class cars were even worse to the point there was no different between 1st or 2nd class cars since they both part of the car in the first place.

 

[Urban Sky]

You would be amaze at the size luggage as well the number of them in 1st class to the point they were blocking the aisleways I saw on my 9 trains in Europe this year. Some trains had no overhead bins and lack of space on the floor for luggage.

We had 2 suitcases and it was common to see people with 3 to 6 or more. On one train, we had single seats with our suitcases beside us as there was no room for them as well for other riders.

2nd class cars were even worse to the point there was no different between 1st or 2nd class cars since they both part of the car in the first place.

That was exactly why I made sure to book an ICE train when I traveled with my family from Frankfurt to Paris and back two weeks ago rather than a TGV, which crams people into bilevel cars which naturally have no overhead storage and are thus absurdly unsuitable for intercity travel on routes which attract any significant number of tourists…

 

[smallspy]

After the crash in Burlington, transport Canada implemented some rules about luggage on trains. Before there was no net to secure the luggage or if there was it was never closed. Also beside the garbage can there was a section for oversize luggage, which was also not secured.

Most of the current luggage rules pre-date Burlington. What it did do, however, was reinforce the requirements for TC to follow up on them.

I can understand a limit on size and number of bags, rather than weight......to be fair, VIA's baggage capacity in coach is far more generous than some foreign trains I have taken, but it's amazing how some people turn up with unreasonable amounts and types of cabin baggage.

- Paul

The weight requirements are due to having staff get hurt multiple times trying to struggle with overweight luggage. This is no different than the airlines.

Many years ago, my boss and I had to travel with with a rolling 200 pound tool case - well in excess of the maximum weight requirements. We were able to pull it off only after talking with head office and making special arrangements - including booking a different train than we would have otherwise to ensure that we were able to get a train with a baggage car. Had we not done this in advance, we would have been refused - and rightfully so.

Dan

 

[drum118]

That was exactly why I made sure to book an ICE train when I traveled with my family from Frankfurt to Paris and back two weeks ago rather than a TGV, which crams people into bilevel cars which naturally have no overhead storage and are thus absurdly unsuitable for intercity travel on routes which attract any significant number of tourists…

Rode single level cars trains including the TVG as well the ICE that lack space for luggage.

The Thalys TVG was a lot better than the ICE 2 and 3 we were on. They were a hell lot better than the Italian HS trains.

Found a lot of standees on most of our trains due to trains being sold out days and weeks in advance where the next opening were days after we were to move on that add to the lack of space for luggage. Lots of over booking taking place.

The TVG arrived 5 minutes head of schedule in Brussels on our return trip from Paris considering its only an 1 hour and 25 minute trip.

 

[LemonCondo]

You know what would incentivize a proper High Speed Rail line between Toronto and Montreal? A joint Olympic Games bid.

Jeux olympiques | Montréal et Toronto ensemble dans l’aventure ?

Le Comité olympique canadien (COC) étudie la possibilité de présenter une candidature conjointe de Montréal et Toronto pour l’organisation des Jeux olympiques d’été, a appris La Presse.

www.lapresse.ca

Get it done by 2032!