Toronto1834
Active Member
When booking a VIA rail trip can you can tell if it will be a Venture train or LRC/HEP by looking at the seat map, considering that they have removed the Venture schedule!
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VIA Rail
- Thread starter ehlow
- Start date
Urban Sky
Senior Member
VIA Car Info
cplchanb
Senior Member
Is this database updated by via themselves?Or is this just based off of the latest observationsVIA Car Info
traincar.info
Urban Sky
Senior Member
I believe it interlines with ReserVIA, hence the references to how many seats are assigned to OTS and which cars may accept wheelchairs:
Bojaxs
Active Member
Not sure if VIA would be willing to purchase a small strip of track where they don't have ROW on either end. Metrolinx on one end and CN on the other. At least not as of right now. Somethings would have to happen to make it worth their while.
If we're talking about running Windsor bound trains on the Kitchener line, then first thing we need is to get CN off the Kitchener line with the 407 freight bypass. That at least takes CN out of the equation and only leaves Metrolinx for VIA to deal with.
I wonder if it would make more sense just to have Metrolinx purchase this stretch of track and run limited GO service to London and allow VIA to run along it. They would at least upgrade the tracks to class 4.
I just don't see VIA purchasing this small stretch of track for ROW if CN still owns all the tracks between London and Chatham-Kent.
I'm fairly certain CN runs all their Chicago trains through Sarnia. Does CN still use the track heading towards Windsor? Looks like they have a branch line that heads into the Leamington area.
rac.jmaponline.net
Regardless, even if VIA were to own the tracks south of London, CN would still have a heavy presence in London. Their mainline would still run through London from Brantford. So that would make for a difficult situation where VIA owns the ROW north and south of London, but not in London itself.
If we're talking about running Windsor bound trains on the Kitchener line, then first thing we need is to get CN off the Kitchener line with the 407 freight bypass. That at least takes CN out of the equation and only leaves Metrolinx for VIA to deal with.
I wonder if it would make more sense just to have Metrolinx purchase this stretch of track and run limited GO service to London and allow VIA to run along it. They would at least upgrade the tracks to class 4.
I just don't see VIA purchasing this small stretch of track for ROW if CN still owns all the tracks between London and Chatham-Kent.
I'm fairly certain CN runs all their Chicago trains through Sarnia. Does CN still use the track heading towards Windsor? Looks like they have a branch line that heads into the Leamington area.
RAC Canadian Rail Atlas
rac.jmaponline.net
Regardless, even if VIA were to own the tracks south of London, CN would still have a heavy presence in London. Their mainline would still run through London from Brantford. So that would make for a difficult situation where VIA owns the ROW north and south of London, but not in London itself.
nfitz
Superstar
Is there a particular post you are replying to? I don't see anything related on this page.
CN built a bypass around Toronto decades ago. Perhaps you are referring to that short stretch between Brampton and Georgetown - which is not near the 407? GO is already working on extra track and a fly-over to completely separate passenger and freight trains. VIA can surely just use that. I don't see how a CN bypass has anything to do with VIA operations.
I can't imagine it even interferes much with VIA operations now. It's not like VIA needs to run trains every 15 minutes!
Bojaxs
Active Member
The conversation on page 1260? Was I late to the conversation?
VIA Rail
I knew it was the mainline, not that unfamiliar with its limitations given I ride from Hamilton and Kitchener often. But I agree- shocking but impressive they only 'need' a single track with trains every 20 minutes or so (it felt like that, anyway). Obviously they had passing tracks, but still...
The fly over will marginally help. But at some point we would have to negotiate a deal with CN to construct "The missing link".
I agree.
Urban Sky
Senior Member
VIA purchased the segment between Chatham and Windsor a few years before CN was willing to sell the final few miles of the Chatham Sub into Windsor, so the precedent exists.
Anyways, the question is less what VIA is willing to buy than what its federal masters allow it to buy and I would assume that VIA would have already purchased the Western end of the Guelph Sub, if the shots were called in Montreal and not Ottawa…
As I said before: Metrolinx’ plans for the Kitchener Corridor are so ambitious that whatever it takes to make them become reality is all but guaranteed to also solve almost all of the infrastructure constraints which currently prevent VIA to increase its frequencies into SWO - and at that point it will take very little money and negotiation to focus the Northern corridor for passenger operations and leave the Southern route for freight operations. Sounds familiar? Yes, that’s basically HFR.
And what to do about the 11 miles between London Junction and Komoka? Just triple-track them!
If we have to guess what you are referring to, then you probably failed to do your homework, which is ensuring that it is obvious who and what you are responding to…The conversation on page 1260? Was I late to the conversation?
VIA Rail
I knew it was the mainline, not that unfamiliar with its limitations given I ride from Hamilton and Kitchener often. But I agree- shocking but impressive they only 'need' a single track with trains every 20 minutes or so (it felt like that, anyway). Obviously they had passing tracks, but still...urbantoronto.ca
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roger1818
Senior Member
Heck, if you go back even further to 1991, VIA's first main line purchase was a 34 km portion of the Smiths Falls Sub between Richmond and Smiths Falls as CN wanted to abandon it.
VIA also purchased the 0.12 miles (190 m) of the Grimsby Sub to connect Niagara Falls station to the US boarder, and also purchased 0.19 miles (310 m) of the Bridge Sub to connect Gare du Palais.
VIA purchases ROW that is being abandoned by the host railway, and is important to their operations, thus can get federal funding to do so.
micheal_can
Senior Member
The good thing about the line through London's downtown area, it is not hemmed in like much of the GTA's lines are. Just standing on the London Station platforms, you can see that at least 2 more tracks could fit there.
robmausser
Senior Member
The section from London to Windsor is not heavily used by CN and is in good shape. Its not mainline CN track (that goes through Sarnia) and its not a concern. Services are fine along this stretch.Not sure if VIA would be willing to purchase a small strip of track where they don't have ROW on either end. Metrolinx on one end and CN on the other. At least not as of right now. Somethings would have to happen to make it worth their while.
If we're talking about running Windsor bound trains on the Kitchener line, then first thing we need is to get CN off the Kitchener line with the 407 freight bypass. That at least takes CN out of the equation and only leaves Metrolinx for VIA to deal with.
I wonder if it would make more sense just to have Metrolinx purchase this stretch of track and run limited GO service to London and allow VIA to run along it. They would at least upgrade the tracks to class 4.
I just don't see VIA purchasing this small stretch of track for ROW if CN still owns all the tracks between London and Chatham-Kent.
I'm fairly certain CN runs all their Chicago trains through Sarnia. Does CN still use the track heading towards Windsor? Looks like they have a branch line that heads into the Leamington area.
RAC Canadian Rail Atlas
Regardless, even if VIA were to own the tracks south of London, CN would still have a heavy presence in London. Their mainline would still run through London from Brantford. So that would make for a difficult situation where VIA owns the ROW north and south of London, but not in London itself.
The willingness to purchase should be upon ROI.
Currently the section between London and Kitchener is in a complete state of disrepair. It has a huge impact on VIA's services and buying and upgrading it would have a very good ROI. Sure, it would be best if they got the province to pitch in or buy it, but its still a good deal even if VIA buys it.
Its weird though that you are basically contradicting yourself; saying that this portion of track is useless for VIA to buy because MX owns the other half of it, and then saying it would be better if MX buys this portion? The MX portion already owned is not a hinderance to VIA, they are much more willing to play ball with VIA's services than CN.
The section of track CN owns around Brampton is not a huge issue. Its quite short and rarely causes delays. Certainly not any more than the mainline through Woodstock and Brantford would.
Eventually, perhaps VIA will be able to buy the whole Chatham sub from CN as well, and then it would be a really good investment; almost 90% of the track from Windsor to Toronto would be VIA/MX owned, and passenger rail focused/prioritized. 100% with any sort of flyover track on the CN section that MX is planning, as mentioned by others.
The whole route (or much of it) could even possibly become upgraded to HSR eventually, and be a west extension of the current HSR plan.
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Bojaxs
Active Member
I'm assuming you're referring to my suggestion about the 407 freight bypass?
I disagree. It is a huge issue. The whole point of constructing the 407 freight bypass and taking CN off the Kitchener line through Brampton is about opening up more capacity for passenger trains on the Kitchener line. Not so much about reducing delays. Yes, I'm aware of the plans to triple track through downtown Brampton and the flyover near Georgetown. I still think at some point the 407 freight bypass will have to be built.
Why is the stretch from London to Windsor still in good shape? I would think the since CN's mainline goes from Brantford-London-Sarnia, that the London- Windsor stretch of track would be in just as bad shape as the stretch from Kitchener to London.
I feel silly for asking because I work for CN and I feel as if I should know the answer
I dunno. It was just a suggestion if the Feds weren't serious about purchasing this stretch of track on behalf of VIA. If MX had ownership, my thinking is that they would return limited service to London, and get the track up to class 4.
robmausser
Senior Member
My understanding is that the stretch from London to Kitchener is in bad shape because CN was leasing it out to GEXR, and it wasn't really CN's line per se. I think even prior to that, GEXR built and owned it outright. GEXR is a small rail company and didnt really have the funds to properly maintain things and it fell apart. CN has little interest in putting in the money and work to fix it now.
The Chatham sub is used more than GEXR, although nowhere near as busy as the CN mainline. Its in decent shape because CN has an incentive to do so.
crs1026
Superstar
At this point a bypass is irrelevant. ML has clearly reached agreement to add capacity to the existing line, to accommodate both freight and passenger. There is no longer a need to relieve the existing line (so far anyways.... I'm not reaching firm conclusions until we see the final track plan. It would be preferable for CN and ML to each have two tracks throughout the Halwest-Silver area - especially if intercity or even regional service is to be enhanced. Quite possibly the plan does not expand ML capacity to the level that we might want or have assumed)(but even if that proves to be the case, the solution would be to add the fourth track.... not proceed with the bypass).
CN has enough freight volume between Komoka and Windsor, and VIa has enough skin in the game for Windsor-London service, to have made the line's quality and capacity compelling. So somebody is paying to keep it up.
In contrast, there is much less freight business between Stratford and London, and VIA (or more precisely Ottawa) has total indifference to the service quality on this line. So CN has no need for faster track, and they aren't inclined to provide charity support to VIA.
- Paul
nfitz
Superstar
When did they purchase the M&O subdivision?