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VIA Rail

Urban Sky said:
Not sure you are aware of the avalanche of train cancellations on the Corridor currently…
www.transportaction.ca

Siemens failures force VIA Rail cancellations

Fleet availability for the Siemens Venture trains purchased by VIA Rail has plummeted to less than 50% over the winter, far below the industry standard of 90%. VIA Rail has now been forced to annul several trips in the week of February 7, 2026
www.transportaction.ca www.transportaction.ca
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This has been a difficult winter for Via. The difference is all the stations along the Corridor are road accessible. Not so for the 185/186. At least with it being winter there is less demand for those remote areas.
 
Trackside_Treasure said:
. The air-into-the-intakes problem long rumoured was more than just a rumour!
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Does Siemens need to design some kind of cover for the intakes to help their trains withstand the colder months? Similar to what you see on the front grills of diesel trucks during the colder seasons?

I'm assuming the intakes are those grills/ square grids on the sides of the Charger locomotives?

pikcuptruckcover.jpg
 
Bojaxs said:
Does Siemens need to design some kind of cover for the intakes to help their trains withstand the colder months? Similar to what you see on the front grills of diesel trucks during cold season?

I'm assuming the intakes are those grills/ square grids on the sides of the Charger locomotives?

View attachment 714550
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Reminds me of the LeBra craze. Older vehicles needed their radiators covered in the winter to keep the heat in. A cardboard box was all that was needed. You would think they would have figured this out during the design phase.
 
Bojaxs said:
Does Siemens need to design some kind of cover for the intakes to help their trains withstand the colder months? Similar to what you see on the front grills of diesel trucks during the colder seasons?

I'm assuming the intakes are those grills/ square grids on the sides of the Charger locomotives?
Click to expand...

2026 and we're having to reinvent the winterization hatch...

Screenshot 2026-02-11 at 9.22.24 PM.png

[Source]
 
Took VIA from Union to Ottawa on Friday, with return yesterday. Friday’s 6:30 am train left on time, but its run was delayed an hour due to a freight train being in front, limiting us to 55 kph from about Belleville to Kingston. We didn’t mind too much, as the new Siemens cars are comfy, we were both deep into our books and our check-in at the Chateau was not until past 1pm. The return train on Sunday, also a new set was not delayed, arriving in Toronto right on time at 9:20 pm, but man it was a rough ride. At anything over 130 kph the car shook like mad. On the plus side, the O-Train connection to the Ottawa station (and exiting right outside our hotel at Rideau) was very convenient.
 
Admiral Beez said:
Took VIA from Union to Ottawa on Friday, with return yesterday. Friday’s 6:30 am train left on time, but its run was delayed an hour due to a freight train being in front, limiting us to 55 kph from about Belleville to Kingston. We didn’t mind too much, as the new Siemens cars are comfy, we were both deep into our books and our check-in at the Chateau was not until past 1pm. The return train on Sunday, also a new set was not delayed, arriving in Toronto right on time at 9:20 pm, but man it was a rough ride. At anything over 130 kph the car shook like mad. On the plus side, the O-Train connection to the Ottawa station (and exiting right outside our hotel at Rideau) was very convenient.
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Shocked that your return trip was on time.... maybe a flat wheel in your car?
 
cplchanb said:
Shocked that your return trip was on time.... maybe a flat wheel in your car?
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VIA tracker says No 647 was 11 minutes late into Toronto Union last night. I call this arrival a 'speedster' because among various online factors and station stops, and even with CN Permanent Slow Orders at crossings for Siemens, this decent OTP is still achievable.
 
Trackside_Treasure said:
VIA tracker says No 647 was 11 minutes late into Toronto Union last night. I call this arrival a 'speedster' because among various online factors and station stops, and even with CN Permanent Slow Orders at crossings for Siemens, this decent OTP is still achievable.
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True, but given my prior experience on VIA, 11 min late is on time by my book.
 
micheal_can said:
Does Via have the budget allocated to get them?
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They looked at these before and they got out bid. You would need to spend money on getting them up to VIA standard, but by cannibalizing the LRC seats at least they wouldn't need to spend money on that. They made need a mechanical overhaul. When they were in service they smoked a lot.

But once the snow inhaling probably goes away they could spare an F40 and two Budd coaches and use the baggage car as a cab car. They should have the baggage cars that were used in the corridor before COVID. Could they not use those?
 
Bordercollie said:
They looked at these before and they got out bid. You would need to spend money on getting them up to VIA standard, but by cannibalizing the LRC seats at least they wouldn't need to spend money on that. They made need a mechanical overhaul. When they were in service they smoked a lot.

But once the snow inhaling probably goes away they could spare an F40 and two Budd coaches and use the baggage car as a cab car. They should have the baggage cars that were used in the corridor before COVID. Could they not use those?
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With the issues on the Corridor, one would think they have nothing to spare.
 
Admiral Beez said:
True, but given my prior experience on VIA, 11 min late is on time by my book.
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Trackside_Treasure said:
VIA tracker says No 647 was 11 minutes late into Toronto Union last night. I call this arrival a 'speedster' because among various online factors and station stops, and even with CN Permanent Slow Orders at crossings for Siemens, this decent OTP is still achievable.
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ohhh... you got my hopes up for a minute....sad and ashamed that our standards are so low that 11 minutes is considered on time... anywhere else overseas especially in Japan this would be unacceptable
 
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