VIA Rail Canada 8401-8418

VIA Rail Canada 8401-8418 are 1954-55 Budd passenger cars. They were originally delivered to Canadian Pacific Railway to equip the Canadian, and were acquired by VIA in 1978 as part of taking over CP's passenger services in Canada. VIA refers to them as part of the HEP-1 class.

Dining car galley.

Dining car interior.

8401-8418 are configured as dining cars, and are equipped with a full service kitchen and 12 tables (seating 48). Each car is named after a famous luxury hotel in Canada.

Upon being acquired by VIA, the cars continued operating under their original CP fleet numbers. Between 1990-1992, all remaining cars were refurbished and converted to head-end power by AMF Technotransport in Montréal. As part of the conversion, all cars were renumbered into the 8000 series.

These cars are assigned to long-distance services, including the Canadian, Ocean, and Churchill-Winnipeg trains.

Details

Fleet Number	Name	Thumbnail	Date	Serial	Livery	Status/Disposal	Notes
8401	Acadian		1955		Blue stripe	Active	Ex-VIA 16501, née-CP 16501.
8402	Alexandra		1955		Blue stripe	Retired 2022 Used for tear-down inspections of Budd fleet in Fall 2022. In storage at CAD for eventual scrapping.	Ex-VIA 16502, née-CP 16502.
16503	Alhambra		1955		Blue stripe	Retired Scrapped in 1985.	Ex-CP 16503.
8404	Annapolis		1955		Blue stripe	Active	Ex-VIA 16504, née-CP 16504.
16505	Cartier		1955		Blue stripe	Retired Scrapped in 1985.	Ex-CP 16505.
8406	Champlain		1955		Blue stripe	Retired	Ex-VIA 16506, née-CP 16506. Involved in derailment at Biggar, SK on September 3, 1997.
8407	Emerald		1955		Exhibition Churchill	Active	Ex-VIA 16507, née-CP 16507. Wrapped in "Exhibition Churchill" livery.
8408	Empress		1955		Blue stripe	Active	Ex-VIA 16508, née-CP 16508.
8409	Fairholme		1955		Blue stripe	Active	Ex-VIA 16509, née-CP 16509.
8410	Frontenac		1955		Blue stripe	Active	Ex-VIA 16510, née-CP 16510.
8411	Imperial		1955		Blue stripe	Active	Ex-VIA 16511, née-CP 16511.
8412	Kent		1955		Blue stripe	Active	Ex-VIA 16512, née-CP 16512.
8413	Louise		1955		Blue stripe	Active	Ex-VIA 16513, née-CP 16513.
8414	Palliser		1955		Blue stripe	Active	Ex-VIA 16514, née-CP 16514.
8415	Princess		1955		Blue stripe	Active	Ex-VIA 16515, née-CP 16515.
16516	Selkirk		1955		Blue stripe	Retired Scrapped in 1985.	Ex-CP 16516.
8417	Wascana		1955		Blue stripe	Retired	Ex-VIA 16517, née-CP 16517. Involved in derailment at Stewiacke, NS on April 12, 2001.
8418	Acadian		1955		Blue stripe	Active	Ex-VIA 16518, née-CP 16518.

References

• Canadian Trackside Guide
• Personal info and sightings