VIA Rail Canada

[Waiting for 30 Minutes]

I've noticed that there isn't a general VIA Rail thread in this topic, so I decided to start one.

Government of Canada and VIA Rail announce new station for Cobourg

COBOURG, September 10, 2009 – At a ceremony in Cobourg, Ontario, Northumberland-Quinte West MP Rick Norlock, Mayor Peter Delanty and John Marginson, VIA Rail Canada’s Chief Operating Officer, announced VIA’s plans for a new station with improved and expanded facilities. VIA estimates that it will invest as much as $7 million for the new station and related improvements from recent capital funding for VIA announced by the Government of Canada. $1 million of the project’s cost will come from the government’s Economic Action Plan.

“Investment in a new VIA station for Cobourg will not only create new jobs and stimulate the economy, but also allow VIA to provide better service to the people of this region.” said Rick Norlock, MP for Northumberland-Quinte West. “By investing in rail services and facilities such as those here in Cobourg, our government is stimulating economic activity and job creation, contributing to environmental sustainability and improving Canada’s passenger rail system for years to come.”

VIA’s John Marginson added, “The investments here in Cobourg and across our coast-to-coast route network will create a top-notch passenger rail service. A rail service that is safe, swift and sustainable. A rail system built by and for Canadians – for the 21st century. We – the 3,100 employees of VIA – are delighted that the citizens of Cobourg are going to be a part of this new era in rail travel.”

VIA’s new Cobourg station will be a fully-accessible and aesthetically-pleasing structure adjacent to the existing building. VIA is currently studying options for the design of the new station, with the final design to be selected later this year.

Whatever design is selected for the new Cobourg station, the preservation of the existing structure is assured. Discussions will soon begin with the Town of Cobourg regarding the preferred future use of this historic building. The existing heritage-designated building, opened in 1911, is no longer large enough to accommodate all customers at peak travel periods.

Furthermore, VIA’s previously-announced, $300 million Kingston Subdivision Project will add new main line tracks and will include rearranging the track layout in some locations to increase safety, capacity and service reliability. In Cobourg, this involves adding one new main line track and a second platform, which cannot be done while still making use of the existing station.

“Cobourg’s connection with and affection for the railways goes back to 1856, when the Grand Trunk’s first train steamed into town,” said Cobourg Mayor Peter Delanty. “It brought with it so many opportunities for this town to grow and prosper. I’m convinced these VIA projects can and will do the same today.”

VIA’s Cobourg Station Project is linked with other work now or soon to be underway throughout the Quebec-Windsor Corridor, which generates almost 90% of VIA’s ridership and 75% of its revenue. In combination, these projects will allow for increases in VIA train safety, frequency and on-time performance, as well as reductions in travel time.

Major upgrading work is also underway on key elements of VIA’s locomotive and rolling stock fleets for intercity, transcontinental and remote service. Other infrastructure projects are aimed at improving service quality and cost efficiency at other points across VIA’s coast-to-coast route network. These upgrades are part of an unprecedented $923 million capital investment in passenger rail modernization and expansion by the Government of Canada that is stimulating job creation, skills development and private sector activity across the country.

[CN7066]

Looks like VIA 6133 is sidelined again. VIA now only has 2 operational RDC's in Victoria.

For those that don't know, VIA 6133 is the only one of the 6 RDC's not to be rebuilt by Industrial Rail Services. It's still in the old VIA RDC paint and has it's Detroit Diesel engines.

[Chris_the_traveller]

VIA has launched a Twitter page geared for railfans.

http://twitter.com/Viarailbuff

Seems interesting!

[CN7066]

Looks like the Malahat is down to a single car, as usual after Labour Day. VIA 6135 is running solo.

[38 Highland Creek]

You should see the new design for the homepage of VIA's website. It shows two lovely ladies on the page. The old design only had the train.

[JeremyA]

You should see the new design for the homepage of VIA's website. It shows two lovely ladies on the page. The old design only had the train.

I think it looks good, but they'll have to reduce the size a bit; it was too big to fit in my browser window. I always found the old design a little boring and out-of-date looking.

[boo2277]

I think it looks good, but they'll have to reduce the size a bit; it was too big to fit in my browser window. I always found the old design a little boring and out-of-date looking.

Hehe. I find the site to small. It only takes up the center half of my browser window.

[JeremyA]

Hehe. I find the site to small. It only takes up the center half of my browser window.

Then I guess they need it to automatically adjust to various screen sizes and resolutions.

[TDE]

Before someone decides to make Random Questions of VIA Rail. i'm just gonna cut the fat out of the time and ask this straight away here.

OK So, after a memorable first-time travel on VIA, Toronto to Quebec (via Montreal), a month back... I noticed the the LRC's are always forward positioned (niiiccce).

So, I kinda figured out a short term quick streagy that they probably use in montreal (although i'm sure ithey don't..). But, how do they go about spinning them back into the forward direction after their runs? (in Toronto anyway)

There's a turn-table, roundhouse, round-a-bout I don't know of? I just see a yard in Etobicoke and that's it. And i remind myself, it's the entire train.

[jlarocque2005]

Before someone decides to make Random Questions of VIA Rail. i'm just gonna cut the fat out of the time and ask this straight away here.

OK So, after a memorable first-time travel on VIA, Toronto to Quebec (via Montreal), a month back... I noticed the the LRC's are always forward positioned (niiiccce).

So, I kinda figured out a short term quick streagy that they probably use in montreal (although i'm sure ithey don't..). But, how do they go about spinning them back into the forward direction after their runs? (in Toronto anyway)

There's a turn-table, roundhouse, round-a-bout I don't know of? I just see a yard in Etobicoke and that's it. And i remind myself, it's the entire train.

There is a Y in the south end of the yard (had a impromptu visit once ) tho the Canadian has to be turned a different way as the Y at TMC is to short for Trains 1/2 Dan D or Small spy could answer this one more better then i could.

As for Montreal Via uses the approaches to the Point Victoria Bridge as the turnaround point as it is on a Y Junction

[D. DeLarge]

Correct, the wye is quite small and can only why a loco and a few cars. Sufficient for small trains.

The Canadian arrives in such a way that wying is not required. #2 arrives from the east end and runs to Mimico locos leading as it usually would, and later when it becomes #1's equipment, it backs into Union, and departs locos first as #1.

There is also a turntable on the property of VIA's Toronto Maintenance Centre.

[ghYHZ]

Correct, the wye is quite small and can only why a loco and a few cars. Sufficient for small trains.

The Canadian arrives in such a way that wying is not required. #2 arrives from the east end and runs to Mimico locos leading as it usually would, and later when it becomes #1's equipment, it backs into Union, and departs locos first as #1.

Here's a diagram that basically shows the Canadian's route through Toronto:

[smallspy]

Correct, the wye is quite small and can only why a loco and a few cars. Sufficient for small trains.

Not that small - it can handle a loco and 5 85' cars or 6 Ren cars. Anything bigger and they have to break the train apart or run it to Bayview. The turntable on the other hand is only about 60 or 65 feet long.

In fact, the reason why they run train 67 to Aldershot is specifically because they turn the train at Bayview before parking it for the night at TMC.

Dan

[JeremyA]

Good diagram, ghYHZ. People always give me a blank stare when I try to explain the backing-up procedure that the Canadian has to do to get on the York sub.

[TDE]

There is also a turntable on the property of VIA's Toronto Maintenance Centre.

So then they take one vehicle at a time and spin them around, correct? And how long would the process take(roughly speaking)? Talking about the Windsor-Toronto-Montreal Corridor trains.

[smallspy]

So then they take one vehicle at a time and spin them around, correct? And how long would the process take(roughly speaking)? Talking about the Windsor-Toronto-Montreal Corridor trains.

The turntable on the other hand is only about 60 or 65 feet long.

And considering that the passenger cars are 75 or 85 feet long - well, I think you can come to your own conclusions.

Dan

[D. DeLarge]

And considering that the passenger cars are 75 or 85 feet long - well, I think you can come to your own conclusions.

Dan

So, they saw the cars in half and then turn the halves, and then weld them back together?!

But, how do they support the middle ends when the car is in half???

It seems logical they would only use the turntable for the odd loco that needs turning. Otherwise, just run the car(s) in question around the wye. Heck, even if it's a longer train, they could break it up and do a few cars at a time, if they really needed to and couldn't get out to Bayview.

[ghYHZ]

So then they take one vehicle at a time and spin them around, correct? And how long would the process take(roughly speaking)? Talking about the Windsor-Toronto-Montreal Corridor trains.

That's the way CN did it in Halifax with the Ocean and Scotian. Coach seats could be rotated to face the proper direction but the Sleepers and Diners had to be turned. These were long trains so it probably took awhile. Later on VIA made arrangements to turn complete train sets on the Balloon Track at the Container Terminal near the station or back the trains out to Windsor Junction (15 miles) to be turned on the wye there.

[D40LF]

So, they saw the cars in half and then turn the halves, and then weld them back together?!

But, how do they support the middle ends when the car is in half???

It seems logical they would only use the turntable for the odd loco that needs turning. Otherwise, just run the car(s) in question around the wye. Heck, even if it's a longer train, they could break it up and do a few cars at a time, if they really needed to and couldn't get out to Bayview.

I thought the same thing

They could use accomodation trucks to support them!

[bpobrien]

I thought the same thing

They could use accomodation trucks to support them!

Actually saw the turntable in use at the TMC a few days ago, looked to be turning a sleeper around.

Also an interesting visitor to the TMC this morning was a Vancouver SkyTrain car. Not sure why it was there, but it was being offloaded from a flatbed truck. There appears to be some sort of rail company operating out the two very south end bays of the building. Will try to get a better look sometime next week.

[mersar]

Actually saw the turntable in use at the TMC a few days ago, looked to be turning a sleeper around.

Also an interesting visitor to the TMC this morning was a Vancouver SkyTrain car. Not sure why it was there, but it was being offloaded from a flatbed truck. There appears to be some sort of rail company operating out the two very south end bays of the building. Will try to get a better look sometime next week.

The older SkyTrain cars are being sent out east for some refurbishment work including a newer design LIM

[TDE]

And considering that the passenger cars are 75 or 85 feet long - well, I think you can come to your own conclusions.

Dan

I overlooked that specification, my bad.

So, they saw the cars in half and then turn the halves, and then weld them back together?!

But, how do they support the middle ends when the car is in half???

Otherwise, just run the car(s) in question around the wye.

This is an answer i'm looking for... Is there one in use or no? Especially to re-forward the LRC's

[Shaun]

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?...8460&nseq=0

I'm surprised that VIA had enough extra equipment lying around to lease to ONR.

Interesting seeing Budd cars this far north.

[bpobrien]

I overlooked that specification, my bad.

This is an answer i'm looking for... Is there one in use or no? Especially to re-forward the LRC's

There is a wye that is used at the south end of the TMC. If equipment needs to be turned around, they use this wye. If the train is too long for the wye, they will send it down to Bayview Jct and wye it there.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?client=firefox-...009645&z=17

The turntable is located at the west end of the TMC. It's not used much at all, some are saying here that it's not long enough to turn a passenger car around, but last week I did see a loco shoving a sleeper onto it, but didn't see it actually getting turned around.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?client=firefox-...002411&z=19

[smallspy]

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?...8460&nseq=0

I'm surprised that VIA had enough extra equipment lying around to lease to ONR.

VIA has many busy periods - the week before Labour Day, for instance, as students head to school. Right now things are quiet, but the next busy period is the Thanksgiving weekend.

The turntable is located at the west end of the TMC. It's not used much at all, some are saying here that it's not long enough to turn a passenger car around, but last week I did see a loco shoving a sleeper onto it, but didn't see it actually getting turned around.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?client=firefox-...002411&z=19

The turntable is physically shorter than a passenger car - from what I remember seeing it seemed to be only slightly longer than an F40 - but with the overhang at the ends apparently the trucks/wheelbase of a passenger car will fit.

Dan