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Waiting for 30 Minutes

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This is either Baie Verte Jct or Springdale Jct. I checked the timetable and the eastbound and westbound runs were scheduled to meet in that area around mid afternoon.

I don't think it is either of those places, I can't remember seeing an Irving there, of course I was there years after the photo was taken. Its the background that makes me think it is Bishop Falls, there is a restaurant next to the Irving, hence the larger back lot in the distance. That the buses are there together means nothing, CN was notorious for running late, much like DRL is these days.

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I don't think it is either of those places, I can't remember seeing an Irving there, of course I was there years after the photo was taken. Its the background that makes me think it is Bishop Falls, there is a restaurant next to the Irving, hence the larger back lot in the distance. That the buses are there together means nothing, CN was notorious for running late, much like DRL is these days.

It’s Baie Verte or Springdale Jct. ……I was on the eastbound for Gander and it certainly makes sense by the timetable. (also my next slide/number sequence was before Badger)

And defiantly not Bishops Falls……the bus facing is bound for Port aux Basques so it would be on the wrong side of the highway for the Irving at Bishops. (also the direction of the sun/shadows)

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  • 2 weeks later...

great topic guys. I',m old enough too to remember the Charter bus service CN and subsequently VIA (for a little while) ran with Canada Coach Lines from Burlington West to Hamilton CN and also Hamilton CN to Dundas. Usually with the 35 ft GM suburbans with the odd sedan doors. Dundas was tricky as the bus had to back into the station driveway stopping half way up the hill on Hwy 8. Was always in danger of getting rear ended by auto traffic.

Hard to believe that the Dundas service replaced an RDC service

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'm guessing this is a Conservative riding?

Government of Canada and VIA Rail Announce New Windsor Station‏

WINDSOR, ONTARIO – Today, the Honourable Rob Merrifield, Canada’s Minister of State (Transport) and VIA Rail Canada’s President and CEO, Marc Laliberté, announced the Government of Canada is investing to build a new train station for Windsor with improved and expanded facilities. They were joined at the announcement by Jeff Watson, Member of Parliament for Essex and Windsor Mayor, Eddie Francis. “This investment builds on the Government of Canada’s commitment to improving passenger rail service and infrastructure for Canadians along this important and busy rail corridor,” said Minister Merrifield. “Most importantly, a new and expanded VIA station will create new jobs and help stimulate the economy here in Windsor.”

“This new station will bring significant economic and environmental benefits to the people of Windsor-Essex and beyond.” said MP Watson. “As a result of these improvements, I’m confident more people will be encouraged to choose the train as a safe, reliable and environmentally responsible alternative.”

“The investments here in Windsor and across our transcontinental route network will help to enhance a passenger rail service that is safe, swift, sustainable and designed for the needs of Canadians in the 21st century,” added Marc Laliberté. “VIA is delighted that the citizens of Windsor are going to be a part of this new era in rail travel.”

VIA’s new Windsor station will be fully accessible and will be built on a site near the existing building. Scheduled for completion in the fall of 2011, it will replace a structure originally built by Canadian National in the early 1960s and expanded by VIA in 1982. The majority of the $6 million in funding for the new Windsor station and related improvements will come from Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.VIA’s Windsor Station Project is linked with other work currently or soon to be underway throughout the Quebec-Windsor Corridor, which generates almost 90 per cent of VIA’s ridership and 75 per cent of its revenue. In particular, announced by VIA last year were improvements to the Chatham Subdivision with federal funding of $17 million to add a new rail traffic control system and major improvements to the track structure between Windsor and Chatham.

“These improvements will help give Windsor a modern passenger rail station and service, a major improvement from the days when the Great Western’s first train steamed into town,” said Mayor Francis. “Today’s announcement will help ensure that Windsor’s passenger rail service is fully equipped to continue delivering convenient, comfortable and efficient service well into the future.”

The construction of VIA’s new Windsor station is part of an unprecedented $923 million capital investment in passenger rail modernization and expansion by the Government of Canada. This investment is stimulating job creation, skills development and private sector activity across the country. Additional infrastructure projects are aimed at improving service quality and cost efficiency at other points across VIA’s coast-to-coast route network.

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God are they ever going backwards on this one, that's all I'm gonna say because I don't feel like writing it all out. Those of you that have me on msn can ask me about it, I'm not gonna leave a big rant on here.

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Im a novice when it comes to trains... but heres my sighting for today.....

VIA train with 2 F40PH engines leading about 11 budd (the stainless steel bodied) cars, including an observation dome car mid way in and the end dome car, heading southbound at the richmond hill go station. is that normal? i have never seen a via train out there....

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Im a novice when it comes to trains... but heres my sighting for today.....

VIA train with 2 F40PH engines leading about 11 budd (the stainless steel bodied) cars, including an observation dome car mid way in and the end dome car, heading southbound at the richmond hill go station. is that normal? i have never seen a via train out there....

That's VIA No. 2 from Vancouver. And yes it's normal.

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Yet another station being improved...

Government of Canada and VIA Rail announce new station for Smiths Falls‏

SMITHS FALLS, ONTARIO – Dean Del Mastro, Member of Parliament for Peterborough and Chairman of the All Party Rail Caucus Parliamentary Group, on behalf on Rob Merrifield, Minister of State (Transport), and VIA’s Senior Director, Real Estate, Magdy Fahmy today announced the construction of the town’s new station and rail line upgrading. Made possible by the Government of Canada’s investments of close to $21 million for major rail infrastructure work, the projects will increase and improve the safety, frequency and speed of passenger rail service all along VIA’s busy Toronto-Ottawa route. MP Del Mastro and Senior Director Fahmy were joined at the announcement by Smiths Falls Mayor Dennis Staples and Canadian Pacific (CP) Vice-President of Government Affairs Michael Murphy.

“The Government of Canada understands how important VIA’s rail service is to Smiths Falls and hundreds of other communities and rail travelers across Ontario,” said MP Del Mastro. “By investing in rail services and facilities such as these here in Smiths Falls, we are underlining our commitment to VIA’s capital renewal as a wise way to stimulate economic activity and job creation, contribute to environmental sustainability and improve Canada’s passenger rail system for years to come.”

Senior Director Fahmy added, “These investments will create a passenger rail service second to none. A rail service that is safe, fast and sustainable. A rail service designed for Canadians – in the 21st century. VIA is very pleased that the citizens of Smiths Falls are going to be a part of this new era in rail travel.”

"We're very pleased to work with VIA to implement upgrades to CP's Brockville Subdivision, and thereby help improve passenger rail service on this important segment of the network,” said VP Murphy.

VIA’s new Smiths Falls station will be fully-accessible and located just north of downtown. With its distinctive tower, the new station has been designed to blend harmoniously with the historic character and railway legacy of Smiths Falls. It will provide easy passenger access, ample parking and room for future growth. The new location will also reduce schedule conflicts between VIA passenger and Canadian Pacific freight trains at the old site, which is in the middle of a junction between four busy CP lines and VIA’s Smiths Falls Subdivision to Ottawa. The construction of the new Smiths Falls station is due to be completed at the end of this year.

The rail infrastructure upgrading began recently on CP’s Brockville Subdivision, which is the route of VIA’s heavily-used Toronto-Ottawa trains. The project, scheduled to be completed at the end of 2010, includes two new passing sidings between Smiths Falls and Brockville, a new Centralized Traffic Control signal system, upgraded protection at rail/road grade crossings and strategic sections of safety fencing.

“Smiths Falls’' connection with and affection for the railways goes back to 1859, when the Brockville & Ottawa’s first train steamed into town,” said Mayor Staples. “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 Smiths Falls projects are closely linked with other work that is now, or will soon be, underway throughout the Quebec-Windsor Corridor, which generates almost 90% of VIA’s ridership and revenue. Other corridor projects include similar upgrading of the VIA-owned Ottawa-Smiths Falls line and Canadian National’s Montreal-Toronto main line. These projects combined will lead to increases in VIA train safety, frequency and speed.

The construction of VIA’s new Smiths Falls station is part of the $516 million capital program announced by the Government of Canada for VIA Rail in 2007. This investment is stimulating job creation, skills development and private sector activity across the country. Additional infrastructure projects are aimed at improving service quality and cost efficiency at other points across VIA’s coast-to-coast route network.

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Yet another station being improved...

I was on a VIA through here in the beginning of February, and the new station will be located on VIA's own trackage just north of the northern-most junction with CP. Any time I've gone through there, a conflict has usually existed between freights and VIA's, and even between two VIA's (as this was a passing location, problem was, only one could serve the station at a time). I didn't recall seeing any other work along the Brockville Sub though, just the bit of work down near Brockville Station, which hadn't really gotten underway at that point.

My peeve with the article is that they mention the junction of "four CP lines". That may soon be down to 3 as the Chalk River Sub. has been shut down, and is slated for either sale or abandonment. :P And really, the CP Brockville Sub. doesn't see much freight activity anymore (or at least, not that I'm aware of). I know there are sidings at the south end in Brockville, but I can't see that being a frequent service.

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Today I saw the Canadian pass through Langstaff GO and it had three locomotives. One of which was 6452, the third unit to be rebuilt after 6400 and 6402.

Well, VIA can only rebuild so many F40's before they start showing up on #1/#2. They don't use anything else on it, and there's a finite about of F40's to rebuild. Watch for more in the future.

SARCASM ALERT BELOW!

Although I have to give them credit, they've done a good job of hogging all the rebuilds in the east :) (optional logical reasonning: they'll be near CAD if something goes wrong).

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Whats the point of improving stations?

Like building a new station in Cobourg, like wtf, the current one of perfectly fine and half of the station is not even being used.

They could spend the money on filling the 3-4 hour gap in train service between toronto and kingston in the evening or reduce fairs to get more people to take the train. or have trains running earlyer for people who start work at 7am, not everyone starts work at 9am.

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Whats the point of improving stations?

Like building a new station in Cobourg, like wtf, the current one of perfectly fine and half of the station is not even being used.

The old station was small for the passenger loads they had, plus it is in the way of one of the new tracks.

They could spend the money on filling the 3-4 hour gap in train service between toronto and kingston in the evening or reduce fairs to get more people to take the train. or have trains running earlyer for people who start work at 7am, not everyone starts work at 9am.

They can't use capital funding - what is used for track improvements and new stations - to provide operational funding for additional trains. And VIA is tight for operating funds as it is.

That said, there will be more train frequencies in a couple of years once the LRC and F40 rebuilds are done, the trackwork is complete and the RDCs are all in service.

Dan

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Well, VIA can only rebuild so many F40's before they start showing up on #1/#2. They don't use anything else on it, and there's a finite about of F40's to rebuild. Watch for more in the future.

SARCASM ALERT BELOW!

Although I have to give them credit, they've done a good job of hogging all the rebuilds in the east :lol: (optional logical reasonning: they'll be near CAD if something goes wrong).

Actually from what I was told your sarcasm is correct, that is why they are out east.

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@smallspy, I implying that they sould increase via's overall funding to lower fairs and increase service.. or at the very least remove all sales tax's from the fairs.

And how exactly can VIA Rail do that?

Kvetching at VIA will not help it when they are handcuffed in their finances.

Dan

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That said, there will be more train frequencies in a couple of years once the LRC and F40 rebuilds are done, the trackwork is complete and the RDCs are all in service.

Dan

What's the latest on the RDC's? I recall hearing they were going to try an RDC-HEP2-RDC set along the Toronto-Sarnia trips to see if its feasible, but that was quite a while ago. Is VIA still looking at this, and if so, how many units are they looking to acquire? 10? 20?

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What's the latest on the RDC's? I recall hearing they were going to try an RDC-HEP2-RDC set along the Toronto-Sarnia trips to see if its feasible, but that was quite a while ago. Is VIA still looking at this, and if so, how many units are they looking to acquire? 10? 20?

The plan as it stands right now is to have 6 units completely rebuilt and upgraded - these will be new to VIA. They will then be dispersed to Northern Ontario and Vancouver Island and replace the units currently in service there.

Those original units will then get cycled through IRSI and rebuilt and upgraded to the same standards. Most of those will then go back to their original homes and allow an increase of service.

Only then will the units for Southern Ontario be rebuilt. I believe that there are to be 5 sets, although admittedly I'm not sure how many exactly are to be done.

Dan

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And how exactly can VIA Rail do that?

Kvetching at VIA will not help it when they are handcuffed in their finances.

Dan

I ment the federal goverment should increase there funding again! and yeah I understand that Ottawa controls there spending, and theres hardly any profit in passager service.

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