VIA Rail Canada

[smallspy]

I do not know the maximum speed off the top of my head anymore, but 80mph would be too fast for them for sure... The engines they've got in them these days aren't intended for high speed end operation. BC Rail's, which did have completely different engines, could hit about 50-60 mph in straight line open throttle on a good day.

There are various anecdotes floating around online of RDCs running at 100mph. This was in the 1950s and 1960s, when they were still fairly new however.

In Canada, they are limited to 90mph.

Dan

[D. DeLarge]

There are various anecdotes floating around online of RDCs running at 100mph. This was in the 1950s and 1960s, when they were still fairly new however.

In Canada, they are limited to 90mph.

Dan

CP's maximum operating speed for their RDC's was 90mph. Although I've heard it took some coaxing to exceed that.

[Dane]

Well as long as the RDC's get a facelift to live longer. Is Via Planning on working out the infrastructure and track issues? I didnt find anything on the site about the island service being revamped and stuff. is it even part of the capital budget project plan? I know they had that temp bus service and then told passengers to use greyhound to get to they're destination.

It is not Via's issue to fix. The arrangement of track ownership on the Island is a bit convoluted, however the long story short is that a fairly substantial amount of money is needed to set things right. The Province, I believe, is willing to chip in half. There will be an election in the next year or so; this could help a lot.

CP's maximum operating speed for their RDC's was 90mph. Although I've heard it took some coaxing to exceed that.

That was a long time ago, with different engines and transmissions to boot. Safety standards were also very different (read: less) than now, a growing issue for self propelled equipment over time. I am sure you may be able to get them up pretty quick still these days, but certainly not to those very high speeds.

[smallspy]

That was a long time ago, with different engines and transmissions to boot. Safety standards were also very different (read: less) than now, a growing issue for self propelled equipment over time. I am sure you may be able to get them up pretty quick still these days, but certainly not to those very high speeds.

The transmissions are the same. The engines have changed, but the same engines - Cummins N14s - were run at up to 90mph in the past.

Safety standards are a bit of a problem admittedly, but by law the cars are grandfathered in.

Dan

[Dane]

I didn't think the transmissions were the same post the Via rebuild programme that happened.... sometime? lol

Looking at the TO airport thing I was sad to see RDC's not be used, although I get the perception behind using almost 60 year old equipment....

[smallspy]

I didn't think the transmissions were the same post the Via rebuild programme that happened.... sometime? lol

Some cars have received brand new transmissions from different manufacturers - I think IRSI's demonstrator is one of them - but to the best of my knowledge all of the cars still owned by VIA have the original Voith mechanical transmissions in them (albeit rebuilt many, many times).

Dan

[TomW]

There was a recent report into capacity at Toronto Union station, and it mentioned that VIA trains are allocated ten minutes for unloading, and forty (!!!) minutes for loading. Obviously, this effects station capacity (not to mention staff time/tax-payers money)

Why does it take so long (espeically loading), and what can be done to reduce it?

[Shaun]

There was a recent report into capacity at Toronto Union station, and it mentioned that VIA trains are allocated ten minutes for unloading, and forty (!!!) minutes for loading. Obviously, this effects station capacity (not to mention staff time/tax-payers money)

Why does it take so long (espeically loading), and what can be done to reduce it?

I'm sure that trains like the Canadian take lots of time to load, especially with that many people.

[Dane]

I am sure a train that runs three times a week is a drop in the bucket compared to the overwhelming majority of Via's services from the station.

[DL1892]

There was a recent report into capacity at Toronto Union station, and it mentioned that VIA trains are allocated ten minutes for unloading, and forty (!!!) minutes for loading. Obviously, this effects station capacity (not to mention staff time/tax-payers money)

Why does it take so long (espeically loading), and what can be done to reduce it?

I am going to sort of compare it to aircraft loading and unloading:

The halls in union are not the widest and can be compared to jetways.

When your unloading a train, there is no ticket checking, thus no waiting to get off. When boarding they check tickets, and you have to wait for the passengers on the train to unload.

All in all it is comparable to aircraft, and the turn around time for them ranges from 30 to 2 hours.

[Dane]

I am going to sort of compare it to aircraft loading and unloading:

The halls in union are not the widest and can be compared to jetways.

When your unloading a train, there is no ticket checking, thus no waiting to get off. When boarding they check tickets, and you have to wait for the passengers on the train to unload.

That same report mentions GO is something like 10 minutes with considerably more passengers and the same constraints you list above. Other than the aforementioned Canadian most services running out of Union for Via are of a quasi-similar if not nearly identical nature to those of GO.

[DL1892]

That same report mentions GO is something like 10 minutes with considerably more passengers and the same constraints you list above. Other than the aforementioned Canadian most services running out of Union for Via are of a quasi-similar if not nearly identical nature to those of GO.

GO is able to have a fast turn around time because they don't check tickets and don't need to load luggage. Not so comparable in my eyes.

I'm not sure about how Via loads as I use Aldershot to get home, and fly east, but the two platform system GO uses is incredibly efficient in that the staircases and platforms do not become a freeway of people trying to move past one another.

[Shaun]

What they could do is build a facility close to Union Station where the luggage and stuff is loaded, and then the train is then moved into the shed for faster boarding.

This would require passengers with checked luggage to have to check their luggage more than 30 minutes before departure.

[Orion VIII]

I am sure a train that runs three times a week is a drop in the bucket compared to the overwhelming majority of Via's services from the station.

But if you need a track for a 40 minute loading period on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, then what do you do with that track on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays?

[Dane]

I am not talking about the track utilization, although your sort-of point/question is well taken. That is surely a logistical challenge for Union. However the data is the result of statistical averages, hence my comment of "a drop in the bucket." Alternately my point is that the challenge is less with the infrequent Canadian as it is with other Via trains.

[dowlingm]

Canadian does not depart at peak so not really an issue. Northlander is more of a problem since it departs during AM peak. Sending it earlier runs into inbound GO trains with no passing track, later means an arrival time which will cause opposition up north - unless Metrolinx found or brokered some cash to accelerate the Northlander over current areas of slow running?

[GuineaPig]

Does anybody know when the timetables for Corridor service will be updated because of the new tracks and various improvements? Supposedly there's going to be a significant reduction in travel time, plus more departures (a couple more trains between Toronto and Montreal, and a doubling of Ottawa to Toronto and Ottawa to Montreal trains), but there's no indication as to when these changes are being implemented. Most of the infrastructure construction has been completed, so I would've thought it would be coming soon.

[smallspy]

Does anybody know when the timetables for Corridor service will be updated because of the new tracks and various improvements? Supposedly there's going to be a significant reduction in travel time, plus more departures (a couple more trains between Toronto and Montreal, and a doubling of Ottawa to Toronto and Ottawa to Montreal trains), but there's no indication as to when these changes are being implemented. Most of the infrastructure construction has been completed, so I would've thought it would be coming soon.

There are rumours that there are big schedule changes expected at the end of January, but I haven't heard or seen anything official as yet.

Dan

[Shaun]

Canadian does not depart at peak so not really an issue. Northlander is more of a problem since it departs during AM peak. Sending it earlier runs into inbound GO trains with no passing track, later means an arrival time which will cause opposition up north - unless Metrolinx found or brokered some cash to accelerate the Northlander over current areas of slow running?

What area is currently a bottle Neck?

Isn't GO currently investigating how to run all day service on that line? Maybe that will help.

Most of the bridges over the streets are build for double track. There are some trestles that would need to be build to cross various bike trails and such.

There could be room between the ravine around Sheppard avenue to north of old Cummer station. If you could build a passing track at Old Cummer you could make traffic flow a bit easier.

[trainmaster_1]

What area is currently a bottle Neck?

Isn't GO currently investigating how to run all day service on that line? Maybe that will help.

Most of the bridges over the streets are build for double track. There are some trestles that would need to be build to cross various bike trails and such.

There could be room between the ravine around Sheppard avenue to north of old Cummer station. If you could build a passing track at Old Cummer you could make traffic flow a bit easier.

Again you don't research, the Bala Sub has 3 signaled passing sidings between the Don and Doncaster (Rosedale, Oriole and Doncaster South), why build another passing track when you have three already in use. Let alone if you are going to be running all day service on the Richmond Hill line, you got to double track strategic spots of the Bala Sub as most of the RoW down there is tight and the curvature is sharp as it is on that line.

[Guest NiagaraRailfan]

When is VIA Rail's next big 50% savings deal I tried to get one with the Canadian from Edmonton but it didnt work. So was wondering if anyone knows about it

[jlarocque2005]

When is VIA Rail's next big 50% savings deal I tried to get one with the Canadian from Edmonton but it didnt work. So was wondering if anyone knows about it

Most likely in the spring/summer I would watch the express deals page aswel as Via has been known to post 75% off deals there too

[smallspy]

When is VIA Rail's next big 50% savings deal I tried to get one with the Canadian from Edmonton but it didnt work. So was wondering if anyone knows about it

Every Thursday VIA puts a new set of deals up on their website. Right now there are 6 deals to Edmonton from Toronto on the Canadian, and another 5 from Edmonton back.

Dan

[dowlingm]

In my inbox this morning from VIA Preference:

Dear member,

Thanks to the Government of Canada's billion-dollar Capital Investment in VIA Rail, track and train upgrades have allowed us to introduce new, expanded train schedules in the Montréal-Ottawa-Toronto triangle.

Starting January 24th, 2012, VIA will offer:

• New non-stop express trains in each direction between Toronto and Ottawa, every day except Saturday, making the trip in just 3 hours and 57 minutes;

• A new daily departure between Ottawa and Montréal, featuring a late evening departure leaving Ottawa at 20:32;

• Additional departures between Montréal and Toronto, via Ottawa;

• Continuation of our very popular express train between downtown Montréal and downtown Toronto departing at 17:00, avoiding airport and highway congestion.

And as other major infrastructure projects are completed later in 2012, VIA plans to introduce even more schedule improvements, including shorter trip times and new express trains between Toronto and Montreal.

In order for you to better prepare your trips in the coming weeks, here are some highlights of the new trains and schedules.

NEW EASTBOUND SCHEDULE

The new eastbound schedule features:

• Train 56 will operate daily, except on Saturdays, with a departure time of 9:25 out of Toronto and an arrival time of 14:30 in Montréal

• Train 62 will operate on Saturdays only, with a departure time of 9:25 out of Toronto and an arrival time of 14:26 in Montréal

• The departure time of the Kingston-bound Train 650 out of Toronto will be moved from 22:30 to 18:35

• A new non-stop express train (Train 656) between Toronto and Ottawa will be added. This new non-stop express train will leave Toronto at 16:20 and arrive in Ottawa at 20:17

• A new express train between Ottawa and Montréal (Train 656). This train will leave Ottawa at 20:32 and arrive in Montréal at 22:20

o Train 656 provides a new option between Toronto and Montréal, going through Ottawa

• The cancellation of Train 68 between Toronto and Montréal, which used to leave Toronto at 18:35 and arrive in Montréal at 00:09

• The cancellation of Train 668 (Saturdays and Sundays), which used to leave Toronto at 18:35 and arrive in Montréal at 00:16

NEW WESTBOUND SCHEDULE

The new westbound schedule features:

• Train 37, which leaves Montreal every weekday at 17:05, will now be an express train, making trip in only 1 hour and 50 minutes

• A new non-stop express train (Train 59) between Ottawa and Toronto will be added. This train, which originates in Montréal at 14:55, will leave Ottawa at 17:06 and arrive in Toronto at 21:03

• Train 61 will leave Montréal for Toronto at 11:50, and will now operate on a daily basis

• A new frequency between Montréal, Ottawa and Toronto (Train 657), will leave Montréal at 12:50, Ottawa at 15:13, and arrive in Toronto at 19:43

• Train 659, which runs between Montréal – Ottawa – Toronto, will now be available daily. This train originates in Montréal at 16:00, leaves Ottawa at 18:16, and arrives in Toronto at 22:57

• Train 69 between Montréal and Toronto will be cancelled. This train used to leave Montréal at 18:10 and arrive in Toronto at 23:12

Please note that the departure and arrival times currently indicated may slightly change in the coming days.

We realize that some of these changes may cause inconvenience for some members. Please be assured though that any stops or trains that were cancelled are a reflection of a sustained pattern of low ridership. On the other hand, the new stops and trains will give many of you more and better choices.

The highlights in this letter cover only the major changes to our schedules. Many other trains will also see minor adjustments to departure or arrival times. Please check these carefully when booking your next trip.

We'll be back with more news in 2012. Meanwhile, please accept my warmest wishes for a Happy Holiday season.

François-Yves Caya

Manager, Loyalty Marketing

VIA Rail Canada

[Zouloukistan]

No more trains after 5pm between Toronto and Montreal, shame.