VIA Rail Canada Siemens trainsets: Difference between revisions
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Latest revision as of 21:28, 17 April 2024
VIA Rail Canada's Siemens Trainsets are 32 bidirectional locomotive-hauled corridor trainsets currently being built by Siemens Mobility. The base trainsets will consist of a Siemens SCV-42 locomotive and five Venture coaches; two business class cars, two economy class cars, and an economy class cab car. The trainsets can be reconfigured to between 3 and 7 cars long.[1]
History
Order
In their 2018 budget, the federal Liberals allocated funding for the replacement of VIA Rail's rolling stock currently used in the Quebec-Windsor Corridor. On April 16, 2018, VIA Rail issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to manufacturers interested in supplying the railroad with new rolling stock. VIA Rail was interested in 32 bi-directional trainsets with enhanced accessibility features, a combined total of 9,100 passenger seats, and more fuel-efficient Tier 4 diesel engines.[2]
In June 2018, VIA Rail announced the names of the shortlisted manufacturers that would participate in the Request for Proposals (RFP). Qualified companies had until October 5, 2018 to submit a proposal. These companies were: Bombardier Transportation Canada, Siemens Canada, Stadler US, and Talgo.[3]
On December 12, 2018, VIA Rail announced that Siemens Canada was awarded a $989 million contract to build the 32 trainsets that will replace the existing fleet used in the Quebec-Windsor Corridor. The new trains are expected to go into service in 2022.[4]
Locomotive Features
On May 28, 2021, Via Rail unveiled the finalized exterior design of the new trainsets. Photos of the first locomotive at the Siemens manufacturing facility were also released.[5] The exterior design differs slightly from the original renders.
VIA Rail's Siemens Charger locomotives are designated as SCV-42 (they were built as SC-44 units, and were unveiled as such, but were derated and redesignated before delivery), and are equipped with customizations that comply with operational regulations and VIA's needs. The SCV-42 features larger, more pronounced snowplow-pilots, a high-intensity discharge beam below the main headlights, and additional powertrain winterization to better cope with winter weather. In addition, VIA's units sport a streamlined, bolt-on nosecone instead of the blunt nose sections typically found on SC-44 locomotives. Whereas Charger units used for Corridor service elsewhere are equipped with 6,800 L fuel tanks, VIA's units were built with 8,300 L fuel tanks to more closely match the range of the outgoing P42DCs. They are fitted with a standard AAR coupler at the A-end, while the B-end features semi-permanent coupling to interface with the Venture trainsets. This configuration effectively prohibits them from hauling any of VIA's rolling stock types other than the Venture trainsets.
As with all recent passenger locomotives in Canada, they were delivered with the federally-mandated Nathan K5CA-LS horns. They are painted mainly in dark gray, with gray, black, and yellow elements following the units' streamlined profiles. They also feature large yellow 'VIA' logos on their midsections, and large red maple leaves on their rear sections.
Trainset Features
As with the LRC equipment they are replacing, the Siemens Venture coach and business class cars are configured with 50-50 seating, with half the seats in each car facing the B-end and the other half facing the A-end. Seating is configured with 2+1 abreast in business class and 2+2 abreast in economy class. Some of the new features of the Venture equipment include automated announcements, wider aisles, additional enhanced wheelchair spaces, enhanced Wi-Fi, and flexible luggage compartments that integrate bike racks (thus allowing bikes to be brought aboard as carry-on baggage). The base trainsets feature 3 wheelchair-accessible washrooms per train (one in the business section, and two in the economy section), as well as wheelchair parking spots with adjustable-height tables in those same cars. Each business class car features a four-seat semi-private compartment at the vestibule end the car for added privacy. [6] In addition to standard underseat 110 V AC outlets, underseat USB chargers are also available for passengers to use.
The trainsets feature automatic entry doors and automatic folding steps, as well as integrated powered wheelchair lifts, in order to service low-level platforms. Externally-facing LED signs mounted on the doors show information such as the train number, car number, and destinations for the train. The cab ends of the cab cars are identical to the cab sections of the locomotives. Coaches are painted mainly light gray, with black trim around the windows and yellow stripes above the windows.
Production and Delivery
The first two locomotives, units 2200 and 2201, along with the first full set of Siemens Venture coaches, were delivered to VIA's Montreal Maintenance Centre on September 29, 2021. [7] The second trainset, comprising of locomotive 2202 and coaches 2601-2701-2901-2801-2301, was delivered to Montreal on August 6, 2022. It was ceremoniously welcomed into the fleet at Ottawa station on October 19, 2022. [8]
The trainsets are currently being built at Siemens' Sacramento plant. Trainsets are delivered via Union Pacific and CN, interchanging at Chicago. Trains are currently being delivered one per month. The first 12 trains were delivered to VIA's Montreal Maintenance Centre exclusively. Starting with trainset 13 (2212-2612-2712-2812-2912-2312), deliveries are now being accepted at VIA's Toronto Maintanance Centre in addition to Montreal.
Testing
In the second half of 2019, Siemens sent a coach that they were building for Caltrans and the Illinois Department of Transportation to the National Research Council for cold weather testing.[9]
Over the 2021-2022 winter season, VIA conducted multiple performance and winter endurance testing runs using the first trainset, initially over the VIA-owned section between Ottawa and Coteau, QC. On April 13 and 14, 2022, VIA performed simulated service runs between Ottawa and Windsor, as well as between London and Montreal, with the trainset stopping at each station en route to test compatibility and wheelchair lift functionality and interfacing. These tests were repeated in early August of the same year.
In late-April, 2022, the first trainset was sent to the National Research Council for further weather endurance testing.
Deployment
In preparation for entry into service in November 2022, the second trainset underwent multiple simulated service runs between Ottawa and Montreal in mid- and late-October, 2022, with VIA employees standing in for passengers. The trainset made its first revenue run on November 8, 2022, running as train 33 between Quebec City and Ottawa, and afterwards as train 26 back to Quebec City. [10] Initially used every Tuesday between Ottawa and Montreal as trains 33 and 26, as more trains were delivered they have slowly been introduced on more runs on the Ottawa-Montreal-Quebec route.
As of October 24, 2023, Venture trainsets are now used for some runs on the Ottawa-Toronto and Montreal-Toronto routes.
Details
Locomotives
Engine | Horsepower | Gearing | Top Speed | Head End Power |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cummins 16V-QSK95 | 4200 hp at 1800 rpm | 200 km/h (design)
160 km/h (service) |
600 kW 3-phase Static Inverter powered by main engine |
Trainsets
Currently all trainsets are formed as 5 car semi-permanently coupled sets, 23XX(cab)-28XX-29XX-27XX-26XX(end), with the end car connected to the locomotive. The formation of the trainsets can be reconfigured according to demand.
Cars 26XX, 28XX, and 29XX feature accessible washrooms and wheelchair spaces. Cars 23XX and 27XX are equipped with two small washrooms located near the vestibule. Cars 23XX also feature mid-car luggage towers as opposed to having them at the car ends, due to the placement of the cab.
References
- ↑ VIA Rail New Corridor Fleet. 21 February 2020. 2020 Next Generation Equipment Committee Meeting. AASHTO.
- ↑ Via Rail launches RFQ to replace its Quebec Windsor Corridor fleet. 16 April 2018. Press release. Via Rail Canada.
- ↑ Via Rail announces trainset manufactures participating in the RFP for it Quebec City-Windsor Corridor fleet. 18 June 2018. Press release. Via Rail Canada.
- ↑ Via Rail selects Siemens Canada to replace its Quebec-Windsor Corridor fleet. 12 December 2018. Press release. Via Rail Canada.
- ↑ New Fleet Exterior Design Reveal. Via Rail Canada.
- ↑ Fleet Replacement Program. VIA Rail Canada
- ↑ VIA Rail Canada on Twitter: Our new train has arrived and we couldn’t be happier!. Twitter.
- ↑ It's official! Thanks to our President and CEO Martin R. Landry for welcoming the first of 32 trains of our New Fleet with a ceremonial bottle of champagne!. October 19, 2022. Facebook. VIA Rail Canada.
- ↑ Host, Stephen C. “Siemens sends Caltrans/Illinois coach to Canada for testing.” ‘’International Railway Journal,’’ 31 October 2019.
- ↑ And now, the big attraction: Via’s Siemens Venture trainset!. November 8, 2022. Bellerive, David. Twitter.
Current Routes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Corridor | Ottawa-Montréal-Québec - Sarnia-Toronto - Toronto-Montréal/Ottawa - Windsor-Toronto - Toronto-Kingston - Toronto-London - Maple Leaf | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Long Distance | Canadian - Prince Rupert-Jasper - Montréal-Gaspé - Montréal-Jonquière - Montréal-Senneterre - Ocean - White River-Sudbury - Churchill-Winnipeg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Locomotives | 201-204 900-920 2200-2231 6401-6402 6404-6459 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Passenger cars | 1720-1722 1750 2300-2331 2600-2631 2700-2731 2800-2831 2900-2931 3248 3300-3372 3451-3475, 3477-3478 4000-4009 4100-4125 7000-7011 7100-7113 7200-7232 7300-7316 7400-7402 7500-7526 7600-7602 8100-8129 8130-8147 8201-8229 8301-8342 8401-8418 8500-8517 8600-8617 8618-8623 8701-8718 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Canadian Railroads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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