# VIA's top speeds



## Guest_rms492_* (Jun 19, 2009)

Hello, can someone tell me what VIA's top speeds are (i.e., like 79 for Amtrak in US, plus the corridors).

What are the top speeds for the long-distance trains, such as Canadian, Ocean.

What is the top speed for the Montreal-Toronto corridor.

Thanks


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## Green Maned Lion (Jun 26, 2009)

Guest_rms492_* said:


> Hello, can someone tell me what VIA's top speeds are (i.e., like 79 for Amtrak in US, plus the corridors).
> What are the top speeds for the long-distance trains, such as Canadian, Ocean.
> 
> What is the top speed for the Montreal-Toronto corridor.
> ...


With two F45s and often as many as 25 cars, I can't imagine the Canadian moving very fast at all.


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## MrEd (Jun 26, 2009)

"For now, VIA Rail will continue to use trains that travel up to 160 km/h (100mph) on the Quebec City-Windsor corridor, along rights-of-way shared with freight operations. "

http://www.railwayage.com//content/view/918/121/

Cote also said VIA was encouraged by U.S. plans for high speed rail improvements, some of which include rail route directly or indirectly linking with Canadian locales, including Montreal, Vancouver, and Windsor. But Cote said any Canadian HSR approach would be incremental by design. The provincial governments in Quebec and Ontario, along with the federal government, are weighing plans forhigh speed rail linking Quebec City and Windsor that would take a decade tobuild and cost C$18 billion (US$16 billion).

A private consortium of firms, assisted by those governments, is expected to make recommendations in 2010.

"I know that there is some impatience that some people would like it to be faster," Cote said. "But that's the way the governments decided to go. So we will offer our assistance to make it happen and at the end we will have a very well documented story line for high speed rail."


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## Bill Haithcoat (Jun 28, 2009)

A Canadian friend said the top speeds for the Canadian were probably little more than 60 mph.


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## NS VIA FAN (Jul 5, 2009)

Green Maned Lion said:


> With two F45s and often as many as 25 cars, I can't imagine the Canadian moving very fast at all.


Wrong!...I've had my GPS with me on several trips on the Canadian and we've been in the 80>85mph range across much of the Saskatchewan prairie. In the rock cuts of northern Ontario, it's more like 40>50mph.

I've been at a crossing east of Melville, Sask. and watched the Canadian with 30 cars of perfactly matched Budd Stainless Steel & Domes pass by at 80mph.....And what a sight!

The Ocean has long stretches of 85>90+mph operation on CN's Drummondville and Montmagny Subdivisions to east of Quebec City.

Corridor trains are usually in the 95>100mph range.....It's fun riding the Toronto to Ottawa trains after they leave the CN main at Brockville and head up a CP branchline to Smiths Falls.....95+ in dark (un-signaled) territory with the horn continuously sounding for the numerous grade crossings!

The VIA owned Alexandria Subdivision (near Coteau-du-Lac to Ottawa) has been rebuilt for 100mph operation and new CTC is being installed on VIA owned track from Chatham to Windsor which will allow an increase in speeds.

Amtrak power on the Maple Leaf running on the Oakville Sub west of Toronto is restricted to 80mph as the over-speed will kick-in, sound an alarm/apply the brakes. VIA power here will be in the 90+ range.


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