Canadian "Buffer Cars" discussion

[Urban Sky]

I could certainly see LRC coaches that are displaced by the new sets showing up in northern Quebec service (where no sleepers are involved), but longer distance remains a mystery.

Transport Canada has made more than clear that the LRC cars won’t have any kind of second life after its Corridor deployment - neither at VIA nor any tourist railway. They already have to get retired progressively as we speak and independently of the question whether the delivery of the new trainsets can keep up…

I saw a YouTube video of someone riding the Ocean (Halifax-Montreal) earlier this week, and it looked like its consist included both newer sleeper cars (where the content creator's room was; he described them as "Eurostar hand-me-downs", but they looked pretty nice) and the older Chateau sleeper cars. How long would it take to put the newer sleeper cars on the Canadian, and how would that alter the trip experience for passengers?

There is only one maintenance facility on this planet with experience maintaining and repairing Renaissance cars and that is in Montreal. Given the poor reliability of the Renaissance cars, they are not suitable to be sent across the country for multiple days…

 

[jiml]

Transport Canada has made more than clear that the LRC cars won’t have any kind of second life after it’s Corridor deployment - neither at VIA nor any tourist railway. They already have to get retured progressively as we speak and independently of the question whether the delivery of the new trainsets can keep up…

I was not aware of that. Thanks for the clarification. That's almost a larger problem than the one being discussed.

 

[jiml]

Given the poor reliability of the Renaissance cars, they are not suitable to be sent across the country for multiple days…

They do look good in VIA's latest Fall ad however.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Seems like the best solution is to spend whatever $$$ necessary to make the park cars “buffer cars”

 

[jis]

As an aside, I was always under the impression that the Renn sets required a buffer car in the front between the passenger carrying section and any other type of car. I was under the impression that a buffer car was required in the rear only if ther were other types of cars behind the Renn cars. Do I recall wrong? Someone with more precise knowledge might be able to help set me straight.

 

[jiml]

As an aside, I was always under the impression that the Renn sets required a buffer car in the front between the passenger carrying section and any other type of car. I was under the impression that a buffer car was required in the rear only if ther were other types of cars behind the Renn cars. Do I recall wrong? Someone with more precise knowledge might be able to help set me straight.

I think the original purpose was to allow coupling a "rake" of Renaissance cars to locomotives and standard stock without modifying every car.

 

[jis]

I think the original purpose was to allow coupling a "rake" of Renaissance cars to locomotives and standard stock without modifying every car.

Basically the same principle now applies to the Budd fleet too, as far as I can tell.

 

[zephyr17]

I saw a YouTube video of someone riding the Ocean (Halifax-Montreal) earlier this week, and it looked like its consist included both newer sleeper cars (where the content creator's room was; he described them as "Eurostar hand-me-downs", but they looked pretty nice) and the older Chateau sleeper cars. How long would it take to put the newer sleeper cars on the Canadian, and how would that alter the trip experience for passengers?

The Renaissance sleepers are European hand me downs originally intended for an overnight Chunnel service that never happened.

The cars are an endless source of maintenance trouble and are well suited to neither Canadian winter conditions, nor the rough and tumble of North American railroading. I have a friend who is a foreman in car delivery with the former Bombardier. He is a serious railfan and has spent a lot of time working with GO Transit at Mimico and has talked a lot to the VIA maintenance staff. They hate the Rens, and there are a significant number laid up as parts sources.

I don't think you are going to see any more of them.

 

[GDRRiley]

The Renaissance sleepers are European hand me downs originally intended for an overnight Chunnel service that never happened.

The cars are an endless source of maintenance trouble and are well suited to neither Canadian winter conditions, nor the rough and tumble of North American railroading. I have a friend who is a foreman in car delivery with the former Bombardier. He is a serious railfan and has spent a lot of time working with GO Transit at Mimico and has talked a lot to the VIA maintenance staff. They hate the Rens, and there are a significant number laid up as parts sources.

I don't think you are going to see any more of them.

they never even put most into service they got 140 shells of which half just sat outside rotting away

 

[jiml]

As @Urban Sky pointed out, they're now based in Montreal so we rarely see them in Ontario anymore. As far west as they get are the through Quebec City-Ottawa trains. They do continue on the Ocean of course, where the 3-unit diner-lounge setup actually provides for a great customer experience. I'll miss that and their smooth ride when they're gone. It will be interesting what gets retired first, based on the subject of this thread, the LRC problem and the Renaissance fleet.

 

[GDRRiley]

LRC and some of the buds will go with the venture sets.
but everything else waits on them getting new LD cars which won't be fast

 

[Urban Sky]

It will be interesting what gets retired first, based on the subject of this thread, the LRC problem and the Renaissance fleet.

My understanding is that the Renaissance cars used on the Corridor can probably last until all 32 new trainsets have been delivered. VIA doesn‘t have that kind of luxury with the LRC fleet…

 

[Fenu S]

Here is the most recent video of The Canadian on Youtube. It does include the buffer cars.

 

[acelafan]

Here is the most recent video of The Canadian on Youtube. It does include the buffer cars.

And that is one long passenger train.

 

[TheMalahat]

And it's full! Very full. I'm on board.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

And it's full! Very full. I'm on board.

How’s the trip going!?

 

[user 5784]

https://tc.canada.ca/en/rail-transp...JgVGQGl3SSFVGhaMgrW83cJlBtLba6hBfSYDe_RHFbMVw

 

[west point]

That order will probably reduce the number of HEP cars with the destructive testing.

 

[joelkfla]

That order will probably reduce the number of HE{ cars with the destructive testig.

Yeah, sounds like they're sacrificing at least 3 cars. I'm assuming that the "tear-down inspection" doesn't preclude putting those cars back together.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

For us structural novicies what is the function of the "buffer" cars? Buffer against what? How will they prevent problems?

There crush zones. In this case there putting mass between the passenger carrying cars, and whatever trying to hit them. No its not going to help much, but with problems they have detected it something. More of a stop gap, into they determine the extent of the problem and develop a correction. Or order new equipment.

 

[Urban Sky]

One just has to look at this picture of the 1986 Hinton collision to understand the merit of being as far away from the train in the (admittedly unlikely) event of a head-on collision:

Spoiler

There was one coach, one baggage car and two locomotives in front of that Skyline car…

 

[TheMalahat]

How’s the trip going!?

Absolutely amazing. We actually had a death on board, tragic but natural circumstances. Certainly hadn't experienced that before.

 

[geddyleesmullet]

The Carolina agency's heritage stock is scheduled to be replaced by ICT in 5-7 years, but if necessary, in the interim they might be substituted or buffered by Horizon Fleet cars taken out of Mothballs or released from the Midwest I suppose.

I cannot recall if VIA has a re-equiping plan for the long distance fleet. Does it? Where does it stand at present if it does?

I believe that Carolina heritage stock is mostly comprised of ACF (American and Car Foundry) and some Pullman coaches if I remember but no Budd cars.

 

[desertflyer]

Via just about gave me a heart attack this morning.

Got this email about the Park Car being removed from our upcoming Canadian trip in November:

Then got this an hour later, with the subject line "correction" and then no mention of the Park Car being removed:

 

[zephyr17]

Via just about gave me a heart attack this morning.

Got this email about the Park Car being removed from our upcoming Canadian trip in November:

Then got this an hour later, with the subject line "correction" and then no mention of the Park Car being removed:

They must be subcontracting some of their IT to Amtrak.

There were some reports of that letter over on FB, freaking people out.

I will be on #2 on Monday, happily I didn't get it. My notification a couple weeks ago was only about baggage access.