Cancelled Via Train

[StanJazz]

Today I received an email from Via that my train #98 was cancelled. I cancelled it and received my refund over a month ago. My trip was the Lake Shore Limited out of Chicago and then the Maple Leaf to Niagara Falls ON. After 3 days at the falls I was going to Toronto to see the Cubs play the Blue Jays. Of course that trip is out.

 

[Exvalley]

I feel your pain. I was scheduled to ride the Ocean in May. I rebooked for October. Both were cancelled by VIA Rail.

 

[Mike Lyons]

We were booked on the Canadian for May 31 , that was cancelled . Then we rebooked for October and that was cancelled as well . Just rebooked for next May , hopefully third time is a charm .

 

[manchacrr]

Today I received an email from Via that my train #98 was cancelled. I cancelled it and received my refund over a month ago. My trip was the Lake Shore Limited out of Chicago and then the Maple Leaf to Niagara Falls ON. After 3 days at the falls I was going to Toronto to see the Cubs play the Blue Jays. Of course that trip is out.

As the border between Canada and the United States is currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All cross-border trains are cancelled for at least the Canadian portion of the route. The Maple Leaf, for example, is currently running only from New York City to Niagara Falls, NY. The Adirondack is currently only running from New York CIty to Albany. On the West Coast, the Amtrak Cascades service is currently running from Eugene-Springfield to Seattle, with all service between Seattle and Vancouver cancelled.

 

[Rasputin]

From information on another site, it appears that the Ocean may now be cancelled until Jan. 6, 2021 instead of resuming in Nov.

 

[20th Century Rider]

At least they are forward thinking... only time will tell.
https://corpo.viarail.ca/en/projects-infrastructure

 

[NS VIA Fan]

From information on another site, it appears that the Ocean may now be cancelled until Jan. 6, 2021 instead of resuming in Nov.

Until provincial borders reopen there is no point in running the Ocean if you are required to quarantine for 14 days when you cross into New Brunswick from Quebec.

It's conceivable a Halifax-Moncton-Campbellton Ocean could be operated as that route would be entirely within the 'Atlantic Bubble' where quarantine requirements have been relaxed.

 

[jiml]

It's conceivable a Halifax-Moncton-Campbellton Ocean could be operated as that route would be entirely within the 'Atlantic Bubble' where quarantine requirements have been relaxed.

I recently heard that same rumour (although just Moncton - Halifax) - possibly starting Nov. or Dec. 1. Are you aware if there's currently a trainset stored in Halifax, or was everything sent back to Montreal at shutdown?

 

[jiml]

At least they are forward thinking... only time will tell.
https://corpo.viarail.ca/en/projects-infrastructure

Unless the federal government undertakes huge infrastructure spending as part of the pandemic recovery, VIA has no money. Much like Amtrak, to spend money one place will require cuts somewhere else.

 

[Urban Sky]

I recently heard that same rumour (although just Moncton - Halifax) - possibly starting Nov. or Dec. 1. Are you aware if there's currently a trainset stored in Halifax, or was everything sent back to Montreal at shutdown?

When the decision to shut down all transcontinental services with immediate effect was made during the early afternoon of Friday, March 13, train 15 had already departed Halifax, while there were still a few hours left until the scheduled departure of train 14 in Montreal (and of train 2 in Vancouver). Therefore, train 15 continued its westbound journey until Montreal, whereas train 14 (and train 2) never left...

Train 15 (2020-03-13): https://reservia.viarail.ca/tsi/Get...siTrainNumber=15&TrainInstanceDate=2020-03-13

Train 14 (2020-03-13):
https://reservia.viarail.ca/tsi/Get...siTrainNumber=14&TrainInstanceDate=2020-03-13

 

[lstone19]

When the decision to shut down all transcontinental services with immediate effect was made during the early afternoon of Friday, March 13, train 15 had already departed Halifax, while there were still a few hours left until the scheduled departure of train 14 in Montreal (and of train 2 in Vancouver). Therefore, train 15 continued its westbound journey until Montreal, whereas train 14 (and train 2) never left...

I was on the last Canadian (the WB departure from Toronto on 3/11/2020) and they made the shutdown announcement on-board. We were somewhere east of Saskatoon at the time and I half-expected them to terminate us at Edmonton. But we continued on to Vancouver arriving almost 12 hours late so we were still out there running more than 48 hours after the announcement. With 2 not departing on 3/13, assuming they haven't moved equipment since then, there are two sets in Vancouver and one in Toronto (as well as one of the ex-Skeena's locomotives in Vancouver as we stole one in Jasper due to a problem with one of ours).

 

[NS VIA Fan]

......With 2 not departing on 3/13, assuming they haven't moved equipment since then, there are two sets in Vancouver and one in Toronto (as well as one of the ex-Skeena's locomotives in Vancouver as we stole one in Jasper due to a problem with one of ours).

There's been several cross-country equipment moves since the start of the pandemic.....and documented by photographers on the 'Trainorders' site:

The Pandemic Canadian: Father's Day Edition

VIA 12 Encore = A second train Vancouver to Toronto

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?15,5027056

 

[Rasputin]

There now seems to be a discussion that the November start-up for the Ocean has been restored and there was a problem due to an adjustment in the computer system. Better stay tuned I guess.

 

[TheMalahat]

Unless the federal government undertakes huge infrastructure spending as part of the pandemic recovery, VIA has no money. Much like Amtrak, to spend money one place will require cuts somewhere else.

I think there's a few here with a bit more detailed insight, but, I'm pretty sure the major work was already funded and just done earlier and presumably a bit quicker. The rest is just amplified routine maintenance, this was very briefly touched on at the AGM earlier today, and even more briefly in the Q&A: https://corpo.viarail.ca/sites/default/files/media/pdf/speeches/APM_2020_Q&A_EN.pdf