twice weekly canadian in winter?

[NS VIA Fan]

Wasn't one or two of the current Park cars actually obtained from D&RGW by VIA?

No, all the current Parks are xCPR.

But you are correct. VIA did obtain xD&RGW xCZ cars I believe that were very similar to the Parks with the intention of rebuilding them during the HEP I program. This was around the time of the massive cuts in January 1990…….they would no longer be needed and were never rebuilt. I remember one of the cars was to have become “Jasper Park”

 

[jis]

Thanks VIA Fan. I have been hearing rumblings about escalating cost of keeping the ex-CPR fleet going. Is there any truth to that? The fact that their utilization rate has declined considerably, should make it easier to keep them going I should think.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Thanks for the information, guys. At least I can rest assured that they won't get rid of the old stainless cars anytime soon, retaining the chance for me to ride them. I might find it very difficult to ride the expensive Canadian, but I'm thinking about riding the smaller Hudson Bay on the exclusive route to Churchill. Canada has a lot of amazing land trips, but I'm fearful that a lot of them will get cut.

 

[DET63]

Any chance the Canadians would ever consider ordering Superliner-type equipment for their long-haul trains?

 

[NS VIA Fan]

Any chance the Canadians would ever consider ordering Superliner-type equipment for their long-haul trains?

Yes it’s possible but highly unlikely with the current Harper Government. The Budd equipment is now nearly 60 years old but can probably last a few more years with the upgrading and care VIA takes with it.

Canada’s Bombardier owns the Superliner design and Amtrak’s Superliner II’s were assembled at the their plant in La Pocatiere, Quebec.

VIA did lease an Amtrak Superliner for 6 months back in the ‘80s to evaluate the equipment but it was decided to rebuild and HEP the xCPR Budd fleet instead.

Here’s the consist for VIA #3 the Panorama arriving Edmonton on Sept. 28/84 (on a portion of the route of today’s Canadian)

Amtrak 319 F40

Amtrak 31041 Superliner Coach-Baggage

Amtrak 34030 Superliner Coach

Amtrak 38025 Superliner Diner

Amtrak 32019 Superliner Sleeper

VIA 15301 Generator Car

 

[railiner]

Any chance the Canadians would ever consider ordering Superliner-type equipment for their long-haul trains?

Yes it’s possible but highly unlikely with the current Harper Government. The Budd equipment is now nearly 60 years old but can probably last a few more years with the upgrading and care VIA takes with it.

Canada’s Bombardier owns the Superliner design and Amtrak’s Superliner II’s were assembled at the their plant in La Pocatiere, Quebec.

VIA did lease an Amtrak Superliner for 6 months back in the ‘80s to evaluate the equipment but it was decided to rebuild and HEP the xCPR Budd fleet instead.

Here’s the consist for VIA #3 the Panorama arriving Edmonton on Sept. 28/84 (on a portion of the route of today’s Canadian)

Amtrak 319 F40

Amtrak 31041 Superliner Coach-Baggage

Amtrak 34030 Superliner Coach

Amtrak 38025 Superliner Diner

Amtrak 32019 Superliner Sleeper

VIA 15301 Generator Car

Yes! I remember when they sent those cars North. At the time, they said it was also to see how they performed in the extreme cold....although thinking about it, Edmonton couldn't have been too much colder than North Dakota at times.....

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Wasn't one or two of the current Park cars actually obtained from D&RGW by VIA?

No, all the current Parks are xCPR.

But you are correct. VIA did obtain xD&RGW xCZ cars I believe that were very similar to the Parks with the intention of rebuilding them during the HEP I program. This was around the time of the massive cuts in January 1990…….they would no longer be needed and were never rebuilt. I remember one of the cars was to have become “Jasper Park”

What happened to them? Scrapped?

Any chance the Canadians would ever consider ordering Superliner-type equipment for their long-haul trains?

Yes it’s possible but highly unlikely with the current Harper Government. The Budd equipment is now nearly 60 years old but can probably last a few more years with the upgrading and care VIA takes with it.

Canada’s Bombardier owns the Superliner design and Amtrak’s Superliner II’s were assembled at the their plant in La Pocatiere, Quebec.

VIA did lease an Amtrak Superliner for 6 months back in the ‘80s to evaluate the equipment but it was decided to rebuild and HEP the xCPR Budd fleet instead.

Here’s the consist for VIA #3 the Panorama arriving Edmonton on Sept. 28/84 (on a portion of the route of today’s Canadian)

Amtrak 319 F40

Amtrak 31041 Superliner Coach-Baggage

Amtrak 34030 Superliner Coach

Amtrak 38025 Superliner Diner

Amtrak 32019 Superliner Sleeper

VIA 15301 Generator Car

I was too small to remember anything like that. What's the Panorama, is it another name for the Super Continental?

 

[zephyr17]

Any chance the Canadians would ever consider ordering Superliner-type equipment for their long-haul trains?

Yes it’s possible but highly unlikely with the current Harper Government. The Budd equipment is now nearly 60 years old but can probably last a few more years with the upgrading and care VIA takes with it.

Canada’s Bombardier owns the Superliner design and Amtrak’s Superliner II’s were assembled at the their plant in La Pocatiere, Quebec.

VIA did lease an Amtrak Superliner for 6 months back in the ‘80s to evaluate the equipment but it was decided to rebuild and HEP the xCPR Budd fleet instead.

Here’s the consist for VIA #3 the Panorama arriving Edmonton on Sept. 28/84 (on a portion of the route of today’s Canadian)

Amtrak 319 F40

Amtrak 31041 Superliner Coach-Baggage

Amtrak 34030 Superliner Coach

Amtrak 38025 Superliner Diner

Amtrak 32019 Superliner Sleeper

VIA 15301 Generator Car

Yeah, they were considering piggybacking on the Amtrak Superliner II order.

 

[NS VIA Fan]

..........What's the Panorama, is it another name for the Super Continental?

A little history:

Back in the 1960’s.....the Panorama was CN’s slower running mate to the Super Continental. Basically two transcontinental trains per day each way across the country on CN. (CP had two trains also each way....the Canadian and the Dominion)

By the time that VIA was launched the Panorama had been discontinued. Then in November 1981 even the Super Continental was discontinued. There was now no through passenger service between Winnipeg and Vancouver......the route VIA’s Canadian uses today. (The Canadian was then using the original CPR route through Calgary and Banff)

On June 3, 1984 the new “Panorama” was introduced between Winnipeg and Edmonton (but still not thru to Vancouver)......returning passenger service to the CN line via Melville and replacing a daytime coach only train via Regina and Saskatoon . It also replaced the Skeena between Edmonton and Prince Rupert......Basically a through Winnipeg to Prince Rupert train (tri-weekly west of Edmonton)

On June 1, 1985 the Super Continental was relaunched. Replacing the Panorama between Winnipeg and Jasper and was extended through to Vancouver. Returning passenger service to the CN line between Red Pass Jct. (Jasper) and Vancouver for the first time since Nov. 1981. The Skeena name returned as a through Edmonton to Prince Rupert train which was attached to the Super Continental between Edmonton and Jasper tri-weekly.

The Canadian replaced the Super Continental on the CN route in January 1990.....the route it still follows today.

 

[railiner]

Thanks for the 'history lesson'!

IIRC, back in the steam days, the CN, (or was it the Grand Trunk back then?), called their premier train, the Continental Limited. I suppose when it went streamliner, they took a page out of Santa Fe's book, with the 'Super' moniker.......

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

..........What's the Panorama, is it another name for the Super Continental?

A little history:

Back in the 1960’s.....the Panorama was CN’s slower running mate to the Super Continental. Basically two transcontinental trains per day each way across the country on CN. (CP had two trains also each way....the Canadian and the Dominion)

By the time that VIA was launched the Panorama had been discontinued. Then in November 1981 even the Super Continental was discontinued. There was now no through passenger service between Winnipeg and Vancouver......the route VIA’s Canadian uses today. (The Canadian was then using the original CPR route through Calgary and Banff)

On June 3, 1984 the new “Panorama” was introduced between Winnipeg and Edmonton (but still not thru to Vancouver)......returning passenger service to the CN line via Melville and replacing a daytime coach only train via Regina and Saskatoon . It also replaced the Skeena between Edmonton and Prince Rupert......Basically a through Winnipeg to Prince Rupert train (tri-weekly west of Edmonton)

On June 1, 1985 the Super Continental was relaunched. Replacing the Panorama between Winnipeg and Jasper and was extended through to Vancouver. Returning passenger service to the CN line between Red Pass Jct. (Jasper) and Vancouver for the first time since Nov. 1981. The Skeena name returned as a through Edmonton to Prince Rupert train which was attached to the Super Continental between Edmonton and Jasper tri-weekly.

The Canadian replaced the Super Continental on the CN route in January 1990.....the route it still follows today.

Thanks for the infomation. Why was there no through service Winnipeg-Vancouver 1981-1985? I though the Canadian ran through Winnipeg as well.

 

[NS VIA Fan]

.................Then in November 1981 even the Super Continental was discontinued. There was now no through passenger service between Winnipeg and Vancouver......the route VIA’s Canadian uses today. (The Canadian was then using the original CPR route through Calgary and Banff)

The Canadian replaced the Super Continental on the CN route in January 1990.....the route it still follows today.

Thanks for the infomation. Why was there no through service Winnipeg-Vancouver 1981-1985? I though the Canadian ran through Winnipeg as well.

Yes there was through service between Winnipeg and Vancouver. As I said above.......the Canadian was then using the original CPR route through Calgary and Banff......... Just not on the route VIA's Canadian uses today which is the CNR route (Super Continental) through Edmonton and Jasper.