VIA New Corridor Trains - 2021 - 2024 Updates

[Marbleski]

Marbleski thanks for your review.

By the way your video on the former "Newfie Bullet" at Corner Brook was interesting. That must have been something to ride on.
According to the 1950 Official Guide entry, it took over 26 hours to go from Port Aux Basques to St. Johns.

Glad you enjoyed the Newfie Bullet video. The tracks were very narrow that’s for sure. Yes it was about 26 hours across the island. I would love to be able to do that trip today but preferably over 40 hours or so lol.
Thanks for the time table image. Interesting indeed.

 

[danasgoodstuff]

Glad you enjoyed the Newfie Bullet video. The tracks were very narrow that’s for sure. Yes it was about 26 hours across the island. I would love to be able to do that trip today but preferably over 40 hours or so lol.
Thanks for the time table image. Interesting indeed.

Is there any chance you'll get a new Newfie train?

 

[railiner]

Marbleski thanks for your review.

By the way your video on the former "Newfie Bullet" at Corner Brook was interesting. That must have been something to ride on.
According to the 1950 Official Guide entry, it took over 26 hours to go from Port Aux Basques to St. Johns.
View attachment 31654

Wow…no wonder they were replaced by CN “Roadliner’s” on the TCH. They did it in less than half the time…

 

[Marbleski]

Is there any chance you'll get a new Newfie train?

Is there any chance you'll get a new Newfie train?

Unfortunately there is no chance of the railway returning. Too few people spread over such a large island to make economic since.

 

[Marbleski]

Wow…no wonder they were replaced by CN “Roadliner’s” on the TCH. They did it in less than half the time…

Yes once the TCH was completed coast to coast the passenger train was doomed.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

I think they will start working on Midwest trains once they get full Venture consists too.

The Lincoln Service trains (which go past my office window daily) are running with a mix of the Venture and older cars currently, with the Business Class/cafe car always being one of the older cars. It'll certainly be nice to have information displays on Lincoln Service showing as much info as the ones on the new VIA Corridor Service trainsets!

 

[Marbleski]

The Lincoln Service trains (which go past my office window daily) are running with a mix of the Venture and older cars currently, with the Business Class/cafe car always being one of the older cars. It'll certainly be nice to have information displays on Lincoln Service showing as much info as the ones on the new VIA Corridor Service trainsets!

I guess I should be happy with the new VIA information displays. I was hoping they would add the current travel speed, distance to next stop, time of arrival next stop.

 

[daybeers]

They definitely should show all that.

 

[jis]

According to observation at Donner by someone who posted on TO, another VIA set was released earlier and passed by Donner on the way to VIA Toronto yesterday (4/14/23)

 

[Fenu S]

On it's way home!

 

[TheMalahat]

I just read on Facebook, so quality of source unknown, that the Renaissance equipment is done on the Corridor tomorrow.

Is it the new trains replacing the two Ren sets, or is there enough LRC HEP stuff kicking around?

 

[Urban Sky]

I just read on Facebook, so quality of source unknown, that the Renaissance equipment is done on the Corridor tomorrow.

Is it the new trains replacing the two Ren sets, or is there enough LRC HEP stuff kicking around?

I don’t have any insider knowledge since I left VIA exactly two years ago, but as I wrote elsewhere:

VIA doesn’t have the luxury to decide the order in which they want to retire their Corrdior fleet, as there is some kind of „natural attrition“ as one LRC car after the other becomes condemned and is instantly retired, making the LRC fleet the by far most urgent fleet to retire. Also, as long as Renaissance cars are indispensible on the Ocean, there are very little benefits from retiring them on the Corridor…

Keep in mid that VIA doesn’t currently have the equipment to restore its full pre-pandemic schedule (e.g. the morning commuter trains 82 & 651 from London & Kingston to Toronto)…

 

[jiml]

I just read on Facebook, so quality of source unknown, that the Renaissance equipment is done on the Corridor tomorrow.

Is it the new trains replacing the two Ren sets, or is there enough LRC HEP stuff kicking around?

Is it possible that removal of the buffer cars freed up enough HEP-2 coaches to make a trainset? AFAIK there was only one full Renaissance consist still operating in the corridor between Ottawa and Quebec City. They haven't been west of Ottawa in years. Another solution would be going daily with the Siemens set that had been running only a couple of times a week - also between Ottawa and QC.

 

[jiml]

Two Quebec City trains are still showing as Renaissance in Tuesday's schedule, but it is possible the system has not been updated with a change.

 

[Urban Sky]

Rumors have it that there will be 2 Venture Sets and 2 Renaissance Sets in regular circulation as of next month:

https://groups.io/g/Canadian-Passenger-Rail/message/96171

 

[Fenu S]

Another set has been released and some Amtrak cars tagged along too.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Another set has been released and some Amtrak cars tagged along too.

It will be especially nice when the Venture business class/cafe cars are added to the corridor routes, on both sides of the border!

 

[Urban Sky]

It will be especially nice when the Venture business class/cafe cars are added to the corridor routes, on both sides of the border!

VIA has not ordered any, but good to know they exist…

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

VIA has not ordered any, but good to know they exist…

I don't know if they exist yet, but I have seen promises that "they're coming" in regard to discussions about Midwest regional trains.

 

[TheMalahat]

Rumors have it that there will be 2 Venture Sets and 2 Renaissance Sets in regular circulation as of next month:

https://groups.io/g/Canadian-Passenger-Rail/message/96171

Did this come true?

Was also curious, how many "train sets" does the Corridor currently need to operate?

 

[jiml]

It's a good question. The last info I had was that the original set in service between Ottawa-Montreal-Quebec City was going daily. Then along came the story that the Renaissance coaches were being taken out of corridor service which seemed to suggest (in some forums) that another of the more recent Siemens test sets would be pressed into service as a replacement. Sources have been quiet and the Renaissance consists continue to run.

Prior to Covid it used to be easier to calculate the utilization pattern east of Toronto (especially living near the tracks). They're not yet back at a full schedule. I can say there are a lot more Budd consists than in the past and some unusual configurations now that the buffer cars have gone away. Just this week I watched a 9-car LRC westbound behind a single locomotive, which may not sound weird but is not typical in recent times.

 

[TheMalahat]

Interesting, and thanks for sharing.

Weird times for Via, keeping equipment holding on awaiting the new train sets. Seems like we are close to potential service restoration, generally speaking, in the corridor and Quebec - but does the equipment exist?

I've never ridden the corridor, and am booked for one trip in April 2024 on 64. Hoping I get an "old" train, as I figure I got four decades to ride on the Siemens sets!!

 

[jiml]

I've never ridden the corridor, and am booked for one trip in April 2024 on 64. Hoping I get an "old" train, as I figure I got four decades to ride on the Siemens sets!!

64 is currently operated with an LRC set but a lot of things can change in the next year. If your priority is to ride either of the "heritage" types I'd definitely recommend the LRC while it's still around. They ride fairly well and the last refurb was decent, although I'm not a fan of the 50/50 fixed seating (something we'll have to get used to with the Siemens). There have been suggestions in other forums (somewhat confirmed by the former VIA insider here) that the LRCs may not outlast other cars, so ride them while you can.

Unless a flood of deliveries replaces the current trickle, it will be a surprise to see a Siemens set in service west of Ottawa by next April. They're based in Montreal, so it would make operational (and political) sense to continue the Ottawa - Quebec City integration first.

 

[TheMalahat]

We are currently booked in 2A & B and 3A & B so, hypothetically we're split even both front and rear facing!

 

[Urban Sky]

64 has been cycling from Windsor with 70 (and 65&75 the previous day) for quite a few years by now and given that West of Toronto will presumably be the last area to see the Ventures, it sounds like one of the safer bets if you really want to avoid them, but of course much can change before April - especially once the Siemens facility in Toronto opens…!