Canadian Railroads > "Via Rail to add more southwestern Ontario trains"

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/via-rail-to-add-more-southwestern-ontario-trains-ceo-says-1.3080795

(Nothing for Sarnia and Stratford)

Two words: Fall Election.

Bill Miller
Galt, ON

Where are they getting the rolling stock for this? Unlike Amtrak who has enough Amfleets (650ish A1+A2) and Superliners(almost 300?) to casually throw around for specials and use as baggage cars, VIA's pretty tight when it comes to rolling stock, except for the long distance Budds.

Amfleeter Wrote:
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> Where are they getting the rolling stock for this?
> Unlike Amtrak who has enough Amfleets (650ish
> A1+A2) and Superliners(almost 300?) to casually
> throw around for specials and use as baggage cars,
> VIA's pretty tight when it comes to rolling stock,
> except for the long distance Budds.

maybe they still have them from the trains they cut a few years back.

Dave

CCMF Wrote:
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> Two words: Fall Election.

Could be your first NDP National Leadership in Parliament?  Weirder things have just happened.

Rick

Amfleeter Wrote:
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> Where are they getting the rolling stock for this?
> Unlike Amtrak who has enough Amfleets (650ish
> A1+A2) and Superliners(almost 300?) to casually
> throw around for specials and use as baggage cars,
> VIA's pretty tight when it comes to rolling stock,
> except for the long distance Budds.

Thanks.  That's an interesting observation, and I'd like to start a thread on the passenger board, using it.

This particular segment of the corridor is growing because it has multiple frequencies.

They are making damned sure Sarnia stays at one train so that market won't grow, previously handicapped with 2 trains because 1 train ceased going to Chicago thanks to the self-serving goons at US Customs. There are now a lot of cars parked at Port Huron with Ontario plates.

Niagara Falls gets the Amtrak run-thru, without which it likely would not exist (almost like Sarnia),to Leave the Driving to Greyhound and the GO/Train/Bus combo. I have seen many people left behind at the Niagara Falls, ON bus station to "wait for the next schedule" because the 2nd section starting at Buffalo was full, because the Greyhound Canada morons forced the 1st section from New York (as Trailways) run express from Buffalo to Toronto HALF EMPTY. So much for the wisdom of leaving so much intercity ground travel in the hands of stupid bus companies.

The Federal government is somewhat ahead by no longer subsidizing the Northlander south of North Bay. That money has not found its way to VIA Rail.

DavidP Wrote:
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> Amfleeter Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Where are they getting the rolling stock for
> this?
> > Unlike Amtrak who has enough Amfleets (650ish
> > A1+A2) and Superliners(almost 300?) to casually
> > throw around for specials and use as baggage
> cars,
> > VIA's pretty tight when it comes to rolling
> stock,
> > except for the long distance Budds.
>
> maybe they still have them from the trains they
> cut a few years back.
>
> Dave

The cutbacks in the corridor didn't save much, if any, equipment.  The Niagara Falls round-trip was an extension of Ottawa trains. The round-trip to Sarnia still runs as far as London. The system is stretched, of course, but some Renaissance trains are available.  A short while ago VIA decided to remove all of the Rens. from the Montreal-Quebec City route, but soon realised that it was necessary to put some of them back.  At present there are two sets of Ren. equipment on that route.  Other sets are available and, with the reduction of the equipment cycles on the Ocean from three to two, more coaches and service cars should be available.

CCMF Wrote:
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> Two words: Fall Election.

I agree.
With the Federal Government going into recess soon before a Fall election, no decisions are going to be made until a new Government is elected.
So, to a certain extent, promises can be made with no chance they will be fulfilled.  Any legislation not debated in Parliament will die on the Order Paper in the next few weeks.
Via Rail is a Canadian Government corporation, and lives or dies by the Federal budget which will have to take place in the spring of 2016.

However, the CEO of Via Rail is somewhat independant of the Canadian Government.  He may be presenting this "wish list' to whichever political party governs Canada after October so that he can extract a commitment from the potential Prime Minister to carry out service improvements.

Toronto and Montreal are largely Liberal and NDP cities, and a promise of more train service in the corridor could help secure a Liberal win.
The present Prime Minister is Toronto born and bred, but moved to Calgary and is a "social conservative" as opposed to a "fiscal conservative"..Regarding Via Rail, he appears to be using the tactic of starving the system to death rather than the massive axe jobs carried out by former Conservative and Liberal PM's
 

Amfleeter Wrote:
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> Where are they getting the rolling stock for this?
> Unlike Amtrak who has enough Amfleets (650ish
> A1+A2) and Superliners(almost 300?) to casually
> throw around for specials and use as baggage cars,
> VIA's pretty tight when it comes to rolling stock,
> except for the long distance Budds.

Why not use the Budds. Why not use the Renaissance equipment or build better equipment utilization out of current equipment? VIA isn't running the Chaleur - train to Gaspe right now. Often that train did NOT use long distance Budds. There have to be extra Renaissance cars around - at least one extra train set from the Ocean going down to three days a week. And again, trains can turn at Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec - as well as do run-throughs at Ottawa - to increase equipment utilization. VIA's done wonders with its equipment and I would say VIA's pretty flush with equipment if they want to be considering various cuts that were had. It's like Amtrak extending trains from Washington DC to Richmond or Norfolk. Same train set used - just over a longer run.