Canadian Railroads > The Canadian - no change in consist order this week.

Perhaps there is some consistency unlike the past few weeks.

I saw today's #2 arrive in Toronto at 1:18 p.m., just under four hours late.  I could not get a detailed consist at that time but a friend at VIA gave me the consist of tonight's #1 which is the same train.  It is quite a long train and the two dining cars will be busy. There is little sleeper space available; this is all that is unsold in the 14 sleepers as of 20:00.
Upper berths - 6 or more
Lower berths - 0
Cabins for 1 - 1
Cabins for 2 - 1
Prestige rooms - 1

The consist, with line numbers in parenthesis:

F40 6443
F40 6433
Baggage 8616
Coach 8119 (102)
Coach 8130 (103)
Skyline 8504
Abbot Manor (110)
Brant Manor (111)
Rogers Manor (112)
Skyline 8503
Dining Car Alexandra
Allan Manor (113)
Burton Manor (114)
Monck Manor (115)
Butler Manor (116)
Château Vercheres (117)
Château Marquette (118)
Jarvis Manor (120)
Draper Manor (121)
Douglas Manor (122)
Skyline 8516
Dining Car Frontenac
(Prestige) Château Denonville (130)
(Prestige) Château Lauzon  (131)
(Prestige) Laurentide Park (139)
 

Intersting to note the number of coaches doesn't increase in peak season. Only the sleeprs. And the two extra Skylines, although not in the same class as a Park Car should provide adaquate dome space for in sleepers who want it. Glad to see the train is doing well even at the higher price point. But according to some, no one would want to pay that price and no one rides long distance passenger trains.Guress they are wrong!

6429 and 6405 were the lead units when it came through Saskatoon on Sunday.

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Where does the Crew sleep? Cannot believe there is sufficient space in the Baggage-Dormitory?

I'm on #1 that left on Tuesday from Toronto we had 23 cars total. We are at Winnipeg now and they are adding another engine. Over an hour and a half late leaving

No Park car?

Even though they are adding the Panorama Car at Edmonton, surprised another Skyline is not in the consist between the bulk of the sleepers. The first Skyline is typically for coach passengers and then the other two Skylines will take up most of sleeper plus passengers. The Prestige Park Car Dome/Lounge will be a mix of Prestige and Sleeper Plus. Perhaps if VIA did add an extra Skyline - at least this year - it would take the pressure off of the Prestige Park Car Dome/Lounge. Does the Panorama Car really help for its ONE daylight journey from Vancouver/Kamloops to Edmonton. It likely doesn't get used to any full extent until after Kamloops. And then its "daylight in the Rockies."

I am just of the belief that the Panorama Cars are for better use elsewhere in the VIA system at a premium fare - full-time (as opposed to part-time) in peak season on the two train sets of the Prince Rupert Train (that would take up two of the three Panorama Cars), and then perhaps the other on a northern Quebec route. It's too bad it couldn't be on the Chaleur (or train to Gaspe). Glad I rode that train when I did! 

Lark Wrote:
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> Where does the Crew sleep? Cannot believe there is
> sufficient space in the Baggage-Dormitory?

VIA removed the dormitory section of the baggage cars decades ago. The crew are spread out throughout the train. There is a tiny room (like a roomette or "cabin for 1" as VIA calls them) in the Prestige sleepers for the attendant.  The service manager and dining car steward(s) are given a cabin for 2 to themselves. The rest of the crew occupy a variety of accommodations.  This is why the actual capacity of the sleepers is well below the number of berths.  In my experience there are rarely more than an average of 15 to 17 passengers per sleeper, even if the train is sold out.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/20/16 07:06 by DrawingroomA.

edsaalig Wrote:
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> No Park car?

Yes, the last car shown in the consist above.  One of the four Park cars converted to Prestige service.

>(Prestige) Laurentide Park (139)

In Edmonton now over an hour late. Stepped outside on this rainy morning and could smell the smoke from the fires up north. Hope this rain helps them out. Next stop - Jasper
Joe

If the train is more then 6 hours late, or more, into Toronto do they still provide meal service (lunch)?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/20/16 18:17 by edsaalig.

edsaalig Wrote:
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> If the train is more then 6 hours late, or more,
> into Toronto do they still provide meal service
> (lunch)?

I don't know if the rule is six hours late, but they do provided lunch if the train is running late over the lunch hour.  I have had a few "free" lunches from VIA on #2. Once we were so late we even had a free dinner.  For a while it looked like we might end up with breakfast as well, but we made up some time.

The lunches and dinner were actually quite good.  There is no printed menu, but chef prepared two choices for each meal. When it was apparent the train was seriously delayed, extra food was loaded at Winnipeg.