Canadian Railroads > VIA Budd Cars with the Wide Yellow Stripe

VIA seems to be painting some of the Budd cars in a new livery, as I noted about a month ago: New VIA Livery on Budd Cars (trainorders.com)  I'm not sure if there is any particular significance to the new paint scheme, both 8102 and the coach behind both are equipped for handicapped passengers, so I don't think it's that.

In browsing through some older pictures, I discovered that I had shot 3 others during a visit to Montreal in February, 2019.  This time they were all HEP-II coaches on train 624, crossing the Lachine Canal near St-Henri.  The first one is 4004, and has the grey window stripe, indicating Business Class, while the other two are 4112 and 4114, regular Economy.  4110 in the traditional HEP-II livery was bringing up the rear.

GTD

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New paint scheme means new seat frames and cushions which I think are terrible with thin padding, sticky, and very hard. Why they are painting to match the REN cars, which they plan to scrap, is beyond me. 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/16/21 08:16 by joemvcnj.

My first reaction to the title of this thread; VIA still has RDCs. Silly me:-)

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> New paint scheme means new seat frames and
> cushions which I think are terrible with thin
> padding, sticky, and very hard. Why they are
> painting to match the REN cars, which they plan to
> scrap, is beyond me. 

Passengers either hate or love the new seats. I love them. Although I wouldn't object to a bit more padding, the great back support is more important. The seat cradles the back and provides great lumbar support. Normally when I have been sitting for an hour or more I have to straighten up, take a few deep breaths, and after several seconds I can walk. With these seats I just stand up and walk with no problem.

I also like the "wings" at the top of the seats. They come in handy when I might doze after lunch or dinner with wine. The thin seat backs allow for more leg room. Unlike the airlines which use thinner seats as an excuse to put in more rows, VIA has left the "pitch" the same - even in Economy.

With the new yellow and black Siemens equipment, has VIA has dropped blue from its color palette in favor of yellow?

VIA is beginning to look like Amtrak in the 1970's rainbow era. 

WP17 Wrote:
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> My first reaction to the title of this thread; VIA
> still has RDCs. Silly me:-)

I know...growing up in New Haven territory, a Budd Car was an RDC, and only an RDC.  VIA does still have some, assigned to the Sudbury - White River remote service on the CP main.

Dave

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> New paint scheme means new seat frames and
> cushions which I think are terrible with thin
> padding, sticky, and very hard. Why they are
> painting to match the REN cars, which they plan to
> scrap, is beyond me. 

I get that VIA wants to scrap the Renaissance cars, but its not all that clear to me as to why, but I am sure there's a reason. I had hoped though, that the REN cars used and maintained for the Ocean service - particularly the sleepers - would have been retained. VIA initially increased their LD fleet by 1/3 after getting the REN cars in service. Course that was back when the Maritime service was stronger - tri weekly train to Gaspe, six days a week to Halifax. The REN cars enabled VIA to move the ex-CP Budd sleeper cars to the Western LD trains, particularly the Canadian that needed the capacity for its then tri-weekly Canadian. Now the Ocean has both REN and the ex-CP Budd sleepers back. Retirement/scrapping of the REN sleepers will leave VIA in a tight position again with its LD fleet. However, with decreasing frequencies, some final performances and the curtain call may be at hand. 

Siemens corridor coaches are coming, yet they are doing heavy overhauls on HEP-II coaches. What the plans are for them and the LRC cars, I have no idea. 

jp1822 Wrote:
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> I get that VIA wants to scrap the Renaissance
> cars, but its not all that clear to me as to why,
> but I am sure there's a reason. I had hoped
> though, that the REN cars used and maintained for
> the Ocean service - particularly the sleepers -
> would have been retained. VIA initially increased
> their LD fleet by 1/3 after getting the REN cars
> in service. Course that was back when the Maritime
> service was stronger - tri weekly train to Gaspe,
> six days a week to Halifax. The REN cars enabled
> VIA to move the ex-CP Budd sleeper cars to the
> Western LD trains, particularly the Canadian that
> needed the capacity for its then tri-weekly
> Canadian. Now the Ocean has both REN and the ex-CP
> Budd sleepers back. Retirement/scrapping of the
> REN sleepers will leave VIA in a tight position
> again with its LD fleet. However, with decreasing
> frequencies, some final performances and the
> curtain call may be at hand. 

Several that have been on the Ocean since it returned in August have reported the Renaissance Cars have received a nice interior refresh and the faded logos and Canada Flags have been restored.

But the Budd Chateau Sleepers did not and several have reported they look pretty shabby!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/19/21 14:25 by ghCBNS.

cn6218 Wrote:
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> VIA seems to be painting some of the Budd cars in
> a new livery, as I noted about a month ago: New
> VIA Livery on Budd Cars (trainorders.com)  I'm
> not sure if there is any particular significance
> to the new paint scheme, both 8102 and the coach
> behind both are equipped for handicapped
> passengers, so I don't think it's that.

These cars have been running in the Canadian since service was restored in mid-December 2020. Both 8102 and 8109 were seen at that time.
 

Train29 Wrote:
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> VIA is beginning to look like Amtrak in the 1970's
> rainbow era. 

Yeah, in other words, far more interesting than Amtrak is now...