Canadian Railroads > VIA 692

Anyone know what is happening with VIA 692 currently inbound to Winnipeg from Churchill?

It has had an awful time on this trip.  Churchill to The Pas was more or less on time, but it all went downhill from there.  It departed The Pas on time yesterday at 0315 AM, but progressively lost time to arrive in Canora 2 hours late.  But it became really late between Canora and Dauphin, losing 4:30 hours in Canora, almost 1:30 between Kamsack and Togo, another 2:30 between Togo and Roblin, and 4:30 between Roblin and Grandview.  It lost another 2:30 in the 14 minute segment between Dauphin and Ochre River.  It is now back up to speed but estimating to arrive in Winnipeg at 1210, a full 19:15 minutes late.

Anyone know why this train would lose a full 13 hours between Canora and Grandview (normally a 3 hour run)?  Is CN running a bunch of diversions up the Togo Sub or perhaps it is completely choked with snow?  

Magellan13

Update on VIA 692 (and to answer a question someone had last week)

It was limping east into Winnipeg 21 hours late this afternoon with the following consist:

- F40PH-3's 6443, 6456, 6458, 6451
- Baggage Car
- 3 x Coaches
- 1 x Skyline Done
- 2 x Sleepers
- 2 x Coaches
- 1 x Coach that appeared to be a First Class one (different coloured striping)
- 1 x Skyline Dome
- 1 x Sleeper

Seems an abnormally long 692 considering the season, and definitely the first time I have seen four units on the head end.  

Magellan13

Sounds like two separate consists coupled together???

It’s also taken quite a hit between Portage La Prairie and Winnipeg. Looks like the train would have had a replacement crew someplace west of Dauphin as the original Canora to Winnipeg crew would have been at their 12 hrs maximum at that point.

They have Skyline Domes running on the Hudson Bay train and not Park Cars? It had been Park Cars, but the Skyline actually doubles nice as a lounge and food service facility for the entire train (sleeper and coach passengers). Definitely two consists tucked together........

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They have Skyline Domes running on the Hudson Bay
> train and not Park Cars? It had been Park Cars,
> but the Skyline actually doubles nice as a lounge
> and food service facility for the entire train
> (sleeper and coach passengers). Definitely two
> consists tucked together........

From the reports and photos I have seen over the past many years, a Park car was not operated on these trains very often. The usual consist has been two coaches, dining car (partly used as a lounge) and one Chateau sleeper.

The substitution of the Skyline car for the diner was a recent change not too long before the  COVID-19 adjustments in service. Passengers have been banned from using the car. Currently, no meals are served so sleeping car fares have been lowered. This notice appears on VIA's site:

Sleeper Plus Class service resumes as of Nov. 16, 2021, however in view of COVID situation, meals are not included and can be purchased from the Economy Class menu. VIA’s Winnipeg-Churchill route in Economy class provides at seat cart service that offers a selection of snacks and sandwiches at affordable prices. We will not be able to accommodate special dietary needs at this time and passengers with food restrictions are asked to plan accordingly. Alcohol service is temporarily suspended.

It is odd that VIA still calls the sleeper service "Sleeper Plus Class" when meals are not included. Reservia can be confusing. If enquiring as to fares or making a booking there is a notice on the page that meals are not included yet when a search for specific accommodation is made it says meals are included.
 

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They have Skyline Domes running on the Hudson Bay
> train and not Park Cars? It had been Park Cars,
> but the Skyline actually doubles nice as a lounge
> and food service facility for the entire train
> (sleeper and coach passengers). Definitely two
> consists tucked together........

Do they normally keep a "extra" consist in The Pas?

Magellan

DrawingroomA Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jp1822 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > They have Skyline Domes running on the Hudson
> Bay
> > train and not Park Cars? It had been Park Cars,
> > but the Skyline actually doubles nice as a
> lounge
> > and food service facility for the entire train
> > (sleeper and coach passengers). Definitely two
> > consists tucked together........
>
> From the reports and photos I have seen over the
> past many years, a Park car was not operated on
> these trains very often. The usual consist has
> been two coaches, dining car (partly used as a
> lounge) and one Chateau sleeper.
>
> The substitution of the Skyline car for the diner
> was a recent change not too long before the 
> COVID-19 adjustments in service. Passengers have
> been banned from using the car. Currently, no
> meals are served so sleeping car fares have been
> lowered. This notice appears on VIA's site:
>
> Sleeper Plus Class service resumes as of Nov. 16,
> 2021, however in view of COVID situation, meals
> are not included and can be purchased from the
> Economy Class menu. VIA’s Winnipeg-Churchill
> route in Economy class provides at seat cart
> service that offers a selection of snacks and
> sandwiches at affordable prices. We will not be
> able to accommodate special dietary needs at this
> time and passengers with food restrictions are
> asked to plan accordingly. Alcohol service is
> temporarily suspended.
>
> It is odd that VIA still calls the sleeper service
> "Sleeper Plus Class" when meals are not included.
> Reservia can be confusing. If enquiring as to
> fares or making a booking there is a notice on the
> page that meals are not included yet when a search
> for specific accommodation is made it says meals
> are included.
>  

I completely agree with you that the consists for YEARS were largely as you describe - two coaches, dining car (partly used as a lounge) and one Chateau sleeper.

But after they did repairs and reconstruction on the line to Churchill VIA did a special wrap on one of the route's Diners and outfitted the consists with Park Cars nearly year-round. This was also just a few years before COVID. I recall pictures in TRAINS magazine or something similiar, where two consists (north and southbound) were both at the Pas and the photographer had captured the Park Cars of both trains. The Hudson Bay Train brochures even spotlighted the Park Car on its new brochure - which I even found to be a bit bold if they decided to take the cars off the train if it didn't work for some reason! Then the Skylines were swapped in etc. - likely to protect the Diners and their rennovation efforts for the Canadian. But VIA had made a pretty good concerted effort to outfit the train to Churchill with Park Cars (VIA does have ample) soon after the line was repaired/restored to Churchill after being out of service for a bit and the whole debacle on who was going to operate the line etc. Prior to that, yes, for YEARS it was VERY rare to see Park Car on the Hudson Bay train - occasionally during some peak seasons.