Canadian Railroads > No Park Car on the Ocean

There haven't been any Park Observation cars on the Ocean since early 2020, but there have been a few other times since they became a regular fixture in the mid 1980s, that they were missing.  In the early years of the Renaissance introduction, with no transition cars available, domes were missing entirely from those trains, and the Park cars from the Budd trains (just so nobody got "special" treatment?).  The Skylines stayed as snack bar space on the Budd trains.  Later on they returned on both sets of equipment all year long.

Then for a few months in early 2013, the Park Cars were replaced with a Skyline dome, even though VIA would seem to be short of Skylines and have a surplus of Park cars.  On January 11 of that year, number 15 was heading across the Tantramar Marsh towards New Brunswick with Skyline 8517 as the only dome, and Chateau Rouville on the end (likely for crew accommodation).

On January 27 the Ocean had just left the Halifax station and was about to enter OCS territory in the cut between Young Ave. and Tower Rd. with Skyline 8502 on the tail end.

On March 5 Skyline 8512 was on the tail end as the Ocean was coming to the end of the OCS in Halifax and about to enter CTC at the former Southwestern Jct.  VIA was using a bag over the coupler to prevent ice and snow buildup.  The train would still be combined with the Chaleur at Matapédia in early 2013, but those cars were usually inserted behind the power (keeping the 3 F40s together), not at the end of the train, so I'm not sure what the concern was.  I noticed Amtrak was doing something similar this past winter with the Winter Park Express in Colorado (engines run around the train for the return trip), and somebody on Trainorders was heralding it as "innovative"!

GTD

 

---

---

---

Thanks for the throwback! Nice pictures. I'd gladly take a joy ride on the Ocean, but I just can't think if being locked up in the sleeper cabin for the near 24 hour journey from Montreal to Halifax. There's just no good "lounge" or "dome." The Ocean needs a better lounge car than the Renaissance Lounge/Service Cars. They are woefully inadequate! Wish VIA had more Skylines whereby they could "flip the seats" at their terminals. Even the ex-BC Panorama Cars would have been nice for the Ocean (and their seats turned). But alas they've been found to be full of corrosion per reports I've heard and permanently sidelined. Anyone else find the Renaissance Lounge/Service Cars inadequate for the Ocean? 

Extra nice images, Geoff!

texchief1

Super scenes!
Bob

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
...
> Anyone else find the Renaissance
> Lounge/Service Cars inadequate for the Ocean? 

Yes, they are inadequate in the sense there are not nearly enough seats. Seating for 12 people is not enough. I find them to be very attractive, though, and comfortable since VIA "re-seated" them (VIA's terminology).  In the days of CN operation there was no dome on the Ocean.  The lounge cars were ugly to my taste.  The dropped ceiling had bright fluorescent lighting.  The seats and carpet were bold colours, often purple.  On the walls was so-called art-work which all looked the same -  boldly-coloured squiggles, which CN thought was making them look modern.  Of course I wish VIA could find a way to run a Park car or a Skyline car.