Passenger Trains > VIA Rail announces more Long Distance car renovations

VIA Rail awards $46 million contract to Cad Railway Industries for
renovation of 25 train cars

MONTREAL, April 10, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail)
has awarded a contract valued at $46 million to Cad Railway Industries
(Cad) to upgrade 25 train cars intended for use on the long-haul train,
the Canadian. Built in the 1950s, these cars will be completely
refurbished and transformed to better meet our clients' present and
future needs. VIA Rail President and Chief Executive Officer Yves
Desjardins-Siciliano announced the investment this morning at the
company's Montreal site...This work will be undertaken by 100
Cad employees at their Montreal facilities.

As part of VIA Rail's commitment to sustainable mobility, the contract
awarded to Cad to renovate these stainless steel cars will extend
their useful life by a few decades and is in keeping with the
Corporation's "reuse-recycle-upgrade" approach. The cars will be
retrofitted with a view to enhancing the passenger experience and
making the equipment more reliable.

The work will include:

updating the interior design of the cars;
improving seat comfort;
installing devices to make the cars Wi-Fi ready for future deployment;
carrying out a mechanical upgrading;
renewing the heating systems;
replacing various electronic/electrical components.

-VIA Rail Canada

Why can't Amtrak do this?

John Acosta
Palm Springs, CA

This must be the HEP-I cars that are ex-CP because there are 25. The 17 we heard of last week are the non-CP US transplants.

Look like $2 million per car, not $3 million as with the 17.

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/18 16:54 by joemvcnj.

Josta Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why can't Amtrak do this?
===============================

VIA specifically states its "reuse-recycle-upgrade" approach, to
"extend their useful life by a few decades."

Amtrak simply runs what they have into the ground and then begs for more money
to replace what they didn't care for.

Or, in the case of long distance equipment...skips the "begs for money" part.

Must be the HEP I coaches. The Manor cars have already been refurbished at least inside, and handy cap access is now provided via the Park Car. But no accessible access is provided to any of the non-Prestige Class sleepers. So perhaps one of those per train set is also being done? VIA's Budds are now 63 years old and look as good as new. I don't recall ever having a mechanical issue in any of them other than the occasional non-working toilet, due to the fast the original dump toilets were replaced with something that doesn't always work in -40 Canadian winters. I wonder what condition Superliner I cars will be at that point in their life?

andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Must be the HEP I coaches. The Manor cars have
> already been refurbished at least inside, and
> handy cap access is now provided via the Park Car.
> But no accessible access is provided to any of the
> non-Prestige Class sleepers. So perhaps one of
> those per train set is also being done? VIA's
> Budds are now 63 years old and look as good as
> new. I don't recall ever having a mechanical issue
> in any of them other than the occasional
> non-working toilet, due to the fast the original
> dump toilets were replaced with something that
> doesn't always work in -40 Canadian winters. I
> wonder what condition Superliner I cars will be at
> that point in their life?

How many times have I been on Superliners to this point in their lives when either the toilets in a car didn't work, or the car stunk like a sewage plant? Too many to count. I can't imagine what they would be like at age 63.

Josta Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why can't Amtrak do this?


Because Amtrak puts a lot more mileage on their cars than VIA does.

andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Must be the HEP I coaches. The Manor cars have
> already been refurbished at least inside, and
> handy cap access is now provided via the Park Car.
> But no accessible access is provided to any of the
> non-Prestige Class sleepers. So perhaps one of
> those per train set is also being done? VIA's
> Budds are now 63 years old and look as good as
> new. I don't recall ever having a mechanical issue
> in any of them other than the occasional
> non-working toilet, due to the fast the original
> dump toilets were replaced with something that
> doesn't always work in -40 Canadian winters. I
> wonder what condition Superliner I cars will be at
> that point in their life?


With respect what is a "handy cap"? I have many caps but never been able to find a handy cap.

Thanks in advance for enlightening myself and others

Prior to the two recent announcements, the following refurbishment information was given in the fall 2017 edition of "Vialogue" (the news magazine for VIA employees and pensioners). This is a "copy and paste":

* * * * * * * *

In the 2017 federal budget, VIA Rail
secured funding for major upgrades
to our Heritage fleet.

At a glance:

• 99 HEP cars will be renovated by
2020.
• The HEPII Economy and Business
cars will be refurbished by the MMC.
This is great recognition of the internal
expertise that we have developed
while managing these types of
projects in recent years. The project
is currently in the engineering stage.
• Three calls for tender are in
progress and two more are
expected by February 2018 for
the external refurbishment of the
other models (sleeping cars, dining
cars, Park and Skyline cars), all in
order to meet the 2020 deadline.
These refurbishments are important.
Ultimately, they will help standardize
and improve the experience we offer
to our customers across our entire network.

* * * * * * * *

The HEP II Business Class cars need refurbishment soon. Passengers who expect the new spacious "2 + 1" seating in the LRC Business cars are not happy to get the old-style VIA-1 seating. Although the seats are comfortable, the double seats are separated by a hard narrow arm-rest. The last time I was in one of these cars our group of four had to split up because the seat assignments don't match. We had booked a quad in an LRC car and the consist was switched apparently at short notice. Some of the seats were shabby, one seat back was falling apart, another one had lost part of its back, exposing screws and another one had no meal tray in the arm-rest.

With all the refurbishment going on, it appears the 21 non-Prestige Château sleepers are not getting any interior refurbishing like the Manor sleepers did a few years ago. There have been complaints that they are getting shabby and have a musty smell.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/18 05:15 by DrawingroomA.

bretton88 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Josta Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Why can't Amtrak do this?
>
>
> Because Amtrak puts a lot more mileage on their
> cars than VIA does.
Though this may be true, it is a poor excuse. This should have been done many years ago, back in the 1970's while Amtrak still had a great collection of passenger cars, including all the dome cars that they had. It is very sad to realize that many quality built stainless steel cars were scrapped rather than rebuilt, what a waste. But then this is our government leaders in Washington, D.C., the mismanage so much.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

I think the sorriest loss were the 1953 Budd-built AT&SF single level coaches, which had 48 leg rest seats. Instead 11 of those were stripped to be supplemental Adirondack/Clocker coaches. Then they were all retired, sold, or butchered into baggage cars.

ClubCar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> bretton88 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Josta Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Why can't Amtrak do this?
> >
> >
> > Because Amtrak puts a lot more mileage on their
> > cars than VIA does.
> Though this may be true, it is a poor excuse.
> This should have been done many years ago, back in the 1970's while Amtrak still had a great
> collection of passenger cars, including all the
> dome cars that they had. It is very sad to realize that many quality built stainless steel
> cars were scrapped rather than rebuilt, what a waste. But then this is our government leaders in
> Washington, D.C., they mismanage so much.
> John in White Marsh, Maryland

The real answer is that Amtrak marketing department -- with the notable exception of Ira Silverman, who is long gone -- is a Beltway based clueless crowd who have rarely ridden an NEC train and almost never ridden an Amtrak long haul LDT. At one time they were promoting the idea of a dedicated railcar on the Florida service just to carry pets (true, you can't make this stuff up!);fortunately that idea never gained traction. They don't understand anything except the mantra "newer is better" and are easy prey to sellers of new equipment, who make their money that way.
Ira understood, but was a voice in the wilderness...and now he's gone.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think the sorriest loss were the 1953 Budd-built
> AT&SF single level coaches, which had 48 leg rest
> seats. Instead 11 of those were stripped to be
> supplemental Adirondack/Clocker coaches. Then they
> were all retired, sold, or butchered into baggage
> cars.
My favorite's, the Budd PRR Congressional cars, parlors, observations, parlor/drawing room with phone room, diner, coaches

Josta Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why can't Amtrak do this?

Via Rail's cars are for "novelty" transportation and fit a different need then what Amtrak requires from it's rolling stock. The Canadian is bi-weekly except during summer and the cars is requires are run fewer miles. Plus, Via has a surplus of cars off season so rotation is possible if they wished to keep the mileage down on the LD fleet.

Amtrak trains run mostly daily, and often are used for basic transportation. The take quite a beating with many miles, stops and starts, and daily use, ect. Quite a bit different from VIA's Canadian.

Think of The Canadian as a tourist train that offers rides for basic transport.

HEP-I coaches are also used on the Skeena, Hudson Bay, Quebec remote, and usually 1 or 2 cars on a pair of Windsor - Montreal Corridor thru trains.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Josta Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Why can't Amtrak do this?
> ===============================
>
> VIA specifically states its
> "reuse-recycle-upgrade" approach, to
> "extend their useful life by a few decades."
>
> Amtrak simply runs what they have into the ground
> and then begs for more money
> to replace what they didn't care for.
>
> Or, in the case of long distance equipment...skips
> the "begs for money" part.


Really, what equipment that Amtrak has bought (outside of engines and wrecks) has Amtrak retired and has chosen not to refurbish?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/18 23:59 by ats90mph.

ats90mph Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> GenePoon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Josta Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Why can't Amtrak do this?
> > ===============================
> >
> > VIA specifically states its
> > "reuse-recycle-upgrade" approach, to
> > "extend their useful life by a few decades."
> >
> > Amtrak simply runs what they have into the
> ground
> > and then begs for more money
> > to replace what they didn't care for.
> >
> > Or, in the case of long distance
> equipment...skips
> > the "begs for money" part.
>
>
> Really, what equipment that Amtrak has bought
> (outside of engines and wrecks) has Amtrak retired
> and has chosen not to refurbish?

Well put. We must remember that Amtrak DID refurbish many heritage cars until it no longer became cost effective. This was espically true given the fact these cars had been "run hard, and put up wet" so to speak. Many miles more then what even the railroads had put on them before Amtrak.