Rumors are beginning to fly that Via Rail Canada will introduce 4 new routes. Trains.com had this to say about the possible new routes.... "and on projected service expansion to Thunder Bay, Ontario; between Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia; between Vancouver, BC and Calgary, Alberta; between Montreal and Saint John, New Brunswick; between Moncton and Edmunston, N.B.; and between Senneterre and Val d'Or, Quebec." It also continued to say the new routes would operate with either night star equipment, or CPR streamliner cars that had been displaced by the night stars. Happy Railroading! Dane N. Addy for the complete article- http://www.trains.com/content/dynamic/articles/000/000/000/565cqveq.asp#VIA
Interesting time ahead for Canadian passenger service. I wonder what will come next with CP splitting up like it is.
Not sure about the new routes....Ill do a little internal company research, Ill let ya know... Bannon
Bannon, Can you tell me what VIA's plans are for the E&N run? Thanks [ 06 March 2001: Message edited by: E&NRailway ]
Well, I think that we are trying to sell the E&N Rail run...not sure so dont qoute me on it, Im a dig a lil bit and find out, now Im curious too...great RDC shots by the way, Im lookin out my window and I see 2 of em parked next to the new Nightstock cars, kinda cool, old and the new, and in the background is a burnt up park car and an amtrak superliner with a hole the size of half the car. Not a bad view. How do ya post pictures on here again?
The RDC leading in that picture is 6130, the one VIA Rail leased back from FarmRail. Oh I get it. That's why VIA suddenly is rushing to get the RDC's overhauled, VIA's going to overhaul 6133, 6135, and 6148. Send them back and then put the run up for sale? [ 08 March 2001: Message edited by: E&NRailway ]
I don't know about putting the RDC's up for sale, but they were in desperate need of an overhaul regardless. After you've been on the newly refurbished BC Rail RDC's, you realize what clunkers the Island ones are.
I took a trip up on the VIA E&N train. On the way up to Courtenay I rode in the second car, the 6135, and on the way back I was in the other one, 6130 what a piece of crap that was! 6130's interior was in worse shape than 6135 which hasn't seen an overhaul since 1989, 6130's seats were all torn up, and the joint between the truck and the body was quite stiff, whenever the train took a corner the joint would make an excruciating(?) moaning noise. The only good things about the 6130 were the snack bar, and the new engines.
Only time I have ever feared for my life on a train was on the RDC from Qualicum to Courtney...what a bouncy ride, rivals Esquimalt Navy destroyers in a gale....lol!!!
