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Canadian Public Transit Discussion Board _ General Railway Discussion _ VIA Rail: Canadian Discussion
Posted by: railfandrew Jul 29 2008, 12:02 AM
I have a question. Why does the Canadian leave Union Station and take the Newmarket Sub North, reverse to the York Sub, travel East along the York Sub, and then proceed North on the Bala Sub? Why couldn't it leave from the Bala Sub from Union Station?
Posted by: Shaun Jul 29 2008, 07:50 AM
It has to do with the direction the train comes in. And it would be really hard to find a way to turn that train around, we dont have a wye long enough.
Posted by: smallspy Jul 29 2008, 09:27 AM
To add to what Shaun wrote....
The closest place with a long-enough wye to turn the train is Bayview, and CN is leery of tying up one of their busiest points for too long.
As well, it would add a couple of hours of additional time that the train is not at TMC for cleaning and servicing, and the current schedule is tight enough as it is.
Dan
Posted by: Shaun Jul 29 2008, 11:28 AM
The closest place with a long-enough wye to turn the train is Bayview, and CN is leery of tying up one of their busiest points for too long.
As well, it would add a couple of hours of additional time that the train is not at TMC for cleaning and servicing, and the current schedule is tight enough as it is.
Dan
Could they back the train down lower end of the Bala sub by Wying the train as it comes into Toronto? But then it comes in at one of the busiest times of the day so that wouldn't be a good idea.
Posted by: Oc4526 Aug 21 2008, 11:27 PM
Aparently The Canadians schedule is changing December 2 2008
Valid Dec 2 2008
Wb from Toronto
http://www.viarail.ca/pdf/2008/timetable/TRTO_VCVRvalid2dec08.pdf
Eb From Vancover
http://www.viarail.ca/pdf/2008/timetable/VCVR_TRTOvalid2dec08.pdf
Posted by: dowlingm Aug 24 2008, 10:40 PM
Posted by: smallspy Aug 25 2008, 12:15 AM
Depends on the time of year, but it varies from 2 locos and 8 cars to 4 locos and 30 cars.
Dan
Posted by: dowlingm Aug 25 2008, 03:31 PM
30 cars... you'd think it would make sense to simply add a run or two in season...
be nice to me, I'm still fairly new here and am not used to passenger trains over 12 vehicle length
Posted by: smallspy Aug 25 2008, 03:40 PM
You'd think, but it's not the case.
The problem centers in the Rockies, where a competing private enterprise (who runs during the day, on another line, with different equipment catering to a different clientele and on a former VIA route) has successfully blocked every single one of VIA's applications to increase service on the line.
Ideally, VIA would be running 6-day/week service on the line, at least during the busy season. Alas, we are stuck with a service whose frequencies border on useless for local travel running trains that are too long to efficiently operate.
Dan
Posted by: mtltransitguy Aug 28 2008, 11:33 AM
The problem centers in the Rockies, where a competing private enterprise (who runs during the day, on another line, with different equipment catering to a different clientele and on a former VIA route) has successfully blocked every single one of VIA's applications to increase service on the line.
Ideally, VIA would be running 6-day/week service on the line, at least during the busy season. Alas, we are stuck with a service whose frequencies border on useless for local travel running trains that are too long to efficiently operate.
Dan
I've always wondered about that.
Who does VIA have to apply to and who blocks the requests?
If we are to get people out of their cars and all that stuff, the interest of a private corporation running a tourist operation should not get in the way of a public corporation running an operation that benefits people other than tourists.
On another note, is http://www.viarail.ca/equipements/en_equipment.html on the site new?
Posted by: smallspy Aug 28 2008, 12:08 PM
Who does VIA have to apply to and who blocks the requests?
I can't recall the agency that VIA has to apply to - it might even just be Council - but time and time again Rocky Mountaineer Vacations has stepped in the way. They also had a former MP, Jim Gouk, seemingly in their pockets and willing to step up anytime VIA asked to expand service.
Well, herein is the problem, isn't it? The Canadian, as it is currently run, is not set up to benefit the vast majority of Canadians on its route - it is a defacto long-distance tourist train.
How do we solve this? Do we run another train, on a daily basis, that is all coach and has cheaper fares? Do we only run trains where they are most frequently used for local service, such as across the prairies and through northern Ontario?
Yes.
Dan
Posted by: dowlingm Aug 28 2008, 01:18 PM
Posted by: smallspy Aug 28 2008, 01:32 PM
It's more likely that the people in Silver and Blue who are making the trip from one end to the other are the ones subsidizing the rest.
Dan
Posted by: railbus Aug 28 2008, 04:28 PM
IIRC in 1996 or 97 VIA had intended to increase service through the mountains to 6 days a week and their plan was blocked by the Transport Minister (David Anderson?) of the day. He reasoned that the government and taxpayer funds should not be used to compete with private enterprise. So I think the status quo will remain in place for a very long time until such time as the gov't gets involved and makes major changes to respond to lobbyists of some sort or other. We should all be used to very reactive governments by now and lobbyists know this very well. Unfortunately the rail lobby in this country is not supported by the masses, for various reasons, so there you have it.
Posted by: firequall Sep 14 2008, 05:59 PM
On average, how well does the Canadian arrive into Union Station on time? I'm thinking of taking the train down from Parry Sound/Muskoka to Belleville in October and the schedule gives me a two hour layover. Would there be a pretty good chance that I will make my connection given the Canadian's constant delays? If not, would I be better off taking the Northlander from Bracebridge or Gravenhurst?
Posted by: Shaun Sep 15 2008, 08:35 PM
Any news on the second F40 to be rebuilt? As for LRC cars how many are currently in rebuild? There is a prototype somewhere?
Posted by: smallspy Sep 16 2008, 09:40 AM
Neither the Canadian nor the Northlander have been running particularly well of late, it seems. From what I've been seeing on other forums and lists, they've been on-time an average of 65% or so.
6402 is the second F40 to be rebuilt, and is supposed to be released in the next couple of months (I last heard in June that it was just about finished).
3452 was the first LRC car to be rebuilt, but I haven't heard or seen anything about it.
Dan
Posted by: A. Wong Sep 23 2008, 12:38 AM
Saw a VIA train leaving Edmonton today.
Posted by: mike from edmonton Sep 23 2008, 12:49 AM
Wonder if that may have been the Green Party "Whistle Stop" tour. Great idea, brings back memories of the old days
Posted by: smallspy Sep 23 2008, 09:28 AM
Doubtful - the Green Party simply tied an extra car onto the eastbound Canadian.
Dan
Posted by: dowlingm Dec 2 2008, 04:33 PM
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2008/12/01/via-canadian.html
Via to improve transcontinental schedule by making trip last longer
What Via Rail calls on its website "the ultimate Canada train trip," The Canadian, is going to last 13 hours longer.
Starting Tuesday, the transcontinental train trip, which used to take 74 hours is now going to take 87.
Posted by: Oc4526 Dec 2 2008, 04:55 PM
The change also allows persons comming from eastern canada and eastern ont to connect with the canadian (insted of haveing to spend a night in toronto )
I for one would love to see Go Transits respnce to this as the inbound train runs south via richmond hill and hopefully wont delay any go trains on its way in :|
Via to improve transcontinental schedule by making trip last longer
{snip}
Posted by: dbdb Dec 2 2008, 05:02 PM
The best quote of all:
Perhaps one day the service can be improved to the same level as the settlers traveling to Western Canada via wagon. Then we can celebrate out technological progress.
Posted by: Shaun Dec 2 2008, 05:09 PM
Perhaps one day the service can be improved to the same level as the settlers traveling to Western Canada via wagon. Then we can celebrate out technological progress.
Lets see if it actually improves the schedule performance.
Posted by: dbdb Dec 2 2008, 06:36 PM
It depends if Via is naively padding the schedule or if they're basing the new schedule on real data. Padding won't help because the probability of delay is the same, the train will just encounter the unexpected delay at a later time. If they have real data, it means the current schedule does not take into account the empirically observed time between stations.
Another thing that Via could consider is reducing the station stops on the Prairies to just the major cities and utilize the least congested route at the time of departure. The tourists wouldn't miss much scenery because the train goes through the heart of the prairies at night and they're really interested in Biggar, SK at 3:30 AM. Flexibility to use different routes on CN right of way or even CP right of way between points where CN & CP can interchange would allow the use of the best path.
Posted by: Shaun Dec 2 2008, 07:29 PM
Another thing that Via could consider is reducing the station stops on the Prairies to just the major cities and utilize the least congested route at the time of departure. The tourists wouldn't miss much scenery because the train goes through the heart of the prairies at night and they're really interested in Biggar, SK at 3:30 AM. Flexibility to use different routes on CN right of way or even CP right of way between points where CN & CP can interchange would allow the use of the best path.
Cant be doing that. There are flag stops along the way and the train does serve small communities where people rely on it as a form of transportation. That is more important than staying on schedule.
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