VIA Rail Long Distance (LD) and Inter-Regional fleet replacement

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GDRRiley said:
I suspect making all coaches that way would be a struggle as to have any attempt of darking out the train at night and storing luggage above means you'd need a weird setup
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I don't think every car has to be a bi-level, I'm just saying they can't just replace the existing fleet with venture cars and have the appeal. If the bi-levels can be used on the entire route, I could see them becoming the Prestige Class, with one being a lounge / cafe for coach passengers and then coaches being modern single-level.

I rode the Canadian this summer, I should probably get back up there and experience it while I can. It's a great add-on to an Alaska cruise!
 
crescent-zephyr said:
I don't think every car has to be a bi-level, I'm just saying they can't just replace the existing fleet with venture cars and have the appeal. If the bi-levels can be used on the entire route, I could see them becoming the Prestige Class, with one being a lounge / cafe for coach passengers and then coaches being modern single-level.

I rode the Canadian this summer, I should probably get back up there and experience it while I can. It's a great add-on to an Alaska cruise!
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I wasn't saying bi level but doing a more wrap around window for coach, it seems like the kind of thing you'd need to use in a lounge or cafe/dinner
 
GDRRiley said:
I wasn't saying bi level but doing a more wrap around window for coach, it seems like the kind of thing you'd need to use in a lounge or cafe/dinner
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Sure, Coaches can be standard coaches like Venture with LD seats. I'm saying the back of the train has to be something special like the Bi-levels if there aren't clearance issues. (Those cars have travelled several rail sections of western Canada - not sure if there are issues in the east or not.

Prestige class rooms on the lower level and deluxe viewing and lounge on the upper level could be really nice!
 
crescent-zephyr said:
Sure, Coaches can be standard coaches like Venture with LD seats. I'm saying the back of the train has to be something special like the Bi-levels if there aren't clearance issues. (Those cars have travelled several rail sections of western Canada - not sure if there are issues in the east or not.

Prestige class rooms on the lower level and deluxe viewing and lounge on the upper level could be really nice!
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Presumably you'd want Prestige rooms on the upper level for the better views, although you could have 2 Prestige rooms on the lower level that span the entire width of the car.
 
Mailliw said:
Presumably you'd want Prestige rooms on the upper level for the better views, although you could have 2 Prestige rooms on the lower level that span the entire width of the car.
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My thinking was the Prestige cars would be rooms on the lower level and a deluxe lounge/viewing area on the upper level. Of course, maybe the bi-levels would only be dining / lounge cars and they just make brand new single level cars for sleepers.
 
I don't think anyone has discussed this, but could this be the end of berths? Personally I prefer more privacy and they feel outdated, but I believe a berth is cheaper than a single room. Wonder if they will implement it or not in a new design.
 
Fenu S said:
I don't think anyone has discussed this, but could this be the end of berths? Personally I prefer more privacy and they feel outdated, but I believe a berth is cheaper than a single room. Wonder if they will implement it or not in a new design.
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Unfortunately, the best hint we seem to have to date is a blurry photo in the second picture of this tweet (as discussed over on Groups.io):
 
It's hards to tell, but that looks like an example of a car with berths and accessible berths/roomettes near the bathroom. One advantage to berths is that the cars would be bidirectional without any extra crew effort. Not sure how important that is for the Canadian, but it matters for the Ocean.
 
I have very little faith in Via Rail due to the Canadian government's by-passing of them for their upcoming frequent service project. No matter what equipment replaces their long-distance fleet, it will never be as incredible as the Budd built cars still running. I'd love to see a train with domes and one level for sleeping compartments, coaches and dining cars, but oh the cost. In the meantime, ride them while you can.
 
Long distance equipment replacement was essentially confirmed as funded in the Federal Budget today; specifically, to enter into a Request for Proposals.

No details on scope etc. The RFP should be public and I'd assume released pretty quickly - that will answer at least what routes, and by extension likely the frequency of those routes that the purchase would be for.
 
TheMalahat said:
Long distance equipment replacement was essentially confirmed as funded in the Federal Budget today; specifically, to enter into a Request for Proposals.

No details on scope etc. The RFP should be public and I'd assume released pretty quickly - that will answer at least what routes, and by extension likely the frequency of those routes that the purchase would be for.
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Good news, but the current political climate is likely to force items like this well down on the priority list even if the government survives the next election.
 
If VIA could piggy back onto Amtrak order.-- then If Amtrak would wire its HEP cars same as VIA then interchange would be a breeze. But that will not happen.
 
PaTrainFan said:
But how would funding be handled? No appropriation from Parliament? I haven't a clue how these things work in Canada.
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While VIA could certainly request proposals anytime they want, funding would indeed have to come from Parliament for a purchase of that size. The current government has just issued their new budget in which they proposed many expenditures, but they are currently in a position where a snap election could be forced by the opposition at any time. This could make the budget itself, let alone future expenditures, tenuous at best. Even if they survive until next year's mandatory election, funds for VIA are likely to be pushed aside for other priorities.
 
jiml said:
Even if they survive until next year's mandatory election, funds for VIA are likely to be pushed aside for other priorities.
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This is unlikely, albeit not impossible. The way the budget is written is effectively a green light for Via to make the actual purchase.

Practically, it should take six to ten months to get from today to contract being signed based on usual procurement timelines, keeping in mind expressions of informal interest were already pursued.

If we have a change in government I think this purchase is done and RIP to Via as we know it. Via management surely feels the same. Hopefully we will see fast action.

To the appropriation question - we handle government purchases at the political level quite differently in Canada. Essentially there's an investment pot of money that's large enough for anticipated purchases. Only the total amount of the fund is announced, rather than line by line, in order to protect the negotiating position of Canada. When an actual purchase is made the funds are released, with a public division of costs.
 

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