Canada's new trains

[ltdoyle56]

I am a vet as far as the rails are concerned here in Canada. I hail from the nations capital Ottawa. I have had the oppertunity to ride on the brand new equipment thathas Via has recently purchesed. The new cars are called the "Renaissance" cars. they are configured with a single seat on one side of the car and 2 on the other. there are also a sleeper version of this car I am not sure of the specs on it and there is a service car witch contains a bar and pasenger lounge areas. eace coach style consis is mad of 7 cars a baggage usualy 3 coaches 1 firstclas car the service car and a second first class car at the rear. these consists are being used betwen Ottawa and Montreal and Montreal and Quebec City. the sleeper consists are being run from Montreal and Toronto on the overnight run called the Enterprise. The plans from Via are to expand the Renaissance cars to the east from Montreal to Halifax and on the transcontinental run once they reconfigure the coupleing system to fit with the Streamlined equipment that is curently run. I like them and would like to see the fleet expanded even further.

 

[Steve4031]

Is that 2 and 1 in first class and 2 and 2 in coach? Also, how are the windows? About like on the LRC?

This was interesting to hear about. I have been curious about these cars from the beginning. How many trains use this equipement now, and where do the LRC's go when they are replaced?

 

[ltdoyle56]

the Cars are seated in a 1X2 maner with no diference bettwen the first and coach class the first class passengers get accses to the service car and free beverages and meals. the windows are muche nicer than the windows on the LRC cars. the new cars are replacing cars from the Stainless steal streamlined budd cars that are used as overflow cars on the busy trains. the LRC cars have a higher passenger capacity about 74 as compaired to the ne cars witch seat 50. Via has no intention at this time to replace the LRC cars as they make up more than a third of Via's fleet I think that you might be interested in looking at www.viarail.ca it will give you a limmited look at the new cars. if you want more pics I have a few I took when I was home over the Christmas period. the next big thing is the Governments minister of transpertation has pettitioned for a 3 billion cash infusion for Via to inplement a true high speed rail service in the Windsor Quebec city corridor and to expand rail service in alberta if you have any more questions just give me a hollar

 

[Amfleet]

Some excellent 360 photos of the cars can be found here.

 

[Steve4031]

Thanks Amfleet.

These cars look to be pretty solid. Bedrooms seam a bit smaller than those on the budd cars. The lounge car is much nicer than anything on an Amtrak midwest corridor train. I think I have some railroading to do in the future.

 

[Amfleet]

They are very nice indeed, but I think those tables at the rear of the car could be replaced with some more casual seating. One confusing thing is the coaches, how do you get the luggage into the over head racks???

 

[Guest]

in reference to bagage storage in the noverhead compartment. well you dont really it is mean for a purse or very small bag the place for your bag is at your feet underneath the seat infront of you

 

[Amfleet]

Well bigger racks would definetly need to be installed if something like that were used in the US with the amount of baggage we lug around.

 

[battalion51]

Everything is bigger in America, Luggage, Cars, waistlines.

 

[Amfleet]

lol :lol: