Dome Rides In The East

[NS VIA FAN]

Anyone in the US northeast can easily sample VIA’s classic “Budd” equipment with Dome Cars without the time and expense of a cross country trip on the “Canadian”. And it can all be done over a long weekend by riding the Ocean or Chaleur.

Take Amtrak’s Adirondack to Montreal. Stop overnight as it’s a close connection and ride some AMT commuter trains. The electric line out thru the Mount Royal Tunnel to Deux Montagnes is a scenic island-hopping run.

Then I would suggest a ride on the “Chaleur” to Gaspe: It’s just overnight from Montreal. The Chaleur leaves Montreal in the early evening 3 days a week combined with the Ocean and arrives in Matapedia very early the next morning. The Chaleur cars are then split out and make a round trip to Gaspe arriving back in Matapedia the same evening. Very scenic! Almost constant shoreline running for 200 miles along the Gaspe Peninsula. The Chaleur still uses the Budd equipment including coaches, sleepers and a Skyline Dome Car (with dining facilities).

http://www.viarail.ca/pdf/guides/en_chaleur.pdf

Or take the Ocean to Halifax: Again, you leave Montreal in the evening and arrive in Halifax at 4pm the next afternoon. You are then only an hour by air to Boston or 2 hours to New York. (major US airlines serve Halifax)

http://www.viarail.ca/pdf/guides/en_ocean.pdf

(Note: If you return to Montreal, a sameday connection from the Ocean and Chaleur to the southbound Adirondack is possible)

Two of the three Ocean consists are now using the new “Renaissance” equipment (the third remains Budd but it too will be replaced this spring) From May to October VIA runs a Dome Observation “Park Car” on the tail end of the Renaissance trains in “Easterly Class” service. The best of both worlds now: a classic Budd Dome along with the modern and smooth riding Ren cars.

http://www.viarail.ca/pdf/factsheets/en_alizes.pdf

 

[Sam Damon]

The “Renaissance” equipment has seemed to have gotten quite a bit of "bad press", for lack of a better description. The rap on it seems to be it was, well, designed for a brief trip across the Channel, instead of for North American tastes.

Have you ridden the “Renaissance” equipment? Good info seems hard to come by.

 

[NS VIA FAN]

Have you ridden the “Renaissance” equipment?  Good info seems hard to come by.

Yes I’ve been on the Renaissance equipment on the Ocean several times and in fact I now try to schedule it so I’m on a Ren consist instead of a Budd. The modern Ren equipment is just more appealing to me and the ride very smooth. It’s been 15 years since VIA rebuilt their Budd equipment and it’s due for another refurbishing.

The equipment was built for overnight journeys going from England & Scotland through the Channel Tunnel to cities as far as Germany. An distance comparable to that provided by the Ocean: Montreal overnight to Moncton 650 miles and on to Halifax 840 miles.

The Ocean is a different train than the "Canadian" (which sees a lot of tourists) where the Ocean is heavy with students and travellers going to Montreal or continuing on corridor trains to Ottawa and Toronto.

I think a lot of the negative comments come from Railfans who miss the nostalgia of the classic Budd Stainless Steel Domeliner the Renaissance equipment is replacing. Reminds me of when Amtrak first introduced their new “Amfleet” in the mid ‘70s. The old die-hard railfans said they would never ride “that junk” as they could no longer sit back in their swivel Parlour Car seat or go to the Diner. But the travelling public who the cars were actually built for, loved them and returned to the rails in droves.

Sure there’s been problems with the Rens but most have been worked through. Look at the problems VIA originally had with the LRC cars but they are now the backbone of the corridor fleet, reliable and well liked. One problem with the Rens was the lack of comfortable lounge space but VIA has reconfigured several cars and also provides a Dome Park Observation in the tourist season. And when VIA gets some additional funding you will probably see some different type of economy sleeper accommodation. I also know of people who like the Ren Coaches especially for overnight travel as they can have an individual seat to themselves because of the 2 + 1 configuration of the coaches. VIA has also built Ren Diners for the Ocean. Meals are not cook from scratch (what is these days) but reheated. I find the meals are very good and hard to tell they were pre-prepared and just re-plated in the diners.

 

[MrFSS]

I have been looking at doing the Montreal to Halifax trip. As I look at the bedrooms on the Via website there seems to be only one seat (which becomes the lower at night). Do they all face forward, or do they alternate? My wife simply can not ride facing backwards. Can you ask for and be guaranteed a forward facing bedroom seat? Thanks for the reply.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Yes I’ve been on the Renaissance equipment on the Ocean several times and in fact I now try to schedule it so I’m on a Ren consist instead of a Budd.

Do you know off hand what days the Ren equipment is used?

Thanks,

*j* :blink:

 

[NS VIA FAN]

As I look at the bedrooms on the Via website there seems to be only one seat (which becomes the lower at night).  Do they all face forward, or do they alternate?  

Bedrooms alternate but a VIA reservations agent should know which ones face forward.

 

[NS VIA FAN]

Do you know off hand what days the Ren equipment is used?

Renaissance Oceans depart Montreal on Monday, Wednesday & Friday.

Budds on Sunday & Thursday

No train on Tuesday.

 

[Steve4031]

This was important information. I was planning a trip to Canada this summer, with the ideal of flying to Halifax, taking the Ocean to Montreal and then an LRC to Quebec City. I was planning this trip so I could show my girl friend the Budd equipment.

How are the rennaisance sleepers? What is the difference between a deluxe bedroom and the economy bedroon?

 

[NS VIA FAN]

How are the rennaisance sleepers?  What is the difference between a deluxe bedroom and the economy bedroon?

The Renaissance Sleepers are fine and the ride smooth. Berths are a bit narrower than on a Budd sleeper but slightly longer. The Deluxe Bedroom has a Shower in the washroom. The economy bedroom doesn’t.

http://www.viarail.ca/classes/en_serv_visi...renai_voit.html

If you want to sample the Budd equipment on the Ocean, better hurry. The remaining Budd set will be replaced by this summer. But you can still sample the Dome Observation “Park Car” as they are attached to the Ren equipment during the summer months in “Easterly Class” service. And they don’t look too out of place either on the tail-end. Here’s a link to some pictures I took at Truro, NS last summer:

http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse.asp...lder_id=1453522

LRC equipment usually doesn’t run to Quebec City but you will find it on trains from Montreal to Ottawa and Toronto. Most Quebec City trains use the Renaissance cars: Coaches, Service-Lounge car and VIA1 First Class.

 

[jamesontheroad]

And if you have a hankering to try first class on board the non-sleeper Renaissance coaches, VIA are running a promotion between now and April 13, 2006 to fill up the early morning departures between Montréal and Québec City.

One way fares are available in VIA 1 class for C$99 on trains 20, 21 and 620 (departures 0620 from Montréal weekdays, 0600 from Québec weekdays and 620 from Montréal Sat/Sun respectively). Includes access to Panorama lounges, breakfast, newspapers and "Seamless station-to-train wireless internet".

Details here in English and French

For this journey, comfort Supersaver fares normally start at about C$48, comfort Regular fares are about C$75 and VIA 1 is about C$140.

*j* :blink: