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NS VIA Fan said:
Prior to the Budd equipment being HEPed in the late ‘80s, the cars were heated by steam, piped through the cars from boilers located in the diesels and were more susceptible to freeze-ups then, from the steam condensate.
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How well I remember those "bad-old-day's"......sometimes the SFZ would come into Denver mid-winter with almost all the car's frozen. The carmen would heroically do what they could to restore them, but oftentimes the car's would go out of service, and even entire trains annulled with the passenger's being flown or bussed to their destinations.

Similar problems with A/C in the summers....the individual car units were old and very unreliable....both the axle and engine type generator's prone to failure. Train attendant's carried a supply of cyalume lightsticks ;)

It all came to a head during that notorious winter in the early to midwinter seventies (forgot exact year -- 1976?), when the Chicago hub was in a world of hurt...sending trains down to New Orleans to thaw out. The new HEP Amfleet was pressed into service that it was not intended for--long distance trains....they performed heroically and probably "saved Amtrak" from extinction that year.
 
How much longer can they keep these ancient cars running? When they are life expired will that be the end of The Canadian?
 
Stainless steel cars are generally speaking worn by use, not time. With the way VIA uses those cars, their end of life will be after the end of ours.
 
Swadian Hardcore said:
Didn't NS VIA Fan say that they are in bad shape and needed a rebuild?
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Think I said some of the Budd cars I've been on vibrate and rattle compared to the smooth riding Renaissance equipment.
And it would be great if more of the cars received the modern interiors some of the Chateau and Park Cars are getting now for the up-scale service VIA is launching. More cars should also receive Barrier Free Accessibility (ADA to Americans). The rebuilt Park Cars now have a built-in wheel-chair lift in a vestibule.
 
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I think they should keep the old interior but add wheelchair lifts. Then probably rebuild the undercarriage to get rid of the vibrate and rattle. I don't think it's the carbody itself ratting because, IIRC, the Budd cars were built with 1940s military-grade shotwelding and monocoque through-truss construction.

Do you know if all the Park Cars are going to be used for Prestige Class on the Canadian or if some will stay for the Skeena and Ocean?
 
The vibrating is most likely the interior fittings (like door tracks, for instance) wearing out slightly. But that's minor maintenance issues. The cars are mechanically and structurally Budd cars with less than a million miles on them not too far out of rebuild.
 
Took a ride on a half-century old, Budd-built R-32 on the MTA Subway 'C' Train last week. I can see no reason why those couldn't easily last a full century, with minimal maintenance along the way.... :)
 
railiner said:
Took a ride on a half-century old, Budd-built R-32 on the MTA Subway 'C' Train last week. I can see no reason why those couldn't easily last a full century, with minimal maintenance along the way.... :)
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When are those going to go? I would like to ride some with my travel buddy before they're all replaced by R179's. Are they still on the A or the J?
 
They are currently on the 'C', and I believe they will be there for a couple more years, at least....the last cars with a "railfan window", except for a handful of R-42's on the 'J',

so better hurry.....

The 'A' is R-46's, and the 'J' is mostly R-160's......
 
Are they really the last cars with the RFW? None of the newer ones have them?

I must say, I quite like the R46. Not as much as the R32, though. Heard the R42 was cr@p.
 
Swadian Hardcore said:
Are they really the last cars with the RFW? None of the newer ones have them?

I must say, I quite like the R46. Not as much as the R32, though. Heard the R42 was cr@p.
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All the newer cars have the full-width cab. You can get a very limited (and distorted) view by peering thru the slot into the cab, and then on thru the outer door window.

Yes, compared to the R-32, the R-42 is junk.
 

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