Hudson Bay Line to Churchill/VIA Service Suspensions

I don't think there is a policy to do away with the remote trains. What happened in British Columbia and Gaspe is that the short line freight railroad the train operated on failed due to a lack of business. There have been attempts to revive both lines, but so far without success. VIA isn't going to pay the full cost of operating these railroads, so no passenger trains.

CHTT1 wrote:I don't think there is a policy to do away with the remote trains. What happened in British Columbia and Gaspe is that the short line freáeight railroad the train operated on failed due to a lack of business. There have been attempts to revive both lines, but so far without success. VIA isn't going to pay the full cost of operating these railroads, so no passenger trains.

Which appears to be the same failure scenario with the line to Churchill, a lack of freight (goods) business to keep it open.

CHTT1 wrote:I don't think there is a policy to do away with the remote trains. What happened in British Columbia and Gaspe is that the short line freight railroad the train operated on failed due to a lack of business. There have been attempts to revive both lines, but so far without success. VIA isn't going to pay the full cost of operating these railroads, so no passenger trains.

At the 2013 VIA annual meeting, Vancouver Island local service was brought up at the public comment session (see question #31). VIA stated "We stated that we would resume service as soon as the track was brought back to safe operating standards and that is still our intent". Is this policy statement still the case five years later?

Might be worth starting another thread, and let this unpleasant saga die.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatche ... -1.4737680" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Looks like another 2 F40PH's are going to be written off.

Mark: From the looks of the CBC photograph not likely...This will depend on any internal damages
in particular either one of these F40s sustained in this derailment. Sometimes outside appearances
though can be deceiving knowing that is what is inside actually counts the most...

More than likely these two F40s will be out of service upon recovery for a substantial time period.
This is the type of wreck rebuilding Diesel shop crews earn their reputations for correcting.

I have been following the Hudson Bay Line to Churchill topic and agree that it is disappointing for
starters the problems that have been experienced here in any service restoration attempt.

This may take direct Manitoba provincial or Canada Government control to save this route.
Can this be a possibility for what is primarily a First Nations community-based service?

MACTRAXX

Restoring passenger service if the line gets fixed is a given as VIA is still operating on the non-damaged portion. Service still exists from Winnipeg to Gillam. Looking at VIA's 2017 and 2016 annual reports show that while passenger numbers are down significantly the government subsidy has barely dropped so there really isn't any cost saving to no restore service.

In the meantime the Globe and Mail recently came out for restoring both the rail line and port on national strategic grounds
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion ... d-railway/

And the latest from Omnitrax, including apparently why the sale is held up https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local ... 41091.html

Moderator's note: Posts not related to VIA Rail operations have/will be moved to the Hudson Bay Railway thread in the Canadian Railfan Forum.

Per this article, VIA service on the remainder of the line (Winnipeg to Gillum) has been suspended with no timeline for resumption given the new washout at Poton.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba ... -1.4829735

Passenger service is apparently expected to resume sometime this fall after the first train since the washouts arrived in Churchill yesterday

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba ... -1.4886923

Now is the time for the First Nations to assume operation of the VIA trains between The Pas and Churchill. Really no need for a train to run all the way to Winnipeg.

Keewatin Rail which already operates the passenger trains to Pukatawagan is based in The Pas

http://www.krcrail.ca/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

NS VIA FAN wrote:Now is the time for the First Nations to assume operation of the VIA trains between The Pas and Churchill. Really no need for a train to run all the way to Winnipeg.

Keewatin Rail which already operates the passenger trains to Pukatawagan is based in The Pas

http://www.krcrail.ca/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

KRC needs a spelling update: "fairs" sounds right, but it's not.

mdvle wrote:Passenger service is apparently expected to resume sometime this fall after the first train since the washouts arrived in Churchill yesterday
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba ... -1.4886923

It still took a year (and counting). Compared to NYCT which got every line damaged by Sandy (including the washed out Rockaway Branch) back in service in six months.

R36 Combine Coach wrote:

mdvle wrote:Passenger service is apparently expected to resume sometime this fall after the first train since the washouts arrived in Churchill yesterday
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba ... -1.4886923

It still took a year (and counting). Compared to NYCT which got every line damaged by Sandy (including the washed out Rockaway Branch) back in service in six months.

Except NYCT weren’t sitting on their hands trying to get out of paying for the work

NS VIA FAN wrote:Now is the time for the First Nations to assume operation of the VIA trains between The Pas and Churchill. Really no need for a train to run all the way to Winnipeg.

Keewatin Rail which already operates the passenger trains to Pukatawagan is based in The Pas

http://www.krcrail.ca/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Depends on the traffic though. Churchill trains have tourist traffic which may be dissuaded by a two seat ride.