I'm thinking about travelling on the Ocean next spring but something I've seen in almost all the reviews and Youtube videos has been the "Transition Car" - i haven't seen an explanation as to what the purpose of this car is. It appears to be a whole lot of empty space to me...
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Ocean Transition Car
- Discussion of Canadian Passenger Rail Services such as AMT (Montreal), Go Transit (Toronto), VIA Rail, and other Canadian Railways and Transit
Moderator: Ken V
The Renaissance equipment used on the Ocean has European style couplers which are not compatible with the rest of VIA's fleet. The transition car has a North American style coupler on one end to allow a Park car to be attached to the rear of the train.
Ken V. Moderator: Most things Canadian.
Any time could be train time!
Any time could be train time!
They are a needed evil due to most of the former UK designed Renaissance cars retain the "screw link and buffers" coupler setup
used by British Rail.
These cars have a regular N. American coupler on one end,"screw link and buffers" on the other.
The Renaissance cars were to be used on a night running train routed thru the "Chunnel" between the UK and Europe,
the "Nightstar" service was never started,were stored until VIA bought the cars and reconfigured them for service in Canada
used by British Rail.
These cars have a regular N. American coupler on one end,"screw link and buffers" on the other.
The Renaissance cars were to be used on a night running train routed thru the "Chunnel" between the UK and Europe,
the "Nightstar" service was never started,were stored until VIA bought the cars and reconfigured them for service in Canada
The Land of Enchantment is not Flyover country!
Ken V wrote:The Renaissance equipment used on the Ocean has European style couplers which are not compatible with the rest of VIA's fleet. The transition car has a North American style coupler on one end to allow a Park car to be attached to the rear of the train.They also need North American couplers on one end to couple to the locomotives.
Typical Renaissance equipment setup for the Ocean;
(1)baggage car, (2) several coach cars, (3) a dining car bracketed by (3) two service cars, (5)multiple sleeping cars, a (6) transition car and a (7) "Park" Sleeper Buffet-Lounge Dome Observation Car. The Ocean is almost invariably hauled by a pair of London, Ontario-built GM F40PH locomotives, of which all have been upgraded by CAD Railway Industries of Montreal to the F40PH-3 model. During winter months the consist has as few as 14 cars, during the summer months the consist has as much as 21 cars. During most of the year, with the reduction of service to 3 round trips per week, only two consists are needed to operate the Ocean.
Rolling stock roster:
Baggage car 9 7000–7011 Built out of unused sleeping car shells. Use rubber floor mats.
Club car 14 7100–7114 48-seat capacity in a 2+1 configuration.
Coach 33 7200–7232 48-seat capacity in a 2+1 configuration.
Lounge car 20 7300–7316; 7354–7359 Via Rail refers to these as "service" cars.
Dining car 3 7400–7402 48-seat capacity; built out of unused sleeping car shells of single bedrooms.
Sleeping car 28 7500–7589 10 double bedrooms. 29 more were stored at Thunder Bay, Ontario - only 3 are left in storage.
Baggage car/transition 3 7600–7602 Are modified Baggage cars. Carpeted corridor added to rubber mat floors
Note: All the Baggage and Transition cars have European spec couplers on one end, and North American spec couplers on the opposite end.
Having to need just two consists today, the Ocean only requires 2 baggage, 2 transition, 2 dining, 4 service cars, and 2 "Park" cars. the 28 sleeping cars could be divided into 14 such cars per Ocean train depending on demand. The 33 coach and 14 club cars, and the remaining 16 Lounge/Serice cars are also use in corridor service.
Here's the transition to the Park Car and also an interior shot. There's displays on the walls, storage and freezer units for dining car meals. And in summer....it's where the Lobster lives!
Originally, the Chaleur (train to Gaspe) was also to be a Renaissance equipped train, but this was going to require additional cars to be assembled (the sleepers came with a general shell and then had kits for interior assembly). Be it cost overruns, the complexity that would be involved of switching the cars in and out at Matapedia (probably would have had to operate independently), or otherwise the Chaleur retained its Budd equipment.
It's too bad nearly 30 Renaissance shells were left out in the elements at Thunder Bay. I know there's a love hate relationship with the Renaissance cars, but the extra cars stored up at Thunder Bay could have been kept around for expansion (or pending replacements) even though the Ocean basically has a full extra Renaissance consist since going to 3 days a week. I am not even sure if these cars are still up at Thunder Bay. I thought VIA had given the order to basically have them sold for scrap.
In terms of the transition cars, I had advocated that they be turned into a lounge car of sorts. This was before they attached the Park Car on the back. The service cars fall extremely short of providing lounge space.
It's too bad nearly 30 Renaissance shells were left out in the elements at Thunder Bay. I know there's a love hate relationship with the Renaissance cars, but the extra cars stored up at Thunder Bay could have been kept around for expansion (or pending replacements) even though the Ocean basically has a full extra Renaissance consist since going to 3 days a week. I am not even sure if these cars are still up at Thunder Bay. I thought VIA had given the order to basically have them sold for scrap.
In terms of the transition cars, I had advocated that they be turned into a lounge car of sorts. This was before they attached the Park Car on the back. The service cars fall extremely short of providing lounge space.