VIA Proposes Halifax Commuter Rail

[electricron]

I suspect VIA will keep an eye on things in Vermont, but F40PH locomotives and HEP stock would be my guess in order to keep commonality with Ocean stock, at least until the concept is proven. They have ambitions to do some medium distance runs in NS/NB also.

+1. I would think the F40s + coaches would be more practical for the Halifax-Moncton/Moncton-Campbellton runs.

TRE chief once told DART board members that the fuel consumed by 4 RDCs equal that of one F59 locomotive pulling 4 Bombardier bilevels. If you only needed 1,2, or 3 RDCs to handle the passengers, it was cheaper to run with that many RDCs vs a F59 locomotive pulling less than 4 bilevels. If you needed more than 4 RDCs to handle the passengers, it was cheaper to run with a F59 locomotive and 4 or more bilevels. His point was that 4 RDCs was the point where the change in economy of operations occurred. I'm not that experienced to acknowledge what he stated was true or not, but I will suggest he was more than qualified with both rolling stock to make that statement.
What would be better in rural Canada from an operations point of view really depends upon how long the train needs to be.

[Tadman]

THat makes sense as the RDC was developed to cover 1-2 car runs that didn't need a full E7/8 with twin prime movers running. Does Canada have the same collision regs RE crush strength? They could use Stadlers if the laws are different.

[RRspatch]

THat makes sense as the RDC was developed to cover 1-2 car runs that didn't need a full E7/8 with twin prime movers running. Does Canada have the same collision regs RE crush strength? They could use Stadlers if the laws are different.

Doesn't the O-Train in Ottawa use or used off the shelf German rail cars? I believe there's also a tourist line somewhere in Quebec that uses German built DMU's.

[dowlingm]

THat makes sense as the RDC was developed to cover 1-2 car runs that didn't need a full E7/8 with twin prime movers running. Does Canada have the same collision regs RE crush strength? They could use Stadlers if the laws are different.

EuroDMUs operate in Canada under temporal separation (Ottawa O-Train BBD Talent and Alstom Lint).

Unlike TRE, what VIA doesn't have is any coaches with a cab for pushpull operations except for RDCs. They have been running with double locos on each end of consists lately for some Corridor trains with 50:50 seating.

[electricron]

EuroDMUs operate in Canada under temporal separation (Ottawa O-Train BBD Talent and Alstom Lint).

Unlike TRE, what VIA doesn't have is any coaches with a cab for pushpull operations except for RDCs. They have been running with double locos on each end of consists lately for some Corridor trains with 50:50 seating.

I believe Mexico, Canada, and the USA railroads run under the same set of standards or regulations - but under individual laws and regulators that reference those standards. This allows rolling stock to be ran across borders without the need of unloading and reloading loads at the borders.

[Tadman]

I think they run to common FRA standards with reference to things like loading gauge, weights, couplers, etc... if they want to interchange. But the government regulatory standards are certainly not identical. For example, Canada feels cab signals are not necessary to operate over 79mph. I am not clear if they have mandated PTC, either.

[dowlingm]

I think they run to common FRA standards with reference to things like loading gauge, weights, couplers, etc... if they want to interchange. But the government regulatory standards are certainly not identical. For example, Canada feels cab signals are not necessary to operate over 79mph. I am not clear if they have mandated PTC, either.

No mandated PTC.

Track speed standards are a little different (class 5 higher passenger speed) https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/railsafety/rules-tce54-832.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[NH2060]

Looks like this thing has a very good chance at happening:

Coun. Tim Outhit says commuter rail for the Halifax Regional Municipality has “never been closer.”

Frustrated commuters may get some relief in the near future if Outhit’s prediction is correct, as the city is set to consider commuter rail as part of the overall Integrated Mobility Plan study.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/1512 ... reen-light" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;