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Discussion of Canadian Passenger Rail Services such as AMT (Montreal), Go Transit (Toronto), VIA Rail, and other Canadian Railways and Transit

Moderator: Ken V

 #1467745  by Mark0f0
 
https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/5 ... 72103.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Code: Select all
LA POCATIÈRE, QC, April 3, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) has awarded Bombardier a $54 million contract to upgrade 17 train cars. Built in the 1950s, the renovations will be used to transform them into a new generation of fully accessible cars, and will elevate the standards of accessibility in Canada. 
VIA confirmed on a social media site when questioned that the 17 cars would be the HEP1 long-haul Economy Class fleet. Used on The Canadian, The Skeena, Northern Manitoba, Northern Quebec, etc.

So basically Economy Class is finally getting upgraded, albeit under the disguise of "handicap accessibility". Hopefully many other long-standing issues are also addressed, such as inadequate HVAC, etc.
 #1468126  by dowlingm
 
Well, La Pocatiere lost the REM procurement for Montreal and those jobs gotta be preserved...

VIA has been taking some pretty big Ls at the Canadian Transportation Agency so they need to be seen to be doing something there also:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/v ... -1.4388595" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 #1468189  by electricron
 
Only 17?
VIA has 43 long distance coach HEP1 cars, and another 23 corridor coach HEP2 cars in its roster.
That means 26 HEP1 cars will not be refurbished the same, as yet.
 #1468234  by mdvle
 
This is simply about being ordered by the CTA to provide wheelchair accessible service on all trains, which has essentially forced VIA/Government of Canada to find the money to do the minimum required.
 #1468280  by Backshophoss
 
Seems like every contract job VIA Rail does grant,the contractor goes belly up bankrupt,as the LRC rebuild,the Ren cars conversion to N American
rail standards and the RDC rebuilding contract.
Wonder if BBD will be next? :wink:
 #1468327  by dowlingm
 
electricron wrote:Only 17?
VIA has 43 long distance coach HEP1 cars, and another 23 corridor coach HEP2 cars in its roster.
That means 26 HEP1 cars will not be refurbished the same, as yet.
presumably the 17 will be enough to cover HEP1 trainsets with enough wheelchair tie downs/washrooms to keep the CTA at bay for now. A HEP2 refurb would be a disaster as it would mean the Corridor order was not being expedited.
 #1468590  by Ken V
 
On Tuesday April 10 VIA made another announcement.
VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) has awarded a contract valued at $46 million to Cad Railway Industries (Cad) to upgrade 25 train cars intended for use on the long-haul train, the Canadian. Built in the 1950s, these cars will be completely refurbished and transformed to better meet our clients’ present and future needs.
While it doesn't specifically say this is for the HEP1 coaches, I suspect it is.
 #1468626  by dowlingm
 
CADRail's contract is cheaper per car but there doesn't seem to be any accessibility work being done on these 25.

Also - there is talk on another forum of Montreal Maintenance Centre refurbing 33 other cars, no other details as yet.
 #1468642  by marquisofmississauga
 
dowlingm wrote:CADRail's contract is cheaper per car but there doesn't seem to be any accessibility work being done on these 25.

Also - there is talk on another forum of Montreal Maintenance Centre refurbing 33 other cars, no other details as yet.
The HEP II cars are getting an interior refurbishment to give them the same new seats and lay-out as the LRCs - both Business and Economy cars. They need it badly, especially the 10 VIA-1 cars. This was not announced with the Transport Minister and VIA's CEO in attendance as with the three recent announcements. It was a small article in a VIA publication last autumn. Other equipment, described as sleepers, diners, Skyline cars and Park cars, will be getting exterior work. A total of 99 cars will receive some work in this particular programme.
 #1469709  by dowlingm
 
The HEP2 might need a refresh but I wonder what executing it tells us about how long VIA thinks it will be before their replacements show up.
 #1469711  by marquisofmississauga
 
dowlingm wrote:The HEP2 might need a refresh but I wonder what executing it tells us about how long VIA thinks it will be before their replacements show up.
The announcement of the HEP-2 refurbishment was in the autumn of last year, long before VIA knew of the government's plans to fund an all-new corridor fleet. The funding of the HEP-2 programme was, according to VIA, included in the previous budget.

With the new equipment expected in four years, it is possible that VIA will not bother with the HEP-2 coaches. I hope, however, they do put the new seats in the 10 VIA-1 cars. They need it badly. Some of the seats are falling apart. Even those in good condition cause many complaints from passengers who have gotten used to the LRC "2+1" seating. The narrow "2+2" seating was accepted for decades, but I always avoided the HEP-2s because the LRC's had better seating. They were bucket seats with a substantial padded arm-rest (which held the trays) between them. The HEP-2s have the trays in the outside arm-rests and the hard centre moveable arm-rest is about 1 1/2 inches wide which is not very comfortable, especially for a premium fare.