Business Class Cars Upgrade?

I was just reading the "Via Rail Business Class Enhancements" e-mail I got on April 8 of this month and was wondering is Via doing these "Enhancements" or have they contracted it out? Thanks for any info!

My VIA "contacts" tell me that VIA is doing the work at the Maintenance Centre in Montreal. Of the 26 cars to be converted to "2 + 1" seating (amongst other refurbishments) 11 are in service as of the end of March.

marquisofmississauga wrote:My VIA "contacts" tell me that VIA is doing the work at the Maintenance Centre in Montreal. Of the 26 cars to be converted to "2 + 1" seating (amongst other refurbishments) 11 are in service as of the end of March.

Thank you very much Sir for the info!

These were originally supposed to be done by Industrial Rail Services (IRSI) in Moncton NB, with the interiors provided by another company (can't remember who). Unfortunately the IRSI bankruptcy meant that only one car got done there, so VIA has set up new shop facilities at the MMC to handle the work. I understand the interiors (designed and produced by this other company who's name I forget) and basic work are done there, then the cars got to Toronto for painting.

Because of the IRSI fiasco, VIA has skipped the full rebuild on these Clubs, so they're getting some basic structural work, new interiors, new paint, and a few mods (like removing the redundant tilting mechanisms). But they're not a full rebuild, which shows in several places (the ends are not even repainted, the roofs are the same [saw one from above from the Park car on the Ocean last week], and the overhead luggage bins are still the same).

They're still amazing though. I've ridden in them Ottawa-Montreal twice now, and they're a phenomenal upgrade. The new interiors are just great, even if the new paint scheme is...."iffy".