VIA off-Corridor, "they're done for"

I've said it around here before, and I'll say it again.

If "The Canadian" is to return, both CN and VIA ought to treat it as a "Passenger Extra". In short, it hasn't got a schedule; "gets there when it gets there".

If they do restore it for a 2X week frequency, simply identify the trains as #1 or #2 and A-H. VIA is certainly to give a passenger a four day "window" when, say, #1-A is expected to depart. Passengers would then book on whichever train should best meet their needs.

With Train Status and with virtual communication with anyone, anywhere, VIA would periodically advise passengers when the train is expected to leave their station; as the train gets closer, the more that time can be perfected. Within, say, six hours of expected departure, VIA could then give a "train will not leave before XXXXhr". Passengers could then make final arrangements to get to the station.

It is time for all concerned; VIA, CN, and passengers to accept operating conditions no longer allow for it to be considered a scheduled train.

urr304 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 10:14 am Well, it does look like VIA has joined its Amtrak cousins in offering transportation on frequencies
from 150-180 years ago when you get a ride when the means go by. Think of the once a week
ship, boat, stagecoach, canoe.

Don't forget the mixed train (dependent on freight schedule).

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 2:26 pm I've said it around here before, and I'll say it again.

If "The Canadian" is to return, both CN and VIA ought to treat it as a "Passenger Extra". In short, it hasn't got a schedule; "gets there when it gets there".

If they do restore it for a 2X week frequency, simply identify the trains as #1 or #2 and A-H. VIA is certainly to give a passenger a four day "window" when, say, #1-A is expected to depart. Passengers would then book on whichever train should best meet their needs.

With Train Status and with virtual communication with anyone, anywhere, VIA would periodically advise passengers when the train is expected to leave their station; as the train gets closer, the more that time can be perfected. Within, say, six hours of expected departure, VIA could then give a "train will not leave before XXXXhr". Passengers could then make final arrangements to get to the station.

It is time for all concerned; VIA, CN, and passengers to accept operating conditions no longer allow for it to be considered a scheduled train.

Meanwhile, in a galaxy far, far away (commonly referred to as “the present”):

I don't understand why people are surprised by the early arrival of #1 into Vancouver. Since the current schedule came into effect in May 2019, there have been 84 arrivals of #1 in Vancouver.
(I've excluded #3 originating in Edmonton.) 61 of those trains have been early. 45 of them (more than half) have been more than 2 hours early. So I don't see anything unusual about yesterday's early arrival.

https://groups.io/g/Canadian-Passenger- ... sage/90683

I have confirmed the above with my own statistical analysis, which can be found on Urban Toronto: