Long trains in the Corridor

Most of the photos I've seen of VIA trains on the Quebec-Windsor corridor show consists of 4-5 cars. During holiday weekends or other times of heavy travel, does VIA add cars to the trains? Is a corridor train ever long enough to require a second locomotive?

Thanks!

Andy

During busy periods it's not uncommon to see 7 or 8 car LRC consists. The normal for a Renaissance corridor train is 7-10 cars including the baggage and service cars. Normally one locomotive is sufficient for most trains but VIA often uses two on consists greater than 7 or 8 cars. The longest corridor train I've ever been on was 13 LRC cars plus an LRC locomotive at each end which happened in 1994.

Ken is correct Long renaissance trains are now a common sight, Heres one Picture for you I took this back in 2009. Oddly enough If you do a google search, Wikipedia used this picture for the British write up on the "Nightstar train" , go figure...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8453967@N08/3434341347/

I just wanted to suggest that one railcar type doesn't equal another railcar type.

Budd "coach" railcar
Length = 85 feet
Capacity = 62 (81xx) or 68 (41xx) seats

LRC "coach" railcar
Length = 85 feet
Capacity = 68 seats

Renaissance "coach" railcar
Length = 76 feet
Capacity = 49 seats

Therefore at 490 seats, a 10 car Renaissance coach set = 7.2 car LRC coach set = 7.9 car Budd coach set. To simplify between the differences, an 8 car LRC or Budd set carries slightly more passengers than a 10 car Renaissance set...(The others railcars can carry 25% more than the Renaissance railcars). That's a two car difference at 10 R cars, or a single car difference at 5 R cars.

I'm not sure if this is helpful (or relevant)... while riding the Canadian to Vancouver a few months ago, I asked the service manager (conductor) a few questions about limitations and capabilities of Via trains...

I was told that a single F40PH is capable of hauling 11 cars before needing a 2nd engine for help. I was also told that the longest train allowed is 32 cars.

buddah wrote:Ken is correct Long renaissance trains are now a common sight, Heres one Picture for you I took this back in 2009. Oddly enough If you do a google search, Wikipedia used this picture for the British write up on the "Nightstar train" , go figure...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8453967@N08/3434341347/

Odd because they used a photo of them in VIA service or because they chose your pic?