"The Canadian" turning on the wye west of Burlington

Hi - quick question regarding a move that I witnessed yesterday. [ worth noting: I know virtually nothing about Via operations, but had an opportunity for a full day of trainwatching in Burlington, Ontario yesterday ]. Yesterday (Saturday 10/8 - the evening before Canada's Thanksgiving holiday) at about 5:00 PM Via's "Canadian" passed through Burlington headed westbound. About 20 minutes later, the same train passed by headed to the east, so obviously it had just turned on the wye. One of the other railfans said that it looked as if the train was completely empty - no passengers to be seen within.

So, my question - is this a typical move? If so, why? Thanks for any information!

It's not a typical move but it's not that rare either. There are times when the usual route of the Canadian north out of Toronto Union Station is not available due to track work. In such cases, the train equipment is often wyed at Bayview before entraining passengers for the journey west via an alternate route.

My wife and I had just detrained from a VIA train at Oakville at 4:30 p.m. when this consist roared by westbound. Less than an hour later we observed it eastbound along the Oakville Sub. in the west end of Toronto. VIA's Website had a notice that #2 could be up to seven hours late into Toronto that day. An acquaintance was on that train into Toronto and said it was quite late arriving. I'm not sure how late it was, but it was less than seven hours but more than four hours because passengers had been told they would get the late train credit.

When #2 arrives quite late, the departure of #1 is understandably delayed. Sometimes the departure may be not much after the scheduled 10:00 p.m. but it has often left around midnight and sometimes as late as 10:00 a.m. the following day. I am speculating, of course, but it's unlikely this departure would be delayed to the next day. But if the consist is turned the train can go up the Bala Sub. instead of the usual fairly lengthy manoeuvre up the Newmaket Sub, backing on to the York Sub., then continuing east to the Bala Sub. This could save at least half an hour from my experience, which is helpful when the train departs late.

Just an idea, why doesn't the Canadien use the Canadian Pacific line from Toronto through to Parry Sound instead (in both directions)? I'm not sure if the CP line is as busy but this could alleviate any of these delays if the CN lines are too busy. I recognize that Washago would be eliminated from the transcontinental route, but the Canadien could add service to a few new communities along the CP line:

Bala
Essa (10 km west of Barrie)
Alliston
Tottenham
Bolton

Thanks for the information - greatly appreciated!!

labaienordique wrote:Just an idea, why doesn't the Canadien use the Canadian Pacific line from Toronto through to Parry Sound instead (in both directions)? I'm not sure if the CP line is as busy but this could alleviate any of these delays if the CN lines are too busy. I recognize that Washago would be eliminated from the transcontinental route, but the Canadien could add service to a few new communities along the CP line:

Bala
Essa (10 km west of Barrie)
Alliston
Tottenham
Bolton

I believe CN and CP have an agreement that all northbound traffic uses the CP line in the Parry Sound area and all southbound traffic uses the CN line. The track plan has little to do with Via. That's why #1 and #2 stop at different places in Parry Sound.