Skyline Domes......now on the Ocean

VIA has added Skyline Domes to the Ocean for the winter.

Here's w/b #15 at Truro NS, Sunday Nov. 18, 2012.

6424 F40
6409 F40
7011 Baggage
7228 Coach
7222 Coach
70108 Accessible Coach
7303 Lounge/Service Car
7402 Diner
7313 Lounge/Service Car
79501 Accessible Sleeper
7519 Sleeper
7510 Sleeper
7503 Sleeper
7600 Transition Car
8500 Skyline Dome Lounge

That's very nice, I guess (I think I've seen one of those on the Montreal-Senneterre route about 13 years ago)

Question about the second pic... was that taken at the Halifax Station? Been 2 years since I've been there, but it does look like that station

NeoArashi wrote: Question about the second pic... was that taken at the Halifax Station? Been 2 years since I've been there, but it does look like that station

Truro NS.......64 miles west.

I'm curious as to why they didn't use a Park car like they normally do.

What a contrast it must be walking from the smaller Renaissance sleeper to the more spacious interior of the Skyline Dome plus the awesome view from the dome itself! (The second best seat behind the engineer, I consider it.)






XC Tower

warwgn3 wrote:I'm curious as to why they didn't use a Park car like they normally do.

The Park Car only runs during the summer and fall and has for a few years now.....Not year ‘round. It is the “Signature” car on the Ocean when Sleeper Plus (or Touring Class or Easterly Class.....call it what you want) is offered.

During the summer regular sleeper passengers do not have access to a Dome so I believe VIA is just trying to preserve this amenity they can charge extra for. But for now.....a Skyline Dome will be available to all sleeper passengers in the off-season.

XC Tower wrote:What a contrast it must be walking from the smaller Renaissance sleeper to the more spacious interior of the Skyline Dome plus the awesome view from the dome itself! (The second best seat behind the engineer, I consider it.)

Personally, I’ll take a Ren sleeper any day over an old Budd! Shake and rattle compared to the smooth riding Rens. But for now you have the best of both worlds…….accommodations in the Rens plus the view from the Skyline Dome!

The Dome seems to be a railfan thing and just doesn’t have the same appeal to others. I’ve been riding the Ocean for many years and even when the Park Car was available to all sleeper passengers……it was usually wide open spaces. About the only time it was ever full was during the morning when a complimentary continental breakfast was offered. Even then, people would stay a few minutes then head back to their rooms.

It does have an appeal to more passengers when passing thru the mountains on the Canadian. But once on the prairies, again wide open spaces and never a problem getting a seat.

NS VIA FAN wrote:

warwgn3 wrote:I'm curious as to why they didn't use a Park car like they normally do.

The Park Car only runs during the summer and fall and has for a few years now.....Not year ‘round. It is the “Signature” car on the Ocean when Sleeper Plus (or Touring Class or Easterly Class.....call it what you want) is offered.

During the summer regular sleeper passengers do not have access to a Dome so I believe VIA is just trying to preserve this amenity they can charge extra for. But for now.....a Skyline Dome will be available to all sleeper passengers in the off-season.

I'm aware of the seasonal Park car in the summer. But when I took the Ocean both ways in March 2012, both my trains consisted entirely of Budd equipment with a Skyline, and no Park. However this may only be the case when the Ocean was not scheduled to be joined with the Chaleur.

warwgn3 wrote:I'm aware of the seasonal Park car in the summer. But when I took the Ocean both ways in March 2012, both my trains consisted entirely of Budd equipment with a Skyline, and no Park. However this may only be the case when the Ocean was not scheduled to be joined with the Chaleur.

For several winter one of the three consists required for the Ocean was a Budd set and it included a Skyline Dome. The other two consists were Ren only…..without a Dome.

VIA was upgrading the Rens for Barrier Free access and other modifications so one Ren consist would be pulled for the winter and replaced with a Budd. It had nothing to do with combining with the Chaleur.

Only two consists are required now for the Ocean on the new tri-weekly schedule so I don’t imagine a Budd set will be back this winter.

NS VIA FAN wrote:

warwgn3 wrote:I'm aware of the seasonal Park car in the summer. But when I took the Ocean both ways in March 2012, both my trains consisted entirely of Budd equipment with a Skyline, and no Park. However this may only be the case when the Ocean was not scheduled to be joined with the Chaleur.

For several winter one of the three consists required for the Ocean was a Budd set and it included a Skyline Dome. The other two consists were Ren only…..without a Dome.

VIA was upgrading the Rens for Barrier Free access and other modifications so one Ren consist would be pulled for the winter and replaced with a Budd. It had nothing to do with combining with the Chaleur.

Only two consists are required now for the Ocean on the new tri-weekly schedule so I don’t imagine a Budd set will be back this winter.

And it will be interesting to see if the third consist eventually goes to the Chaleur (train to Gaspe) - when it does finally get restored as a train all the way to Gaspe. Hopefully it can retain a Skyline Dome Car or Park Dome Car.