The "Ocean" VIA Overnight Sleeper

Who knows what VIA's on-time performance may be by November, especially in the east, but right now it's not very good. Personally I wouldn't risk a same-day connection with any long-distance VIA train. Last summer I persuaded a friend who was bound for Newfoundland to take the Ocean to Halifax and fly from there. I had suggested that if the train was very late she be prepared to leave the Ocean at Truro and take an expensive taxi ride to Halifax Airport. Well, the train was four hours late into Truro, so she detrained there and made the flight by 10 minutes!

According to the summer edition of Vialogue, the on-time performance ratio in the east was 65% as of spring. VIA's definition of on-time is no more than half an hour late, which is fine. But this summer there have been so many disruptions in service and bustitutions that a same-day connection is risky, especially if the air fare is one of the usual ones where the fare is forfeited if you miss the flight. Cancellation insurance may cover the situation; most policies require a four-hour connection which should be OK in your case. I have an annual policy that is quite liberal in that a two-hour connection is all that is needed, but it's not worth the potential hassle so I prefer to cushion any trip with an overnight stay.

Due to that derailment and subsequent bridge damage west of Matapedia, that line is now also closed. VIA is saying on their Website that the first Chaleur is now expected to be on the 17th of Sept. Because the Ocean also cannot use that line, it is being re-routed through Edmunston. Passengers to and from stations that will be missed because of this re-routing will be carried by "alternate transportation."

Rather than running the Chaleur as far as they could, i.e. Amqui (which is not too far from Matapedia where the train has been running for the past five weeks,) VIA is not running it at all. Passengers are being transported by overnight bus service all the way between Montreal and Gaspe.

This totally sucks. I already booked my tickets for 21st Sept. I would hate to do the journey on a bus.

Vic wrote:This totally sucks. I already booked my tickets for 21st Sept. I would hate to do the journey on a bus.

As of today, VIA is still expecting to operate the Chaleur starting Wed. 17th Sept. If my wife and I get to Central Station on my intended departure date later this month and find we're to be treated to an overnight bus trip of 1047 km we will either be going home or to the airport if we really want to go to Gaspe. Flights can be pricey if not booked in advance, so it's probably home!

VIA also expects the Ocean to resume its usual route on the 17th.

Update: According to Reservia, the Ocean resumes its normal route today, but the resumption of the Chaleur has been postponed, yet again, to Friday the 19th.

While the Ocean is now back on track it doesn't look that good for the Chaleur. The September 19/20 version of VIA 16/17 has also been removed from their online reservation system.

I assume the Chaleur and Ocean now operating as one train once again? Has VIA come out with a new schedule, or are they just going to wait until the big change - that is the Canadian's schedule change in December.

I just wish the Chaleur would operate as a separate train all year long, providing an extra frequency between Montreal and Charny/Quebec City. Even in the off season, this could be a long train - especially around the holidays. I realize labor costs are shared until the train is split at Matapedia.

But would some extra revenue with the Chaleur operating as a separate train outweight the extra cost of the engineer(s) and fuel (if this is even a factor since any diesels operating with the combined train may have to be "turned on").

I'd prefer the Chaleur to depart around 5:45 p.m. and the Ocean at 7:15 p.m. Or something along these lines - perhaps even a two hour time difference between the two trains. Course it was nice when the Amtrak Adirondack could be relied upon to connect with the Chaleur or Ocean. That is when the Adirondack got into Montreal earlier. For a few trips on the Ocean I used to get off at St. Lambert to catch the Ocean out to Halifax. It would save me an extra night in laying over at Montreal, as one would have to do now. Recent trips, I've just flown up to Montreal to catch the Chaleur or Ocean, rather than taking the Adirondack.

CN will re-acquire the Intercolonial Railway route (Chemin de fer de la Matapedia et du Golfe and the New Brunswick East Coast Railway) they sold to the Quebec Railway Corp. about 10 years ago. This is the route VIA’s Ocean uses from St. Andre Jct. Quebec (Riviere du Loup) to Pacific Jct. NB (Moncton) They will also assume the operation and management contract for the Chemin de fer de la Gaspesie, which runs from Matapedia to Gaspe, Que. The route of VIA’s Chaleur.

They also pick up the operations of the Ottawa Central Railway which runs on VIA owned track from near Coteau to Ottawa. Wonder who will get priority here!

http://www.cn.ca/en/media-featured-stor ... e-mdle-qrc

VIA took ownership of the Coteau-Ottawa Alexandria Sub from CN prior to their sale of the remainder to the QRC and has since assumed control of dispatching. I wouldn't think CN will have much more say than the current tenant regarding the priority of their freight trains on VIA's tracks.

Moderator's note: All posts related to CN's motivation for repurchasing the Quebec Railway Corp lines have been moved to the Canadian National Forum.

Hello all,

I'm planning a trip in January one-way on the Ocean to Moncton, and I'm trying to plan my voyage. I know that Renaissance equipment and Budd cars operate on different days... does anyone know which days? Or does it depend on the week and my best bet would be just to try booking and see what comes up?

Also, any comment as to which experience is better, considering there is no Easterly class? Is sleeper class better in Renaissance or Budd cars? I'm leaning towards the Budd cars just because those won't be around forever so I should take it in while I can.

Thanks,
-Chris

I know the Budd equipment leaves Montreal on Thursdays and Sundays. It leaves Halifax on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Budd equipment is better as you can get access to the Skyline dome car.

They don't put a Park car on the Budd equipment when the Easterly class is not on, right?

Thanks so much for that info - I will plan my trip accordingly.

Although this has been done in the past, has VIA actually pulled a Renaissance train set out of service yet? I often wonder if they could use another Skyline Dome car on this consist, as the Ocean can be a large train set at times - especially at the holidays. It doesn't necessarily follow the exact pattern of the Canadian for off peak and peak season travel (close but not always).

jp1822 wrote:Although this has been done in the past, has VIA actually pulled a Renaissance train set out of service yet?........

Yes, a Budd consist is on the road right now. It departed Montreal last evening and is due in Halifax today (Nov 21)

An easy way to determine what equipment is being used is to go the VIA site, enter cities, travel date and sleeper class. If you are given the option of Double Bedroom or Deluxe Double Bedroom only, it’s a Renaissance consist. But if it shows: Upper/Lower Berth, Single/Double/Triple Bedroom, it’s a Budd consist.