VIA Rail Infrastructure

I would like to post one question: most of Via trains run on CN tracks which are almost all of it double tracked.. But I saw many times that two trains in the same directions run on paralel tracks. Isn't it the rule that each track is for each direction? I mean, isn't it that trains run on right-side track looking from driver's eye? Here in europe , when corridor is double-track, each track serves for each direction. so trains always run on right-side track looking from driver's eye, and train from opposite direction runs on left track looking from cabin view

dorian cro wrote:I would like to post one question: most of Via trains run on CN tracks which are almost all of it double tracked.. But I saw many times that two trains in the same directions run on paralel tracks. Isn't it the rule that each track is for each direction? I mean, isn't it that trains run on right-side track looking from driver's eye? Here in europe , when corridor is double-track, each track serves for each direction. so trains always run on right-side track looking from driver's eye, and train from opposite direction runs on left track looking from cabin view

Your assumption that VIA runs on mostly double track is wrong. It's mostly single track with passing sidings. Double track is prevalent on the rail corridor between London, southwest of Toronto to Saint Hyacinthe, northeast of Montreal. That's approximately 490 miles. It's not a dedicated passenger corridor, there's freight customers along the entire way on both sides of the tracks. Therefore, both tracks are bidirectional, mainly so freight trains can service their customers.

Thanks for information about bi-direction tracking..

But as much as I know, whole corridor Quebec City - Montreal - Toronto - Windsor is at least double (if not more) tracked and that is approximately 557 miles just between Windsor and Montreal....

CN freights operate a lot slower than the Via Corridor trains, so it is advantageous to run them "wrong main" against the current of traffic to allow them to pass. On most double track lines one track is designated for one direction, but is often bidirectionally signaled. In this way it can essentially act as two parallel single track mains depending on what is most advantageous for traffic flow.

Use your favorite map app, I use Google Earth, and follow the tracks southwest of the London ON station a few miles and see the double track reduce to single track. You can do the same northeast of Saint-Hyacinthe too.

CN Kingston sub is tripled in some places.
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