GO VIA – Kitchener

[NS VIA FAN]

Here’s VIA #85……a number used by the ‘International’ on this route via Guelph and Kitchener and onto London but instead of the of the ‘Superliner’ equipment it once had…..today’s train was an F40, former CP long-distance coach (getting pretty thread-bare!) and an LRC coach.







I was travelling to Kitchener and VIA offers two trains a day each way. The new Light-Rail System in Kitchener offers a convenient way of getting to and from the Hotel.





The next morning, I returned to Toronto Union on GO which has greatly increased service on this 100km route with 6 trains in the morning between 5:20 and 7:50am + an afternoon and evening train.

https://www.gotransit.com/static_files/ ... able31.pdf

[CHTT1]

Here's photographic proof that CN has no trouble operating short passenger trains in Canada, no axle counts here.

[dowlingm]

I'm a bit of a philistine on this but at this point I would kick VIA entirely off Toronto-London-Kitchener so that they can employ the equipment for additional and faster frequency via Aldershot. The benefit of GO being able to push out 12 more bilevels on the single track past Silver Junction to Guelph and Kitchener in VIA's prime PM rush slot at 1740 is worth the inconvenience of losing frequencies to St Mary's and Stratford - as it is 84 doesn't even serve as usable London-Kitchener commuter service. Meanwhile holding Sarnia-Kitchener trains for connections with Windsor-Toronto ones creates yawning gaps between London departures/arrivals. Unfortunately VIA having recently spent $ to put signals on the former GEXR likely means that if nothing else, political embarrassment will block the way to such an option.

[marquisofmississauga]

By kicking VIA "Entirely off Toronto-London-Kitchener" this will result in more than "losing frequencies to St. Mary's and Stratford". This will end service completely to those points. I suppose residents of St. Mary's and Stratford - as well as those of us who visit the well-renowned Stratford Festival - are unworthy of rail service. Considering that GO runs no trains on the Kitchener line on week-ends and holidays, I hope you will concede that it would be all right if VIA was allowed to run trains at least on those days.