F40's on Enterprise

I know it's been a while now since VIA operated the Enterprise service between Toronto and Montreal.

Now, when the Renaissance cars came in, some were put on that service, being hauled by, as I take it, dedicated F40PH locomotives. Because of the cost of converting all of the Euro couplers to knuckles, I know that the Ocean consists and Ottawa-Montreal-Quebec City consists that are P42 powered (usually), have to have a transitional coach with a knuckle on one end and the Euro coupler on the other.

Now, my question is this. I read elsewhere that for the Enterprise, to avoid this problem, VIA instead converted at least one (maybe 2) F40PH-2's to Euro couplers on the rear so they could couple to the Ren cars, but were then restricted only to use on the Ren consists.

Can anyone elaborate on this?? Does anyone have any pictures of these units, or details about which one(s) were converted?? Since the service was terminated, I would assume they have been converted back, can anyone elaborate?

Well unfortuantely, of the five to six trips I used the Enterprise for when it was converted from ex-CP stainless steel equipment to Renaissance equipment (yes it had ex-CP stainless steel cars with a Park Car for a while!) I don't recall what our motive power was, as we left late out of Montreal (11:30 p.m.), and arrived to do a "cross the platform change at Toronto" to the Canadian around 8:00 a.m. I want to say we had a Genesis P42 in the lead and not an F40 for my trips. But I could be wrong. With that said, I think I may have a picture of an F40 leading a Renaissance Enterprise actually. Not sure if it was standard motive power, or only standard for a particular duration of time etc. The Enterprise seemed to be the break-in ground period for the Renaissance overnight equipment. I miss this train as it truly was a hotel on wheels for the corridor - often best seen while sleeping but the train is moving!

When the Renn cars first entered service on the Enterprise in 2002, F40s 6424-6426 were re-equipped with Euro-style couplers to allow them to be used with the coaches. However, VIA fashioned the baggage cars which had a North American coupler on one end which allowed VIA to use any diesel to haul the train. Subsequently, the three F40s got their standard North American style coupler back.

I wish VIA would bring the Enterprise back, but perhaps running from Quebec City - Montreal - Toronto OR Montreal - Ottawa - Toronto. The key is to arrive at Toronto by 8 a.m. and Montreal by 7 or 8 a.m. via whatever route is chosen. If leaving from Quebec City, the Enterprise would need to make it to Montreal by 11 p.m. Likewise if it were to leave Montreal and serve Ottawa, it would need to leave Montreal so it gets to Ottawa by 11 p.m. Again, this is one overnight train I miss. I think it's initial efforts were good, they just needed to be expanded upon, better advertised, and have better departure times etc.

jp1822 wrote:I wish VIA would bring the Enterprise back......this is one overnight train I miss. I think it's initial efforts were good, they just needed to be expanded upon, better advertised, and have better departure times etc.

There is really no need for an overnight train between Montreal and Toronto. The Enterprise was one train well promoted by VIA during it’s brief existence but it just didn’t catch on. If it had, I’m sure it would still be running today. I was on it often, usually combined with a trip in VIA1 the opposite way and received discount coupons for the sleeper. But still there was just no one riding.

The majority of passengers were between Kingston and Toronto and VIA continues to run this portion of the Enterprise as Trains 650/651.

Tom6921 wrote:When the Renn cars first entered service on the Enterprise in 2002, F40s 6424-6426 were re-equipped with Euro-style couplers to allow them to be used with the coaches. However, VIA fashioned the baggage cars which had a North American coupler on one end which allowed VIA to use any diesel to haul the train. Subsequently, the three F40s got their standard North American style coupler back.

Thanks! That's exactly what I was looking for!

I am not sure if the Enterprise served the right markets at the right time.

jp1822 wrote:I am not sure if the Enterprise served the right markets at the right time.

Very true JP as I said in the last post I believe the demise of the Enterprise is there really is no weekday overnight demand from Toronto to Montreal weekend overnight service and Holiday weekends now would be a much better approach. Most vacation travel or short trips are completed on weekends and holidays. MY Misses always says the best hrs to shop in Toronto and Montreal are on weekends between 10 am- 7pm. If we could after work clean up and leave late friday night reach Montreal early Sat. morning ( sleep the entire train ride) let here go shop crazy in Montreal catch a few sights and a great lunch for the day or early dinner and catch the overnight back to Toronto (sleep again) with an arrival early enough sun. morning that allows me to get home clean up and shower & still have Sunday brunch with the family Im game. That would make the perfect weekend getaway no Hotel cost needed!

Realistically the same can be done by plane but do you really want to go to the airport when the train takes you directly downtown.( much more of a hassle in Toronto than Montreal)
OR by bus, which is OK for some But you won't catch me on the flea ridden greyhound for 7-8 hrs!
OR drive, but that defeats the purpose of overnight as I was planning on sleeping and not focusing on the road at 2 am.
My misses is afraid of flying, and has only done coach bus travel once in her life and refuses to do it again. So its eater drive or since she meet me shes fallen in love with taking the train as that's my preferred mode of transportation.

timberley wrote: Can anyone elaborate on this?? Does anyone have any pictures of these units, or details about which one(s) were converted?? Since the service was terminated, I would assume they have been converted back, can anyone elaborate?

It's a kind of drwbar,adapted on few Renaissance cars,to get them able to be coupled with some Budds and LRC cars.
a picture like this can't explain much better the way it's done..

I know the picture you've posted there. It's of the adapter attached to the LRC locomotive being used to test the first nightstock set that arrived in Canada prior to the full order. It's similar to the style of adapter they've used to put knuckle couplers on Ren cars so that the locomotives won't have to be adapted. In that picture, the adapter is on the coach, not on the LRC locomotive, which had just its standard knuckle coupler.

The few F40's converted for the Enterprise were a reverse sort of situation, where couplers matching those on the Ren cars were attached to the locomotives in place of their knuckles, unfortunately making them dedicated to the train set. I did see one photo of the F40 once, but can't find it since. I believe they had buffers attached as well.