LRC consists

Did Via ever run bracketed LRC consists, IE powercar/coach/powercar - somewhat similar to the Acela today? I've never seen an LRC consist with power on the tail, too.

Hi
In 1985 I shot a video of a long LRC train coming into Toronto Station with LRC power on both ends. Both units were facing east.
Cheers
Steve
NZ

Bombardier's original concept for the LRC called for a locomotive at each end, both for doubled horsepower and acceleration and to allow for quick terminal turnarounds. But in practice that's not how they generally wound up running on VIA, and Amtrak's short-lived set was broken up from the start of revenue service.

I travelled on and observed many consists in the 1980s that had an LRC loco at each end. The original coaches and club cars had non-reversible seats. As I recall the front half seats faced rear-ward and the rear half faced forward. So the only quads (four-seaters) were in the centre of each car. This did not go over well with passengers. The club cars (later called VIA 1) were the first to get reversible seats so almost all passengers could face forward. Eventually the coaches got the same treatment.

Tad and Everyone: Back in September 1985 I bought a VIA 14 day Ontario-Quebec Corridor Pass and I remember getting a
guided tour of the interior of one of the LRC locomotives at Central Station in Montreal...I remember being told that
one LRC locomotive had a 5 car HEP limit - and yes - the LRC locomotives were used on each end of a train of more then
5 LRC cars...The 10 Amtrak LRC cars and two engines were not compatible directly with VIA's LRC's because of different
HEP voltage (575 volts instead of 480 volts) and when they were returned to VIA they were regularly used on the Chicago-
Toronto "International"...A spotting feature of the 10 cars were the windows - Amtrak's cars used half-windows while
VIA's LRC cars have full single windows...

I would like to know what VIA has done with these 10 cars (converted or otherwise) and I know the former Amtrak LRC
locomotives are gone...Does Industrial Rail still have rebuilt LRC locomotives for sale or lease?

MACTRAXX

If you want an LRC loco go see the Toronto Railway Historical Association folks who recently fired up 6917
http://www.trha.ca/LRC/#run" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I don't know what Industrial Rail has got, but it would surprise me if there was much of any use given their financial woes. A shame that they couldn't have become APCUs rather than dumped in Moncton. The Amtrak coaches were in Montreal last I heard but that was a while ago. A pity that a deal couldn't have been done to make them useful, like put them on Adirondack but maintained with their cousins in Montreal as a Canadian contribution to the operation of that service.

One other note: VIA uses 480 volts not 575. GO Transit uses 575. However, there are wiring differences which restrict interoperability between Amtrak and VIA equipment.

dowlingm wrote:One other note: VIA uses 480 volts not 575. GO Transit uses 575. However, there are wiring differences which restrict interoperability between Amtrak and VIA equipment.

DM: Was 575 to 480 V a change with the LRC and F40 Rebuilding Projects?
That would make perfect sense...MACTRAXX

To my knowledge, VIA have never used 575. But I am open to correction on that.

I stand corrected. A correspondent has put me in the direction of the CN Tempo cars, which operated at 575. These were acquired by VIA and converted to 480 later. See here:
http://www.cptdb.ca/index.php?showtopic=2592" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Every Amtrak LRC vehicle wound up on VIA after Amtrak retired them. The power cars were only used for parts by VIA though it may have been intended to put them into service as they were assigned VIA 6940 and 6941 which they never carried. The coaches went to VIA in 1988 and were retired between 1990 and 1993:
R: retired
40 Dinette VIA 3511 R 1993
41 Coach VIA 3501 R 1990
42 Coach [ VIA 3502 ] not rebuilt, not used by VIA
43 Coach VIA 3503 R 1993
44 Coach VIA 3504 R 1993
45 Dinette VIA 3512 R 1993
46 Coach VIA 3505 R 1991
47 Coach VIA 3506 R 1993
48 Coach VIA 3507 R 1993
49 Coach VIA 3508 R 1993

As of the 2011 Canadian Trackside Guide these cars still existed I don't know if they have been scrapped since

Am currently in car 1 of train 60 (Toronto-Montreal, F40+LRC) with 50 joined behind en route to Kingston. The business car refurb is nice for elbow room but the seats seem a bit light and plasticky. Maybe it's because I haven't done a VIA run in a while but from a ride comfort POV it doesn't seem like an improvement. Because the train leaves early (0640) I didn't have a chance to check out VIA's new lounge at Union. Will just have to find an excuse to visit our London ON office soon!

Also: the wifi delivers video now, but almost entirely CBC stuff. Understandable I suppose given that VIA and CBC are both Crown Corpses.