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Discussion of Canadian Passenger Rail Services such as AMT (Montreal), Go Transit (Toronto), VIA Rail, and other Canadian Railways and Transit

Moderator: Ken V

 #1493718  by John_Perkowski
 
https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/vi ... t-renewal/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The fleet will enter service in 2022, replacing life-expired equipment and significantly increasing capacity on VIA Rail’s flagship route, providing a total of 9100 seats.

Each trainet will consist of single-deck push-pull coaches and a locomotive based on Siemens’ Charger diesel-electric locomotive, which is compliant with United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 emissions standards. The Charger uses a 4,000-hp QSK95 16-cylinder diesel engine from Cummins.

The fleet will be maintained at VIA Rail depots in Montreal and Toronto with support from Siemens via a 15-year Technical Services and Spares Supply Agreement (TSSSA), which is worth C$23.7 million annually.
Last edited by Jeff Smith on Mon May 04, 2020 8:36 am, edited 1 time in total. Reason: Added brief, fair-use quote
 #1493856  by Allen Hazen
 
Saw a news headline about this yesterday. Bombardier was (one of?) the losing bidder(s). I would think that VIA, as a government corporation, would have been under some political pressure to "buy Canadian," so I think it's interesting that they chose Siemens instead of Bombardier.

A few minutes later, Allen added...

I should have read through the article you linked before posting! It's "one of": Talgo and Stadler were also short-listed bidders.
(Thank you for posting it!)
 #1541519  by bdawe
 
"The trainsets will be manufactured in Siemens' North American Manufacturing Headquarters for Siemens Rolling Stock located in Sacramento, California."

https://new.siemens.com/ca/en/company/press/via.html
 #1541536  by dowlingm
 
Backshophoss wrote: Sun May 03, 2020 7:21 pm The prototype cars for VIA will be built at Sacramento,the rest of VIA's fleet might be built in Canada.
Seimens Sacramento might be at close to full capy by now.
There was a lot of bellyaching about the VIA fleet not being assembled in Canada but I would prefer the current plan where an experienced assembly team creates the trainsets which are vital to VIA’s success (not least for making a case to take up the options)
 #1541553  by bdawe
 
dowlingm wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 6:38 am There was a lot of bellyaching about the VIA fleet not being assembled in Canada but I would prefer the current plan where an experienced assembly team creates the trainsets which are vital to VIA’s success (not least for making a case to take up the options)
was there that much bellyaching outside of Thunder Bay?
 #1541607  by Urban Sky
 
There was talk about “Canadian content”, though:

“The order is valued at $989 million CAD. In addition, VIA Rail and Siemens have entered into a 15-year technical services and spare parts supply agreement of $23.7 million CAD per year. Siemens aims to provide Canadian content of more than 20% in supplies and services.”
https://new.siemens.com/ca/en/company/press/via.html
 #1541635  by bdawe
 
Backshophoss wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 4:15 pm BBD was a sore loser :P
whadya mean we can't just keep hosing our customers and have them come back? it's their patriotic duty!
 #1557310  by bostontrainguy
 
Alphaboi wrote: Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:52 pm It would be interesting to see what Siemens would come up with in the way of a sleeping car.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
I really like Amtrak's design where the roomettes are longitudinal which allows more and larger windows and a much more open feel. The common European practice of having rooms running transversely across the car is very claustrophobic with only one very small window. You can't even sit across from your travel companion and watch the scenery in a European style sleeper.
 #1557523  by mtuandrew
 
Theoretically CAF could add more Viewliners for VIA. More likely, VIA asks Siemens to consider a variant of the new Nightjet carriages (of which I can’t seem to find an exterior picture online). Maybe VIA decides to try out 4-bed open compartments instead of berths and 2-high closed compartments instead of roomettes, though I know North American travelers are used to longitudinal berths.

 #1557550  by ExCon90
 
Given the level to which sleeper ridership has sunk, can it be said that North Americans are "used to" any particular interior configuration? To be viable, any design will have to attract legions of people who are not "used to" train travel, let alone in sleeping cars. I would be more concerned about whether single travelers would even consider the European practice of sharing a 2- or 4-berth compartment with strangers. For decades, Americans put up with Laurel-and-Hardy-style 12-1's, but being shut up in a compartment with a stranger is something else,, perhaps more so today than in the past.

Someone upthread mentioned the superior visibility provided by longitudinal berths with wide windows, a significant element on daylight portions of overnight trips, more common here than in Europe. The tiny windows in duplex single rooms in the CREEK cars on the PRR were no good for sightseeing , but on the overnight Pittsburgher (basically midnight to 9 am) it didn't matter much.