VIA Ocean - trouble ahead

Take a look at item #6 in this article:
https://www.halifaxexaminer.ca/featured ... 20jeopardy

Short version: VIA will lose the ability to turn the train around in Halifax as of November, 2020.

I'm very glad that I have a trip on the Ocean booked for this May.

Yes......a good possibility you will no longer see the Ocean turning on the 'Loop Track' at the Halifax Container Terminal that it currently uses.





There is a Wye at Truro where the train could be turned but it would have to run backwards for 65 miles either before completing the run to Halifax or after departure the next day. The locomotives could run-around and lead the train.....but the cars would be backwards including the 'Park Car' directly behind the locomotives.

At one time.....the Ocean could be turned on the Wye at Windsor Junction (jct with the Dominion Atlantic Railway)...about 15 miles from Halifax but the connection has been removed.

Or the configuration of the consist might change depending on what cars are to be used. The Renaissance Coaches face forward only....but Ren Sleepers, Diners and Service/Lounges are bi-directional with half the seats already fixed one-way or the other.

Seats in Budd Coaches can be rotated and I guess a Budd Diner could run backwards but you would have the 'Cabins for One' (old style Roomette) in the Budd Sleepers running backwards. There is a Turntable at CN's Fairview Engine Terminal where the Park Car could be turned but probably cost prohibitive to get one car out there and back to the VIA Station......and how receptive would CN be? Or just replace the Park with a Skyline Dome. When the Atlantic Limited ran across Maine (the CP version not VIA's) the Skyline had flip-over seats as the car was not turned in Saint John

VIA could also just decide to terminate the Ocean in Moncton where a Wye is available.....and passengers take a connecting Intercity Train to or from Halifax. VIA has proposed starting an Intercity service in the Maritimes for several years now and it would run more frequent than the tri-weekly Ocean.

Perhaps this might be the best option. The Ocean is busiest west of Moncton especially in the sleepers....and this would give the coach passengers out of Halifax additional service.

I ride the Ocean often but don't see having to connect in Moncton to a sleeper a big issue and in fact I also ride coach occasionally to Amherst and Moncton.....and having additional frequencies is a plus.

Anyway....several options so could be interesting come November!

Does VIA still have their RDCs? Could they use them temporarily until a solution could be found? It seems like losing service to Halifax would be pretty detrimental over something as simple as turning a train.

NS VIA FAN wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2020 7:37 pm ...
There is a Wye at Truro where the train could be turned but it would have to run backwards for 65 miles either before completing the run to Halifax or after departure the next day. The locomotives could run-around and lead the train.....but the cars would be backwards including the 'Park Car' directly behind the locomotives.
...

Or the configuration of the consist might change depending on what cars are to be used. The Renaissance Coaches face forward only....but Ren Sleepers, Diners and Service/Lounges are bi-directional with half the seats already fixed one-way or the other.
...

I don't see any problem towing the consist in reverse formation for a mere 65 miles in one direction between Halifax and Truro. It is no big deal that the Ren. seats don't reverse. Half of the corridor seats in the renovated LRCs and most HEP2s are now permanently backwards in the so-called "50-50 seating." It is 335 miles between Toronto and Montreal. Some people connecting from Québec City or London and Windsor are travelling even more facing backwards. No matter which way the diner operates (Budd or Ren.) half the people face backwards even now.

As for the Park car being backwards for a short time - that should not be a problem. I have travelled on the Ocean when the view from the "bullet lounge" was blocked the entire way to or from Montreal by a private car or VIA's deadheading equipment. That is far more of a nuisance. I have also been on the w/b Ocean a few times when the Chaleur was attached at Matapedia to form a "J-train" so there was a growling locomotive right behind the Park car all the way to Montreal. Admittedly these were always in the forward direction, but we are talking about just a few miles of reverse movement.

Many months ago I suggested this to VIA and received a thank you for my "interesting suggestion." But no-one at VIA usually listens to me, except once when CEO Desjardins-Siciliano accepted my suggestion and implemented it within a fortnight.

There is an old turntable in Halifax less than 5 miles away where they can turn a few important cars. The Ocean only runs 3 times a week anymore, there should be plenty of time to use the turntable instead. Using a loop is not the only way to turn a train.

Is there any land to build a wye in the area?,worst case,the consist needs to be turned is 3 cuts.
ATSF did that at Oakland with the SF Chief till A-day.

VIA has not explained why the "Y" at Windsor Jct. couldn't be re-installed. Other than the cost, does anyone know of any other issue?

Uhhh... Nobody wants to try to sleep or even be in a park car next to a pair of 645's doing their rumble in the middle of the night.

Do they

Mark0f0 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2020 9:13 pm Uhhh... Nobody wants to try to sleep or even be in a park car next to a pair of 645's doing their rumble in the middle of the night.
Do they

Did you not read these two posts?? What is being suggested is for the Ocean to run backwards for 65 miles between Truro and Halifax.....and that would be either before arriving in Halifax from 4:30 to 6pm.....or upon departure the next afternoon from 1pm to 2:30. No one said anything about the Park Car being next to the locomotive overnight.....all the way to Montreal!

NS VIA FAN wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2020 7:37 pm There is a Wye at Truro where the train could be turned but it would have to run backwards for 65 miles either before completing the run to Halifax or after departure the next day. The locomotives could run-around and lead the train.....but the cars would be backwards including the 'Park Car' directly behind the locomotives.

marquisofmississauga wrote: ↑Sat Feb 15, 2020 2:23 pm As for the Park car being backwards for a short time - that should not be a problem. I have travelled on the Ocean when the view from the "bullet lounge" was blocked the entire way to or from Montreal by a private car or VIA's deadheading equipment. That is far more of a nuisance.

marquisofmississauga wrote: ↑Sun Feb 16, 2020 11:06 am VIA has not explained why the "Y" at Windsor Jct. couldn't be re-installed. Other than the cost, does anyone know of any other issue?

Was just wondering that. It isn’t that far, especially if you can run the engines around the consist!

Just BUILD the Wye,stop talking!
Construction season is short in Canada