ViaPhile Report: Montreal Area October 5 2014

Discussion:

xcnken-/E1597aS9LQAvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]

2014-10-06 02:28:14 UTC

Here's a train load of stats.............

Oct. 5 2014 Dorval Qc Via # 62

6405 + 3453-3317-3351-3355

ar.14:08 lv. 14:11
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Oct.5 2014 St.Lambert Qc. Via # 14

6412-6402-6455
7011
7233
70230
7227
7231
7312
7400
7314
79526
7525
7500
7519
7510
7513
7504
7516
7601
Tweedmuir Park

ar 19:12 lv 19:20

Anyone know why #14 needs 3 units ? Understandable if still carried a Gaspe section.

Or the 5 digits on certain Ren cars ?

Either way the train looked great. ( even if the drum head sign wasn't lit up )

K. Wadden Pointe Claire Qc

'Mark W. Walton' mark.walton-rieW9WUcm8FFJ04o6PK0Fg@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]

2014-10-06 02:33:54 UTC

Permalink

Hi Ken,

The 5-digit numbers on certain Ren cars means those cars were rebuilt to be accessible. Remember, that was a major issue with those cars at first.

Mark Walton
<mailto:mark.walton-***@public.gmane.org> mark.walton-***@public.gmane.org

From: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org [mailto:Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org]
Sent: Sunday, October 05, 2014 10:28 PM
To: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org
Subject: [CanPassRail] ViaPhile Report: Montreal Area October 5 2014
<big snip>
Or the 5 digits on certain Ren cars ?
<not so big snip>
K. Wadden Pointe Claire Qc
_____

Posted by: xcnken-/***@public.gmane.org
_____

tim_hayman-FFYn/CNdgSA@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]

2014-10-06 16:08:30 UTC

Permalink

Thanks for providing those consists!

Mark already answered the 5-digit question: yes, those are the accessible cars. The coaches have a larger washroom added and extra spaces freed up for wheelchairs, as well as having had the centre luggage racks removed and replaced by ones at the end of the car. The new washrooms are quite nice, though I've now had several trips on which said washroom was out of service because the door wouldn't close! (it's operated by a push button with no manual option).

The accessible sleepers have the a large accessible bedroom right at the front of the car, with a door facing directly to the vestibule so a wheelchair can enter directly from the service car.

As for why #14 has 3 units, could be a few things. They have occasionally been running a 3rd unit for redundancy (there are no spares down here if there's a problem!), but at the moment the likely answer is fall leaves on the tracks. As the leaves start falling, they start having traction issues when it's also wet. The previous #14 apparently arrived in Halifax over 6 hours late due to traction issues on the grade east of Mont-Joli.

As most folks on this group may know, those F40s don't have sanders anymore....

Tim
Halifax, NS

---In Canadian-Passenger-***@yahoogroups.com, <***@...> wrote :

Here's a train load of stats.............

Oct. 5 2014 Dorval Qc Via # 62

6405 + 3453-3317-3351-3355

ar.14:08 lv. 14:11
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Oct.5 2014 St.Lambert Qc. Via # 14

6412-6402-6455
7011
7233
70230
7227
7231
7312
7400
7314
79526
7525
7500
7519
7510
7513
7504
7516
7601
Tweedmuir Park

ar 19:12 lv 19:20

Anyone know why #14 needs 3 units ? Understandable if still carried a Gaspe section.

Or the 5 digits on certain Ren cars ?

Either way the train looked great. ( even if the drum head sign wasn't lit up )

K. Wadden Pointe Claire Qc

xcnken-/E1597aS9LQAvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]

2014-10-06 17:07:40 UTC

Permalink

Thanks Mr. Hayman. I surmised the fall leaves as well. An issue that used to plague The Chaleur at this time of year if it ran with only one unit.

# 14 last night in St.Lambert did it all in one stop much to my surprise.

Speaking of which. I'd have probably been unable to get all the car numbers. If a combined Via #16-14 still ran. Apart from making three stops ( ! ) last night in all likelihood.

Maybe it would have had four ! units.

K. Wadden Pointe Claire Qc.

Tom Box tbox-7i5HoP2kWQc@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]

2014-10-06 17:32:33 UTC

Permalink

Post by tim_hayman-FFYn/***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
The previous #14 apparently arrived in Halifax over 6 hours late
due to traction issues on the grade east of Mont-Joli.

Hugues St-Pierre posted a photo on the VIA Facebook page showing
#14, with just two units, leaving Mont-Joli last Saturday at 08:46,
5 h 25 min late. Judging from the yard tracks in the photo, I
think it was taken just east of the station.

Where is this grade that Tim refers to? Did the train arrive in
Mont-Joli more or less on time and spend the next five hours
trying to climb a grade? Or had it perhaps encountered some
other problems previously?

Tom Box
tbox at ncf dot ca
Port Hope, ON, Canada

------------------------------------
Posted by: Tom Box <tbox-***@public.gmane.org>
------------------------------------

For help, send an email to Canadian-Passenger-Rail-help-***@public.gmane.org

'Jim' Babcockj-Ec9gIrrHw6csA/PxXw9srA@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]

2014-10-06 17:45:56 UTC

Permalink

Via units have no way of applying sand for traction this was always a
problem on the Gaspe coast in fall due to falling leaves and the lack of
freight traffic so as soon as the leaves began to fall they would use two
units.
Heard stories of the second engineer running beside the loco throwing sand,
rocks or what ever he could find to get out of New Richmond.

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Box tbox-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
Sent: Monday, October 06, 2014 2:32 PM
To: Canadian Passenger Rail
Subject: [CanPassRail] Re: ViaPhile Report: Montreal Area October 5 2014

Post by tim_hayman-FFYn/***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
The previous #14 apparently arrived in Halifax over 6 hours late
due to traction issues on the grade east of Mont-Joli.