VIA Rail Showcases First Siemens Test Train

In September, VIA Rail Canada took delivery of the first of 32 new Siemens trainsets, and on Nov. 30, revealed it to the public; testing starts in December. Siemens was awarded the

Transit Briefs: DART; Denver RTD; MTA Metro-North; VIA Rail Canada

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has released a draft 2045 Transit System Plan. In addition, Denver (Colo.) Regional Transportation District is surveying riders to assess communication needs; MTA Metro-North Railroad is piloting a bike storage program in New York City; and Via Rail Canada will begin the final phase of its gradual service resumption plan in December.

For Canada, Mandatory Vaccinations for Federally Regulated Transportation Employees, Plus Travelers

Effective Oct. 30, the Canadian government is requiring employers in the federally regulated rail, air and marine transportation sectors to have established COVID-19 vaccination policies for employees, and travelers on VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer trains to be fully vaccinated.

VIA Rail Welcomes New Siemens Trainset (Updated)

“Our new train has arrived and we couldn’t be happier!” VIA Rail Canada tweeted on Sept. 29. It is the first of 32 trainsets that Siemens is delivering to the passenger railroad under a C$989 million (US$781.5 million) contract awarded in December 2018.

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VIA HFR: How Viable? How Close?

A glimpse of actual progress teased the passenger rail industry July 6 when the Canadian government unveiled previously obscure details of its long-running High Frequency Rail (HFR) program.

Will Ontario’s Northlander Service Return?

The province of Ontario, Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (Ontario Northland) and Metrolinx are advancing plans to reinstate Northlander passenger rail service, with the release of an Initial Business Case.

VIA Rail Releases 2020 Annual Report

VIA Rail Canada has published a 199-page annual report for 2020, covering its response to pandemic- and blockade-related service disruptions and how it moved forward with the implementation of its 2020-25 strategic plan.

Back on Track: VIA Rail Canadian

One of North America’s finest long-distance passenger trains, VIA Rail Canada’s iconic Canadian, will be resuming the Toronto to Winnipeg portion of its run wih one full Toronto-Vancouver round-trip per week starting May

VIA Rail, Unifor Reach Tentative Agreements

VIA Rail Canada has reported reaching tentative agreements on a two-year contract renewal for more than 2,400 of its employees, who are represented by Unifor and serve as maintenance workers, on-board service personnel, chefs, sales agents and customer service staff.

VIA Rail Still Struggling

VIA Rail, Canada’s counterpart to Amtrak and a much-smaller system, is not doing well and seeking emergency government funding. It recently reported an 82% drop in ridership and an 84% decrease in revenue compared with last year, as well as a savings of 27.5% in operating expenses. Some of the savings came from reducing service, both on the railroad’s corridors in Ontario and Quebec, and on other trains. Here is a detailed rundown of the service currently offered.

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