VIA Rail network developments - Page 47

roger1818 · #**921** Posted **Nov 28, 2018, 4:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catenary

Siemens has seemed like the most likely option, considering their current offerings of the Charger, ACS, and Brightline/state Amtrak cars.

Yup, I called it in post number #894:

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger1818

Personally I think Siemens is the one to beat. They are the only company to have both locomotives and coaches in production in North America. Personally it is my favourite.

Speaking of Brightline, they have entered a strategic partnership and trademark licensing agreement with the Virgin Group and will become "Virgin Trains USA." I wonder if the Virgin Group would be interested in investing in VIA's HFR plan?

http://press.gobrightline.com/showPressRelease/100056754

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catenary

They're building cab cars with the non-aerodynamic Charger design for the Amtrak order, so those combined with a locomotive to allow push-pull operation would fit VIA's needs quite nicely.

What do you mean by "non-aerodynamic Charger design?" The Charger seems rather aerodynamic to me. This is the first I have heard of Amtrack ordering cab cars from Siemens, do you have more information? I always assumed via would do like Brigthline Virgin Trains USA and have a locomotive at each end.

Catenary · #**922** Posted **Nov 28, 2018, 7:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger1818

Yup, I called it in post number #894:

Speaking of Brightline, they have entered a strategic partnership and trademark licensing agreement with the Virgin Group and will become "Virgin Trains USA." I wonder if the Virgin Group would be interested in investing in VIA's HFR plan?

http://press.gobrightline.com/showPressRelease/100056754

What do you mean by "non-aerodynamic Charger design?" The Charger seems rather aerodynamic to me. This is the first I have heard of Amtrack ordering cab cars from Siemens, do you have more information? I always assumed via would do like Brigthline Virgin Trains USA and have a locomotive at each end.

I don't have a great way to describe this, but the Brightline/Virgin chargers have the aerodynamic fairing over the front couplers, while the state Amtrak units lack that fairing and have the more chop-nosed look.

The cab cars have the Amtrak design. Photo here:
http://www.capradio.org/articles/2017/11/09/new-railcars-set-to-be-built-in-sacramento/

roger1818 · #**923** Posted **Nov 28, 2018, 7:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catenary

I don't have a great way to describe this, but the Brightline/Virgin chargers have the aerodynamic fairing over the front couplers, while the state Amtrak units lack that fairing and have the more chop-nosed look.

The cab cars have the Amtrak design. Photo here:
http://www.capradio.org/articles/2017/11/09/new-railcars-set-to-be-built-in-sacramento/

Ahh, now I see what you mean. I wonder if Amtrak didn't want a cowling to cover the coupler. It also looks like the Amtrak locomotive has a lower window to allow the engineer to see the front coupler, which may have also been a design requirement. Both make sense if they plan to run split trains and thus frequently couple two trains together.

Here are a couple pictures showing Brightline SCB-40 and an Amtrak SC-44:

Image: Siemens SCB-40 Charger BLF 109 at Oakland Park, Florida
Image Source: railpictures.net

Image: A Siemens SC-44 Charger in Denver, CO, 2016.
Image Source: Wikimedia

Catenary · #**924** Posted **Nov 28, 2018, 9:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger1818

Ahh, now I see what you mean. I wonder if Amtrak didn't want a cowling to cover the coupler. It also looks like the Amtrak locomotive has a lower window to allow the engineer to see the front coupler, which may have also been a design requirement. Both make sense if they plan to run split trains and thus frequently couple two trains together.

Here are a couple pictures showing Brightline SCB-40 and an Amtrak SC-44:

If we're looking at the same thing, that lower window is a dot-matrix destination display.

The difference between the units does seem to be purely cosmetic though, the arrangements of the headlights is the same, they're just behind some polycarbonate on the Brightline units.

roger1818 · #**925** Posted **Nov 28, 2018, 9:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catenary

If we're looking at the same thing, that lower window is a dot-matrix destination display..

Ahh, you are right. Seems a strange to have a destination display on a locomotive. This picture shows it better:

roger1818 · #**926** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 8:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by capital_urbanite

LaPresse is reporting today that Siemens might be the one to supply new dual-mode rolling stock for the Windsor-Quebec city corridor.

https://www.lapresse.ca/affaires/economi...via-rail-siemens-a-double-bombardier.php

Here is the same story in English from the Montreal Gazette.

Quebec blasts Ottawa over $1B Via Rail contract to Siemens

lrt's friend · #**927** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 9:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger1818

Here is the same story in English from the Montreal Gazette.

Quebec blasts Ottawa over $1B Via Rail contract to Siemens

So this allows for potential electrification of portions of the corridor?

roger1818 · #**928** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 9:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

So this allows for potential electrification of portions of the corridor?

We will know more once VIA officially announces this (supposedly before Christmas) but I did previously say:

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger1818

Wikipedia says “Siemens said they might produce a dual-mode variant of the Charger with onboard energy storage for use by Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road, as well as intercity service, on Amtrak's Empire Corridor.”

So the answer is a definite maybe.

J.OT13 · #**929** Posted **Dec 4, 2018, 10:40 PM**

I agree the Feds should have had a 25% Canadian Content clause in the contract (similar to what Ottawa had with the Confederation Line), but whoever complains that Bombardier didn't get the contract is nuts. I for one am glad that VIA didn't fall into the same trap as many cities across the country who ordered trains from Bombardier and now regret it.

waterloowarrior · #**930** Posted **Dec 5, 2018, 12:28 AM**

Legault is just playing politics. You can't re-open a trade agreement every time your local firm doesn't get a contract... Ontario and Quebec have specific exemptions in CETA for mass transit vehicle procurement domestic content, with a potential sunset clause to revisit after 5 years or if the US lowers its requirements below that threshold. In any case, Bombardier's rail divisions headquarters are in Berlin, and they make 3x as much revenue in Europe than in North America.

acottawa · #**931** Posted **Dec 5, 2018, 12:41 AM**

That’s true, but European countries are pretty good at writing tenders to ensure locally-built trains win these procurements.

J.OT13 · #**932** Posted **Dec 5, 2018, 2:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

Legault is just playing politics. You can't re-open a trade agreement every time your local firm doesn't get a contract... Ontario and Quebec have specific exemptions in CETA for mass transit vehicle procurement domestic content, with a potential sunset clause to revisit after 5 years or if the US lowers its requirements below that threshold. In any case, Bombardier's rail divisions headquarters are in Berlin, and they make 3x as much revenue in Europe than in North America.

Didn't realize the trade agreement prevented VIA from asking for Canadian content.

White Pine · #**933** Posted **Dec 12, 2018, 4:59 PM**

I've just heard that VIA might make an announcement on FB in a couple of minutes (noon). Rolling stock?

Edit: I can't find any sign of a stream but Bloomberg is reporting that Siemens won.

EDIT2: https://www.facebook.com/pg/viarailcanada/videos/?ref=page_internal

Aylmer · #**934** Posted **Dec 12, 2018, 5:23 PM**

They just confirmed Siemens.

White Pine · #**935** Posted **Dec 12, 2018, 5:28 PM**

Hmm. Not sure I'm a fan of the change in livery colour scheme, but it's okay.

Aylmer · #**936** Posted **Dec 12, 2018, 5:46 PM**

• Video Link

This will be a nice change. I'll be able to take European friends to Montreal by train without embarrassment

All we need now is HFR frequencies and travel times.

c_speed3108 · #**937** Posted **Dec 12, 2018, 6:05 PM**

https://www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail/fleet-renewal

GoTrans · #**938** Posted **Dec 12, 2018, 6:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Didn't realize the trade agreement prevented VIA from asking for Canadian content.

Siemens is supposedly purchasing 20% Canadian content.

JohnnyRenton · #**939** Posted **Dec 12, 2018, 7:25 PM**

This will be the first time since the 80ès that VIA has had trains that look even remotely modern. It is not a game changer, but I like how they look and this well help VIA in boosting its image as a modern service.

And as Aylmer said, now that a new fleet is sorted out, lets see some big changes to the network next...

GoTrans · #**940** Posted **Dec 12, 2018, 10:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aylmer

• Video Link

This will be a nice change. I'll be able to take European friends to Montreal by train without embarrassment

All we need now is HFR frequencies and travel times.

Unfortunately until the infrastructure is improved the trains won't be any faster or reliable. The scheduled time between Ottawa and Toronto was 4 hours even in the 1980's whereas it is now over 4 hours. We need more double track and less freight train interference now in order to shorten the trip times.