SIOUX LOOKOUT, Ont. — The official beginning of VIA Rail Canada’s takeover of passenger service came 40 years ago today, on Oct. 29, 1978, with the departure of the former Canadian National Super Continental from Montreal to Vancouver, British Columbia.
Since then, the company — which also took control of former Canadian Pacific passenger service — has [as reported in Trains’ November 2018 cover feature, “Reflecting on VIA Rail Canada at 40”] been buffeted by shifting political winds in a country that, like the U.S., lacks a defined passenger rail policy with consistent funding.
VIA’s major investment in Bombardier’s “Light, Rapid, and Comfortable” (LRC) fleet of the early 1980s is still paying dividends, with a far more robust service between Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City than its predecessors ever offered. And the company is finally seeking replacement of the rapidly deteriorating LRCs.
Despite the limits to its support, VIA management continues to provide gradually diminishing mobility to the nation’s far-flung communities. It does so using legacy equipment it was allowed to keep at its founding or later purchase second-hand and refurbish from Amtrak, which discarded older cars with the arrival of Amfleet, Superliner, and Horizon equipment.
Nowhere is VIA’s resourcefulness — and its shortcomings — more on display than on its transcontinental Canadian. Except where tracks to Montreal from Capreol, Ontario, have been torn up, today’s train follows the same Toronto-Vancouver route of CN’s Super Continental, with passenger cars built as early as 1954 by the Budd Co. for its Canadian Pacific namesake.
That’s right: the cars are 24 years older than VIA! Even so, rigorous maintenance and remanufacturing of the domes, diners, coaches, and sleeping cars mean they seem as spotless and fresh as they must have looked the day they were delivered. All upholstery, paint, and electrical systems have been renewed a couple of times; steam heat pipes removed; retention toilets installed; and section no. 4 in each sleeper has been replaced by a shower; but the cars retain thoughtful design elements like big windows that caused admiration in the 1950s and do so even today.
Sure, except for the stimulus-funded transformation of eight Chateau sleeping cars and four Park dome observation lounges into pricey Prestige Class, cruise-ship-worthy accommodations several years ago, the train may not be “contemporary” (whatever that means). And VIA’s expedient decision, in conjunction with CN track maintenance, to reduce the Canadian’s frequency across the prairies east of Edmonton, Alta., and northern Ontario forests to twice per week next summer clearly hurts its relevance. But combined with a first-rate onboard staff, the train soldiers on as a one-of-a-kind tribute to the company’s first 40 years.
The so-called “Canadian” seems to have many American fans, most of whom I suspect are old enough to be nostalgic for the pre-Amtrak streamliners south of the border. But with its infrequent and unreliable schedule, high prices, ancient rolling stock, and a route that avoids Calgary (Canada’s fourth largest city) as well as Ottawa and Montreal, it is of very little use to the Canadians whose taxes pay for it. It also misses the most spectacular scenery, which is on the CP route, not the CN route used by Via Rail. Even on the “Quebec-Windsor corridor”, which is the main focus of its efforts, Via Rail does a mediocre job. On-time performance was the rule when CN ran those services, but has become very much the exception now that Via Rail has taken them over. Also, the Montreal-Toronto overnight train, which was the most useful and convenient of all the “corridor” services in the good old days, has been abandoned. Furthermore, Via Rail is rebuilding its rolling stock on the corridor routes so that half the passengers now have to sit facing backwards. Personally I would rather take the bus than endure that for five or six hours.
you should learn from this,air lines of amtrak ,you should read this.how to treat passanger, cardboard sleeve dinners we deserve more than that a lot of people half to eat three Square meals a day, they took your cars you did not want, now they are making money out of them, I bet that cost less than a new one,
A warning to foreign tourists into Canada is to prepare to pay for higher prices. Canada will soon be the most expensive country to travel and possibly to live due to its vast wide rugged spaces and nothing can be done to make it more economical in today`s state of economy. Sooner or later there will be less government subsidizes to keep the Canadian operating that there are thoughts to privatize the Canadian which will also cost more to travel on that route.
EDWARD – Yes I rode the Canadian, when it was an actual train running daily, when it was affordable, and running on time. It was my ride from where I was (Winnipeg, to explore my Ukranian ancestry) to where I was going (to Michigan with a change in Toronto). It was one of many trains I’ve ridden in Canada, several of which no longer run. Me knocking VIA Rail? Oh, c’mon, I love VIA Rail, or I should say, at one time I loved VIA Rail when it still had some trains. Long may it wave, and grace our own, blue skies and stormy weather. Within my heart, above my home, the Maple Leaf Forever.
To Charles Landey Quit knocking VIA Rail – Have you ridden the Canadian yet ? Have you ever checked the ridership on the Vancouver-Toronto run ? How do YOU compare this train to Amtrak ?
My wife and I greatly enjoyed our four trips on the Canadian, taken between 1997 and 2009. The food service was excellent–and better than what I found four years ago. All of the service employees were courteous and helpful. At one time or another, we made use of all of the sleeping accommodations except roomettes and duplex roomettes (twice she relived her first Pullman trip–a lower when she was about nine years old–so we spent a night in a lower eastbound once and again once westbound).
Well, some people may think the stainless can you some burnishing. remember how old the cars are. What’s inside is more important when riding it.The service is very friendly, the diner is not misrepresented in the picture above; and, the food is excellent. The food is cooked fresh and four entrees are offered. The rooms for two are small; but the bedding is more than adequate.Travelling the Canadian is far superior to riding AMTRAK. I hope I am lucky enough to do it again.
HOW True, the Canadian is the best I have ever had the privilege of riding. Great, just great!
It seems that VIA, outside the Windsor–Toronto-Montreal etc corridor, VIA has given up on providing useful transportation. The Canadian, in particular, is a spectacular ride and great for tourists, but not at all useful as transportation to those who live along the line.
In terms of customer service, on-board amenities and the comfort of its equipment VIA’s CANADIAN remains a rolling and very much living museum of 1950s passenger rail perfection. This is what a great long-distance domeliner was, as long as frequency of service and on-time performance can be ignored. But alas much of passenger service perfection on-board this is sabotaged by the ghastly and deliberately incompetent operation of the train over the mainline by the Canadian National Ry.
VIA was established in the adjournment (recess) of the Canadian parliament by the cabinet acting “by Order in Council” in 1978, creating an operating entity–VIA–to take over initially the marketing and schedule coordination of Canada’s intercity passenger services from the CPR and the CN. Later VIA like Amtrak became the direct operator as well. VIA has never been given the form and structure of an official Enabling Act, even though an “Order in Council” should theoretically have beeen confirmed by statute at the next sitting of the national Parliament–40 years ago.
The result is that VIA’s officials lack independence and can be removed for any or no reason at any time by the Minister of Transport. Worse, the company has no legal authority to enter into enforceable contracts with the operating railroads. Indeed VIA has little authority even to negotiate access rates. The railways may perceive a need to cooperate with VIA just enough to allow it to run, but clearly not enough to allow it to grow. VIA’s impotence is shown by its inability to enforce any kind of rational performance regime on the CN and in its inability to get the CPR to enter into any kind of serious negotiations that might permit the CANADIAN to return to the much more populated (and scenic) CPR line from Sudbury to Winnipeg.
Bob’s far more detailed articles on VIA have covered all of this in detail. The Canadian passenger rail political situation makes Amtrak at the corporate level look like a giant of initiative, authority and control by comparison. But in the on-board service world, and as long as Budd’s incomparable 1950s cars hold up, VIA puts Amtrak to shame. If only its trains could arrive consistently even on the right day on the transcontinental route.
Bless THE CANADIAN but other that HER public transportation in CANADA is a MESS and OUR GOVERNMENTS COULD CARE LESS !
It would be splendid if all of Amtrak’s long distance trains equipped with Superliners look like “The Canadian” and “The Super Continental” instead. As high platforms become the universal requirement at train stations in America, Superliners with their low-level vestibules and side entrances will be incompatible with them. Single-level passenger cars will be provident outside the Northeast Corridor.
The Canadian still looks great. It may be late but at least it’s run as a first class operation internally unlike Amtrak’s trains.No bag lunch here! Thanks to Trains magazine for the timely coverage.
I can’t wait to take a round trip ride next month with my bride of 40 years.. There is no match for a ride anywhere in a Budd Dome or dinner with real china in a Budd dining car. Bon Voyage Canadian!
I’m glad to see them rolling, but the stainless could use a bit of burnishing. I saw it in Mimico a couple weeks back and it looked rather dingy.
With all respect to the distinguished author, whose monthly features in TRAINS-MAG are uniformly brilliant and informative, this article is pure nonsense. VIA is the worst passenger railroad imaginable and doesn’t begin to resemble the praise this author, who knows better, heaps upon it. How many trains each day (or, should I ask, each week) for the four Maritime provinces combined? Answer that question. So the tracks are taken up on part of the Super Continental route, the author mumbles. Which is a way of saying that Canada’s transcon doesn’t serve Montreal or Ottawa. To say nothing of the fact that it runs twice a week, several days late, costs more Loonies than most Canadians have ever seen, and runs on only one railroad, not one train on each railroad. You’re more likely to find an airplane from Delta in Canada than a Canadian train in Canada, and both of Canada’s airlines serve mid-size US airports better than VIA Rail serves Canada’s largest cities.
Wow , that diner sure looks comfy . I rode the Empire Builder West and Amtrak’s booth seating is only comfortable if you are 5 foot 3 inches and about 140 pounds .
This is proof positive that the Budd cars built in the 50’s were the perfection and epitome of rail passenger cars.These gems can last indefinitely with the proper maintenance. Amtrak would have a lot more respect now if they had chosen to rebuild their Budd fleet instead of ordering plain and spartan Amfleet cars that were built to resemble an airplane fuselage.
Took the Canadian in Feb, 2002. The food was really good, and the service excellent. The cars then were old, and in good shape. Had less problems on Via than on Amtrak. The Canadians certainly know how to prepare food and give you top notch service.