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Revision as of 05:01, 8 November 2006

VIA Rail Canada
VIA Rail system map
Overview
HeadquartersMontreal, Quebec
Reporting markVIA
LocaleCanada
Dates of operation1978–present

VIA Rail Canada (also referred to as VIA Rail and VIA; pronounced 'vee-ah') is an independent Crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada.

VIA Rail operates 480 trains in eight Canadian provinces (all except Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island) over a network of 14,000 kilometres of track spanning the country from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the Great Lakes to Hudson Bay. VIA Rail carries approximately 3.9 million passengers annually. It sees the majority of its traffic between Windsor, Ontario and Quebec City, Quebec.

VIA Rail's corporate headquarters are in "3, Place Ville-Marie" Montreal, Quebec.

History

A VIA LRC disembarking at Ottawa VIA Station

Early Canadian intercity passenger rail

The post-war era saw two developments which would eventually prove disastrous to previously profitable passenger rail transport offered by Canadian National Railways (CNR), the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), and smaller lines: long-distance Canadian intercity passenger trains began to be replaced with air travel, and short- and middle-distance passenger trains underwent dramatic restructuring with many being eliminated outright following increased use of personal cars on highways such as the Trans-Canada Highway. Critics of this shift point out that all these new services were subsidized by taxpayers, from construction of highways to construction of airports, making it difficult for rail to compete; opponents of rail point out that the construction of the railways themselves was similarly subsidised.

By the 1960s it was obvious to both Canadian National (known as CN after 1960) and CPR that passenger trains were no longer economically viable under traditional market manifestations. CPR sought to rid itself of the burden of operating passenger trains, but federal government regulators and politicians balked, forcing CPR to continue running a minimal service through the 1970s. CN on the other hand, being a Crown corporation, was encouraged by the federal government and political interests to invest in passenger trains. Innovative marketing schemes such as Red, White, and Blue fares, new equipment such as scenic dome cars and rail diesel cars, and services such as Rapido and Turbo trains saw substantial increases in ridership, reversing previous declines.

However, by the 1970s even CN saw the writing on the wall and sought to rid itself of passenger trains. The decline of passenger rail became a federal election issue in 1974 when the government of Pierre Trudeau promised to implement a nation-wide carrier similar to Amtrak in the United States. The bilingual name VIA or VIA CN originated in 1976 as a marketing term for Canadian National's passenger train services and the VIA logo began to appear on CN passenger locomotives and cars, while still carrying CN logos as well. That September, VIA published a single timetable with information on both CN and CP trains, marking the first time that Canadians could find all major passenger trains in one publication. In 1977, CN underwent a dramatic restructuring when it placed various non-core freight railway activities into separate subsidiaries such as ferries under CN Marine and passenger trains under VIA Rail which was subsequently renamed VIA Rail Canada.

The formation of VIA Rail Canada

On April 1, 1978 Canadian National's passenger subsidiary VIA Rail became a separate Crown corporation, taking with it possession of former CN passenger cars and locomotives. Following several months of negotiation, on October 29, 1978 VIA took over operation of CP passenger train services, along with similar possession of cars and locomotives. Passenger train services which were not included in the creation of VIA Rail included those offered by BC Rail, Algoma Central Railway, Ontario Northland Railway, Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway, various urban commuter train services operated by CN and CP, and remaining CN passenger services in Newfoundland. At this time, VIA did not own any trackage and had to pay right-of-way fees to CN and CP, sometimes being the only user of rural branch lines.

VIA initially had a tremendous variety of equipment and operated routes stretching from Sydney, Nova Scotia to Prince Rupert, British Columbia and north to Churchill, Manitoba. In excess of 150 scheduled trains per week were in operation, including transcontinental services, regional trains, and corridor services.

Intercity passenger rail rebirth

The national reach and new marketing schemes saw ridership spike in the late 1970s and early 1980s to previously unheard-of levels, brought on partially by unprecedented inflation and rising gas prices.

First round of cuts

However, increased ridership would not be VIA's saviour. In 1981, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's government endorsed Minister of Transport Jean-Luc Pépin's plan which cut VIA Rail's budget, leading to a 40% reduction in the company's operations. Gone in an instant were frequently sold-out trains such as the Super Continental (which reduced VIA to operating only one transcontinental train, The Canadian) and the popular Atlantic, among others.

VIA also sought to reduce its reliance on over 30-year-old second-hand equipment and placed a significant order with Bombardier Transportation for new high-speed locomotives and cars which would be used in its corridor trains. The LRC (Light, Rapid, Comfortable) locomotives and cars utilised advanced technology such as active tilt to increase speed, but proved troublesome and would take several years to work out problems.

Restoration of service

The election of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's government in 1984 brought a friend to VIA, initially, when several of Mulroney's commitments included rescinding the VIA cuts of 1981 by restoring the Super Continental (under pressure from his western caucus), and the Atlantic (under pressure from his eastern caucus and the formidable then-Saint John mayor Elsie Wayne). Mulroney's government gave VIA funding to refurbish some of its cars, and purchase new locomotives, this time a more reliable model from General Motors Diesel Division.

It was during this time on February 8, 1986 that VIA's eastbound Super Continental collided with a CN freight train near Hinton, Alberta as a result of operator error missing a signal light. The resulting derailment killed 23 people and remains the worst accident in modern Canadian railway history in terms of loss of life.

Second round of cuts

The Ocean Limited leaves the station at Amherst, Nova Scotia in July 2006 en route to Halifax. The image shows a vintage stainless steel observation car at the rear of the train. The other cars are newer Renaissance cars introduced by VIA in 2003.

By the late 1980s, inflation and other rising costs were taking their toll on federal budgets and in the Mulroney government's infamous 1989 budget, VIA again saw its budget slashed, surpassing even the 1981 cuts under Trudeau. Minister of Transport Benoit Bouchard oversaw the reduction in service on January 15, 1990 when VIA's operations were reduced by 55%.

Services such as the Super Continental were cut again, along with numerous disparate rural services such as in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley and Cape Breton Island, western Canada, and in the corridor. The Canadian was also moved from its 'home' rails on CP to the northerly CN route (which the Super Continental had used). The shift to the less-populated (and less scenic) route between Toronto and Vancouver severed major western cities such as Regina and Calgary from the passenger rail network and flared deep-rooted western bitterness toward Ottawa.

The official justification for the rerouting was that the trains would serve more remote communities, but the concentration of Conservative-held ridings along the CN route attracted the charge that the move was chiefly political.

It was also notable that Harvie André, one of Alberta's federal cabinet ministers who represented Calgary, was fairly public about the fact that he did not care if he never saw a passenger train again in his life.

Emerging out of these disastrous cuts, VIA was a much smaller company and immediately took to rationalizing its fleet of cars and locomotives, resulting in a fleet of refurbished stainless steel (HEP-1 and HEP-2 rebuilds, defined as 'Head End Power') and LRC cars, as well as rationalizing its locomotive fleet with GM and Bombardier (LRC) units.

Third round of cuts

VIA was not spared from further cutbacks in Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's government elected in 1993. Minister of Finance Paul Martin's first budget in 1994 saw further VIA cuts which saw the popular Atlantic dropped from the schedule, focusing the eastern transcontinental service on the Ocean.

This move was seen as somewhat controversial and politically motivated as the principal cities benefiting from the Atlantic's service were Sherbrooke, Quebec and Saint John, New Brunswick, where coincidentally the only two Progressive Conservative Party Members of Parliament in Canada were elected in the 1993 federal election which saw Chrétien's Liberal Party take power. The Ocean service which was preserved operates on trackage between Montreal and Halifax running through the lower St. Lawrence River valley and northern New Brunswick. The Minister of Transport in Chrétien's government at the time, Douglas Young, was elected from a district that included Bathurst, New Brunswick, on the Ocean's route. Interestingly, a remote VIA service to Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula, the Chaleur was also spared from being cut at this time, despite having less ridership than the Atlantic.

A renaissance?

By the late 1990s, rising environmental concerns focusing on reducing dependence on automobiles and airplanes (see Kyoto Accord), as well as rail-friendly Minister of Transport David Collenette, saw modest funding increases to VIA. Corridor services were improved with new and faster trains, a weekly tourist train The Bras d'Or returned VIA service to Cape Breton Island for the first time since the 1990 cuts, and a commitment was made to continue operating on Vancouver Island, however western Canada continued to languish with the only service provided by the Canadian.

In a significant new funding program dubbed 'Renaissance', a fleet of unused passenger cars which had been built for planned Nightstar sleeper services between locations in the United Kingdom and Continental Europe, via the Channel Tunnel, were purchased and adapted following the cancelling of these routes before they even began. Along with new diesel-electric locomotives from General Electric these trains began to replace the retiring LRC units. This expansion to VIA's fleet has permitted scheduling flexibility, particularly in the corridor. Additionally, many passenger stations have been remodelled into rider-friendly destinations, with several hosting co-located transit and regional bus hubs for various municipalities.

On October 24, 2003, federal Minister of Transport David Collenette announced $700 million (CAD) in new funding over the next 5 years. This funding was far below the $3 billion (CAD) needed to implement a high-speed rail proposal in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor nicknamed VIA-Fast, however the funding was intended to 'provide for faster, more frequent and more reliable passenger service across Canada.... [preserving] the option for higher speed rail, such as the Via Fast proposal' said Collenette. This new project was to be called 'Renaissance II' [1]. Critics of 'Renaissance II' noted that the majority of spending would take place in the corridor services and not add new trains or improved scheduling to Atlantic and Western Canada.

Plagued by problems, the Renaissance cars are nicknamed déplaisance ('displeasure') by French-speaking employees and customers.

Fourth round of cuts

On December 18, 2003, Prime Minister Paul Martin announced a freeze in federal spending on all major capital projects, including VIA's five-year $700 million capital investment 'Renaissance II' program announced just six weeks earlier by outgoing Prime Minister Chrétien's administration. Critics of Martin's cuts claimed that he was in a distinct conflict of interest as his family through Canada Steamship Lines and various subsidiary and affiliated companies, had a significant investment in the Voyageur Colonial Bus Lines, an intercity bus line in Quebec and eastern Ontario that is a key competitor of VIA Rail.

Route cuts under the Martin government included the withdrawal of the seasonal The Bras d'Or tourist train, which ran for the last time in September 2004, and the Montreal-Toronto overnight Enterprise, which was discontinued in September 2005.

VIA's role in the Sponsorship Scandal

The federal Auditor General's report released publicly on February 10, 2004 showed what appeared to be a criminal misdirection of government funds intended for advertising to key Quebec-based supporters of the Liberal Party of Canada. (See Sponsorship scandal). Included in the Auditor General's report was the fact that VIA Rail Canada was used as one of several federal government departments, agencies, and Crown corporations to funnel these illicit funds. Forced to act on the Auditor General's report due to its political implications, Prime Minister Paul Martin's government suspended VIA Rail President Marc LeFrançois on February 24, 2004, giving him an ultimatum of several days to defend himself against allegations in the report or face further disciplinary action.

Several days later, during LeFrançois's suspension, a former VIA Rail marketing department employee, Myriam Bédard, revealed she was fired several years earlier when she questioned company billing practices in dealing with advertising companies. She was publicly belittled by VIA Rail Chief Executive Officer Jean Pelletier in national media on February 27, 2004. Pelletier retracted his statements but on March 1, 2004, Pelletier was fired. On March 5, 2004, after failing to adequately defend himself against the allegations in the Auditor General's report, LeFrançois was fired as well.

While VIA Rail is an independent federal Crown corporation mandated to operate as a business, it is hindered by the fact that it was created by an Order-in-Council of the Privy Council, and not from an actual legislation passed by Parliament. If VIA were enabled by actual legislation, the company could be permitted to seek funding on the open money markets as other Crown corporations such as CN have done in the past. It is largely for this reason that VIA continues to answer first to its political masters, as opposed to the business decisions needed to ensure the viability of intercity passenger rail service.

Routes and connections

File:VIATrainA074.JPG
The Canadian, Spring 2005

Despite its role as a political football in both the administration and operation of the company, VIA continues to operate transcontinental service, provided by The Canadian, running three times a week between Toronto and Vancouver in the west, and by the Ocean, operating six times a week between Montreal and Halifax in the east.

Routes in summary [citation needed]:

  • Southern Quebec and southern Ontario (aka the Windsor-Quebec City Corridor)
  • Toronto-Jasper-Vancouver (the Canadian)
  • Jasper-Prince Rupert (the Skeena)
  • Victoria-Courtenay (the Mahalat)
  • Winnipeg-Churchill (the Hudson Bay)
  • Sudbury-White River (the Lake Superior)
  • Montreal-Senneterre (the Abitibi)
  • Montreal-Jonquière (the Saguenay)
  • Montreal-Percé-Gaspé (the Chaleur)
  • Montreal-Halifax (the Ocean)

International connections are provided by agreement with Amtrak and include the Maple Leaf, operating between New York's Pennsylvania Station and Toronto's Union Station via Albany and Buffalo. The Adirondack is an exclusive Amtrak train operating between Montreal's Gare Centrale (Central Station) and New York City's Penn Station. Amtrak Cascades offers service between Vancouver and Seattle, Washington. There are numerous daily trains operated in the heavily populated Quebec-Windsor Corridor which extends from Quebec City through Montreal, Kingston, Toronto, and London to Windsor. Service between Toronto and Montreal to Ottawa is included in this grouping.

Classes of Service

Canada-wide

VIA 1 LRC interior
  • Comfort - Economy class seating in the coach cars. Depending on the train number, seats are assigned or first-come-first-serve. If the latter, passengers are often segregated into specific train cars according to passenger destination. Snacks, beverages and sandwiches are sold cash and carry.
  • VIA 1 - First class seating in the club car. VIA 1 passengers are given more spacious seating, inclusive hot three-course meals complete with complimentary boutique chocolate, wine and liqueurs, and pay-per-use 802.11b WiFi access. VIA 1 passengers are also granted priority boarding and access to the Panorama Lounges at major urban stations.
  • Sleeper aka Comfort Sleeper - As a class provided to late night passengers on lengthy routes, the sleeper class provides single, double and triple bedrooms which feature bunkbeds, electrical outlet, chairs and a private washroom. Each sleeper car is equipped with a public shower. To increase comfort, trains equipped with sleeper cars travel slower than their daytime counterparts.

Route-specific

  • Silver & Blue - A deluxe inclusive travel package onboard the Canadian, which features Sleeper Class accommodation, first-class meals in the Dining car, and access to the Skyline car and viewing salons in the glass-domed Park car. Passengers are also given priority boarding over Comfort Class and access to the Silver & Blue Lounge in Toronto Union Station.
  • Easterly - All-inclusive tour package onboard the Ocean with access to a tour guide (known as the "Learning Coordinator"), Sleeper accommodation, first-class meals and access to the Park car. Passengers also receive priority boarding and access to the Panorama Lounge in Montreal station.
  • Totem - Access to the Park car onboard the Skeena. A sub-class called Totem Deluxe provides its passengers with seating in the Panorama car. Totem and Totem Deluxe operates from May to September.

Types of railcar

Dining car interior — the Canadian
  • Coach car - Seating for use by Comfort Class passengers. Seat rows tend to alternate between forward and backward seating arrangements several times down the car. LRC cars seat 68 while Renaissance cars seat 50.
  • Club car - Seating for use by VIA 1 Class passengers. All seats face forward with the exception of two on the left forward bulkhead and two in the rear, forming 4-seat communal areas. The rear area features a large foldtop table. All seating is equipped with AC power outlets.
  • Transcontinental Coach car - Coach cars of the Canadian with fully-reclining chairs with extending legrests.
  • Sleeper car - Consists of a series of single, double and triple bedrooms. Bedrooms feature bunkbeds, seating, and private sinks. The car is equipped with public shower and toilet facilities.
  • Park car - What VIA Rail calls its "flagship car", this two-level railcar is situated in the very rear of the rolling stock. Its amenities include a lounge, two double bedrooms and one triple bedroom, and the panoramic glass dome on its upper level.
  • Dining car - Restaurant on rails, complete with tablecloth and reservations. A Renaissance dining car holds 48 places in eight tables for four and eight tables for two.
  • Skyline car - Features a coffee shop, library, lounge, and panoramic dome seating.
  • Panorama car - A fully glass-enclosed seating car of the Skeena.
  • Baggage car - Non-passenger car designed for carrying checked baggage.

Vehicles

Locomotives

Passenger carriages

Demo units

Product list and details (date information from TTC)
 Make/Model   Description   Fleet size   Year acquired   Year retired   Notes 
Colorado Railcar Aero DMU lead car proposal only
Colorado Railcar Single-level ADA DMU coach
United Aircraft/Sikorsky Turbo 1 set 1982 ex-Amtrak (scrapped)
Montreal Locomotive Works/United Aircraft Canada Turbo 1 set 1982 ex-CN (scrapped)

See also

Railway companies that used to carry passengers include:

Other publicly owned regional passenger carriers:

VIA may maintain the railcars for some of these services, such as West coast Express.

Privately owned Canadian VIA Rail competitors and connecting lines:

  • Rocky Mountaineer Daylight operations through scenic areas specifically for tourist travel

References

Further reading

  • Allen, Tom (2001). Rolling Home: A Cross-Canada Railroad Memoir. Toronto: Penguin. ISBN 0-670-88473-1.
  1. ^ http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/10/24/train031024
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