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Canadian | 1 Oct 2004 12:28
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File - CanPassRail_Info.txt


CANADIAN-PASSENGER-RAIL GROUP INFORMATION:

Scope and Mandate:
    Canadian-Passenger-Rail (a.k.a. CanPassRail) is a place to discuss all aspects of past, present, and
future passenger trains and rail travel in Canada. This includes all national, regional, commuter, and
tourist rail carriers such as VIA Rail, the current and former passenger operations of CN and CP, Ontario
Northland, BC Rail, GO Transit, West Coast Express, and Rocky Mountaineer Railtours. Others not
mentioned here are of course welcome, so long as they are located in Canada.  The general rule is, "if it runs
on rails in Canada while carrying passengers, then it's 'on-topic.'"
    Although Montreal Commuter Lines do fall within the scope of Canadian-Passenger-Rail, a greater
knowledge-base on this topic exists on the Montrain List.  To find out about them, and other Canadian
Rail-related lists, go to Tim Green's Mailing List summary at http://www.trainscan.com/fan/list.html.
    Discussions regarding freight movements unrelated to passenger rail should be posted elsewhere. We
suggest the Canadian-Rails, C-P-R, or C-N-R lists for these topics. You can also find information on
other Canadian Rail-related lists at Tim Green's excellent TrainsCan site mentioned above.

Messages:
    All posts should be signed with a real name and preferrably your location as well.
    Posts from new members will be moderated as well as those from individuals whom the moderators feel should
be moderated.
    Profanity, flaming, and personal attacks will not be tolerated.  Remember to edit replies including only
necessary portions of posts.  Also, if you subscribe in Digest mode, please remember to edit the Subject
header when replying to a post.  Please avoid cross posting to other lists unless necessary.
    Commercial advertisements are neither appropriate nor welcome, and will be dealt with by the moderators
at their discretion.  A common remedy is banishment from the group (especially if you just subscribed
twenty minutes ago).

Files & Photos:
    Files & photos may be uploaded to the CanPassRail Files area at
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Tom Box | 1 Oct 2004 14:05

RailAmerica to "dispose of" E&N

A press release from RailAmerica,
<URL:http://tinyurl.com/5jrnz>, says: 

"Charles Swinburn, Chief Executive Officer of RailAmerica: 'The
E&N Railway has been experiencing declining carloads over the
past two years and is no longer viable. We are evaluating our
options for dealing with the property, and expect to dispose
of it during the first half of 2005.'"

This could be bad news for VIA's Victoria-Courtenay service
if no buyer is found.

Tom Box  <tbox@...> or <cz610@...>
Toronto, ON, Canada

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Harold Nicholson | 1 Oct 2004 16:23
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Re: RailAmerica to "dispose of" E&N

Very unfortunate! And given the recent history, there will be no help from the provincial government for
the E&N
> 
> From: Tom Box <tbox@...>
> Date: 2004/10/01 Fri AM 08:05:10 EST
> To: "Canadian-Passenger-Rail@..." 
>  <Canadian-Passenger-Rail@...>
> Subject: [CanPassRail] RailAmerica to "dispose of" E&N
> 
> A press release from RailAmerica,
> <URL:http://tinyurl.com/5jrnz>, says: 
> 
> "Charles Swinburn, Chief Executive Officer of RailAmerica: 'The
> E&N Railway has been experiencing declining carloads over the
> past two years and is no longer viable. We are evaluating our
> options for dealing with the property, and expect to dispose
> of it during the first half of 2005.'"
> 
> This could be bad news for VIA's Victoria-Courtenay service
> if no buyer is found.
> 
> Tom Box  <tbox@...> or <cz610@...>
> Toronto, ON, Canada
> 
> 
> 
> For help, send an email to Canadian-Passenger-Rail-help@... 
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
>
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Carl H. Fowler | 1 Oct 2004 17:22
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Re: RailAmerica to "dispose of" E&N

Probably bad news, BUT, Rail America has been a very poor operator of 
the E&N throughout its tenuer--so it's entirely possioble another 
operator could do a vastly better job. There was an island-based group 
that tried to take over a year or two ago--before RA reluctantly (and in 
my view without any real commitment) agreed to "try again". Only time 
will tell here.

Carl Fowler
Rail Travel Center

Harold Nicholson wrote:

>Very unfortunate! And given the recent history, there will be no help from the provincial government for
the E&N
>  
>
>>From: Tom Box <tbox@...>
>>Date: 2004/10/01 Fri AM 08:05:10 EST
>>To: "Canadian-Passenger-Rail@..." 
>> <Canadian-Passenger-Rail@...>
>>Subject: [CanPassRail] RailAmerica to "dispose of" E&N
>>
>>A press release from RailAmerica,
>><URL:http://tinyurl.com/5jrnz>, says: 
>>
>>"Charles Swinburn, Chief Executive Officer of RailAmerica: 'The
>>E&N Railway has been experiencing declining carloads over the
>>past two years and is no longer viable. We are evaluating our
>>options for dealing with the property, and expect to dispose
>>of it during the first half of 2005.'"
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davidmississauga | 1 Oct 2004 17:29
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Facing Seats in Renaissance cars

The latest Vialogue has an article about and a photo of a 
refurbished Renaissance coach or VIA 1 car.  The smaller (four-row) 
sections which presently have only rear-facing seats are being 
modified to have two quads and two pair of facing single seats. I 
can't tell from the photo what has happened to the under-seat 
stowage area.

A quote from the article: "This will reduce the number of backward 
facing seats, an irritant for many customers, and respond to the 
needs of families and groups."

David Brain,
Mississauga, Ont.

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rick_foo | 1 Oct 2004 17:39
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"Renaissance" is subject of Trains article

The November 2004 issue of Trains magazine includes a review of 
Renaissance equipment. It begins on p. 66.
Ricky Leong
Montreal

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Tyler W | 1 Oct 2004 17:59
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Re: RailAmerica to "dispose of" E&N

I couldn't agree more Carl. But RailAmerica had their hands tied by Canadian Pacific since they signed the
lease agreement for most of the Victoria Subdivision. Restrictions like RailAmerica couldn't build new
spurs to serve new customers on any CP owned trackage(Victoria-Stocketts, Parksville-Courtenay, the
Wellcox yard, the Victoria, Port Alberni, and Courtenay yards, most of the E&N). Once cars were
interchanged with CP they would sit in Coquitlam for weeks on end before going to the USA, RailAmerica
tried to bypass the CP connection and ship directly to BNSF in Seattle, but CP wouldn't let them. Without
the connection to BNSF, Norske Canada will not return to rail service. 

 
Tyler

"Carl H. Fowler" <railvt@...> wrote:
Probably bad news, BUT, Rail America has been a very poor operator of 
the E&N throughout its tenuer--so it's entirely possioble another 
operator could do a vastly better job. There was an island-based group 
that tried to take over a year or two ago--before RA reluctantly Only time 
will tell here.

Carl Fowler
Rail Travel Center

---------------------------------
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onrtrains.com | 1 Oct 2004 15:31
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re:VIA #1 Consist, September 30, 2004


Robert thanks for the info.  I try to keep a watch out
for it here when it comes through sudbury jct.  It
arrived thursday at approx 1615 hrs

=====
Nathan-Webmaster 
http://www.onrtrains.com

http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=4862

______________________________________________________________________ 
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weldonpete | 1 Oct 2004 13:38
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Re: Re: Menu for VIA Canadian


In a message dated 9/29/04 17:20:08 GMT Standard Time,
as372@...  
writes: but customers rate the dining car experience as one of the
highlights  of their trips in ongoing post-trip research

I hesitate to respond to this in case folks consider it the mutterings of a  
grumpy old British tourist (which I am but only, I think, with  
justification). However...
I can only say that my two journeys on the Canadian this summer were  
disappointing. The food was no great shakes (although better than that on the  Ren 
Ocean); indeed, considering the different menu, the Hudson Bay fare was  better. 
Passengers on one Canadian were warning others about an item  on the menu 
and, indeed, a lady in my carriage was very ill after eating it. The  service was 
sad too: if there is a choice of rolls, surely the idea is to ask  passengers 
which they would prefer, rather than just toss across whichever is on  top of 
the pile? Getting served with wine was almost impossible and my first  choice 
was always unavailable.
Perhaps the problem is that Silver & Blue is promoted as absolutely the  best 
so when it isn't, it's so much more noticeable. Maybe I'll try it in the  
winter when it's more manageable.
In general, the trip across Canada was very enjoyable but, as in most  
things, VIA has room for improvement. I was misquoted a fare (probably  due to the 
complexities of the tax system), told (and had printed on my ticket)  a wrong 
departure time for the Ocean and was given completely inaccurate  information 
about the Hudson Bay by staff in Toronto.
Generally the younger staff were fine but the older ones were really just  
doing the job.
Peter Weldon
PS: On the Ren Ocean, I mischievously enjoyed showing the young car
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Harold | 1 Oct 2004 22:12
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CPR Staff Passenger Extra

In 1968 I worked at the Banff Springs Hotel. While staff from back 
east here had passes on the Canadian going out to Banff (still have 
my pass and ticket stubs), CPR put on a passenger extra to carry the 
staff back when the hotel closed for the season.

The Staff Special travelled a couple of hours behind the regular 
Canadian and caught up in Sudbury where the train was split and 
included in the Canadian - Montreal and Toronto sections.

One of the most interesting trips I have ever had!!!

Following is the consist of the passenger extra that left Banff 
shortly after noon hour on the 15th of September, 1968:

Fa unit - 1409
Baggage 3000 (Budd)
Diner - Kent (Budd)
Coach - 2246 (Montreal section)
Coach - 2270 (Montreal section)
Coach - 2241 (Montreal section)
Coach - 2274 (Toronto section)
Coach - 2259 (Toronto section)

Harold Nicholson

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