Via Rail unveils new fleet of trains for Windsor-Quebec City corridor
By the end of next year, your train ride to Toronto or Montreal could be a lot more comfortable.
Via Rail previewed the first of 32 new Siemens trains on Tuesday at their Tremblay Road station in Ottawa.
“Canadians' journeys will never be the same,” says Martin Landry, Chief Commercial Officer with Via Rail.
The trains will be used on the Windsor-Quebec City corridor, serving destinations such as Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto. Some of the new enhanced features on the train include:
- wider aisles;
- adjustable tray tables;
- more comfortable headrests;
- automatic touchless interior doors; and
- high-speed reliable wifi.
Via Rail previewed its new corridor fleet on Nov. 30, 2021. The 32 trains are expected to be more comfortable, greener, and more efficient. They are expected to be ready for passengers by end of 2022. (Submitted/Via Rail)
Via Rail previewed its new corridor fleet on Nov. 30, 2021. The 32 trains are expected to be more comfortable, greener, and more efficient. They are expected to be ready for passengers by end of 2022. (Submitted/Via Rail)
Liberal MP for Ottawa Southn David McGuintyn was on hand at the preview and says, “I can tell you they are going to offer a new era of comfort and efficiency for the worker, the families, and the tourists, who travel on these tracks.”
Passengers are expected to board the new trains by the end of 2022.
Winter trials will begin overnight on the track in Ottawa. Crews will test out the new train and its advanced technology in harsh conditions like snow and extreme cold.
Landry says Canadian winter poses a challenge for the trains. “The train could start in Windsor with rain, come into Toronto with freezing rain and by the time it gets to Quebec City it is a snowstorm… those conditions are really taxing. We want to go through the full winter test through to the spring time.”
The trains are also fully accessible, and each includes onboard wheelchair elevators, large accessible washrooms, braille, and signage.
Via Rail says the trains are some of the most environmentally friendly intercity fleets in North America. They include diesel engines and are bidirectional.
Via Rail previewed its new corridor fleet on Nov. 30, 2021. The 32 trains are expected to be more comfortable, greener, and more efficient. They are expected to be ready for passengers by end of 2022. (Submitted/Via Rail)
McGuinty says “These bidirectional trains can operate in both directions, which will save time and reduce delays.”
Cynthia Garneau, VIA Rail President and CEO, says making sure the trains were environmentally friendly was a priority and they will continue to find ways to reduce the footprint.
“We will be in a position to reduce waste on our trains, so we will do pilot projects and put them in place throughout the corridor, ” she says.
Garneau adds the new fleet “marks a new era for passenger rail service in the corridor, where we served over 4.7 million passengers in 2019 and which represented 96% of our ridership pre-pandemic.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
'We are declaring our readiness': No decision made yet as Poland declares it's ready to host nuclear weapons
Polish President Andrzej Duda says while no decision has been made around whether Poland will host nuclear weapons as part of an expansion of the NATO alliance’s nuclear sharing program, his country is willing and prepared to do so.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalized after return to New York from upstate prison
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer said Saturday that the onetime movie mogul has been hospitalized for a battery of tests after his return to New York City following an appeals court ruling nullifying his 2020 rape conviction.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Central Alberta queer groups react to request from Red Deer-South to reinstate Jennifer Johnson to UCP caucus
A number of LGBQT+2s groups in Central Alberta are pushing back against a request from the Red Deer South UCP constituency to reinstate MLA Jennifer Johnson into the UCP caucus.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.