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
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Bayer recalls hydraSense baby product over 'potential contamination'
Bayer announced Thursday it is recalling two lots of its hydraSense Baby Nasal Care Easydose due to a potential contamination.
N.L. gardening store revives 19th century seed-packing machine
Technology from the 19th century has been brought out of retirement at a Newfoundland gardening store, as staff look for all the help they can get to fill orders during a busy season.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.