The Canadian at 50+

[dibber25]

In my previous topic (Toronto etc) there is some comment about the durability of the Budd-built stainless steel cars. Those on the transcontinental 'Canadian' (VIA trains 1 and 2) were mostly built for Canadian Pacific in 1955 and have been criss-crossing Canada ever since. Rebuilt and refurbished many times, they are still - generally - a great travel experience. On the occasion that I saw it this year, No. 2 was two hours early in to Toronto after earlier season dramas which culminated in one train reaching Vancouver 45 hours late. The result was displaced stock and eventually cancellation of a return trip in order to 'catch up'. I understand the that the timekeeping difficulties (due to heavy freight traffic) have been temporarily overcome by inserting another day into the 'Canadian's schedule, taking to 5 days a journey which CP boasted in 1955, took 3 days. 

There's no doubt that the 'Canadian' is still a spectacular sight, especially when, as it was during my visit, it is loaded to 22 cars including no fewer than FOUR domes. I photographed all 22 cars as the empty stock headed for the TMC. Here's a selection. Note that one or two cars show very obvious evidence of their numerous rebuilds and alterations, while the application of a murky brown letter board to the 'Prestige' class rebuilds, destroys their ambience and ruins the unified look of the train. Passengers who can pay £4,000 to travel Prestige Class suffer the same delays as everyone else but get looked after a bit better! (CJL)

[mdvle]

while the application of a murky brown letter board to the 'Prestige' class rebuilds, destroys their ambience and ruins the unified look of the train. (CJL)

 

I believe it is supposed to be a grey band, not brown, though I agree it clashes with the look of the train as a whole.

[sjgardiner]

I believe it is supposed to be a grey band, not brown, though I agree it clashes with the look of the train as a whole.

 

It is grey, and there was no need to do it to make the cars "stand out" for prestige.  It accomplishes almost the other effect of looking pointless as the maroon/red/blue bands have always stood out from the stainless steel, the gunmetal grey stripe just doesn't look right to me. I don't think I'd like it even if it was the whole set.

 

Stephen

[BR60103]

The rebuilt cars look like a bad kitbash.

[dibber25]

I believe it is supposed to be a grey band, not brown, though I agree it clashes with the look of the train as a whole.

 

It looks grey in the photos but my eyes see it as brown 'in the flesh'. It's truly horrible and so is the bodge done to the other side of the 'Park' rear dome car, which provides two massive picture windows which cut into the letter board. When I last travelled (in 2013) on No. 2 eastbound I had a very sub-standard journey in Stuart Manor, a sleeping car which was in desperate need of 'shopping'. It had wheel flats and equipment underneath which sounded 'loose' and banged about all the time. The riding of the old Commonwealth bogies is nowhere near as good as the air-suspension on the ex-Nightstar stock used on the 'Ocean', VIA's other overnight train. If the Budd stock on the Canadian is going to outlast everything else, it is going to need new running gear, at least. Much more likely, I think, is that the trans-continental service will be withdrawn, I suspect, within the next decade as its reputation for unreliability undermines the ticket sales. Rather than insisting that CN gives it the priority which VIA's contract requires, simply adding another day into the schedule is not, in my view, an acceptable way forward. I found four days on a train more than enough, even for an enthusiast! (CJL)

Edited August 27, 2018 by dibber25