VIA Rail Canada CEO calls for ‘passenger bill of rights’ for rail travel

VIA train in Monteral

MONTREAL — The CEO of VIA Rail Canada is calling for the government to adopt a bill of rights for rail passengers similar to the one already in place for air travelers. In an interview with the Canadian Press, CEO Mario Péloquin said the government should set rules that ensure train passengers receive compensation for […]

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Six new HO models from Rapido Trains

Color photo of room with display tables and people walking around.

Rapido Trains hosted a dealer open house at the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat on Monday, Oct. 16, 2023 in Essex, Conn. During the event, the manufacturer unveiled several new HO scale products. Here’s a rundown of some of the items announced. Locomotives Electro-Motive Division SD7, SD9, and SD10 diesel locomotives were among the six […]

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The GMDH1 diesel-hydraulic locomotives

Yellow-and-black centercab GMDH1 diesel-hydraulic locomotives outside factory

The GMDH1 diesel-hydraulic locomotives led a short life with one staying near their birthplace of London, Ontario.     Diesel-hydraulic railroad locomotives are just what they say they are: diesel engines connected to a hydraulic transmission via the same principle as you would in your automobile. They can be found in various parts of the […]

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Canada’s High Frequency Rail project begins Request for Proposal phase

VIA_Map

OTTAWA — The Canadian government’s slow-moving process of developing its proposed High-Frequency Rail passenger route between Toronto and Quebec City is taking its next step. Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez announced Friday the start of the Request for Proposals process for the rail project, with a deadline announced only as “summer 2024.” Those proposals will come […]

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CPKC announces schedules for Holiday Train, Holiday Express

Train decorated with Christmas lights stopped near station at night

CALGARY — Canadian Pacific Kansas City has announced the schedule and lineup for the 25th annual Holiday Train begun by Canadian Pacific, which this year will expand its route to visit a number of communities on the former Kansas City Southern. Meanwhile, the Holiday Express train formerly operated by KCS will also visit 20 locations […]

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Canadian government to help fund new Port of Montreal container terminal

Aerial-view illustration of container terminal at port

CONTRECOEUR, Quebec — The Canadian government will spend up to C$150 million toward construction ofa new rail-served container terminal at the Port of Montreal, Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez announced on Tuesday. The project will include a 675-meter-long dock; a rail connection to existing Canadian National tracks, including a rail transfer point and freight transfer hub; […]

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Canadian National releases Winter Plan

Document cover with aerial photo of train operating through forest in snow

MONTREAL — Canadian National Railway has released its 2023-24 Winter Plan, a document required by the Canadian Transportation Act in which the railroad details plans for operations during the winter months. “The plan serves as our compass, providing clear direction and objectives,” CEO Tracy Robinson says in an introductory statement. “It will enable us to […]

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Canadian government announces agreements to allow work to begin on Lac-Mégantic bypass

Map of Lac-Megantic Bypass

LAC-MÉGANTIC, Quebec — Two key agreements to allow work to begin on the bypass to reroute rail traffic out of downtown Lac-Mégantic have been signed, Canadian Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez said Friday, setting the stage for the first work to move forward more than a decade after the derailment and fire that killed 47 people. […]

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Broken rail led to 2019 Canadian Pacific oil train derailment and fire, TSB says

Plume of black smoke rising from fire at oil-train derailment

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — A broken rail led to a December 2019 derailment and fire involving a Canadian Pacific crude oil train near Guernsey, Saskatchewan, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said in a report released Thursday. The incident, along with another derailment in the same area about two months later, led to changes in Canadian […]

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Software upgrade led to CN computer outage

Canadian National logo

MONTREAL — The Canadian National Railway computer outage that disrupted GO Transit and VIA Rail Canada trains on Tuesday was caused by a software upgrade, CN said on Wednesday. CN spokesman Jonathan Abecassis told CTV News that the railroad had determined the problem was because of “an internal systems upgrade, which affected CN’s ability to […]

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CN computer network outage halts GO Transit, VIA trains

Canadian National logo

MONTREAL — Canadian National Railway is experiencing a systemwide computer network failure affecting operations of GO Transit and VIA Rail Canada, as well as CN’s customer service. The railroad said in a post on Facebook this afternoon (Tuesday, Oct. 3) that it was experiencing “an internet connectivity and Electronic Data Interchange issue.” GO and VIA […]

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