In just a few years, just imagine the new Siemens Charger train sets recently purchased by Via Rail running even faster at a full 110 mph or 177 kph on high frequency dedicated tracks between Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City! Passenger rail enthusiasts really look forward to that day since this project will provide an affordable, more environmentally-friendly, faster, more relevant, reliable and safer travel choice to Canadians!
Great Video !!! I am happy that VIA Rail upgraded the CASO Sub, now if just Amtrak can upgraded the Michigan Line. Via Rail upgraded the line step by step,year by year.
@chrisvazquez7 Yes, it shares most of its tracks with the but it is officially a separate line. The Georgetown line is Line D, and the Airport line will be Line H. Implementing it also requires a lot of construction, such as more tracks and grade-separation on the Weston Subdivision as well as a new right of way into the airport.
@truerailfan01 Haha! We might not be getting HSR anytime soon, but I applaud GO Transit in Toronto for their recent developments. They got funding from the Ontario government to electrify three of their seven lines. Also, they are establishing an Airport link to downtown, with trains running every 15 minutes from 6am to 1am.
@reaperexpress This stretch of track is owned by VIA Rail. That's probably why it got upgraded, because they could do it so easily. CN goes to Windsor using the CASO Sub from Blenheim, but CN plans to abandon that line within 2 years. So at that time, we may see CN sharing this line...
@truerailfan01 I doubt as much as they upgraded this section. This section is owned by VIA Rail, so they don't have to go through anybody to upgrade it. However, the rest of the Chatham Sub, Strathroy Sub, Dundas Sub, and Oakville Sub are owned by CN. So VIA has to go through CN before any upgrading can happen. A lot of bureaucracy...
There is a plan to double track this route. It would be very easy and affordable to do so. With welded track and CTC, 100mph will the standard speed :)
@chrisvazquez7 Yeah, I found out about the VIA Chatham sub project a few days after I posted that. Once the line has welded rail and an "advanced Centralized Traffic Control signal system" (according to VIA) what's preventing the line speed from further being increased? At what speeds do the Canadian regulations start requiring cab-signaling and grade separation?
come to Belle River need more people only 35,000 people live here it's a great town sunsplash summer time July 21 to the 23rd not a lot of jobs but quiet small country town great for rasing kids
I'm not surprised that that stretch is 100mph. The track is dead straight. Personally I'd like to see VIA buy this subdivision and have CN and CP share the current CP line. The government would probably have to pay to double track the CP line but it would be worth it, because VIA could then use welded rail and banked corners.
@truerailfan01 GO chose to electrify because electric trains are faster and cheaper to operate on busy lines. Due to massive increases in ridership recently the new diesel locomotives will not go to waste. Even after electrification, they will still be desperately needed on the 4 other lines. By the way, 4 out of 8 lines will be electric, not 3 out of 7. Chrisvazquez forgot to count the new Airport line.
@truerailfan01 That what's a rumor? The Airport line is already under construction and electrification was officially approved by Metrolinx (GO Transit). Electrification could still easily be canceled at this point (especially if the Conservatives get elected in Ontario), but since it's part of the official plan it's more than a rumor.
@reaperexpress Well I'm 99% positive that 100mph is the fastest VIA goes in Canada currently. When you raise the speed anymore than that, it starts to be classified as high speed rail, instead of regular rail. 125 mph and faster is considered high speed rail in most countries. I don't see why VIA would want to upgrade their line to 120mph, for example, when they could just go all out and invest in high speed rail. So, honestly, I don't think VIA will get faster than 100mph until HSR is put in.
@PatrickTomaszewski10 I could only see that happening if CN starts using the line, and VIA adds more trains between Toronto and Windsor. They just finished upgrading the one track to welded rail and 100mph speeds. With that project, they added a padding siding, seen at 9:00 in the video. It will have automatic switches and signals. Why would they spend so much money to add that siding if they had plans to double track the whole route? Just saying lol
@chrisvazquez7 Why do GO Transit need to electrify 3 of there 7 lines when they just got over 20 new locomotives ? P.S. I dont live in Canada (even though I want to), I live in Detroit but I take the train over there in Canada frequently. At least ya'll dont have the problems that Amtrak has in Michigan, they have been trying to update the Michigan Line (Chicago-Pontiac v.i.a Detroit) for the past 2 decades. Amtrak only have a 97 mile portion of track upgraded for HSR which max speed is 95mph.
@truerailfan01 This isn't the CASO Subdivision. This is the Chatham Subdivision. To watch a video of mine from the existing section of the CASO, go to here: /watch?v=zWfIbA5ydoM The CASO is still in bad shape, and CN is planning to discontinue it in the next 2 years or so...
