VIA Rail's Buffer Cars 

The original eighteen diner cars on the Canadian do have names. Acadia, Fairholme, York, Selkirk, Imperial, Louise, etc.

I have no doubt that these old babies have to be replaced in the near future. I just hope someone has the common sense to relect on how well these cars have performed for over 70 years. To me that speaks volulmes to consider a similar product, albeit with new state of the art materials and construction methods. Sort of like the old saying, "If it aint broken don't fix it."

Howdy! Hope you sorta enjoyed. Like I said, the video idea sounded a lot better in my head, lol. I tried to get as much info I could correct, but as always there still seems to be a little inaccuracy with the info on these cars, feel free to let me know the correct info on VIA's equipment in the comments. Stay tuned for more train commentary videos coming soon!

North American rail system is paranoid and the buffer cars were there in case a train rear ended the passenger train (and the baggage cars acted as buffer cars, so unsafe for anyone to reain in there 9hence no pets). This was more show so government seen to take action to protect passengers when news came of these cars getting old. HEP2 did not arrive to replace CN cars. CN cars which were made of steel (not stainless steel) needed much maintenance due to rust. The arrival of LRCs in early 1980s allowed VIA to reduce them in the corridor. But the the Canadian and Super Continental were so popular that VIA needed the full CP and a big chunk of CN,s transcontinental cars to ake the 2 daily trais, as well as train to Churchill, St-Johns and Halifax. CP's coaches also used for Le Petit Train du Nord to Mont Lauried from Montréal because it was so popular. With each round of cuts the amount of CN rolling stock needed was reduced. But CP's transcon was still dedicated to transcontinental services (with exceptio for le petit train du nord - these cars were still maintained by CP at Glenn yards in Montréal so easy to take 8-10 coaches and run the weekend train service). Just before the 1989 cuts, VIA had begun to buy new F40 locomotives that don't have steam generators. Initially, it would add a steam generator car for the transcontinental trains. Ironically, VIA was given funding to convert the CP transcontinental fleet to electric heat circa 1989 just before the big cuts and this became reality in early 1990s. However, not all of the CP fleet was kept or converted to electic (Sibbley Park was left as steam heated and is now at the St-Constant museum in montreal) and mahy cars sold to use private rail operators. As well, VIA was able to manage its now greatly reduced network/frequencies without CN cars so those trains were never converted to electric. Ironically, the Rocky Mountaineer who lobbied for those cuts so it could start its Calgary-Vancouver luxury train got the CN cars for cheap, sent them to Moncton to be rebuilt and are today still in service, unrecognizable with "dome" windows and also dining cars. (the company that did the work was well regarded, and got contract to rebuild the full LRC fleet, but when the governmnet cancelled the contract, it went bankrupt right away ISRI Industrial Rail Services Inc). It had also rebuilt a numebr of Budd RDCs with new engines, electronic controls, electrical etc. (which is why the fear about those RDCs was unsubstantiated as they were rebuilt from scratch as were the 10 LRC cars that ISRI rebuilt (pocodot seats) before contract was cancelled). The HEP2 cars came mid 1990s because VIA had ditched too much equipment with the 1989 cuts and was needing to add capacity in the corridor where all it had was the LRCs and some HEP1 coaches it could spare (or the portion of fleet it kept post 1989 cuts). It found some equivalents that Amtrak hadn't used since early 1970s when its Amfleet and Superliner cars started to be delivered and VIA then converted them to electric heat with modern interiors. But it was still lacking equipment and found the Renaissance cars being sent to scrapyard by Metro-Cammell in UK after the customer went belly up, so VIA got them over to Thunder Bay and spend a boatload of money to finished and modify them to meet north american standards. Notable; it had to put baggage/coat storage at one end of car instead of a toilet because it was part of crush zone in case of collision and can't have humans in the crush zone. Renaissance turned out to be a dud, made of steel and rust-prone with many bugs (but do offer smooth and silent ride). They are barrower to fit UK loading gauge. It should be noted that VIA rail also started to canibalize LRC cars, having ceased proper upkeep of them and ceasaed ordering manufacyure of parts. Yet, the new Siemens trains that were suppose dto be in service end of 2021 are still being tested and not yetr in regular service. VIA refuses to restore many trains. It is my impression that VIA has thrown in the towel. With the Minister ready to hand over corridor to some lobbyists for the "HFR" political OPR project, I get the feeling that VIA has prematurely stopped maintaining its equipment, especially the LRCs that are being replaced by the Siemens heavy steel trains and is now at a stage where it is stuck in a use maniutenance deficit for all its fleet. Hence buffer cars and LRC cars being dismantled for parts to fix others. When Amtrak ordered the Acellas, it kept the older Metroliners just in case. Just in case happend, Acellas widthdrawn sue to flaw in structure, Metroliners put in service until flaw fixed. VIA has started to cannibalize its fleet before the Siemens are even in service and the Siemens are quite late. Those are very sad times for VIA. The government is painting it as a rosy future while it is buysy abandoning the ciurrent train service promising something that will never come. (for instance, they promise Québec-Montréal service via Trois Rivières, but that line can no longer reach central station without a 40 minute detour to western montreal and back because of loss of the Mont Royal Tunnel. )

GOBBLESS HE HAS BLESSED US AGAIN

Imagine if VIA gets Viewliners for it's new long distance fleet

As iconic as the stainless steel Budd cars are, it is time to replace them. By the way, a great video would be what are the potential new replacement builders for the new long distance equipment being looked at by Via and Amtrak. Siemens has begun replacing much of the short to medium distance fleet, but Siemens doesn't have much experience in the long distance equipment area - especially when it comes to long distance trains suitable for 2-3 day trips across North America. I was in Austria recently and they have a new Siemens overnight train called the "Nightjet" which is based on the popular day use "Railjet" day use express trains. The new trainsets made by Siemens and now being used by Via, Amtrak and Brightline are based on the "railjet" design. The only difference is that in Europe these trains are pulled by Siemens Taurus locomotives instead of the diesel locomotives used in North America. The Nightjet design, however, would be a disaster for trips across North America, they don't have the comfort, spaciousness or general long distance feel that the Budd cars on the Canadian or Amtrak Superliners have had for decades now.

Thanks for providing information on this subject. I do hope the replacement fleet for VIAs streamliner cars do include dome observations and mid-train dome cars. I bet the lack of a clear rear view made VIA Rail lose some passengers.

2:18 FYI those baggage cars began life as Railway Post Office cars on the Union Pacific--the only UP cars not painted in Armour Yellow. VIA acquired them in the 1900s for baggage car use. 3:30 Converting clasp-brake trucks to disc brake trucks (outside hangers no longer req'd).

2:45 thats a Florida east coast railway E Unit, either an E3 or E6. Those looked amazing

Nitpick: Tompson Manor is not a Chateau car ! Manor and Chateaus were very different sleepers with the Manor having more comfy roomettes, while the Chateau have the duplex roometteswhere the lower level's bed would slide der adjoining upper level roomette's floor during the day. The Chateau cars roomettes were slightly smaller. But as I recall, the car had more roomettes than the Manor cars. Chateau cars named about the Chateau CP hotels.

I was on the 645/646 via that ran the HEP2 cars in October 2022 and I did not see a buffer car on the commuter trains. What concerns me more is the lack of the new commuter fleet on the rails. Only one service, from Ottawa to Montreal currently has is (VIA 23/24). Nothing west of ottawa. When is that going to be expanded, I'd love to catch the new fleet while on the road thru Mallorytown, Gananonque or Kingston

Great video . Iam glad someone like yourself came out with this video . When I first saw Heard and saw this Government of the stupid why would they even Allow it people pay for the view . Then take it off . 👍🏻 . Now people should get some back . This government has to go and via should Dummy up . Great video 👍🏻😎 Robin out .

I thought that baggage car photo at the 3:18 mark looked familiar...becuase it was mine! Thanks for the credit in the credits. Eric

Those cars will be here long after we all turn to dust.

The Budd cars with corrugated sides and the old blue former CN Rail cars with double yellow stripes are my favourite rail equipment of VIA Rail.

Fantastic video and incredible animations man

Interesting. I wonder if Via could end up trying to buy some of the Amfleets the same way they bought some of Amtraks old Heritage equipment back in the day or if they would possibly buy new equipment like Amtrak. There's not much option right now, but surely when Amtrak commissions a new long distance fleet to replace the Superliners and Amfleet II's they would probably make some new types of coaches. I suppose there's a decent chance since Amtrak commissioned the first chargers and then Via ordered their own.

I like that TWP can switch between making shitposts to more serious videos without either losing quality over the other

This was very well done. Love your editing and production style, very easy to watch. I agree that the buffer car situation was quite strange.

I know they gotta be replaced but they look so damn good. It’s gonna be sad to see them go. 5/4/2024

Love the new intro! And I love how you said babaooy at the end lol

You know what they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Yes, railcar design has improved over the years, but these new railcars should supplement existing coaches, not replace them. North America is facing a severe railcar shortage to the point where they have to use BUSSES instead of actual trains to test new passenger services. The more passenger cars you have, the more frequent services upu can run along existing and new routes. If Via were to keep their existing fleet while adding their new LD fleet, then there would be enough rolling stock to have a DAILY Canadian in each direction, along with plenty of other lost Canadian long distance trains.

-gets jumpscared by a CP locomotive TWR:AAHHAHHHHH

well, I'm not overly familiar with regulations, much less Canadian regulations, but I assume it could have possibly either been a mis-read of data showing cars were weaker than expected in the event of a collision that was quickly rectified, or there was anticipated legislation change that never happened. whatever it is though, certainly was odd. I still hope to visit the Great White North someday though!

W INTRO MY MAN

Hi i live in USA iowa in Muscatine County I have The CP Line ITS Now Called CPKC

Via hep cars: tis but a scratch

I want a T-shirt saying "I speak yappanese."

0:05 what’s that clip of the derailment from??

4:33 is that Thomas

The underframes “mainframes” as you called them are not carbon steel but are stainless steel.

naw bro stole amtrakguys intro

What was the intro music?

They copied the CPKC OCS