List of Via Rail rolling stock

This is a list of past and present rolling stock owned and operated by Via Rail in Canada. Via Rail owns 78 locomotives and 619 passenger cars.^[1] The tables below list that equipment by type and include some information regarding previously owned and operated equipment. When Via began operation in 1976–1978 it was with a collection of equipment inherited from Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific (CP). Much of this equipment remains in use today. Over the years Via has supplemented this initial fleet with new orders and with new acquisitions of secondhand equipment from other operators.

Locomotives

Current

The EMD F40PH-2 is the mainstay of Via's road fleet.

The GE P42DC is used on Corridor services

The Siemens SCV-42 will replace current fleet for the Québec City–Windsor Corridor

The RDC-4, along with the RDC-1 and RDC-2, run exclusively on the Sudbury - White River Train.

Via operates diesel locomotives exclusively. Its fleet of GMD F40PH-2s was recently modernized. The newer GE P42DCs are found only on Corridor services. Siemens SCV-42s were recently added to modernize the corridor fleet.

Model	Road numbers	In service	Years of service	Notes
GMD F40PH-2D	6400–6459 (*6403 was renumbered to 6459 in 2013)	52	1987–present	Number 6403 is featured on the Canadian $10 bills issued starting in 2013.[2] The actual 6403 was renumbered to 6459 due to its appearance on the bill. All units in the fleet were rebuilt by Canadian Allied Diesel, which included many modernization upgrades, and the addition of a separate Head-end Power generator at the rear of the locomotive. The rebuild was complete by 2012. Units 6400 and 6444 were wrecked and scrapped following a wreck. Locomotives 6454, 6437, 6436, 6416, 6402 wrapped in Canada 150, 40th and currently, the Love the way scheme. In 2023 VIA Rail and CAD Rail announced a second refurbishment program. Units that were wrecked and retired before rebuilding are 6422,6423,6430,6447,and 6450.
GE P42DC	900–920	19	2001–present	GE P42DC locomotives have been retrofitted with High Intensity Discharge lights below the numberboard, these lights were added after successful testing with the F40PH-2Ds in the mid-2000s. Most have been wrapped in Canada 150 scheme, minus the Canada 150 logo.
Siemens SCV-42 Charger	2200-2231	17 (32 expected)	2022-present	To replace current fleet for the Québec City–Windsor Corridor. Will operate as trainsets with Siemens Venture cars. First 2 units entered service in 2022.[3][4][5][6]
EMD SW1000	202	1	1978–present	Switcher. Originally built 1966–1967. Originally built for Inland Steel. (201 and 203 retired in early 1990s, 204 stripped for parts to keep 202 running
RDC-1	6105	1	1979-Present	Rebuilt by IRSI in 2013
RDC-2	6217, 6219	2	1979-Present	Rebuilt by IRSI in 2013
RDC-4	6250, 6251	2	1979-Present	Rebuilt by IRSI in 2013

Former

UAC TurboTrain passing Brockville in 1981.

An LRC with prototype "Renaissance" equipment in 2000.

Via inherited a diverse fleet of diesel locomotives from Canadian National and Canadian Pacific. It also received three of the experimental UAC TurboTrain gas-turbine trainsets. Between 1980–1984 Bombardier delivered 31 LRC ("Light, Rapid, Comfortable") diesel locomotives with matching cars. The last of these was retired in 2002.

Model	Road numbers	Built	Years of service	Notes
UAC TurboTrain	125, 151	1968	1979–1982	Acquired three trainsets from CN. 1 Retired after accident, all scrapped.
LRC-2	6900-6920	1980–1984	1980–2001	All retired, 6917 preserved, remainder scrapped.
LRC-3	6921-6930	1980–1984	1980–2001	6921 preserved, Coaches remain in service.
MLW FPA-2U	6758,6759	1946-1959	1979–1993	Ex-CN FPA-2U rebuild as 6758 previously numbered as 6755 and delivered new as FPA-2 6711. FPA-2U rebuild 6759 previously 6751 and delivered new as FPA-2 6707. Retired 1987, 6758 now operated by New York and Lake Erie Railroad.
MLW FPA-4	6760-6793	1946-1959	1979–1993	Ex-CN. Several acquired by private train operators in US.
MLW FPB-4	6860-6871	1946-1959
GMD FP7	6501, 6509, 6521–6623, 6566	1949-1953	1979	Ex-CP. FP7A 6566 wrecked in 1986 and retired/scrapped.
GMD FP9	1405-1407, 1405–1407, 1409–1414	1954-1959	1979-2002	Ex-CN and CP. Later rebuilt as the VIA FP9ARM (6300-6314). 6304 acquired by Trains Unlimited Rail Tours of California; 6510 on static display in Thunder Bay. F9B 6633 wrecked in 1986 and retired/scrapped.
GMD FP9ARM	6300-6314	1983-1985		15 units rebuilt from Canadian National FP9As, Which included a Head End Power generator
MLW RS-10	8558	1956	1978-1981	Ex-CP.
EMD E8	1800, 1802	1949	1979-1980	Ex-CP. 1800 Renumbered to 1898 and 1802 renumbered to 1899
Budd RDC-1	6100-6148	1949–1962
Budd RDC-2	6200-6225	1949–1962
Budd RDC-3	6350-6357	1949–1962		Ex-CP and CN. Used for passenger, baggage and postal service. 6144 converted as RDC-1.
Budd RDC-4	6401	1949–1962		Some still in service today
Budd RDC-9	6000-6006	1949–1962		Ex-CP and CN. single engine powered and no controls. Passenger use only.
IC3	7001-7401-7201	1986–2001	1997	Built by Adtranz, 2 sets were sent to North America for testing with Amtrak and VIA, Problems with running lead to these units being sent back to Israel Railways.

Passenger cars

Stainless steel

The core of Via's long-range fleet is a collection of streamlined equipment originally built by the Budd Company for Canadian Pacific in the 1950s. These were rebuilt by AMF to use head end power and thus are often referred to as the "HEP" fleet. In 2023, Via Rail joined Amtrak in an attempt to replace their aging Streamliner equipment.^[7]

Type	Built	Years of service	In service	Fleet numbers	Notes	Image
"Galley" club car	1947–1949	1993–present	10	4000–4009	Built by Budd Car Company and acquired from Amtrak and other operators between 1989–2000, rebuilt by AMF in mid-90s. Seats 56. Designated by VIA as "HEP2" Club cars and primarily used in the Quebec-Windsor Corridor.
Corridor coach cars	1947–1953	1993–present	23	4100–4125	Acquired from Amtrak and other operators between 1989 and 2000, rebuilt by AMF in mid-90s. Originally built by Budd Car Company. Seats 68. Designated by VIA as "HEP2" coaches and primarily used in the Quebec-Windsor Corridor. Cars 4123, 4124, and 4125 were converted into club cars, numbered 4007, 4008, and 4009 respectively.
Long-distance coach cars	1947–1955	1978–present	43	8100–8147	Mostly ex-Canadian Pacific, some rebuilt from ex-American coaches. Built by Budd Car Company, rebuilt in the mid-1990s by AMF. Seating for 62 (60 for cars 8145 & 8147). Designated by VIA as "HEP1" coaches.
Château series sleeping car	1954	1978–present	27	8201–8229	Ex-Canadian Pacific, built by Budd Car Company, names after famed explorers and administrators of the first French and British colonies
Manor series sleeping car	1954–1955	1978–present	39	8301–8342	Ex-Canadian Pacific, built by Budd Car Company, named after famed explorers and administrators of the first French and British colonies
Park series sleeper-dome-lounge	1954	1978–present	12	8702–8718	Ex-Canadian Pacific, built by Budd Car Company, named after select National Parks of Canada
Dining cars[8]	1955	1978–present	12	8401–8418	Ex-Canadian Pacific, built by Budd Car Company
Skyline series dome car	1954–1955	1978–present	14	8500–8517	Ex-Canadian Pacific, built by Budd Car Company

LRC

An LRC club car.

Main article: LRC (train) § LRC carriages

LRC was a series of lightweight diesel-powered passenger trains built by Bombardier that were used on short- to medium-distance inter-city service in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The LRC family includes both locomotives and passenger carriages designed to work together, though the two can be, and now are, used separately. The last locomotives were retired in 2001 but the coaches remain in service.

Type	Years of service	In service	Fleet numbers	Notes
Club car	1984–present	26	3451–3475; 3600–3601	44/56 seats. Some refurbished into 44 seat, bi-directional configuration.
Coach car	1981–present	72	3300–3399	68 seats. Some refurbished into 44 seat, bi-directional configuration.

Renaissance

A GE P42DC with ten Renaissance coaches laying over in Toronto.

Main article: Renaissance (railcar)

The Renaissance fleet was originally built by Alstom in the mid-1990s for the proposed Nightstar overnight service between the United Kingdom and continental Europe through the Channel Tunnel. Via acquired the entire fleet in 2000 for C$130 million after the Nightstar concept was abandoned.^[9] Via entered the cars into service in 2002.^[10] Presently, four sets are in service: two on the Ocean, overnight between Montreal and Halifax, and two in the corridor, between Ottawa and Quebec City.

Type	In service	Fleet numbers	Notes
Baggage car[11]	9	7000–7011	Built out of unused sleeping car shells.
Club car[12]	14	7100–7114	48-seat capacity in a 2+1 configuration.
Coach[13]	33	7200–7232	48-seat capacity in a 2+1 configuration.
Lounge car[14]	20	7300–7316; 7354–7359	Via Rail refers to these as "service" cars.
Dining car[15]	3	7400–7402	48-seat capacity; built out of unused sleeping car shells.
Sleeping car[16]	57	7500–7589	10 double bedrooms. 29 are stored at Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Baggage car/transition[17]	3	7600–7602	Used to transition between coupler styles.

RDC

A pair of RDC-1s at Qualicum Beach on the now-discontinued Malahat service in 2009.

Main article: Budd Rail Diesel Car

The Budd Rail Diesel Car (RDC) is a self-propelled diesel multiple unit railcar. These were used extensively by both the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways for outlying routes. Via currently rosters seven RDCs and contracted with Industrial Rail Services for C$12.6 million to refurbish and upgrade all six. The upgraded units would include new seating, wheelchair accessible washrooms, LED interior lighting, controls, wiring, heating, air conditioning systems, braking systems and rebuilt engines that meet Euro 2 standards.^[18] The rebuilt units have also been modified to remove the control cab from one end of each unit, so passengers are never required to pass through the cab when entering or exiting the train. Following the bankruptcy of IRSI, work rebuilding the RDCs was completed by Canadian Allied Diesel (CAD) at the IRSI facility in Moncton.

Type	Built	Years of service	In service	Fleet numbers	Notes
RDC-1	1956–1958	1978–1990s	3	6109, 6120, 6127	Budd built cars. 6109 acquired by CN Rail from Chicago & Eastern Illinois and sold to Ferrocarriles de Cuba in 1998. 6127 acquired from CP Rail and sold to Dallas Area Rapid Transit in 1993. 6120 was ex-CNR D352/6703 and sold to Cuba in 1998
RDC-2	1956–1958	1978–present	2	6212, 6208, 6215, 6217, 6219	Built by Canadian Car & Foundry. All ex-CP cars (6212 ex-CP 9105, 6208 ex-CP 9195 and 6215 ex-CP 9107). 6208 and 6212 sold to Industrial Rail Services 2000. 6215 still in service. 6217 and 6219 are refurbished and in service (Sudbury-White River)
RDC-4	1955	1978–present	2	6250-6251	A second RDC-4 was added to the fleet in 2013 when ex-CP 9251 was rebuilt into VIA 6251.

Others

One of Via's three Colorado Railcar-built "Panorama" domes on the rear of the Canadian in 2012.

Type	Built	Years of service	In service	Fleet numbers	Notes
Canadian Car & Foundry Café-Coach car	1954	1980–present	1	3248	72-seat snack bar ex-CNR 5454. Currently in use on the Keewatin Railway.
Canadian Car & Foundry baggage-coach	1954	1978–present	2	5648–5649	Ex-CNR 5649 and currently in use on the Keewatin Railway.
Colorado Railcar Single-Level Dome dome coach	2000	2002– present	3	1720–1722	Seats 71–74. Referred to as "Panorama" cars by VIA. Refurbishment program started in march of 2023, Expected to be returned into service by 2024.
Canadian Car & Foundry lounge car	1954	2002–present	1	1750	Originally CNR 5585 became VIA Rail 5585 from 1978 to 1998. Sold to Funtrain of Kelowna, then to BC Rail in 2001. Acquired in 2002 as 1750. Named "Glen Fraser".
Budd observation/club car	1939	2002–present	1	1751	Acquired from BC Rail as 1750 Pavilion. Original built in 1939 as Biscayne Bay, later as Memphis and owned by 8 different owners. Has never entered service with VIA and stored at Montreal Maintenance Centre.[19]
Various Budd baggage cars	1954–1955; 1963	1978–present	19	8600–8623	8600-8617 are ex-Canadian Pacific; 8618-8623 are ex-Union Pacific Budd slab-side baggage cars.
National Steel baggage car	1951	1978–present	1	9631	One of 67 cars of this type once owned by VIA Rail.

Siemens Venture

Siemens Venture push-pull train with a cab car that has a front similar to the SCV-42 locomotive

The 2018 Canadian federal budget included funding for the purchase of 32 trainsets to replace equipment used in Corridor service in Ontario and Quebec.^[20] With money allocated, Via issued a request for proposals in 2018, with delivery of the new rolling stock scheduled for 2022.^[20] In December 2018, VIA Rail Canada ordered 32, 5-car trainsets (for a total of 160 cars) from Siemens for use on the Québec City–Windsor Corridor, at a cost of $989 million.^[21][22] Trainsets will be powered by diesel-electric Charger locomotives, with passenger car trainsets from the Siemens Venture family.^[23] Similar trainsets are used on Amtrak Midwest and Brightline in the United States, and Railjet in Austria and the Czech Republic. The first 2 trainsets entered service in 2022.

Type	Built	Fleet numbers	Notes
Venture Coach Car	2021-2024	2800-2831, 2900-2931	Economy class coach, 70 seats, 2+2 configuration
Venture Business Car	2021-2024	2600-2631, 2700-2731	Business class coach, 50 seats, 2+1 configuration
Venture Cab Car	2021-2024	2300-2331	First Via Rail cab cars, 62 seats, 2+2 configuration

References

1. Via Rail. "Overview". Retrieved 2013-02-24.
2. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. "Zoom : Canada's new polymer $5 and $10 bills". Retrieved 2013-04-30.
3. "RailPictures.Net Photo: VIA 2202 VIA Rail Siemens SC-42 at Montreal, Quebec, Canada by Georg Denoix". www.railpictures.net. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
4. "RailPictures.Net Photo: SIIX 2203 VIA Rail Siemens SC-42 at Montreal, Quebec, Canada by Michael Berry". www.railpictures.net. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
5. "RailPictures.Net Photo: SIIX 2205 VIA Rail Siemens SC-42 at Montreal, Quebec, Canada by Michael Berry". www.railpictures.net. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
6. 2204 TT Trip Report - Quebec City to Ottawa On Board VIA's New Siemens Trains!, 15 September 2023, retrieved 2023-10-21
7. Weinberg, Harrison (30 January 2023). "VIA joins Amtrak in attempting to replace aging passenger cars". trains.com. Bob Johnston. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
8. "Service cars-Dining car". viarail.ca. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
9. Canadians to buy all 139 Nightstars The Railway Magazine issue 1198 February 2001 page 14
10. Night stock enters service at last Railway Gazette International August 2002 page 412
11. Via Rail. "Baggage cars - Renaissance baggage car". Retrieved 2013-02-24.
12. Via Rail. "Passenger cars - Renaissance Club car". Retrieved 2013-02-24.
13. Via Rail. "Passenger cars - Renaissance Coach car". Retrieved 2013-02-24.
14. Via Rail. "Service cars - Renaissance service car". Retrieved 2013-02-24.
15. Via Rail. "Service cars - Renaissance dining car". Retrieved 2013-02-24.
16. Via Rail. "Sleeping cars - Renaissance sleeping car". Retrieved 2013-02-24.
17. Via Rail. "Baggage cars - Renaissance baggage transition car". Retrieved 2013-02-24.
18. "Government of Canada and Via Rail invest in rail service, jobs in Moncton Monday, 29 March 2010 Press Release". Retrieved 2010-08-16.
19. "Service cars - Observation Business car | VIA Rail".
20. "VIA Rail fleet replacement funded". Railway Gazette International. 2018-03-06. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
21. "Siemens Canada secures major order with VIA Rail Canada for new fleet of passenger trains" (Press release). Siemens Mobility. December 12, 2018.
22. "VIA RAIL'S FLEET REPLACEMENT PROGRAM: SIEMENS CANADA LAUNCHES PROCUREMENT PROCESS | VIA Rail". media.viarail.ca. Retrieved 2020-01-27.
23. "New Intercity Trains For VIA Rail Canada". Retrieved 2019-01-19.

External links

• Via Rail: Our Fleet