Saturday, August 9, 2025

VIA Ventures in Service, Part 4

Back in January, 2024 and with the delivery of the twelfth Siemens Venture set, I split my original Siemens Venture post first published on September 21, 2021, spawning VIA Ventures in Service, Part 1. Then a subsequent Part 2, then Part 3. We're now splitting it again, spawning this Part 4! VIA's Siemens implementation has so far spawned a blog-busting 21 Trackside Treasure posts and counting! (Maybe this blog should be retitled Venture Treasure?) Here are the Venture-centric posts:
VIA has been dealing with what seems like improved serviceability of the Ventures, as well as some train and finally a smoother implementation process. Part 3 is now six months ago and this post picks up the implementation at the beginning of August, 2025. It will be a living post, with updates added regularly and perhaps being bookended when we finally, if ever, see complete implementation. Here's Doug Bardeau's current Venture Corridor rotation diagram, effective July 7, 2025:

AUGUST 2025 UPDATES
August 7 - Set 31 operated between Montreal and Ottawa reportedly as No 336. 

August 9: Set 12 operated as No 67. Departure delayed by three hours, 22 minutes today due to crew shortage. No crew could be found who could co-operate linguistically so No 67 (247) towed No 69 (64), potentially the longest VIA Venture train yet

The first week of August, starting August 3, saw 22 of 30 in-use sets observed in Corridor service, based on 75 planned and/or observed Venture-equipped trains, with Sets 2, 9, 10, 14, 18, 20, 24, 25 and 26 reported on one trip only. Not observed were Sets 1, 2, 4, 15, 19, 21, 25 and 27, Set 7 donated two cars to 'ajoutay' set 12, with Set 31 not yet in service and Set 32 mere days from being delivered.

August 15: VIA Nos 50 and 60 travelled separately. While both were originally intended to be Venture consists, No 60 was swapped to a 6-car LRC consist. The Metrolinx RTC arranged for 60 to pass 50 inside the USRC, preferable considering the crossing-related delays that 50 will incur later in its journey.

Also August 15:  No 71's HEP consist was replaced with a Venture set from due to A/C issues at Toronto.

August 19 - Set 31 was planned for No 54, perhaps its first revenue run, though this did not take place.

As part of its 2025 Annual Public Meeting, VIA Chair Jonathan Goldbloom commented on some of the challenges VIA currently faces. "Our real challenge has been our operating performance, in that we've seen a decline in our on-tie performance. We've seen a decline in passenger satisfaction, and we've seen a decline in our passenger volumes. A good part of that is due to the relationship with our host railway and restrictions that they placed on us. We have to deal with that and we are going to." When CEO Mario Peloquin abstractly referred to VIA trains trying to navigate around much larger freight trains, the Chair cut back in to say that VIA is in active conversation with CN and Transport Canada to find short-, medium- and long-term solutions. Peloquin also mentioned that in 2024, there was the entry to service of VIA's new Corridor fleet, with the entire Corridor served by the new trains.

The third week of August, starting August 17, saw 23 of 30 in-use sets observed in Corridor service, based on 78 planned and/or observed Venture-equipped trains, with Sets 4, 5, 16, 17 and 19 reported on one trip only. Not observed were Sets 1, 2, 21, 25 and 29; Sets 7 and 25 each donated two cars to 'ajoutay' sets 12 and 24 respectively; Sets 31 and 32 are not yet in service.

August 26 - No 631 operated Montreal-Ottawa with Set 23 deadheading to replace 37's equipment 'doublavay' with Set 31 on its final acceptance run. Earlier in the evening, Set 13 operating as No 37 broke down at Dorval around 1720 - this was the first time a single Charger locomotive had provided HEP and traction for a 'doublavay' train, with Set 8 operating as No 39.

August 28 - VIA tested another variation on the varied-length consist, consisting of the cornucopic casserole of leftovers from Sets 7 and 25 not used in the augmenting of Sets 12 and 24. This 'melangay' consist comprised 2207-2606-2806-2306-2324-2824-2624-2224, operating as VIA No 631 Montreal-Ottawa. Some VIA fans use the term "XS" to refer to this Crossing Supplement-skirting assemblage.
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2 comments:

JWM in Florida said...

I suppose we can blame Louise Beaudoin for Via's current state of lingual affairs. This is not an insult to Quebec culture and language, just an observation based upon my history in the province in the 1990's. In any event, get the crew on the train, the train, out of the station and keep the passengers happy. That more than applies to Amtrak down here as well. Cheers on a hot Saturday, and it is not time for "Souper" yet!

Sunday, August 10, 2025 at 1:06:00 PM EDT
Eric said...

Hi Joseph,

I have a feeling this example of VIA crew assignment has legs, and that we may not have heard the end of it. A pretty remarkable example of how one person can sabotage the travel of hundreds of passengers. No doubt exacerbated by crews on vacation and one can only work so many hours, in the nice, warm weather.

Regardless, it set a record for the longest VIA Venture 'ajoutay' consist yet!
Thanks for your comment,
Eric

Sunday, August 10, 2025 at 1:43:00 PM EDT

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