ALSTOM SELECTED AS BUILDER OF VIA's NEW LDRR FLEET

Today in Thunder Bay, Prime Minister Mark Carney, with Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon at his side, just announced the single-largest procurement in VIA Rail history  - the Long Distance, Regional and Remote (LDRR) fleet, surrounded by GO Transit cars as he glad-hands the plant staff:

At the Can-Car (Canadian Car & Foundry) plant, the Prime Minister hearkened back to the plant's production of over 1,400 Hawker Hurricanes under licence during WWII, with one preserved in Virginia Beach, VA. He also wove in Canada's railway history and its current long-distance trains, the Canadian and the Ocean, while waxing poetic about a young Canadian someday riding the Canadian, made in Canada. The iconic Toronto-Vancouver Canadian, covering 4,000 km currently served by cars that have already covered 150,000,000 km. 

Linking 165 First Nation communities the fleet will serve remote areas in which alternative transportation options are limited while it connects eight major routes across Canada, Montréal, Halifax, Gaspé, Jonquière, Senneterre, Toronto, Vancouver, Churchill, Prince Rupert, Jasper, Sudbury and White River.  The announcement includes a 15-year Technical Support and Spare Parts Supply Agreement (TSSSA) valued at nearly $700 million, with the overall agreement representing a total value of $4.7 billion.

The $4.7-billion deal with Alstom to manufacture and maintain 313 new passenger rail cars for VIA Rail. The cars' structures will be designed and engineered at the firm's engineering centre in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, QC, where there are 1,000 engineers and rail professionals, built in La Pocatière, QC (above), then moved for final assembly, fitting, testing and commissioning in Thunder Bay (below) using components built by Alstom or procured from 900 Canadian and international suppliers. Alstom will spend $38 million [good eye, Dan!] to upgrade and modernize the Thunder Bay facility. The announcement marks the first such construction of VIA equipment in Canada since the LRC and F40's in the 1980's, and the plant's largest contract in 10 years.

The LDRR project is expected to support 4,850 person-years of employment, including approximately 615 full-time equivalent jobs annually over four to eight years for design; and for manufacturing and delivery 55 jobs annually over 15 years for technical support, spare parts and maintenance services. Michael Keroullé, French-born CEO of Alstom Americas also spoke, noting that the plant had also been selected to produce new TTC subway cars in February. The CEO noted in a Bloomberg interview that the cars and components will be tested and expected to operate between -50C and +40C.

Carney was asked about whether VIA Rail service would return to Thunder Bay, which he deferred to VIA's Interim CEO Matthieu Paquette, who said VIA now has more options and that VIA is looking at adding more services and connecting more Canadians. “These new rail cars will retain signature features such as dome cars, full-service dining and social areas, while incorporating modern amenities, improved accessibility, and greater reliability. They will help us preserve essential services to remote communities and elevate the unique onboard experience that allows passengers to discover Canada in a way that only train travel can offer. We are very proud to partner with Alstom to create lasting value for Canadians by having these new cars designed, engineered and manufactured in Canada. More comfortable, more spacious and better-connected railway cars."

Replacing 77-year-old cars with a modern fleet will set new standards for passenger comfort, universal accessibility, digital connectivity and sustainability for passengers travelling across the country’s long-distance, regional and remote routes. Technical specifications require that at least 90% of the cars’ materials are recoverable at the end of their useful life. The design will also incorporate energy-efficient lighting, improved insulation, automatic climate-control systems, optimized vehicle weight, more efficient water use and onboard facilities supporting waste sorting, recycling and organics collection. The life expectancy of the fleet will be at least 40 years, perhaps longer with a mid-life extension.

The first car will enter service in 2031, the rest by 2035 as previously predicted. The RFQ was announced in December, 2024 and is coupled to the VIA locomotive announcement made just over four weeks ago. More energy efficient for Canada's weather with safe, depandable service with accessibility. Sleepers, full-service dining, panoramic views (not using the word 'domes' at this point). The cars will be introduced progressively, allowing them to operate alongside Legacy equipment during the transition. This phased approach will support a smooth rollout and maintain passenger service as the existing fleet is gradually replaced.

To be called the Alstom Adessia (previously X'Trapolis), the Alstom press kit included eight images labelled Advanced & Creative Design included in this post (for illustrative purposes only per the fine print). The cars will retain the iconic look and feel that people love and cherish while integrating the world class experience that travellers today expect. Transport Canada breaks down the fleet (below), anticipating VIA awarding the contract for the locomotive procurement in Q1 2026 and the contract for the fleet procurement in Q2 2026. [Almost on schedule, just like VIA!]

At a cost of $12-15 million per car, the new Adessia fleet will be available in nine different car configurations to support the diverse needs of long-distance, regional and remote travel, including coach, sleeper, accessible, berth, Prestige, Panorama, dome, dining and baggage cars. Passengers will benefit from brighter and more spacious interiors and full connectivity. The fleet will also incorporate the latest cybersecurity protections to support safe and reliable operations. Alstom describes the two most revolutionary cars thus:

The Panorama Car is an accessible passenger vehicle equipped with multiple functional areas, including lounging and dining spaces. The car incorporates a common wheelchair-accessible washroom and panoramic glazing to maximize passenger comfort and scenic visibility.

The Dome Car is a partially accessible multi-level passenger vehicle comprising a lounge area, a food and beverage service zone, and a standing social space optimized for sightseeing. The car also features a dedicated dome viewing area on the upper level, providing passengers with elevated panoramic visibility.

Dining car (above), lounge car (below):

In the Prestige bedroom, the screen says bilingually, Welcome Aboard:

The route map at the vestibule shows Western Canada:

The modern rail cars for VIA Rail are part of Alstom’s diverse range of Adessia commuter rail solutions which are among the most sustainable ways to connect people in cities, surrounding suburbs and remote communities. (The Adessia portfolio includes a wide range of high-floor multiple units and coaches, available in both single- and double-deck configurations and designed to operate in all climatic conditions at speeds of 120-200 km/h on both electrified and non-electrified networks.) As the leading manufacturer of commuter trains, with more than 60 years of experience, Alstom remains committed to further enhancing sustainable operations and passenger experience. With more than 48,000 rail cars sold for over 60 commuter systems in nearly 20 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas and Australia, Adessia commuter trains deliver comfortable, safe and reliable journeys to more than 20 million passengers every day.

Compare the above renderings to those released by VIA in December, 2024 for diner and panorama cars. Each one soars upwards like a cathedral! Skylights have made it into the Alstom renderings, though!

Passenger rail expert Mark Charlebois correctly had Alstom high on his list when he made his predictions about the fleet announcement in this June post:

Alstom — X'Trapolis (Tren Maya) - highly customizable commuter shell, wheelchair friendly, diner, cafe lounge, coach, sleepers with rooms. Negatives: no domes, hot climate, not individually coupled, no baggage car, short haul overnight service plan.

I'm going to refrain from a now-and-then comparison, comparing the number of each type of car ordered versus the current VIA LDRR fleet. Why? Reports vary on the actual in-service size of VIA's fleet. Some are using AI and getting wildly-varying answers from 200 to 600. Also, we have lost frequencies and entire lines like Vancouver Island and Gaspé, patched together Ocean consists, kept the Sudbury Budds on life support, and reduced Northern Quebec and Prince Rupert consists to bare-bones two cars each. To my mind, the current fleet is deficient and the service levels are unreasonably low. It's also difficult to compare car types and seat counts to the 1950s designs. So I'll leave that comparison to the pundits. Let's start with a clean slate. I trust VIA staff building the order and government bean-counters have already designed the new LDRR fleet as best they can, to fulfil customer, political and regulatory demands. It appears the fleet size may be 20-30% larger than the current VIA LDRR fleet.

Of course, as they always do, the media is fighting the last stock video footage battle. The news story shows the new trains? No, it shows the old equipment the new trains are replacing. This does not inform the public unless they say that the stock footage shows the old equipment. Or worse...CN freights? The O-train? Really?

But a Liberal MP?

Alstom's Instagram account has some truly freakish images. Pardon my 'play' arrows:

Baggage car not quite ready for prime time:

I like the skylights. Lets in as much light as a Subaru sunroof!

Looks like a chair lift/accessible dome:

Skylights:

Bar car:

Wider video views are a little better:

Interesting dome closeup:

Meanwhile, life goes on in the comments section, where folks ask about the high cost of taking VIA, why hasn't CN been renationalized, and the colour of the carpeting in the initial renderings! Oh, and will they have wi-fi?