VIA Venture Mechanical Delay Reports - 2024

I'm pleased to able to provide more specifics on the serviceability of VIA's Siemens Venture trainsets, in the form of VIA mechanical delay reports from 2023-2025. These reports are tallied in a chronological VIA database comprising HEP, LRC and non-Corridor trains, though this post includes only Venture incidents. This post lists the 189 Venture incidents reported in 2024. The reports from 2023 are here. Watch for an upcoming 2025 post.

The above shows VIA's Venture Serviceability graph for 2024. With daily/weekly dates on the horizontal axis and percentage on the vertical axis, the three coloured lines represent three separate, but related, indices:

• Cycling Coverage % (Top/Red) =

                                   The number of trainsets in service and available for guarding

                        the commercial commitment on the number of trainsets required in service 

                                          + those required for guarding(protection of operations)

• Total Fleet Availability % (Middle/Blue) =

                                          The number of Venture trainsets available for service 

                                                     the number of Venture trainsets accepted

• BO % (Bottom/Green) = 

The number of Venture trainsets currently out of service 

the number of Venture trainsets accepted

It can be seen that all three indices change over time, but not by a lot. The exception is the latter part of 2024, when a large number of Venture incidents occurred.

To put these mechanical delay reports in operational context, the Venture fleet was still in the infancy of its revenue service by January, 2024 - six sets - with three sets in use on the CN Kingston Sub by March. Nine sets in use by May, Set 14 entered M-O-Q service the same month - the usual break-in runs for new sets. By early July, 18 sets had arrived and 11 were in use and from October to December there were 12 sets in use.

Not listed on the spreadsheet was an April 22 incident that led to the first-on-the-Kingston-Sub (not including the far east end beyond Coteau) Venture J-train. Cause not initially known; some accounts indicate a fire while in Central Station, though apparently not serious. Arr. Toronto 2 hrs late. Set 4 continued west in service on April 23 as No 83, likely returning as VIA No 70 on April 24, then staying at the TMC until at least May 1.

The disastrous incident involving No 622 on August 31 led to a multiple-hour delay between Montreal and Quebec. Though the incident appears as a simple line item on VIA's spreadsheet, the media and government fallout from this incident was explosive and damaging to VIA's image and its Venture implementation. 

An October 7, the Venture service introduction to Southwest Ontario begat CN's disastrous-to-VIA Crossing Supplement which was enacted four days later as a result. The first few days of December saw several Ventures cancelled or J-trained due to crew shortages. By December, 22 sets were in revenue service here.

Here are the 189 reported Venture mechanical delay reports from 2024. These are listed by date, locomotive or car number, train number, four-letter VIA location codes, reported issue and repair information, system and sub-system involved, and length of delay if over 100 minutes. More background, plus terms and abbreviations used below are in the post showing the 2023 reports here.

Jan 2 - 2901, 24, DRMV. Lift not working, user error. No defects found. (D&S,A)

Jan 5 - 2308, 31, DJEU. Loco bearing alarm. No cab car communications with Brake Control Unit. Replaced ethernet switch in ceiling. (SSE,B)

Jan 6 - 2904, 24, MTRL. Water on galley floor - drain was full of ice. (WS, Freeze Protection)

Jan 7 - 2205, 633, MTRL. Defective ditch light, light replaced ?corroded connector. (LIGHT,G)

Jan 9 - 2208, 38, OTTW. Brakes not releasing. (BS,A)

Jan 9 - 2203, 26, SCYR. Lost HEP, motor shutdown. Secured fuel cutoff valve level sensor to prevent misalignment. (ME,F)

Jan10 - 2207, 20, DAVI. Delayed by heavy snow. Stopped to inspect consist. (n/a)

Jan12 - 2306, 668, TRTO. Late departure due to no HEP cab car, breakers tripping. Siemens tech reset 480V breaker in specific sequence, power restored. (HEP,C)

Jan16 - 2803, 41, PHOP & CHRY. Not loading due to open door indicators. Underframe breakers unclipped from DIN rail. FMI required for this repeat issue. (D&S,C)

Jan16 - 2903, 46, BRTN. Hot journal/locked axle warning. Faulty Bearing Temperature probe circuit. (SSE,B)

Jan17 - 2903, 22, ALEX. Bad order bearing monitor system. Probe rubbing on wheel, damaging insulation. Awaiting permanent solution from Siemens. (SSE,B)

Jan17 - 2805, 28, ALEX. Hot journal alarm. (SSE,B) 106 minute delay.

Jan19 - 2606, 668, CBRG. Hot journal fault 0559. Wheel bearing temperature sensor fault at position 2L. (SSE,B)

Jan19 - 2902, 39, DORV. Door not closing. Reset door system breaker. (D&S,A)

Jan19 - 2708, 26, CHNY. L side steps not closing. Step mechanism belt tensioner adjusted. (D&S,S)

Jan20 - 2902, 24, MTRL. Door issues, door pinned. No defects found. (D&S,C)

Jan20 - 2907, 26, ALEX. Steps not closing. Step mechanism belt pulley teeth adjusted. (D&S,S)

Jan26 - 2209, 20, MTRL. Multiple faults. Erratic temperature sensor in Line Replaceable Unit. Traction converter cooler module replaced. (PDB,C)

Jan30 - 2209, 33, QBEC. Coolant leak. Swapped with No 35 equipment. Traction converter cooler module had low coolant level. Module replaced previous week. Air pocket? "There is no procedure for module replacement and there was insufficient load testing following component replacement." (PDB,C)

Feb 7 - 2206, 22, QBEC. Unable to start. Starter mechanism bendix was binding. (ME,C)

Feb12 - 2601, 35, QBEC. Only car 3 has water. Went to safe mode and drained after 60 minutes as a result of power outage in station. (NMI,P)

Feb17 - 2306, 644, MTRL. Axle 4 bearing indicator. (SSE,B)

Feb20 - 2306, 24, OTTW. Hot journal warning. Reset CDU on cab car to clear alarms. Probes OK. (SSE,B)

Feb24 - 2204, 633, MTRL. Right side bearing hot journal 0567. (PDB, D)

Feb24 - 2207, 24, MTRL. Hot journal. "Siemens commissioning team has yet to do 'blizzard mode' quality verification request on this loco." (PDB,D)

Feb24 - 2207, 29, DAVI. Shutdown. Hard reset done with battery knife switch. (ME,C)

Mar 3 - 2905, 24, DRMV. Wheelchair lift not operating. Adjusted. (D&S,S)

Mar16 -2209, 633, n/a. Emergency fuel cut-off closed. Adjusted. "Repeat issue with this locomotive. Awaiting new FMI-087 for fuel cut-off valve adjustments." (ME,F)

Mar17 - 2210, 45, OTTW. Not starting. Electrical issue with oil pump, pump replaced. (ME,L)

Mar22 - 2308, 668, TRTO. Maximum Door Closure Attempts Reached fault. (D&S,A)

Mar27 - 2901, 643, SMTF. Lift sliding down. Closed manually. (D&S,A).

Mar29 - 2608, 43, WASS. Locked axle/hot bearing alarm. Speed sensor position #4 found with bent connector bent pins. (BS,C) 131 minute delay.

Apr 2 - 2905, 48, GUIL. Door issues. Door controller reset. (D&S,C)

Apr 3 - 2211, 37, DRMV. Blue coolant on floor leaking from radiator. Loose fitting tightened. "Report from Cummins pending." (ME,W) 188 minute delay.

Apr 4 - 2205, 24, DAVI. MU shutdown message after hitting snowdrift. Trainline receptacles full of water. Cleaned and dried. (EL,T)

Apr 8 - 2211, 22, MTRL. Replaced with guard train due to alerter issues on Set 7. 2211 had not been fuelled. (NMI,P) 80 minute delay.

Apr18 - 2906, 28, DORV. Steps forced closed, repeater. No defects found. (D&S,A)

Apr20 - 2207, 39, QBEC. Won't start due to pre-lube pump. Cummins notified. (ME,L) 165 minute delay.

Apr25 - 2604, 20, MTRL. Door issues, door edge out of place and deformed. Reseated. (D&S,A)

Apr25 - 2706, 41, CBRG. Hot journal warning axle 1. Speed sensor gap adjusted. (BS,C)

May 1 - 2200, 61, CARN. Shutdown, code 315. ECM#2 datalink bad harness connection. (ME,C)

May10 - 2610, 35, CHNY. Door open indication. Door pinned shut. No defects found. (D&S,A)

May16 - 2306, 22, OTTW. Crew key loose. Barrel locknut loose - secured. (PDB,C)

May31 - 2209, 26, DAVI. Code 0854 Traction Limited. Pollen accumulation. High coolant temp. (ME,W)

May31 - 2213, 54, OSHW. InChargeLocoEngineer seat suspension air hose blew off. Air hose temporarily repaired with tape. (CAB,G)

Jun 3 - 2204, 38, OTTW. Hot journal bearing alarm. Loss of communications with CDU. I/O station CDU reset. Supplier = Lutze. (MON,G)

Jun 3 - 2209, 29, SGER. Could not go over notch 5. Coolant over temp. Inappropriate coolant added? (PDB,C)

Jun 6 - 2311, 33, CSLM. Loss of traction, crew changed ends in train setup-->Trail-->back to cab car, problem cleared. "There was an independent brake application for an unknown reason. This behaviour is under investigation by Siemens." (PDB,C)

Jun 6 - 2307, 20, MTRL. Cab car hot journal warning. I/O station reset. Supplier = Lutze. (MON,G)

Jun13 - 2610, 40, TRTO. Car microwave B/O. (INT,G).

Jun13 - 2202, 55, BRKV. Main diesel shutdown, I/O card#5 loose. (ME,C) 40 minute delay, then at TRNJ. HJ alarm. Battery breaker tripped. (EL,B) 121 minute delay.

Jun14 - 2210, 33, ALBY. Traction loss, diesel locked. Loose I/O station harness connector. "Will be added to the Failure Review Board with Siemens." (PDB,C)

Jun14 - 2214, 24, DJEU. Alternator junction box shows signs of electrical arcing. Under investigation at MMC. (ME,C)

Jun22 - 2210, 42, TRTO. HVAC issues. Set 11 wyed, to be inspected by Siemens TA at TMC. (HVAC,COOL)

Jun26 - 2213, 46, TRTO. Unable to start. (ME,C). Then at BLVL, multiple alarms HJ/Locked axle. Resets done to clear communication alarms. (MON,G)

Jun27 - 2205, 38, OTTW. Unable to start, loco barred over to permit restart, resets performed. Low oil pressure faults? (ME,L)

Jun28 - 2213, 63, MTRL. Broken mirror. Swapped with guard consist. (ME,C)

Jun30 - 2705, 40, TRTO. Electrical issues with HMI panel. Under review at FRB. (MON,G)

Jul 1 - 2305, 35, PSCH. Wyed due to B/O A/C in cab car. Reset breaker, (HVAC,COOL)

Jul 1 - 2901, 37, DRMV. Repeat issue with lift on this car. No defects found. (D&S,A)

Jul 3 - 2207, 46, TRTO. Electrical issue on unit, inadequate setup by crew. Crew key left in cab car. (NMI,H)

Jul 4 - 2704, 40, TRTO. Missing bolts truck swing arm support bracket. Switch to guard, wye. "A Quality Review Request is in the works." (TRUC,S)

Jul.5 - 2215, 40, TRTO. Unit not starting, ACU control relay replaced. (ME,C)

Jul 8 - 2904, 38, OTTW. C-26 valve leaking. Exhaust valve and gasket replaced. (BS,C)

Jul 8 - 2206, 48, TRTO. HVAC not working. (HVAC,COOL)

Jul 9 - 2209, 20, SROS. Unit issues. Fuel pump oil pressure filter replaced. Item at FRB. (ME,F) 194 minute delay.

Jul11 - 2208, 40, TRTO. Open door indicator. Communications error loco to cars. Repeater. (EL,T)

Jul16 - 2704, 641, OTTW. Two missing bolts anti-skid. Bolts already replaced at Ottawa. (TRUC,G)

Jul16 - 2901, 41, BRKV. Lift not working, caused a second incident. (D&S,S)

Jul17 - 2208, 35, COTO. Open door, doors pinned. No defects found at MMC. (D&S,C)

Jul18 - 2213, 37, MTRL. Drained battery, probably due to setup. HEP switch off. (HEP,C)

Jul19 - 2610, 38, OTTW. Bearing temperature alarms. Changed I/O #41T10A1 and probe L4. (SSE,B)

Jul26 - 2204, 40, KGON. Engine not receiving clear door panel. Doors not closing. (D&S,A)

Jul26 - 2702, 646, TRTO. Brakes not releasing. Brake Control Unit restarted, alarm reset. (BS,C)

Jul28 - 2302, 24, OTTW. HJ alarm. I/O station issue, reset breaker. (COMM,G)

Jul28 - 2706, 83, MIMC. HJ/LA alarm. (EL,T)

Aug 1 - 2208, 40, TRTO. All doors pinned, door circuit bypassed. (EL,T)

Aug 1 - 2316, 668, TRTO. Cab car door. No defect found. (INT,G) Then ?bottomed out at MRSB Mi.94. No defects found. (ME,C)

Aug 3 - 2208, 37, DRMV. Open door indication, door circuit bypassed. (EL,T)

Aug 4 - 2208, 646, TRTO. Interlock door fault. Doors pinned, repeat issue Set 8. (EL,T)

Aug 4 - 2601, 44, KGON. Open door indication, door only closing from outside, awaiting inspection. (D&S, C)

Aug 7 - 2210, 26, OTTW. No HEP. Was not connected to HEP from shore power. (NMI,H)

Aug 8 - 2301, 668, TRTO. L side steps not closing, reset breaker, was functional. (D&S,S)

Aug 9 - 2702, 22, MTRL. Door pressure issue, pinned doors. Door Sensitive Edge Obstruction error. Deformed gasket, car back in service. (D&S,C)

Aug11 - 2218, 646, SMTF. Abnormal engine and HEP shut down. I/O Module #3 replaced. (ME,C)

Aug11 - 2815, 54, KGON. Right side lift not working. (D&S,S)

Aug12 - 2702, 22, MTRL. Repeater. Door edge obstruction error. Deformed gasket. Work order open, car put back in service. (D&S,A)

Aug12 - 2311, 643, SMTF. Diesel Engine Major Failure fault, Siemens aware of fuel pump oil pressure issue. Item already at FRB. (ME,L)

Aug17 - 2601, 40, TRTO. Door issue, pinned doors. (D&S,A)

Aug21 - 2902, 41, KGON. Right side door issues. Adjusted wheelchair lift key switch. (D&S,A)

Aug23 - 2708, 48, TRTO. Door open indication. Right side door not opening. Door defective. (D&S, A)

Aug24 - 2708, 643, OTTW. Door open indication. Door defective. (D&S,A)

Aug25 - 2206, 24, OTTW. Not loading, brakes not releasing, main reservoir, CCB1 & CCB2 fail. Trainset B/O at Ottawa. (EL,G) 127 minute delay.

Aug27 - 2316, 26, SFOY. Bearing alarm 0557. Wheel-slide controller/decelostat replaced. Full reset needed to clear faults. (PDB,C)

Aug27 - 2218, 48, BLVL. Train keeps dumping into emergency. Train line configuration, due to crew error? (BS,C)

Aug31 - 2806, 42, TRTO. Water system solenoid valve air leak. (WS,W)

Aug31 - 2200, 622, FORT. No power, multiple faults. Brake pipe breakage, rescue mitigation. (ME,C) 286 minute delay and major media story.

Sep 2 - 2214, 31, CSLM. Diesel Engine Major Failure code 0940. Related to engine after treatment. Broken turbo hose clamp bolt. (ME,C)

Sep 3 - 2803, 644, KGON. Yellow red HJ alarm. (ME,G)

Sep 4 - 2612, 22, MTRL. Leaking sink in washroom. Faulty solenoid valve reported, no leaks found.(WS,G)

Sep 4 - 2803, 45, FALO. Door issues. Decelostat multiple car issues. (BS,E)

Sep 5 - 2713, 44, GRAF. LA warning. Decelostat speed sensor faults reset. To MMC. (BS,E).

Sep 6 - 2713, 24, OTTW. LA warning. Decelostat issues. Breakers rebooted. (BS,E)

Sep10 - 2913, 44, SMTF. Lift not raising. Lowered beyond limit and required use of manual pump. "Wheelchair lifts being replaced due to support issues." (D&S,S)

Sep11 - 2313, 41, BELL. HJ/LA alarm. Wheel-slide decelostat replaced. "Multiple issues with this module." Issue should be at Failure Review Board. (BS,W)

Sep15 - 2208, 24, OTTW. RSC activating every 5 seconds. Wyed so train could operate without crew alerter issues. Alerter sequence had not been deactivated during brake test. (SSE,C)

Sep15 - 2214, 47, ELWJ. HEP dropped, unable to restart. Reset. Loco had alternator replacement and has same DC link short circuit faults when alternator failed. (HEP,C)

Sep15 - 2306, 42, TRTO. Brake release issues at TMC. Changed setup from lead to trail and back. (BS,C)

Sep16 - 2202, 20, MTRL. Traction motor blower faults. Wire not properly inserted in I/O station was causing intermittent fault. (PDB,T)

Sep17 - 2905, 26, ALEX. Double sliding step motor B/O. No parts available. Car returned to service with condemned door. (D&S,C)

Sep18 - 2220, 31, MTRL. LA alarm. Set required a full communications reset. (BS,E)

Sep18 - 2701, 22, MTRL. HEP lost due to battery charger circuit breaker tripped due to Hot Battery detected. Loose connection found at battery set bus bar temperature sensor. (HEP,C)

Sep18 - 2817, 59, BRKV. Wheelchair lift not working. (D&S,C)

Sep20 - 2206, 40, CHRY. Not loading due to LA warning. (MON,G)

Sep27 - 2814, 42, TRTO. Setup issues, interface had sleep mode issues. Relay 41-K02T replaced. Trainset B/O to TMC. (EL, G) 137 minute delay.

Sep29 - 2310, 24, FORT. Traction cut out to brake pressure message. (BS,C)

Oct 6 - 2209, 54, OSHA. RSC alerter issue, alerter cut out. Crew alerter disabled during trail in J-train, not reactivated. "Pre-departure brake test should have identified this issue." (SSE,C)

Oct 8 - 2303, 45, OTTW. Hot journal alarm per Ottawa carman. Reset. (MON,G)

Oct 9 - 2219, 35, QBEC. Not starting. Battery and battery charger reset breaker. (MON,G)

Oct11 - 2819, 42, NAPN. Door not closing. Calibration required. (D&S,C)

Oct12 - 2220, 59, OTTW. Setup issues prior to departure. (NMI,P)

Oct13 - 2219, 76, GLNC. HJ alarm 0557. CDU communications reset. (BS,E) **One of the first runs of Ventures in Southwest Ontario that began October 7 and triggered CN's Crossing Supplement**

Oct13 - 2207, 39, DORV. Layover Mode Active fault. Loco automatically goes into layover mode to save batteries.When loco starts auto reset layover mode (EL,G)

Oct15 - 2204, 22, LIMG. Red bearing alarm. Speed sensor adjusted on 2803, sand nozzle clog on 2204. (PDB,C)

Oct17 - 2318, 31, n/a. Bearing alarm. CDU communications issue. Reset. (PDB,C) 100 minute delay.

Oct18 - 2211, 47, OTTW. Switch off coolant preheating - not to be turned on while running. (ME,W)

Oct19 - 2303, 47, GANA. Not loading, I/O station faults. (PDB,C)

Oct20 - 2913, 42, TRTO. Lift not raising. (D&S, n/a)

Oct21 - 2816, 28, SLAM. Lift not working, raised manually. Previously reported. (D&S,S)

Oct22 - 2215, 40, CHSA. Battery charger not operational, second charger not starting automatically thus discharging batteries. Loss of HEP, blocked single-track mainline in Brockville. No 42 towed 40 to Brockville station. Burnt loose bus bar causing intermittence. (EL,B) 246 minute delay.

Oct25 - 2211, 63, MTRL. Late release from MMC, "Brake pad fit issue on Venture equipment." (NMI,P)

Oct25 - 2314, 71, GLNC. HJ/LA alarm 0559. Reset BCU and CDU to clear faults. (BS,E)

Oct25 - 2316, 47, OTTW. Cab car door jammed. Consist swapped. (CAB,G)

Oct27 - 2314, 71, BLAI. LNDN. LA error on 2814, lost communication with entire consist. Reset BDU and CDU. Stopped at Mi 38 Dundas Sub. Running 105 minutes late east of Woodstock. "Recurrent fleet issue". (MON,G) 

Oct28 - 2318, 59, MTGU. HJ bearing alarm 0559. Loss of speed signal on all four axles. Tripped BCU breaker replaced as a precaution. (BS,E)

Oct30 - 2303, 20, ALBY. Bearing warning. Loose wire I/O station #41. Wire secured but reoccurred next day. (MON,G)

Oct31 - 2803, 24, SEUG. Bearing alarm 0557. Reset CDU. (MON,G)

Nov 2 - 2308, 40, BLVL. No HVAC. HVAC not starting due to setup issue. (HVAC,C)

Nov 3 - 2317, 59, OTTW. Cab car handbrake not releasing. Changed ends. To maintenance centre. (BS,H)

Nov 7 - 2307, 37, QBEC. Key broke in cab car door. Lock barrel loose hardware secured. (CAB,G)

Nov 7 - 2309, 76, WDON. Yellow and red alarms. Reset performed. (MON,G)

Nov 9 - 2219, 37, MAXV. Stopped with LA/HJ alarm. BCU breaker tripping, repeater. (BS,E)

Nov10 - 2808, 622, MTRL. HJ alarm. Damaged wheel speed sensor replaced. Damaged during wheel truing? Swapped set (TRUC,W)

Nov10 - 2219, 24, OTTW. LA/HJ alarm. BCU breaker tripping (BS,E) 106 minute delay.

Nov10 - 2204, 42, TRTO. Delayed due to jaying with No 64. (NMI,P)

Nov12 - 2303, 71, LNDN. LA/HJ alarm in cab car. Reset. Reoccurred next day. (MON,G)

Nov13 - 2302, 73, WDST. LA/HJ alarm. "12 similar delays since October 1". Loose wire on air brake module was causing communication error. (MON,G)

Nov14 - 2314, 59, OTTW. Open door indicator on consist. (D&S,A)

Nov20 - 2301, 47, ERTN. I/O module fault caused emergency brake application. I/O module F51 and its wiring inspected, no defects noted. (BS,E)

Nov21 - 2916, 668, GUIL. Lift not working, lever loose, raised manually. Crew had to use lift on another car.  WC lift operating lever was loose, missing hardware installed. (D&S,S)

Nov26 - 2303, 59, BRTN. Red HJ alarm. Repeater. (MON,G)

Nov28 - 2303, 28, SLAM. Planned Set cut for multiple reasons but remained in service. Turned due to B/O windshield defrost on cab car. Cab car cannot lead due to this safety defect. (CAB,G)

Nov30 - 2303, 37, LIMG. Alarm 0057. "Eleven delays this set since Oct 28 but kept in service". Also windshield heating. Multiple repeater. (Mon,G)

Dec 1 - 2214, 35, MTRL. HJ alarm. Reset breaker to clear alarm. (MON,G)

Dec 1 - 2212, 647, OTTW. Handbrake not releasing on J-train. Control flipped to lead then back. (MON,G)

Dec 4 - 2219, 42, TRTO. Needed C inspection. (NMI,P)

Dec 4 - 2314, 24, DRMV. Yellow bearing alarm. Set cut for further tests. I/O station wire loose causing temperature sensor issues. (MON,G)

Dec 6 - 2909, 20, MTRL. Draining water. Guard train left without HEP? (WS,G)

Dec 6 - 2208, 33, MTRL. Swapped for LRC. Wheelset trued to due to high KIPS alert on axle L1. (TRUC,W)

Dec 6 - 2320, 28, OTTW. Failed leakage test. Brake pipe leakage coming from trainline cut-out valve. Set still in service with derogation. (BS,C)

Dec 7 - 2205, 37, QBEC. Delayed by setup issues. (NMI,P)

Dec 8 - 2205, 24, LIMG. Stopped by wayside detector for hot journal axle 23. No alert in cab. Handbrake applied unintentionally. Then at CSLM, diesel engine shutdown, Set cut for multiple trainline faults. (ME,C)

Dec 8 - 2815, 40, KGON. Right side lift problem, not closing. To be inspected at MMC. (D&S,S)

Dec11 - 2218, 24, OTTW. Not starting. Left without HEP for 30 minutes. Connected to shore power to recharge batteries and air supply reservoirs. (EL,B)

Dec11 - 2214, 35, MTRL. Hot journal bearing alarm. CDU reset cleared bearing danger alarm. (MON,G)

Dec12 - 2320, 28, MTRL. Handbrake not releasing on cab car. Handbrake cut-out pin improperly seated. (BS,H)

Dec13 - 2901, 53, FALO. Fire Detector alarm. Breaker reset. (SSE,G)

Dec13 - 2707, 37, SFOY. Stairs not retracting. Bent step mechanism arm repaired temporarily. (D&S,S)

Dec14 - 2303, 71, BRTF. No heat in cab, no 480V power. Garbage bag found in cab heater air inlet blocking air flow. Bag removed. Breaker 61-Q02 tripped, reset. "No grill or filter that can prevent this." (HVAC,H)

Dec15 - 2317, 643, OTTW. Handbrake issues, reset. (BS,H)

Dec16 - 2317, 643, OTTW. Not loading. Handbrake difficult to release and to cutout. (BS,H)

Dec16 - 2306, 42, TRTO. Whistling noise when cab car leading, cause TBD. (BS,H)

Dec17 - 2721, 52, TRTO. Handbrake applied issue. (BS,C)

Dec19 - 2320, 643, FALO. Handbrake on cab car not releasing. Repeat issue. "Instruction on how to manage these handbrake issues provided by Siemens." (BS,H)

Dec19 - 2308, 52, KGON. Audible cab car alarm. CCU Invalid Speech errors reset. Door open indications. Defects OK after split from lead Legacy J-train. (MON,G)

Dec20 - 2208, 50, TRTO. LRC/Venture J-train receiving brake indications, brakes not releasing on trail Venture set. Reconfigured TS as single, brakes reclaimed and released (bottled air) then-->J-train. (BS,C)

Dec20 - 2801, 35, SFOY. Lift not closing. (D&S,S)

Dec21 - 2708, 622, MTRL. Doors and stairs not functioning. Snow in step cavity. Decelostat and BCU having zero speed errors,  required reset. (D&S,S)

Dec23 - 2209, 24, OTTW. Yellow/red HJ/LA alarms. (BS,E)

Dec23- 2709, 55, KGON. Fire alarm. Needs investigation. (SSE,G)

Dec24 - 2916, 22, OTTW. L side stairs not retracting. "Technical flash FT057 to redistribute so OTS are aware of required actions. Awaiting review by New Fleet Engineering." (D&S,S)

Dec24 - 2200, 33, CARN. Went into emergency, unknown reason. Air was recovered. (BS,C)

Dec24 - 2209, 63, KGON. Brakes could not be recovered. (BS, C)

Dec24 - 2211, 45, TRTO. Not loading. (PDB,C)

Dec27 - 2218, 20, MTRL. Swapped due to reverser issues. (NMI,P)

Dec28 - 2214, 42, TRTO. Brakes not releasing. Possibly a setup issue. (PDB,C)

Dec30 - 2222, 63, MTRL. Windshield cracked during day following inspection. Last-minute equipment swap. (CAB,G)

Dec30 - 2609, 52, TRTO. Door issues, doors pinned. (D&S,C)

Dec31 - 2913, 641, OTTW. Air leak in parking brake. (BS,C)

VIA classifies each incident by System affected, then specific Sub-System. I've listed these in brackets after each individual incident. Here's VIA's List of Systems (& Subsystems by Abbreviation):

Brake System - A(ctuators), C(ontrols), E(CU), G(eneral), H(andbrake), W(heel-slide).

Cab - G(eneral).

Communication - G(eneral).

Compressed Air - A(ir)-C(ompressor), A(ir)-D(ryer), G(eneral).

Coupler - G(eneral).

Doors & Steps - A(ccess Doors), C(ontrols), D(oor/Step Controls), S(teps), V(estibule and End Doors).

Electrical - B(attery), G(eneral), T(rainline).

Head End Power system -  A(lternator), C(ontrols), T(rainline)

HVAC - C(ontrols), Cool(ing), H(eating).

Interiors - G(eneral), R(efrigeration).

Lighting - G(eneral).

Main Engine - C(ombustion)-A(ir), C(ontrols), E(ngine), F(uel System), L(ub. Oil System), W(ater -Cooling).

Monitoring System - G(eneral).

Non-Mechanical Issue - H(uman), P(rocess).

Propulsion & Dynamic Braking - A(lternator), C(ontrols), D(ynamic-Braking), M(aster-Controller), T(raction-Motor).

Safety System, Equipment & Tools - B(earing-Temperature-Monitoring), C(rew-Alerter), G(eneral).

Toilet System - C(ontrols), F(reeze-Protection).

Trucks - G(eneral), S(uspension), W(heel-Sets).

Water System - G(eneral), W(ater-Raising).

The most commonly problematic systems and sub-systems in 2024:

Jan-Jun: BS(C), D&S(all), ME(C,F,L), MON(G), PDB(C), SSE(B).

Jul-Dec: BS(C,E,H), D&S(all), ME(C), MON(G), NMI(P), PDB(C)

Running extra...

The reviews are in on the first post in this three-post series! Two social media critiques that I view with Tennysonian reflection. "Match'd with an aged wife, I mete and dole unequal laws unto a savage race, that hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me":

But all is not lost - where my Tennyson at?? "The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs: the deep moans round with many voices. Come, my friends, tis not too late to seek a newer world":

In case you need yet another trip on the Canadian ex Toronto, this one in winter.

First past the post...

This guy. Chief Aaron Edwards, Assistant Chief at Patrol Borough Manhattan North, hops a barrier to help corral one of two bomb-throwers at the Mayor's residence. Pure instinct.

VIA Venture Mechanical Delay Reports - 2023

I'm finally able to provide some specifics on the serviceability of VIA's Siemens Venture trainsets. I've been not-so-patiently waiting - for almost a full year - to be able to see, and now to share, informative and inviolable information. There has been so much innuendo that was incorrect and inane online about just what is interrupting and impeding the implementation of the Ventures. Everyone had an opinion, Everyone had a source. And sometimes they were correct! But surely nothing can be more accurate than primary source information, specifically VIA mechanical delay reports from 2023-2025. This post is the first in a three-part series, with one post for each of the most recent three full years. The reports from 2024 can be found in this post. Watch for a 2025 post.

These mechanical delay reports are tallied in a chronological VIA database comprising HEP, LRC and non-Corridor trains, though this post includes only Venture incidents, which total 632 in three years! Such incidents are usually called in by the locomotive engineers/service managers on the affected train. Siemens Maintenance Technical Advisors and VIA duty Mechanical Technical Assistants are often looped in on the calls as needed. Granted, a delay is not a delay is not a delay, (though ten bucks is ten bucks and Pigs Is Pigs)! Some delays last only a few minutes as a consist is late arriving at the originating station from the maintenance centre. Others problems en route are a quick fix, while still others require returning to the originating station for wye-ing or swapping with another set, or for repairs to be made at the maintenance centre. The delay reports do not provide a timeline for how long sidelined trainsets are out-of-service. Further investigations or work orders are begun. Some units are referred to as 'repeaters' due to multiple reoccurrences of a problem. Since each trainset's units are permanently coupled, an incident with a locomotive, cabcar or single coach can mean the entire set is "cut" -  taken out of use and swapped for another, guard set. In 2023-24, a Failure Review Board (FRB) or a Function Mock-up Interface (FMI) were employed to test and/or assess repeat failures. 

BRING IN THE CHARTS AND GRAPHS!

VIA provided 31 such pages of incidents, like the one above. Who doesn't like charts and graphs? If you're a visual person, feast your eyes on VIA's Venture Serviceability graph from December 18, 2023 to October 20, 2025 (below). With daily/weekly dates on the horizontal axis and percentage on the vertical axis, the three coloured lines represent three separate, but related, indices:

• Cycling Coverage % (Top/Red) =

                                   The number of trainsets in service and available for guarding

                        the commercial commitment on the number of trainsets required in service 

                                          + those required for guarding(protection of operations)

• Total Fleet Availability % (Middle/Blue) =

The number of Venture trainsets available for service 

                                                     the number of Venture trainsets accepted

• BO % (Bottom/Green) = 

The number of Venture trainsets currently out of service 

the number of Venture trainsets accepted

In an effort to make the graph more readable, I have bisected it and included the 2024 and 2025 segments alone in subsequent posts in this series. It can be seen that all three indices change over time, but not by a lot. The exception is the early part of 2025, when a large number of Venture incidents occurred. 

COMPARISON OF CITIZEN-SCIENCE AND OFFICIAL VENTURE SERVICEABILITY DATA

(+NUMBER OF MECHANICAL DAILY REPORTS) BY MONTH

To quantify the data in more useable terms, I tallied the Total Fleet Availability from another VIA-created spreadsheet populated daily from December 2023-September 2024, thereafter to October 2025 on weekdays only. Deciding to use a median, rather than a more-challenging-to-calculate mean, I arrived at a median fleet availability percentage for each month. While accurate within ±3%, the medians may not be absolute figures, but mirror the graph above in relative terms. When the median was below 62%, I calculated a mean - through the disastrous winter of December 2024 to April 2025 - because I wanted to see just how low the percentages were!

Following each month's fleet availability is the number of Venture mechanical delay reports called in for that month, taken from the VIA spreadsheet. As would be expected, when availability percentage is low, the number of reports is inversely proportional/high.

December 2023: median = 87% (46 in all of 2023, highest was 14 in November)

January 2024: medians = 77% (22)

February 2024: 87% (7)

March 2024: 77% (6)

April 2024:90%(8)

May 2024: 77%(5)

June 2024: 77%(14)

July 2024: 72%(18)

August 2024: 77%(23)

September 2024: 69%(19)

October 2024: 69%(22)

November 2024: 65%(16)

December 2024: mean = 63%(37)

January 2025: mean = 66% (53)

February 2025: mean = 50%(78)

March 2025: mean = 55%(40)

April 2025: mean = 60%(14)

May 2025: medians again = 65%(18)

June 2025: 65%(16)

July 2025: 69%(30)

August 2025: 77%(21)

September 2025: 72%(19)

October 2025: 72%(21)

November 2025: n/a%, (26)

December 2025: n/a%, (67)

My previously calculated serviceability rates for most of 2025. Because I was somewhat guessing that sets unobserved trackside meant they were bad-order or not in use, my percentages are reproducible but several percent higher for each month:

December, 2024: 68%

January, 2025: 60%

February: 62%

March: 67%

April: 67%

May: 73%

June:75%

July:81%

August: 87%

September: 85%

October, 2025: 79%

2023 - THE FIRST YEAR OF REPORTS

To put these VIA mechanical delay reports in operational context, in 2022-23 the Venture fleet was slowly arriving from Siemens' California plant, but only made its first Montreal-Ottawa revenue run in November, 2022. In January, 2023 revenue service resumed, with two sets in use by September in the 'M-O-Q triangle' (it's not a triangle, and geographically it's O-M-Q, so forgive me when I use the M-O-Q abbreviation!) and three by October. With seven sets arrived and five in revenue service, Ottawa-Toronto service was in its infancy in November, with two sets in service here by the end of 2023. The initial Venture set in service here arrived on September 21, and scheduled service started on October 24, nearly 25 months after Set 1 arrived at the MMC. Naturally, with a low number of sets and runs each week, mechanical issues would be statistically fewer.

The first of the 43 Venture incidents reported in 2023 was on March 21, though the majority were reported in the second half of that year. The number of reports quadruples in 2024 to 189, then increases by more than double in 2025 to 400! Here are the reported Venture incidents from 2023, the vast majority occurring on M-O-Q trains until late in the year when Ottawa-Toronto service was initiated. Delays related to training of mechanical and transportation employees were more numerous early in the implementation, perhaps understandably, as fixes that are responses to repeat issues get enshrined in training.

The Venture mechanical delay reports below are listed by date in 2023, locomotive or car number affected, train number delayed, four-letter VIA location codes, reported issue and repair information, system and sub-system in abbreviated form, and length of delay if over 100 minutes. The full unabbreviated systems and sub-systems are listed at the end of this post. 

Mar21 - 2202, 26, FALO. No dynamic brake. (PDB,D)

May 2 - 2901, 39, DORV. Wheelchair lift not raising, breaks proximity switch magnets. (D&S,A)

May 2 - 2203, 39, MTRL. Penalty application. Not set up properly. (NMI,H)

May 8 - 2202, 37, QBEC. Not set up properly, HEP to be started no more than 30 minutes earlier. (NMI,P)

May27 - 2902, 24, CSLM. Washroom door issue. Breaker reset at MMC. (TOI,C)

Jun 3 - 2601, 622, SFOY. Unable to store wheelchair lift - door magnet design issue. (D&S,A)

Jun11 - 2302, 39, MTRL. Hot journal light on or dim? Low voltage ground. To be inspected. (SSE,B)

Jun29 - 2301, 35, ASTJ. Layover system left on - engine cooling fault, emergency brake application. (ME,C)

Aug 2 - 2302, 28, MTRL. Locked axle indicator. Brake control unit breaker hit by crew bag. Guard to be added to protect breaker. (MON,G)

Aug 4 - 2602, 35, QBEC. Door not closing. Limit switch broken. (D&S,A)

Aug23 - 2703, 28, MTRL. Refrigerators not working. Known issue with inverter drive parameters. (INT,R)

Sep 2 - 2704, 39, LAUR. 585 alarm - loose bolt in electrical power connection. Concerning. (HEP,C)

Sep14 - 2205, 37, QBEC. Bendix air start mechanism required appropriate grease from Cummins. (ME,C)

Sep22 - NA, 39, QBEC. Setup for cab car operation. Coordination issue. (NMI,P)

Sep26 - 2804, 35, QBEC. No power in car. Replaced I/O module, upgrade to hardware needed (HEP,C), then at CHNY I/O module. Check batch bad serial # (HEP,C) and coffee machines not working. Likely due to HEP dropped. (WS,W) 112 minute delay.

Oct 5 - 2305, 37, MTRL. Stopped on Wellington bridge 20 minutes after departure. Major air leak on piping feeding Knorr CCB2 electronic air brake system. Defective electronic brake valve. (BS,E) 367 minute delay.

Oct11- 2205, 31, MTRL. Engine layover system pump glycol leak on pump pipe/fitting. (ME,W)

Oct15 - 2206, 26, OTTW. Not starting. Diesel engine after cleaning message. (ME,F)

Oct18 - 2206, 38 OTTW. Not starting. Grease and 23mm socket wrench needed to change Bendix gears. (ME,E)

Oct20 - 2706, 39, WELL. Toilets continuously flushing. Reset controllers. HEP was off too long. (TOI,C)

Oct27 - 2306, 26, OTTW. Hot journal bearing alarm, temperature on axle 4L reached 350 degrees C. Reset, temp. probe replaced. (SSE,B) 144 minute delay.

Oct28 - 2303, 633, MTRL. Loco brake on, train-line not releasing in cab car. Loco control valve and CCB2 system to be investigated. Water in comms train-line. (BR,H) 60 minute delay.

Nov 4 - 2306, 29, SFOY + Nov 5 - 2306, 633, MAXV + Nov 5 - 2306, 26, CSLM. Wheel bearing temperature alarm, repeat issue. Replaced R4 probe. (SSE,B)

Nov 6 - 2605, 45, OTTW. No water pressure in cars due to HEP not setup properly, 60-minute timeout, then car goes into freeze/drain mode, "Guideline needed to prevent these issues". (HEP,C)

Nov 7 - 2206, 41, OTTW. Carman unable to start. Insufficient air pressure. (CA,AC)

Nov 8 - 2206, 41, OTTW. Carman unable to start. Layover system still on during startup. Fuel pressure investigated with Cummins. (ME,F)

Nov 8 - 2605, 48, FALO. Pinned left side 'A' end door. No defect found. (D&S,A)

Nov12 - 2805, 43, OTTW. Open door indicator. Repeat issue. (D&S,A)

Nov16 - 2301, 35, SCYR. Trailing 2202 not loading, due to layover mode. (PDB,C)

Nov17 - 2304, 33, PSCH. Cab car door not closing. No defect found. (CAB,G)

Nov20 - 2702, 45, OTTW. Open door indicator. No defect found (D&S,A)

Nov24 - 2905, 43, FALO. Fire alarm in car. 'A' end smoke detector full of dust. (COM,G)

Nov24 - 2206, 668, OSHA. Not loading. No defect found. (PDB,C)

Nov24 - 2302, 43, OTTW. Cab car alarm 559. Reset sequence, reboot Input/Output stations. "There is no official process to raise awareness on Venture fleet special instructions." (PDB,C) 190 minute delay.

Nov28 - 2305, 35, MTRL. Open door indicator. Control circuit interlock on door. (DS,C)

Dec 5 - 2806, 38, OTTW. Lost HEP. Battery charger breaker unclipped from DIN rail then tripped. Pin holding breaker was broken. (HEP,C)

Dec 6 - 2705, 33, DRMV. Steps not closing due to snow. Add'l step brushes added to all cars. (D&S,C)

Dec 6 - 2701, 28, SLAM. Steps not retracting. Step jammed at casing. (D&S,S)

Dec 8 - 2702, 39, MTRL. Delay swapping to Venture Set 5 at Central Station. (NMI,P)

Dec 9 - 2602, 37, SAPO. Bearing alarm on car. Wheel bearing temperature probe replaced. (SSE,B) 114 minute delay.

Dec20 - 2902, 31, DORV. Door open indicator. Door pinned. No defect found. (D&S,C)

Dec21 - 2801, 41, OSHA. Door not closing. Broken screw blocking. (D&S,S)

Dec21 - 2907, 33, CSLM. Wheelchair lift not closing. Closed manually. (D&S,S)

Dec26 - 2203, 35, QBEC. Not starting. Engine flywheel cranked manually, started. Reset engine control breakers. "FMI for starter bendix has been completed by Cummins. Mitigation plan for manual barring of engine needs to be communicated."(ME,C)

SYSTEMS AND SUB-SYSTEMS

VIA classifies each incident by System affected, then specific Sub-System. I've listed these in brackets after each individual incident. Here's VIA's List of Systems (& Subsystems by Abbreviation):

Brake System - A(ctuators), C(ontrols), E(CU), G(eneral), H(andbrake), W(heel-slide).

Cab - G(eneral).

Communication - G(eneral).

Compressed Air - A(ir)-C(ompressor), A(ir)-D(ryer), G(eneral).

Coupler - G(eneral).

Doors & Steps - A(ccess Doors), C(ontrols), D(oor/Step Controls), S(teps), V(estibule and End Doors).

Electrical - B(attery), G(eneral), T(rainline).

Head End Power system - A(lternator), C(ontrols), T(rainline).

HVAC - C(ontrols), Cool(ing), H(eating).

Interiors - G(eneral), R(efrigeration).

Lighting - G(eneral).

Main Engine - C(ombustion)-A(ir), C(ontrols), E(ngine), F(uel System), L(ub. Oil System), W(ater -Cooling).

Monitoring System - G(eneral).

Non-Mechanical Issue - H(uman), P(rocess).

Propulsion & Dynamic Braking - A(lternator), C(ontrols), D(ynamic-Braking), M(aster-Controller), T(raction-Motor).

Safety System, Equipment & Tools - B(earing-Temperature-Monitoring), C(rew-Alerter), G(eneral).

Toilet System - C(ontrols), F(reeze-Protection).

Trucks - G(eneral), S(uspension), W(heel-Sets).

Water System - G(eneral), W(ater-Raising).

The most commonly problematic systems and sub-systems in 2023:

D&S(all), HEP(C), NMI(P), PDB(C).

Since this first year of Venture mechanical delay reports is the first (and smallest!) of all three years I'm presenting, I'm adding some extra material pertinent to all three years below: definitions plus miscellaneous background information.

SOME TERMS USED IN THE REPORTS

Please keep in mind that I am none of the following: diesel locomotive mechanic, passenger car technician, nor electrician. Google gave me the following capsule descriptions of some issues and abbreviations I'd never heard of. They may or may not be specifically relevant to Venture and Charger locomotives issues.

• Barring engine - A Cummins engine is "barred over" (manually rotated) using a specialized barring tool inserted into the flywheel housing to engage the ring gear. 
• Bendix gear - Replacement of a Bendix gear (starter drive) involves removing the starter motor, disassembling the housing, and replacing the drive pinion, often requiring a new retaining ring. 
• Brake Control Unit (BCU). Knorr's CCB2 computer controlled brake is a microcomputer network-based system that provides faster response for full automatic and independent brake control on freight and passenger locomotives.
• Central Control Unit (CCU) - Controls the drives for all connected axes and also establishes the technological links between the drives and/or axes. 
• Decelostat - Originally developed by Westinghouse, a wheel-slide detection system used to prevent over-braking.
• Derogation - An exception to a procedure, allowing problematic cars or equipment to remain in service. Derogation is provided for mechanical issues with condemned doors, ventilation, failed leakage test, handbrake not releasing, and hot journal sensors where probes are damaged and the engineers instead rely on wayside detectors to provide readings en route. Either known or new issues, it is expected that further investigation or repair the issue requiring derogation to complete a run or reach a maintenance centre.
• DIN rails (Deutsche Institut fur Normung, which translates loosely as German Institute for Standards) - Interior mounting rails used to hold small electrical components such as breakers and relays.
• Double Sliding Steps (DSS) - Sliding-plug side doors with trap doors and retractable low-level entry steps for high- and low-level platform access:

• Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI) - An open and tool-independent standard for exchange of models between tools.
• Human-Machine Interface (HMI) - A user interface that connects a person to a machine, system, or device, acting as a bridge to monitor processes through hardware and software.

• Input/Output (I/O) Modules - Form the interface between the controller and the process. The controller detects the current process state via the connected sensors and actuators, and triggers the corresponding reactions. This may be the 'central computer' installed in one of the coaches in a Venture set, not in the locomotive.
• Kips - A means of measuring wheel impact loads and triggering an alarm in the locomotive. (1 kip = 1,000 pounds.)
• Megger Test - An insulation resistance test on a transformer and a crucial maintenance procedure used to check the insulation integrity of the windings against the ground and between windings to prevent insulation breakdown, moisture ingress, or contamination.
• Multi-Vehicle Bus (MVB). A robust, high-speed, serial communication network. It connects critical, real-time devices like brakes, propulsion, and doors within a train, utilizing redundant lines and master-slave scheduling to ensure high reliability in harsh environments.

 PROBLEMS WITH ICE AND SNOW

In the winter of 2024-25, in consultation with Siemens, VIA operated sets locomotive-first due to ducts ingesting snow, turning to ice and water on various components. The reports mention the following equipment incidents involved water/ice incursion issues, understandably primarily during winter months:

• Steps not closing - snow
• Galley floor drain - blocked by ice
• HEP loss/engine shutdown - hitting snowdrifts
• Step cavities - snow
• Parking brake - water ingress
• Brake resister blower - ice
• Decelostat brake valve - water
• Brake pressure switch conduit - water
• Trainline receptacles - water
• Underframe electrical equipment box - water
• High voltage cabinet - water

BROKEN WINDSHIELDS

Also in the winter of 2024-25, several cab cars experienced broken/cracked windshields, including: 2303, 2311, 2318; also locomotives including: 2205, 2222. Such cracks prohibited units from leading, requiring cutting trainset or wyeing. In October, 2025 at the TMC (above), 2320 was in Extreme Makeover - Windshield Edition. Not to mention fogging and distortion on non-cracked windshields, perhaps due to installation and all due to moving between warm and cold air.

The windshields presented a safety issue/electrocution hazard because of the heating elements for defrosters, and trains can’t lead with a cracked windshield as a matter of structural integrity.  Usually a hairline crack in a corner, the windshields cracked due to the temperature differential between being inside and then moving outside. Reportedly a maintenance nightmare, a trainset is out for 2-3 days to change a single window! 

 GARNERING THE DATA FOR THESE THREE POSTS

This post may just look to some like a huge misuse of time on my part. Looking at an apparently unreadable VIA spreadsheet, requiring extensive enlargement and a sojourn amidst scrolling across several screen-widths, and for what? The columns being so spread out, with date and train number at the far left, repair and resolution at the far right made it quite a challenge. First, I ventured to view the Venture delays, separated them from Skylines and LRCs, RDCs and HEPs, F40s and P42s. Then, writing down the date, train number and location codes, I could scroll down, then across, to find details on the next scroll-through. Scribbling them in a scribbler, I scrolled yet again down through the spreadsheet, making targeted stops. Trying to summarize the information recorded in point form into a useable and consistent format, then gathering the systems and sub-systems and abbreviating them to a common format for later tabulation. Spanning tens of pages, it was then time to type out each of the hundreds of lines using a ruler to avoid transcribing part of the next one by mistake. My top speed was one report/line transcribed per minute, so for 600 that's ten hours just performing that one function! But if one person gets any use at all out of it, it has not been a waste of time. In fact, I believe people do what they want to do. And I actually enjoyed the process and its results, and hope you will, too!

Running extra...

Well, not when I was there they didn't. New York City Metro M3 cars at Kingston's VIA station? Early drone photography doesn't lie, does it? I must have been in school that day.

Definitely not-poseurs travelling from Winnipeg to Vancouver on the Canadian in a balanced video.

First past the post...

Thanks to my perilous pickleball posse paddlers: Alison, Karen and Paul. Challenging court coverage, devastating dinking, powerful punches and death-defying digs characterize our matches. Oh, and pain. It's tempting to watch YouTube how-to videos on this ultimate 'geezer game' but don't do it. There's no indication these people actually play the game. You know, those who can do, those who can't teach, and those who can't teach teach Phys Ed!

50 Years Trackside ...1981-85 Higher Education, Hired

Welcome aboard this year-long retrospective series celebrating my Fifty Years Trackside - watching trains and taking numbers. This is the Second of a year-long series celebrating those five decades - each month's post is a time capsule; a five-year slice of those fifty years. Following the inaugural post covering 1976-1981, this month, it's That Early Eighties Show! Retrospectively looking ahead on the steps of Hawker-Siddeley CN caboose 79295 parked at the top of the CN Cataraqui Spur at Kingston's Gardiners Road (posed L.C. Gagnon photo - above). The caboose was accompanying Burro crane 50408. My brother David's wedding to Susan on May 16, 1981 was a major family event, immediately followed by a major train watching event. Having read the TRAINS magazine article on Hamilton's Bayview Junction, Andrew Makepeace and I had to travel there. 

Since I didn't have my driver's licence yet, Andrew would be driving his parents' Chevy Caprice station wagon up Highway 401. We photographed our first train from the Royal Botanical Gardens' parking lot, then did most of our train watching from the 'railfan lot' in the triangle of the CN Oakville and Dundas Subdivisions junction. The light-blue wagon is parked behind the shed (above). We photographed the anticipated parade of trains and ate fast food. One example: ore train with 9442-9481-5518-9591-9617 on June 22, 1981 (above) arriving in Hamilton.

That summer it was time to head west to Portage again, timing the trip around my summer job. My 1982 trip west (June 8-26) was on the CP route through Northern Ontario once again. A school band exchange trip to PEI included this stop for the ferry at Borden. Andrew rides the footboards of CN 1751 that was tied down nearby:

In July 1982, my Dad and I made a trip by train to that sacred site of CN passenger operations in Toronto - Spadina Shops. Signing the required release form and donning our yellow hardhats, we were free to roam the ready tracks. Preparing to begin my final year in high school - Grade 13, I later received my acceptance letter from St Lawrence College on April 2, 1982. We toured the KGH labs on November 24, 1982 to get a glimpse of our futures. 

On September 18, I was back at the Amherstview sports field to photograph this golden-hour westbound behind CN 2113-2015-2338 over the CN right-of-way fence:

The following year, 1983, was the only one in my teen years that didn't include a Portage trip. My parents did get there, however. 

For my third year at the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority, I was the foreman at Gould Lake Conservation Area north of Sydenham. This required a driver's license to drive my crew of...one....around! No Driver's Ed classes for me. No, it was Dad's Ed. On our practice sessions, he had a habit of alerting me to hazards some distance away, increasing his volume as we came closer. For instance, 'Eric, there's a dog on the road up ahead. Eric! There's a DOG UP AHEAD! ERIC!! THERE'S A DOG UP AHEAD!!"

I enjoyed a Canrailpass vacation travelling the Corridor extensively in March, 1984. I finally got my 35 mm camera on April 23, 1984 after the demise of my trusty Kodak Hawkeye during those trips. For $184.59 I walked out of Camera Kingston with a Yashica FX-3. I had a month to experiment with it before heading west on VIA No 1 for a May 26-June 9 trip. I added a Kiron 80-200 men telephoto lens for $200 from Camera Kingston on June 13, 1985. This was to celebrate the completion of the third of three days of CSLT exams, after a celebratory lunch with classmates, now colleagues, at Mino's Restaurant. 

While this was my era of educational enlightenment, it was the dark ages of train watching. My note-taking took a back seat, and documentation is scant and sketchy. There was much memorizing and fraternizing to do. A classmate's wedding changed the course of my life thereafter.  I had been hired right after my third year, and was working across from a certain medical stenographer in the secretarial pool. (Is it too much to say she was a fine specimen?) My date for that wedding became my fiancée and then my wife. Karen never professed herself to be a train enthusiast, but she was a good sport if we ended up trackside on a 'date'! We're at Napanee with the tail-end of an eastbound freight led by 9634-2547-2583-9588 and caboose 79555 in 1986:

From September 16 to October 3, 1985 I took my first vacation from work - to Manitoba on VIA Rail. Karen, too, travelled west by air to visit family in Saskatchewan. In the era before direct flights, a stop in Winnipeg necessitated blankets distributed to passengers while her plane sat on the tarmac!

VIA trains were an interesting mix. VIA was implementing its LRC and would deal with the technology's teething problems for years. With an armload of gold bars, this conductor who likely started his railway career in clouds of steam directs passengers aboard a jet-powered Turbo at Kingston, in the spring of 1982. VIA's Turbos were removed from service in October, 1982 while its cab units limped along until the new F40's arrived in December, 1986. On October 7, 1985 I rode an LRC to Ottawa on a day trip to Parliament (David J. Gagnon photos):

On a cold December 2, 1985 I treated my parents to a trip to Montreal also aboard VIA. My Dad snapped this photo of me at the east lookout of the Camille Houde Parkway atop Mount Royal:

Thanks for being aboard this year-long train of thought as we retrace, remember, and yes, wallow in nostalgia these fifty years trackside. Watch for an upcoming third part as we enter our third decade -  the 1990s.

Running extra...

Speaking of the '80s, VIA Rail Canada released a social media reel showing the Vancouver open house celebrating The Canadian's 70th anniversary. Sartorially snazzy Mark Sampson, who knows a thing or two about the train's history, gets a brief video VIAntage vignette:

Ontario Northland's first Siemens set is testing at night west of Toronto, where it resides at VIA's TMC with rescue unit ONR 1802.

First past the post...

It's so nice to start talking finances with your financial advisor before shifting into family matters, the sandwich generation, the school system, organized religion and many, many other topics. Oh yeah, and finances. And free coffee. And a free note pad. The Royal Bank, years ago, gave me one Timbit. One. Oh yeah, and a calendar that was so boring and cheap that all it had was monthly date blocks. No pictures. My garage used to give out nicer colour calendars, and the garage had A LOT less of my money than the bank did!

Wintertime at the Station, Jan-Feb 2026 - Freight Cars

UNPX/Procor 320004

In my two trips in Part 1 and Part 2  previously posted, I profiled the prolific plethora of passenger and freight trains I observed at Kingston's VIA station on two successive, shivering Saturdays. Since I'm a  freight car fan, I'm always watchful for the interesting ones - in what are becoming increasingly boring single-commodity freight trains or manifest freights comprising lease-fleet cars. I had some success. The cars I photographed are minimally-captioned and shown in chronological order, with the train number listed for the first on each train.

Veteran lumber-lugger CN 598156

CN No 372 is one of my favourite daily freights - the January 31 version (above) and February 7 version (below):

WFRX 383996 and ITFX/ITLX coil cars

BNSF Swoosh covered hopper 422628

BN covered hopper 461534

CN136667 'heritage fleet' gondola with scrap tie load

February 7's CN No 305:

AEX 5118 covered hopper minimally-lettered  'organic corn'

COER 804870 all-aluminum assonance

CN flats with imported rail from Halifax heading to Transcona

It's interesting that with all the talk about a flashy new ALTO line to be built, and whether there would be buy-Canadian rules, the Minister of Transport had to soberly admit to the parliamentary transportation committee that steel rails are no longer produced within Canada's borders.

CN No 276:

CN No 271:

'Patchwork' repanelled auto rack

Running extra...

Ever heard the expression, "I'd give my eye teeth for that..."? Well, one of the American Hughes brothers did just that when intercepting former Kingston Frontenac Sam Bennett's stick during the Olympic gold medal game. He seemed happy to have made the sacrifice. It's not always just blood, sweat and tears. This photo makes it look like the injured Sidney 'Sid the Kid' Crosby took it all in from a comfortable spot on the ice.

First past the post...

Analyst Kevin Bieksa put forward defenceman Cale Makar's name for the tournament MVP, while Elliotte Friedman stuck with the easy choice, Connor "Wind Him Up and Watch Him Skate" McDavid.