Via Rail recently announced its intention to upgrade its passenger train service, The Ocean, that links Montreal and Halifax. Ottawa says it is starting this project to renew the rest of the Canadian rail fleet. They hope to have this transformation finished in the next ten years. The Ocean, which has been a staple of Canadian rail travel since its inauguration in July 1904, covers a distance of 1,340 kilometers and currently operates three times a week.
We are refurbishing older rail cars to address the long-standing reliability issues of The Ocean. It’s time to invest in better service on this chronically delayed and slow corridor once and for all. Mario Péloquin, CEO of Via Rail, acknowledged the challenges faced by the service, stating, “We are unfortunately incurring delays pretty regularly on the long-distance runs, including The Ocean.”
Refurbishment Plans and Funding
The top photo shows the kind of refurbishment that will breathe new life into rail cars manufactured in 1954 by the Budd Company of Philadelphia. Updated, better-performing refurbished cars will soon be on the tracks! A few will be in use on The Ocean route, but most will be used on The Churchill line between Winnipeg and Churchill, Manitoba.
Along with Her Majesty’s Penitentiary restoration, the restoration of the Halifax station itself is a $27 million investment. Péloquin urged the government to bring the New Brunswick section of The Ocean route up to standard. He called it “a really good idea.” He noted that such upgrades would require substantial funding: “It’s at least hundreds of millions (of dollars), but I don’t have a figure yet because we’re not far enough advanced on the discussions.”
Future Developments and Challenges
In another positive sign, as part of long-term improvements to the service, major announcements on new locomotives and new cars are likely coming in early 2021. Such enhancements may not be flashy but are critical for raising the overall standard of service quality. Péloquin remarked on the operational constraints faced by Via Rail, stating, “We would love to do that … but the constraint is getting the additional time slots…. More freight traffic is leaving less time for running (passenger) trains. It’s a constant discussion. We’re trying.”
Yet the ongoing challenge of balancing freight versus passenger services is an issue on many minds as NRPC meets this year. A representative for CN said any additional capacity needed for passenger trains would have to be negotiated. This conversation will happen behind closed doors, between Via Rail and the freight rail operator.
Passenger Experience and Expectations
Passengers have been disappointed at the delay-related troubles with The Ocean. The service has its advocates, who feel it would benefit from a review, so that it can again be known as America’s fast service. One advocate stated, “It should not be necessary for The Ocean to wait long years for new cars to be designed and built to regain some of its former glory.”
With these planned upgrades and refurbishments, Via Rail aims to maximize the benefits of its new fleet while laying the groundwork for potential future infrastructure investments or service changes. Sau Sau Liu remarked, “With this major upgrade underway, the focus remains on maximizing the benefits of the new fleet before considering further infrastructure investments or service changes.”
