MONTREAL — Members of the union representing about 2,500 VIA Rail Canada employees have ratified a new three-year contract with the passenger operator. Unifor announced Thursday (July 17, 2025) that members of its Council 4000 and Local 100 ratified the tentative agreement reached in June [see “VIA Rail Canada, Unifor announce …,” Trains News Wire, […]
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — VIA Rail Canada is marking 120 years of continuous operation of the Ocean, Canada’s oldest named passenger train, with ceremonies today (July 15, 2025) in Halifax. The event includes unveiling of restoration work at the Halifax station and public tours of the train’s equipment. “This isn’t just a train, it’s a […]
Our wide-ranging latest installment of News Wire Recommended Reading includes articles on a Wyoming landmark; a massive space under San Francisco built for currently nonexistent train service;, and how things went wrong for a deal to involve German’s Deutsche Bahn to remake Toronto’s GO Transit commuter rail operations. — You may be familiar with the […]
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The first new Alstom-built Mark V trainset for heavy-rail transit system SkyTrain entered service today (July 10, 2025), transit operator TransLink has announced. The 47-trainset order was placed in December 2020 and represents the largest single rolling stock order for the SkyTrain system, which debuted in 1985 and now covers three […]
CALGARY, Alberta — The premiers of Alberta and Ontario have signed agreements to pursue construction of more rail lines and pipelines to tap into natural resources including Alberta oil and Ontario’s “Ring of Fire” mineral region. At a Monday press conference in Calgary, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Ontario’s Doug Ford announced the signing of […]
LAC-MÉGANTIC, Quebec — Canada’s Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, Chrystia Freeland, issued a statement today to mark the 12th anniversary of the Lac-Mégantic disaster, the derailment and fire involving a runaway, unmanned Montreal, Maine & Atlantic oil train that occurred about 1:14 a.m. on July 6, 2013. “Twelve years ago, the community of Lac-Mégantic […]
MONTREAL — The Réseau express métropolitain light rail line between downtown Montreal and the North Shore community of Brossard, Que., has begun a six-week shutdown today (Saturday, July 5) for testing in preparation of opening of most of the rest of the system later this year. Service on the 10.3-mile first phase between Central Station […]
TORONTO — The VIA Historical Association’s heritage train of VIA Rail Canada equipment made its public debut this week, appearing at a June 25 event marking the 40th anniversary of VIA’s Toronto Maintenance Centre. The train — restored FP9 No. 6539 and three former Canadian National cars — baggage car No. 9604 and Dayniter coaches […]
MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada and Canadian union Unifor have reached tentative agreement on a new three-year contract, averting a strike that could have begun as soon as this Sunday, June 22. If ratified, the agreement will be retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year and run through Dec. 31, 2027. VIA said terms would […]
TORONTO — The Toronto Transit Commission, operator of the city’s subways and streetcars, has officially taken control of the long-delayed Eglinton Crosstown light rail line, the head of regional transit agency Metrolinx said on Tuesday (June 17). Metrolinx CEO Michael Lindsay said the TTC would begin controlling train movements no later than today, June 18. […]
MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada saw a 6.6% gain in ridership and an 11% increase in total revenues during 2024, according to the company’s annual fiscal-year report. Revenues for the calendar year were Ca$480.2 million (U.S. $353.8 million), while ridership reached 4.4 million. The company recorded an operating loss of Ca $385.2 million (U.S. $283.7 […]
GATINEAU, Quebec — Canada’s reportable rail accidents and other occurrences were down slightly in 2024, according to the Transportation Safety Board’s final 2024 statistics. The final count of 1,198 occurrences — including 896 accidents and 302 incidents — was down 3% from 2023. Accidents which includes events with fatalties, those in which rolling stock is […]
