| Last updated on February 23, 2024
First corridor trainset continues preparation for revenue debut
KITCHENER, Ontario — VIA Rail Canada’s first set of new Siemens-built equipment for corridor service was back in action testing on Thursday, Aug. 11., operating as train 688 on CN’s Guelph Subdivision from London via Stratford and Kitchener toward Toronto. This trainset was delivered last September; a second trainset arrived from Siemens’ Sacramento, Calif., factory, last Sunday, Aug. 7. VIA expects the first of the equipment to enter revenue service later this year.
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These top-of-the-line Siemens trainsets feature exciting state-of-the-art technology that will provide advanced maintenance capabilities and enhanced information to VIA Rail Canada passengers. It looks like later this year, some lucky Canadians will be riding the most modern diesel trainsets North America has today! Run/Roule Siemens’ “Venture” run/roule in order to transform the face of Canadian intercity passenger transport!
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Why do I keep thinking that’s a C&O train?
GOOD point
Mish-mash of colours, eh? The bold scarlet Maple Leaf Forever with the bold sunflower yellow is a bit much, in my opinion. If the yellow were a pin stripe instead of such a big field, maybe it would work for me. Or if the Maple Leaf weren’t so domineering on the loco.
Three colours would have been nice. Four a bit much.
Charles,
So what do you think of Brightline’s color selection where each trainset is a different color scheme? 😀
I tend to like the Brightline idea of color as it seems to fit the Florida surroundings. I find the Amtrak Midwest color scheme on their new Venture cars to be dull and somewhat boring.
BRIAN — Thanks for asking. If “regional surroundings” is your goal, VIA has flunked out. This livery doesn’t say “Maple Leaf Forever” to me.
I haven’t seen any Venture cars out on the road, only under the Chicago post office in storage, from a distance.
Multicolor schemes are great (as in Brightline) — I just don’t like this one on VIA.
It is splendid to see brand new passenger trains with matching cars and locomotives in paint schemes and profile. Amtrak’s first new passenger trains in the 1970s featuring low profile Amfleet cars with high profile locomotives designed for freight operations were unseemly.
Looking Nice!