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 Nos. 5700 and 5714 — are part of a larger heritage train being assembled by the association to celebrate VIA’s 50th anniversary in 2028. The locomotive, acquired from Ontario Southland Railway in 2023, was restored to its late-1970s blue-and-yellow scheme last year [see “VIA Historical Association unveils …,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 1, 2024]. The three cars were acquired from Ontario Northland, which equipped them with head-end power during service there. They are slated to be joined later this year by two more former CN/VIA cars — baggage car 9636 and café-bar-lounge No. 2514 — currently being prepared for restoration.
At the Toronto ceremony, the VHA trainset was displayed with new Siemens Venture equipment and active stainless steel Budd HEP-1 cars.
VIA retired most of its steam-heated ex-CN fleet by the early 1990s, opting for the HEP-equipped, ex-Canadian Pacific stainless steel Budd cars and the then-new LRC fleet.
The nonprofit organization also owns former CN Pullman-Standard sleeping car Edmundston and several Budd Rail Diesel Cars, including the first such car, built in 1949.
More information on the organization is available at its website.
