[RU479]

Classic Cab Car 257 has been placed on a 10 car consist with 681 just recently, going up the Barrie Line right now.

Interesting since for the majority of the past few months all the older classic cab cars were on 12 car consists.

 

[RU479]

Car 2661 has been repainted into the MX scheme, and seems as though it was recent as in 2022 it seemed to be in the old scheme.

Wonder if this has to do with the repainting contract?

Looks as though car 2617 has also been repainted.

But what I am wondering is, were these cars not supposed to be sent to Thunder Bay for refurbishment? Why is MX bothering with repainting them before they get sent off to Thunder Bay for refurbishment, where presumably they'd get repainted anyway?

 

[Bordercollie]

Looks as though car 2617 has also been repainted.

But what I am wondering is, were these cars not supposed to be sent to Thunder Bay for refurbishment? Why is MX bothering with repainting them before they get sent off to Thunder Bay for refurbishment, where presumably they'd get repainted anyway?

They have a paint bay at MMC. It could be that it was in line to get repainted anyways. Less work for ONR to do.

 

[cplchanb]

Looks as though car 2617 has also been repainted.

But what I am wondering is, were these cars not supposed to be sent to Thunder Bay for refurbishment? Why is MX bothering with repainting them before they get sent off to Thunder Bay for refurbishment, where presumably they'd get repainted anyway?

Gotta spend the budget somehow lol

 

[lenaitch]

Looks as though car 2617 has also been repainted.

But what I am wondering is, were these cars not supposed to be sent to Thunder Bay for refurbishment? Why is MX bothering with repainting them before they get sent off to Thunder Bay for refurbishment, where presumably they'd get repainted anyway?

I thought these cars were refurbished in North Bay and the paint shop was the last step.

 

[crs1026]

I thought these cars were refurbished in North Bay and the paint shop was the last step.

It is, but that doesn’t guarantee that they won’t need to be repainted elsewhere for some other reason before they can be sent for refurb.

Giving credit where due - when ML rebranded to its guacamole paint scheme, there was a commitment made that new paint would only be phased in when repainting was needed. There would be no wasteful rebranding for its own sake. Ml has actually kept that commitment, and many cars are still out there in the old MOT green and white. Some of these are starting to look a bit shabby, and more and more a repaint is justifiable. I would be forgiving if ML picked up the pace a little in the paint shop.

- Paul

 

[RU479]

I thought these cars were refurbished in North Bay and the paint shop was the last step.

I'm referring to the refurbishment of the Series VII cars, which was awarded to the Alstom Thunder Bay plant in 2021. https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/...vestments-in-go-transit-bi-level-rail-coaches

 

[WB62]

It is, but that doesn’t guarantee that they won’t need to be repainted elsewhere for some other reason before they can be sent for refurb.

Giving credit where due - when ML rebranded to its guacamole paint scheme, there was a commitment made that new paint would only be phased in when repainting was needed. There would be no wasteful rebranding for its own sake. Ml has actually kept that commitment, and many cars are still out there in the old MOT green and white. Some of these are starting to look a bit shabby, and more and more a repaint is justifiable. I would be forgiving if ML picked up the pace a little in the paint shop.

- Paul

It’s been 10 years since the rebrand was first launched, I think it’s reasonable to pick up the pace now.

 

[RU479]

Kind of surprised no other loco besides 607 and 615 have been repainted thus far.

 

[lenaitch]

To me it's a testament to the quality of the original builds. Re-branding for its own sake, in a non-competitive market, using public funds, is a bit murky. Nobody is, or is not, going to take a GO train/bus because of their colour.

 

[cplchanb]

To me it's a testament to the quality of the original builds. Re-branding for its own sake, in a non-competitive market, using public funds, is a bit murky. Nobody is, or is not, going to take a GO train/bus because of their colour.

branding is important and professional in its own right and should be consistent. im sure they could afford to squeeze in a paint job during their regular maintenance periods if they wanted to. maybe they dont have enough spares? if anything they hada great opportunity over the last 2 year to do it but obviously they didnt take that chance. then again maybe theyre just going to wait it out until they are eventually replaced by the electric locos.

 

[lenaitch]

branding is important and professional in its own right and should be consistent. im sure they could afford to squeeze in a paint job during their regular maintenance periods if they wanted to. maybe they dont have enough spares? if anything they hada great opportunity over the last 2 year to do it but obviously they didnt take that chance. then again maybe theyre just going to wait it out until they are eventually replaced by the electric locos.

I terms of taking advantage of the 'Covid lull', they were probably facing the same workplace restrictions everybody else was.

I get that branding is important, but context is important. Does anyone really care what the fire truck or ambulance that rolls up to their door looks like?

 

[T3G]

Branding is important for private businesses that face competition from others.

For a public service with a monopoly, it would not matter one bit if every single GO vehicle was painted a different colour. A passenger knows they need the 92 or to get on platform 4 at Union, what cares anyone but foamers what colour vehicle ends up pulling up to the platform?

The emergency vehicle example is a good one. Maybe I don't like the deep shade of red fire trucks come in. No one cares. They are not going to send a lighter red fire truck to cater to me instead, I can either take the deep red one or I can let my house burn down.

 

[crs1026]

The colour of paint is not important, but cleanliness and evidence of maintenance standards are. Nobody feels good about being loaded into a filthy ambulance.
If you have ever been to LA, the difference.in Metrolink double deckers and our Metrolinx cars is night and day - they are only starting to do refurbs.
Appearance affects culture, too - maintainer and operator behaviour changes when equipment is kept in good shape. As does passenger behaviour.
I can accept repainting as soon as a vehicle starts to look run down. But not just to rebrand.

- Paul

 

[drum118]

The colour of paint is not important, but cleanliness and evidence of maintenance standards are. Nobody feels good about being loaded into a filthy ambulance.
If you have ever been to LA, the difference.in Metrolink double deckers and our Metrolinx cars is night and day - they are only starting to do refurbs.
Appearance affects culture, too - maintainer and operator behaviour changes when equipment is kept in good shape. As does passenger behaviour.
I can accept repainting as soon as a vehicle starts to look run down. But not just to rebrand.

- Paul

Tri-Rail trains get a new look​