[Trackside_Treasure]

What does "Speedster" mean?

My own term. Just my own wonderment that a given train arrives 45 minutes late week-on-week, then one week it's only 11 minutes. Particularly true from Brockville-Ottawa, where making up 10 minutes or more is not unheard of. I've also had it reported to me that certain VIA LEs are more aggressive in timekeeping than others, perhaps resulting in more drink spillage in Business Class at times but these are likely the ones piloting the 'speedsters'.

 

[Trackside_Treasure]

It's just skewed. They probably modified the schedule to reflect the slow orders.

But by J ing the trains they don't need to slow down at crossings.

The schedules were not modified, and there have been many suggestions that VIA can add/subtract frequencies on the Corridor at will. My understanding is that with the years-long discussions on the Train Service Agreement between CN and VIA, each slot is negotiated, plus with Metrolinx(!) and that varying schedules is not a unilateral discussion. It would help OTP if more J-trains could be operated, not just the two morning pairs east out of Toronto, but also the newly-minted XS-J set, that has yet to enter revenue service.

 

[Trackside_Treasure]

While waiting, and waiting, for TC to rule on the CN-imposed crossing speed reductions, this popped up. VIA commissioned an independent technical investigation that covered, amongst other items, a review into rescue maneuver procedures involving passenger trains with inoperative brakes:

Order Under Section 32.01 and 36 of the Railway Safety Act (MO 25-01)

Order Under Section 32.01 and 36 of the Railway Safety Act (MO 25-01)

tc.canada.ca

 

[reaperexpress]

No pictures yet of the new 'melangay' mixed Venture set, but here is another development in the Venture implementation process. CN-imposed crossing speed reductions become CN-posted Permanent Slow Orders: http://tracksidetreasure.blogspot.com/2025/08/vias-venture-speed-reductions-become-cn.html

I finally had a chance to read through this article, and as always I'm incredibly grateful of your work to document and disseminate the Via vs CN situation.

One thing that stood out to me is your point that the Crossing Restrictions Update doesn't tell operators to prepare to stop. Maybe what CN has done is add a minimum assumed speed in the programming of the level crossings where it had concerns. After all, CN's claim was never that trains were passing through without being detected, their claim was that some of their level crossing types were unable to accurately pinpoint the location of small trains, potentially producing shorter than intended warning times. Perhaps there's a way they can program the crossing to always assume a speed of at least 60 mph, for example. Then they would have peace-of-mind about allowing normal-sized Via trains to proceed at that speed until the crossing is occupied. They wouldn't want to do this approach for the full passenger track speed, since that would produce warning times far too long for freight trains (which could lead to non-compliance by crossing road users).

 

[Trackside_Treasure]

My pleasure, and great points you're raising. The 'be prepared to stop' requirement was one that CN applied under CROR Rule 103.1(f): "When advised by special instructions that rusty rail or other conditions may exist, occupancy of crossings with automatic warning devices must be manually protected unless it its known that warning devices have been operating for at least 20 seconds."

It was only two days after first CN Crossing Supplement was issued, that VIA amended the instructions to crews whom it didn't think were adhering to the CN instructions:

"In addition to the requirements of Rule 103.1(f), all affected movements governed by the VIA VENTURE EQUIPMENT CROSSING SUPPLEMENT must not exceed 45 mph from one-quarter mile of each crossing identified. Acceleration may only commence AFTER passing the one-quarter mile and after confirming AWDs have been operating for a minimum of 20 seconds. Note: The 45 mph restriction may not provide sufficient speed restriction to permit stopping in the event of insufficient warning time at the crossing. When encountering inclement weather or extended braking distances (e.g. rail contamination such as falling leaves), a slower speed may be required."

This additional requirement potentially made the situation worse, because there apparently are crossings that are well visible from far beyond the whistle post as operational.

I can't say whether CN has, or even offered to, adjust the times on its instrumentation because it has never admitted there is any problem, and that VIA has to amend its operations instead, in effect because it's their equipment on CN's infrastructure that in their eyes is causing the problem. The reason Grade Crossing Predictors came into use is that with uniform (i.e. 30-second) were resulting in drivers and pedestrians going around the gates. There have been no instances of non-operation, and precious few (CN Drummondville Sub warning times that led to all this) short warning times (SWTs) that it's all about CN claiming safety as their number one concern. Which of course it should be, but that doesn't mean that CN can't change its technology just as VIA has had to. Transport Canada could truly be the regulator in this schmozzle, but sure hasn't yet, if ever! Ministerial Order seems rather toothless or at least glacially slow in being moved along.

 

[Trackside_Treasure]

CN's crossing speed reductions transitioned to Permanent Slow Orders at the end of August, in a collaborative attempt by CN and VIA to reduce delays while ensuring safety at crossings. VIA Ventures' On-Time Performance (OTP) on Mondays in the past two weeks was the best it's been since the original imposition of the restrictions by CN in October, 2024. Instead of the usual 40-minute average OTP delay Toronto-Ottawa and 50-minute average OTP delay Toronto-Montreal:

• Monday, September 1 average delays to Venture-equipped trains were 27 minutes Toronto-Ottawa (6 trains) and 12 minutes Toronto-Montreal (4 trains).
• Monday, September 8 - a second week of OTP improvement, with Toronto-Ottawa average 22 minutes and 24 minutes Toronto-Montreal.

VIA has managed to minimize delays to five trains by joining trains 60/50 and 62/52 between Toronto and Brockville, and by operating a longer consist on trains 66 or 67 not subject to CN speed reductions. (These trains are not included in my above averages, as the average OTP for these creative solutions was only 8 minutes.)

 

[Northern Light]

I've been seeing a hard push on social from a group following/supporting the Gaspe project.

From same:

And

Lots more, here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/214271542097478