Major Milestone for VIA Rail & SYSTRA Canada

VIA Rail Canada (VIA), a Canadian Crown corporation mandated to operate intercity passenger rail service, put its brand-new fleet in service in the Quebec City – Windsor corridor last September, providing passengers with a more comfortable, sustainable, and accessible train service, while improving the environmental footprint through advanced energy-efficient technology.

This latest development in VIA’s history marks a major milestone for SYSTRA Canada which has provided consulting services, together with CH2M Jacobs, for all phases of the company’s Fleet Replacement Program since 2017.

The commissioning of the first fleet is a successful milestone for the project teams and VIA, a long-standing client that we have been supporting for decades. The success of our assignment would not have been possible without the experience and expertise of our specialists who were familiar with all stages of design, production, and deployment of the new fleet.

Stephan Krajicek, Project Manager

SYSTRA CANADA INVOLVED FROM START TO FINISH

Having provided assistance in completing the existing preliminary RFP documentation, our experts then supported VIA during the tendering phase. Finally, the Contract Execution Phase consisted in providing project management, administration, and engineering services, risk assessment support, design reviews, pre-service testing and commissioning, and continued support through acceptance and post-delivery.

ABOUT THE TRAIN

The new trains are from Seimens with Charger Diesel motors and Venture carriages designed for the North American market.

Photo: Reece Martin

ABOUT THE CORRIDOR

The Quebec-Windsor corridor is the busiest line in Canada, with 36 daily trips and more than 4 million annual passengers. It is also the busiest service on the VIA Rail network, accounting for 96% of its traffic in 2019.