I think that this is a good replacement for the Light Rapid Comfortable form the 1980s, but for economy seats in the long distance runs I want to be able to fully recline. When you do get rid of your stainless steel Budd coaches, please consider donating them to museums; Their long careers are certainly noteworthy.
As a wheelchair user (in the UK), its refreshing to see someone take time to look at the adapted facilities aboard a mode of travel that has not always been an option to us. Thank you Mr Downie. I’m a long time fan of your channel, and its little things like this that mean I will be watching for a long time to come. Thank you.
This is a jaw-droppingly amazing train!!!!! I am especially impressed with how Via makes every effort to accommodate those with mobility issues and those in wheelchairs.
If you want to see accessible trains done right, go to Switzerland. Level access from the platform and a completely step-free interior in their newer trains.
That shot at 11:20 made me cry. So many people will now have access to that that never felt comfortable before. This truly is a miracle in my eyes as well as many others' I am sure. WELL DONE VIA!!! Kudos to your team and thank you always.
I've literally been waiting for this train upgrade to go into service before planning a few trips. This is the class of service - I believe - Canadians will embrace. It may take a little time to actually get the word out there about how different and refreshed this experience will be, but if Via can keep pushing the word and get these rolled out fully, this could really be a hit. The old trains are just .... very tired, bumpy, noisy, they just feel like we're wearing hand-me-downs from 1979. It's time to move on, this is the way to do it, good job Via!
Unfortunately i don't think it will be some grand revelation, because the real issue with trains is speed. I wish we'd build some highspeed rail in this country.
@@danielgertler5976 agreed, this is not just one big thing (as it were). The High Frequency Rail corridor project will need to be one additional piece that adds to the mix. Taking the new Siemens from Toronto to Montreal in far less then the current 5-ish hours will be a major new piece with trains being able to do 200kph in the new rail infrastructure. At that point you're competitive against air travel pain-in-the-ass time and frustration with a simpler walk-on experience on a nice modern train.
You will still be waiting a while. I was just on a train a few days ago and had the pleasure of sitting with a member of the inspection team and he said even though the trains have arrived they still need to build repair bays and many more upgrades within the system. Also the first area to get the trains will be Ottawa so the politicians can get a better ride before the rest of us. He didn't say a timeline but when I suggested a year he sort of shrugged to suggest if we were lucky. As someone who travels the Windsor to Toronto portion I would be surprised if its ready by 2024
For sure. Last time I went to Montreal on VIA, I felt that I was in a developing country. Loud cars, rocking left to right, bathroom was smelling because it didn't flush...
These new trains are for the Quebec Ontario Corridor lines. They'll never turn a wheel on long distance or remote routes. Story is the HEP2 cars will stay but not the LRC or Renaissance cars.
Via Rail Canada has outdone themselves with this new train design that is going into service. As a Canadian citizen and full-time wheelchair user the accessibility is absolutely amazing! Besides all of the space inside to move around with ease whether it's economy or business class it's amazing how much space is on that train, I could easily fit my power chair on the new train. Another thing that really blows my mind is how accessible the bathrooms are on board the train, once again I could easily get my power chair inside. Plus the new built in wheelchair lift system to get passengers with disabilities on and off the train seamlessly built into a compact lift system built into the train instead of being a separate unit is a huge game changer! I'm really looking forward to the future of via rail Canada, and I would definitely take a trip on one of these new trains in a heartbeat when they come in to full-service! Thanks for the ride!
This new train (called Venture) has been running between Montreal and Quebec since May 2023, I think. I had the chance to take it twice. Really love the space and the smoothness of the ride. They are made in Florin, California by Siemens. I was just surprised by the overhead bin. It is just a long shelf.. with no doors! The overview of the interior looks a bit messy when the shelf is full of lugages but the access is easier and there is more space.
Very nice to see a train company taking their time (before even starting regular service for everyone) to let a UA-camr onboard and explaining everything, testing everything - all while they operate their normal tests at the same time. Very nice train too! Regards from Denmark.
Very cool to see a full review! A friend of mine was one of the people (he's a wheelchair user) who was consulted by VIA in the design phase of these cars so it's great to see how accessible they are
How awesome that you got the opportunity to take the test run! I can’t think of anyone better than you to show off their new train. It really is a beautiful train, with so much space and light. I really like how wheelchair accessible it is, that lift was pretty smooth. Thank you for the video, Mike! Hopefully someday I can make it to Canada to enjoy it
SICK! Glad to see Via Rail finally updated their fleet! Much overdue! Hope to see some of the heritage fleet eventually get retired and preserved. The new rail sets are identical to Florida's Brightline! Hope you guys up North are keeping safe with the wildfire situation that is currently ongoing. Hoping it comes to an end soon!
It must be pretty amazing to ride a super-clean, brand new train even before the public gets to. I think that's a first, even for you. It's so well thought out, too.
@@aussiejohn5835 if I were a junkie and borded that train and saw that bizarre ass Hospital looking bathroom I would definitely see it as some sort of encouragement to do some train spotting. Like in the movie Train spotting, not the other interpretation which means photographing trains or something.
I rode on the LRC when it first came out, before it was in service. I worked for CN back then and they had an excursion for employees from Toronto to Oshawa and back.
VIA Rail made a excellent choice picking Mike Downie to do an intro video on their new trains. Being someone who uses VIA Rail trains a lot, I can't wait to get on these new ones. They totally ROCK!!
I really hope so. It was the first time that we travelled needing accessibility. Wow, Via Rail from Halifax, for The Ocean: not helpful in the station…they blatantly did not know much about accessibility, and asked if we can do things ourselves, basically. Did not offer to send the person using golf cart, lift, nothing. I was thinking if I was not here with my senior parents on this trip that they would have been lost. No way can they carry the foldable wheelchair up three-four steps. They would not have asked about accessible room, dining table, nothing.
I got to take this train last week from Montreal to Quebec. It was amazing and definitely would get me using a train more often. I was impressed with the nice glasswear in business class also. The bathroom was humongous!
🎙Thank you @viarailcanada for the wonderful compliments about my voice over work! ❤ These trains look AMAZING! So honored to be a part of the experience! ❤ Thank you for the exclusive ride @downielive !😃 So cool to see it all! LOVE those bathrooms!!
Lili! Fantastic job and thanks for riding along with every @viarailcanada passenger. My apologies for not spelling your name correctly, but I had never seen it written. Even this short snippet gave us some fun insight into the work you do. Keep it up!
@@DownieLive Thank you Mike! It's all good! It's spelled the French way, so not typical 🤣The fact that my name was even mentioned is amazing! Thanks again for the awesome tour!
The rails in Canada used to be something to be proud of in this country. Then they decommissioned 20% of them. Now you can only get a train ride between limited major cities.
I can’t wait to take future trips from Toronto to Ottawa with Via now with their new trains!! It looks so much more comfortable with all the space each person has.
It's still going to take more than 5 hours at an exorbitant ticket price unless you book 1 month beforehand. Weirdly flying economy is cheaper and quicker.
I’m in Australia and want to travel on that train so much. It looks absolutely beautiful and it’s fantastic that it is so accessible. Bravo VIARAIL (and thanks Mike)!
That’s a cool and a “smart” train! Tech has evolved so much. I love seeing the new and also the older trains and other modes of transportation. Keep up these videos!!!!
@@graymorality Amtrak is getting some similar trains with slightly different configurations, but I think the Via looks and functions better. Maybe it’s a bit of Canadian chauvinism showing lol.
Someone that I know very well uses a wheelchair and it sometimes gets difficult for her to get around when we travel, so I'm glad more accesibility features are a focus and are incorporated into the train!
Got the privilege of riding on this train from Ottawa to Montreal about 2 weeks ago. They are beautiful trains with ample storage space, similar to an airplane with over head space. Also comfier seats and not so crammed. The new bathroom is also a huge improvement
The other day I rode through Ottawa's Railway station on a VIA train during a diversion and the conductors were proud to announce when the new train stood there. I noticed that they build in seats from the German ICE train into the LRC
Omg the lift! The train station in my dads town doesn’t have a lift and I always have to awkwardly ask the staff to carry my wheelchair off the train. This is such an amazing addition!
So modern and such a step change in improvement from the old sets - the designers have done such a great job with the branding honestly, the paint scheme, the stylised logo, seat design, everything!! 🙌🙌(the lift also shows just how far above the platform the train floor really is, never seen it like that lol)
Well thought out rail cars. So many great features. Love the roominess, and the built-in lift and steps ensures accessibility for everyone. Thank you Mike 👍
Alas, probably not. They might for the passengers who stay seated all the way, but the train would look odd with the old sleepers attached to modern cars. But who knows!
I do like the coziness that older trains bring, however, I cant deny that these newer trains are definitely the right step forward for VIA in general. It seems like a very well-rounded train, and could possibly even open up more routes for them! I'm impressed :>
I think it looks brilliant! Here in the UK we've had automatic doors for a while but the thought put into accessibility on your new train is great. Our latest 'Ergonomically designed ' seats on our express trains are horribly hard and uncomfortable! We prefer the comfort of the 50 year old trains they replace!
I love this behind-the-scenes look! Thanks Viarail and all your kind employees. The comfort and accessibility of this train are amazing. But what about food service?! 😂😂
MIke, Thank you so much for showing off the accessibility of this train! As a person with a disability and a wheelchair user, i am super happy with the accessibility of this new train and can't wait to give it a try myself!
Brilliant video Mike, absolutely love it. As a Brit, this is restoring my faith in North American passenger rail! Now you just need to persuade VIA Rail Canada to start putting compartments with corridors in their business class carriages rather than leaving it open!
That wheelchair lift is so awesome! My daughter has special needs, and uses an adaptive stroller with transit hooks for the bus, so accessible transportation is really important. At the same time, having to take extra time to accommodate her does feel a little embarrassing since we’re holding up the service.
Super job! Took my first ever VIA ride one week ago (London-YYZ), and that one was already impressive. I live in the US, and this is way beyond anything I’ve been in here. Love all the new features, even the volume-control thingy. I hate too-loud announcements! In addition to that train, if my hair were to regrow, I’d want it to be like yours.
Canada just bragging now lol Richard n his specifics regarding consistent speech within recordings was cool. Kinda similar to retakes when recording an album. Great video as always, keep it up.
Wish Via Rail would bring back the Trans Canada that started from St.Johns, Newfoundland to Vancouver, B.C. with all these new trains. That would be amazing.
Looking forward to when these get deployed to the public. I take VIA regularly through the Ottawa-Toronto corridor and the older trains are seriously showing their age. Now if only we could get bullet trains built in this country!
We love it. I've tried it now and although it was a long wait, Canadians now have the train they deserve. And with bus service in the corridor spotty, VIA is going to clean up. Thanks for sharing.
As I have written on the old trains last year I can totally understand how thrilled you are. As a European nonetheless it just seems like any other train here - welcome to modern trains Canada. Don’t get me wrong VIA Rail did an awesome job maintaining the old trains (something most European train operators are not able to) and the Eurostar sleeper coaches are beyond any other seat coaches I travelled on, but train travel really had to go some steps further to be excellent in Canada. The new trains are the right direction (no stop weighing suitcases, boarding procedure, etc.).
Not exactly "like any other train" there. These are based on OBB's Railjet Siemens trainsets. The Siemens Charger is an Americanized Vectron, and the Venture cars are the US version of the Viaggio Comfort cars. This is rolling stock from a pretty bougie express "near HSR" service (up to 140 mph or 225 kph). Amtrak and VIA are effectively standardizing a premium European express train for most of the intercity services on the continent. I know that you Europeans are not used to Amtrak and VIA giving you a run for your money, but this is genuinely a much nicer train than the average European intercity. They're definitely raising the bar.
@@TohaBgood2 the "average European Intercity" is not as nice because this kind of train is running out. The big countries rely on high-speed services and those are who are the fathers of the VIA rail coaches as you already said. In fact you have to compare the new VIA rail coaches to the new Velaro ICEs or the newest set of Stadler trains etc. Sure you can't really compare them as high-speed train are built differently and the travel times in Europe are mostly alot shorter than the ones in Canada
@@castlehighschool The bulk of the train travel in Europe will still happen on the intercities for the foreseeable decades. You'll see a few more equipment generations of conventional intercity trains before speeds increase. And that's not because of the rolling stock. There just aren't that many new HSR lines planned in Europe. There are some and that is good. But the entire east and north have zero HSR lines and no feasible plans to introduce them. That's not going to change likely within your lifetime. Plus, the intercities won't go anywhere just like trams didn't with the introduction of subways. They cover a different use case that won't go away. Even in the most heavily HSR EU countries the bulk of train travel is on regular speed trains.
@@TohaBgood2 that's wrong. High-speed trains don't necessarily go on high-speed lines. In fact you have different price ranges in Europe. Intercities are not the same as the high-speed trains. The high-speed trains (category A) have swept the Intercity in countries like Germany, Austria and France. The Eastern European countries are a different story but even there they are more and more using the class A products such as the railjet
@@castlehighschool And your "Class A" Railjet product just became the default intercity train type in the US. That was my whole point. Amtrak and VIA adopted a premium product as their default intercity offering. That has nothing to do with HSR. They operate on shorter routes that would exist with or without HSR. It's sad that we don't have the HSR trains, but that has nothing to do with the Railjetification of American intercities. They're different products catering to different needs. And no, in general you don't want to use the much, much more expensive HSR/TGV trainsets on slow, short intercity routes. It's a waste of a train and a waste of money. You could try commuting to work in an F1 bolide too, but that would make about as much sense as using a 220 mph Alstom Avelia on 80 mph intercity track. That is to say, very little sense.
This is a train we all want. Mike congrats on the channel growth man. Cheers to 700k and beyond! Hope you, the family and the crew for DownieLive are doing well
The trains themselves are capable of 200km/h. Unfortunately until VIA gets more tracks of their own, they will be limited in speed due to their host railways.
Already planning a trip next spring to visit the entire Toronto to Quebec City corridor and I'll be so stoked if we're lucky enough to ride even one of these new trains. Thank you for sharing this with us and thanks to ViaRail for letting you ride along so we can see what's coming soon!
WOW! WOW! WOW! Thank you VIA Rail for allowing us to travel vicariously through Mike. It seems VIA has thought of everything! Great job! Mike, I'm so glad you got to go on this test run...pure joy emanated from your face.
When I saw the front of the train, I was thinking "That's one expensive snow shovel!" Very cool upgrade! That bathroom will really be a hit for anyone with a disability! I've recently had the "temporary" disability experience with a broken leg...and even HP bathrooms usually aren't that big.
Ouh, this train looks lovely. I have to go from Ottawa to Montreal from time to time for work and I usually take the train on business class. I can't wait to try this one.
@@tonywalters7298 No need for luck. Your whole conspiracy theory about "poor cold weather reliability" of the Chargers has been debunked. It turns out that when a bunch of teenage foamers make crap up no one believes them. Go figure!
Literally the same train. Yes, it's beautifully shot. But I've been on Brightline, Amtrak Midwest, and Railjet. All three versions are basically the same. The European version is on narrower loading gauge and less ADA-compliant. But everything else is virtually identical. The color of the trim is literally the only difference. The same plastics, the same lights, the same hardware, the same vianyl/leather, the same carpets. Everything is the same except the colors. Siemens does not do custom jobs. You're thinking of Stadler.
I would love to travel trains in the USA if they all were taken care of as the VIA. I feel USA doesn't want to slow down enough to enjoy such travel. Such a shame. Being in my 70's I would love to travel by train, I know I said that before but really truly mean travel to see the country would be fun. Sit back and enjoy the ride with out the worry. Thank you for this nice video. What a great train. Via are doing a great service to the public.
Trust Via Rail is in a worse position than Amtrak, they’re having a massive expansion and overhaul of their system while Via Rail is just getting new trains and the new High Frequency Rail and possibly the Corridor service will get privatized
Amtrak has similar rolling stock (minus the cab car) already in service in the Midwest and wants to replace its entire fleet (state-supported routes, long-distance, NEC) by the next decade. If it wasn‘t for them or Brightline, Via Rail wouldn‘t have been able to order these new trains. Via Rail doesn‘t seem to be doing that well from what I hear. There are barely any expansion plans and barely any funding, whereas Amtrak just received billions in federal funding and also many applications from cities, states, transit agencies, etc. for service expansion (as far as I know there‘s one program for long distance trains and another one for intercity trains). Amtrak‘s own proposal (ConnectUS) is not as ambitious.
They have this same/similar model of train in Germany on the DB... Coming from the US, it was a delightful experience to ride on their trains with so many well-thought-out features!
The only thing I'm wondering though, is will VIA uped their ticket prices because of these new trains? Or will they keep it the same as it is now? Thank you so much for this amazing tour! I can't WAIT to go to Montreal on this train! Love the content a lot!
We took our 4yr old on his first train ride just today! He LOVED it. After seeing this video, I went to my pictures and I think that train was next to us at the station! I even said, “wow, that one looks new”. Lol. I still found our seats comfortable and the bathroom was bright, but no comparison to that baby. I’m jealous now we didn’t have that one. Lol!
Bienvenue a Quebec, and all that Quebecois jazz! That is an absolutely amazing new train Canadian Rail has in service now! That bathroom looks like it should be on the Starship Enterprise D! You are most definitely blessed to have the job you have now...your enthusiasm is a great asset, selling point to get others to take the train, or ferry. Nicely done Downie-dude, well done.
People so excited for this. Japan has had such trains (even more advanced than this) for ages, a much smaller country, smaller economy, not even close to the Canadian wealth but still manages to provide first world quality to their citizens. It's 2023 and Canada is just starting to introduce this.
I have been following mike since he had about 20k subscribers, nice to see his channel grow. Still very underrated. Man just oozes positivity in a very natural way.
Ça paraît merveilleux. For the Usonians in the audience, -20 C is about - 1 F,, so not too cold for those of us who have lived along the northern tier of States. Also, if your goal is to make us jealous of your ability to go on such adventures and have such experiences, you have succeeded. Bravo!
![Taking the TRAIN across CANADA - Newfoundland [Ep. 1]](/img/n.gif)
🔥🔥🔥
Good job VIA!
When will we see them in service? Can we tell if it's a new train set when we book online?
@@zorznar its already in service on some trips between Ottawa and Montréal
I think that this is a good replacement for the Light Rapid Comfortable form the 1980s, but for economy seats in the long distance runs I want to be able to fully recline.
When you do get rid of your stainless steel Budd coaches, please consider donating them to museums; Their long careers are certainly noteworthy.
I can't wait to see these on the Kitchener Line from Union to Kitchener.
As a wheelchair user (in the UK), its refreshing to see someone take time to look at the adapted facilities aboard a mode of travel that has not always been an option to us. Thank you Mr Downie. I’m a long time fan of your channel, and its little things like this that mean I will be watching for a long time to come. Thank you.
this a joke 1 handicaped dumb by wagon hahahahaha!
part of the team was a guy in wheelchair ........ he did a amazing work
This is a jaw-droppingly amazing train!!!!! I am especially impressed with how Via makes every effort to accommodate those with mobility issues and those in wheelchairs.
50 years behind try again
It burns diesel and take 5 hours to go 500 km. That's completely unacceptable for a high income country.
@@cariboubearmalachy1174and…..when trains run with 3 people on them, they bleed money
@@ryanbarr2718 they have to test
If you want to see accessible trains done right, go to Switzerland. Level access from the platform and a completely step-free interior in their newer trains.
This dude is so underrated but still have the best content
Very Underrated!!
I randomly found him when they did the narrow boat series in the UK. Been watching all of the old and new videos since!
Train Comparison: Ranking of the World's Fastest Trains -
ua-cam.com/video/ivK-PHCMa80/v-deo.html
You do realize he has close to 700,000 subscribers right now?
Is he underrated though? I don't think so :D
That shot at 11:20 made me cry. So many people will now have access to that that never felt comfortable before. This truly is a miracle in my eyes as well as many others' I am sure. WELL DONE VIA!!! Kudos to your team and thank you always.
You said it!👍📣
How did you put in 11:20?
I got it!!
Wow. Thank you, VIA, for allowing Mike on the test train to show as all, what it can do and what features it has. I'm impressed! 👌👋👋👋
Hi Lilly!
I've literally been waiting for this train upgrade to go into service before planning a few trips. This is the class of service - I believe - Canadians will embrace. It may take a little time to actually get the word out there about how different and refreshed this experience will be, but if Via can keep pushing the word and get these rolled out fully, this could really be a hit.
The old trains are just .... very tired, bumpy, noisy, they just feel like we're wearing hand-me-downs from 1979. It's time to move on, this is the way to do it, good job Via!
Unfortunately i don't think it will be some grand revelation, because the real issue with trains is speed. I wish we'd build some highspeed rail in this country.
@@danielgertler5976 agreed, this is not just one big thing (as it were). The High Frequency Rail corridor project will need to be one additional piece that adds to the mix. Taking the new Siemens from Toronto to Montreal in far less then the current 5-ish hours will be a major new piece with trains being able to do 200kph in the new rail infrastructure. At that point you're competitive against air travel pain-in-the-ass time and frustration with a simpler walk-on experience on a nice modern train.
What powers this train?
@@QuiltedLily Cummins QSK95, 16-cylinder diesel engine providing 4200 hp. It's a tier 4 diesel.
You will still be waiting a while. I was just on a train a few days ago and had the pleasure of sitting with a member of the inspection team and he said even though the trains have arrived they still need to build repair bays and many more upgrades within the system. Also the first area to get the trains will be Ottawa so the politicians can get a better ride before the rest of us. He didn't say a timeline but when I suggested a year he sort of shrugged to suggest if we were lucky. As someone who travels the Windsor to Toronto portion I would be surprised if its ready by 2024
Looks like VIA Rail is going to have a thoroughly modern train suitable to our climate. Definitely a step up from the older stainless steel cars.
These are going on the Corridor Service.
For sure. Last time I went to Montreal on VIA, I felt that I was in a developing country. Loud cars, rocking left to right, bathroom was smelling because it didn't flush...
These new trains are for the Quebec Ontario Corridor lines. They'll never turn a wheel on long distance or remote routes. Story is the HEP2 cars will stay but not the LRC or Renaissance cars.
@@BobbyT-yj1cw You should travel outside of North Mérida and experience how good rail systems are like.
Yet, the Budd Stainless were of a much better ride than the crappy LRC's or Renaissance!
I am actually beyond impressed with VIA on the accessibility of this train! you won't see a bathroom like that on any Air Canada flights! Awesome job.
hah, I guess it's because trains are bigger than airliners
This is amazing, and great job ViaRail for making this train really accessible for me and other passengers with a disability!
yes, I'm in a chair too.
In europe all new train since the eralry 2000 have flat floor by law
how do you get on to the train with out a platform
@@vicgravelrides if the platform is at ground level they have wheelchair elevators, if it’s at door level it’s just a ramp that folds out
@BobbyT-yj1cw Holy shit. Did you miss your morning coffee? Well, you're serving up sour grapes. 😢
Dude you need to be the new Rick Mercer for CBC. You have a way of making these things interesting and engaging.
Via Rail Canada has outdone themselves with this new train design that is going into service. As a Canadian citizen and full-time wheelchair user the accessibility is absolutely amazing! Besides all of the space inside to move around with ease whether it's economy or business class it's amazing how much space is on that train, I could easily fit my power chair on the new train.
Another thing that really blows my mind is how accessible the bathrooms are on board the train, once again I could easily get my power chair inside. Plus the new built in wheelchair lift system to get passengers with disabilities on and off the train seamlessly built into a compact lift system built into the train instead of being a separate unit is a huge game changer! I'm really looking forward to the future of via rail Canada, and I would definitely take a trip on one of these new trains in a heartbeat when they come in to full-service!
Thanks for the ride!
This new train (called Venture) has been running between Montreal and Quebec since May 2023, I think. I had the chance to take it twice. Really love the space and the smoothness of the ride. They are made in Florin, California by Siemens. I was just surprised by the overhead bin. It is just a long shelf.. with no doors! The overview of the interior looks a bit messy when the shelf is full of lugages but the access is easier and there is more space.
Very nice to see a train company taking their time (before even starting regular service for everyone) to let a UA-camr onboard and explaining everything, testing everything - all while they operate their normal tests at the same time. Very nice train too! Regards from Denmark.
I love how accessible this train is!! Thanks for the tour.
You bet!
Me too!!!!! The little details that count!!!
Very cool to see a full review! A friend of mine was one of the people (he's a wheelchair user) who was consulted by VIA in the design phase of these cars so it's great to see how accessible they are
tell your friend thank you
How awesome that you got the opportunity to take the test run! I can’t think of anyone better than you to show off their new train. It really is a beautiful train, with so much space and light. I really like how wheelchair accessible it is, that lift was pretty smooth. Thank you for the video, Mike! Hopefully someday I can make it to Canada to enjoy it
SICK! Glad to see Via Rail finally updated their fleet! Much overdue! Hope to see some of the heritage fleet eventually get retired and preserved. The new rail sets are identical to Florida's Brightline!
Hope you guys up North are keeping safe with the wildfire situation that is currently ongoing. Hoping it comes to an end soon!
AWESOME! A fully accessible train! Go, Canada! This American is duly impressed.
It must be pretty amazing to ride a super-clean, brand new train even before the public gets to. I think that's a first, even for you. It's so well thought out, too.
It even has a sharps disposal for all the junkies that will be injecting drugs in the bathroom.
@Garry Sekelli It's for diabetics and others who need to inject for medical reasons. Hopefully most junkies won't be able to afford the fare.
@@aussiejohn5835 if I were a junkie and borded that train and saw that bizarre ass Hospital looking bathroom I would definitely see it as some sort of encouragement to do some train spotting. Like in the movie Train spotting, not the other interpretation which means photographing trains or something.
I rode on the LRC when it first came out, before it was in service. I worked for CN back then and they had an excursion for employees from Toronto to Oshawa and back.
VIA Rail made a excellent choice picking Mike Downie to do an intro video on their new trains. Being someone who uses VIA Rail trains a lot, I can't wait to get on these new ones. They totally ROCK!!
That looks like a great train, glad it is so accesible for everyone. Well done ViaRail.
I really hope so. It was the first time that we travelled needing accessibility. Wow, Via Rail from Halifax, for The Ocean: not helpful in the station…they blatantly did not know much about accessibility, and asked if we can do things ourselves, basically. Did not offer to send the person using golf cart, lift, nothing. I was thinking if I was not here with my senior parents on this trip that they would have been lost. No way can they carry the foldable wheelchair up three-four steps. They would not have asked about accessible room, dining table, nothing.
I got to take this train last week from Montreal to Quebec. It was amazing and definitely would get me using a train more often. I was impressed with the nice glasswear in business class also. The bathroom was humongous!
🎙Thank you @viarailcanada for the wonderful compliments about my voice over work! ❤ These trains look AMAZING! So honored to be a part of the experience! ❤ Thank you for the exclusive ride @downielive !😃 So cool to see it all! LOVE those bathrooms!!
your voice sounds so elegant and clean it really creates a formal and futuristic vibe i love it! good job and congratulations
@@jabindahed thank you for the compliments Jad! I appreciate that!
Lili! Fantastic job and thanks for riding along with every @viarailcanada passenger. My apologies for not spelling your name correctly, but I had never seen it written. Even this short snippet gave us some fun insight into the work you do. Keep it up!
@@DownieLive Thank you Mike! It's all good! It's spelled the French way, so not typical 🤣The fact that my name was even mentioned is amazing! Thanks again for the awesome tour!
Did you do the voice for the Reseau express métropolitain in Montréal too?
The rails in Canada used to be something to be proud of in this country. Then they decommissioned 20% of them. Now you can only get a train ride between limited major cities.
I can’t wait to take future trips from Toronto to Ottawa with Via now with their new trains!!
It looks so much more comfortable with all the space each person has.
It's still going to take more than 5 hours at an exorbitant ticket price unless you book 1 month beforehand. Weirdly flying economy is cheaper and quicker.
I’m in Australia and want to travel on that train so much. It looks absolutely beautiful and it’s fantastic that it is so accessible. Bravo VIARAIL (and thanks Mike)!
Austrailians are always welcome here in Canada! Commonwealth brothers :)
And at least via rail purchased something suitable unlike the previous nsw government with the NIF trains and the replacement xpt trains.
ON Rail (Ontario Northland Rwy) ordered 2 sets of these trains for it's Timmins to Toronto run.
That’s a cool and a “smart” train! Tech has evolved so much. I love seeing the new and also the older trains and other modes of transportation. Keep up these videos!!!!
I'm a simple man, I see a Mike video I click, watch and like. Keep up the great work!
So well said.
These new trains look amazing! Now to expand rail service in Canada so more people get to actually use them.
Wow Great train. Love how accessible it appears to be.
this was great!
As a Canadian I love seeing some of the cool new stuff coming to our country :) Way to go VIA Rails!
I love the mix of content on here. Love the more historic stuff but excited to see a video about the newer things as well
Glad to hear it!
I wish the US had trains this nice. I would consider using them for travel if that were the case
@@graymorality Amtrak is getting some similar trains with slightly different configurations, but I think the Via looks and functions better. Maybe it’s a bit of Canadian chauvinism showing lol.
Someone that I know very well uses a wheelchair and it sometimes gets difficult for her to get around when we travel, so I'm glad more accesibility features are a focus and are incorporated into the train!
You know you are a train geek when this is awesome video content. Thanks Mike!
I can’t wait to ride our new Via train. I love trains
Great preview of a thoughtfully designed train with lots of tech and convenience for all passengers. Thanks, Mike!
Got the privilege of riding on this train from Ottawa to Montreal about 2 weeks ago. They are beautiful trains with ample storage space, similar to an airplane with over head space. Also comfier seats and not so crammed. The new bathroom is also a huge improvement
The other day I rode through Ottawa's Railway station on a VIA train during a diversion and the conductors were proud to announce when the new train stood there. I noticed that they build in seats from the German ICE train into the LRC
This is most definitely what us Canadians need and want we need this in Toronto now
I've never been to Canada, but I can't wait for these awesome new trains to enter service! I hope I get to ride one of them if I ever visit Canada!
Visit Toronto!
Omg the lift! The train station in my dads town doesn’t have a lift and I always have to awkwardly ask the staff to carry my wheelchair off the train. This is such an amazing addition!
So modern and such a step change in improvement from the old sets - the designers have done such a great job with the branding honestly, the paint scheme, the stylised logo, seat design, everything!! 🙌🙌(the lift also shows just how far above the platform the train floor really is, never seen it like that lol)
We used ViaRail back in Jan to travel from Montréal to Québec and it was a great experience! Wish it was aboard this new train though!
Loving the new trains sets. It’s probably the closest Canada will ever get to high speed rail
Well thought out rail cars. So many great features. Love the roominess, and the built-in lift and steps ensures accessibility for everyone. Thank you Mike 👍
Great review on a great new train, Mike!! I hope the Canadian will get the same upgrade. I've wanted to do that cross country trip for ages!!
Alas, probably not. They might for the passengers who stay seated all the way, but the train would look odd with the old sleepers attached to modern cars. But who knows!
Thank you VIA…I’ve travelled almost 40 years with you. I’ve already booked two long distance trips this year. BRAVO 👏
I do like the coziness that older trains bring, however, I cant deny that these newer trains are definitely the right step forward for VIA in general. It seems like a very well-rounded train, and could possibly even open up more routes for them! I'm impressed :>
I think it looks brilliant! Here in the UK we've had automatic doors for a while but the thought put into accessibility on your new train is great. Our latest 'Ergonomically designed ' seats on our express trains are horribly hard and uncomfortable! We prefer the comfort of the 50 year old trains they replace!
What a beautiful train station 🚉 I feel like this would be so fun to decorate for the winter holidays - hot chocolate and grand lighting
There is a large forecourt outdoors with a fountain and a nice view of the Lower Town
The best part was “Thanks Lucy” 😂 Love it 😉
The best test train review I have seen. Well done Mike. This train looks incredible.
Glad you enjoyed it
Absolutely beautiful train ... and a wonderful introduction, so thank you Mike!
Glad you enjoyed it
I love this behind-the-scenes look! Thanks Viarail and all your kind employees. The comfort and accessibility of this train are amazing. But what about food service?! 😂😂
MIke, Thank you so much for showing off the accessibility of this train! As a person with a disability and a wheelchair user, i am super happy with the accessibility of this new train and can't wait to give it a try myself!
Brilliant video Mike, absolutely love it. As a Brit, this is restoring my faith in North American passenger rail! Now you just need to persuade VIA Rail Canada to start putting compartments with corridors in their business class carriages rather than leaving it open!
That wheelchair lift is so awesome! My daughter has special needs, and uses an adaptive stroller with transit hooks for the bus, so accessible transportation is really important. At the same time, having to take extra time to accommodate her does feel a little embarrassing since we’re holding up the service.
something America should of had 20 years ago.
Super job! Took my first ever VIA ride one week ago (London-YYZ), and that one was already impressive. I live in the US, and this is way beyond anything I’ve been in here. Love all the new features, even the volume-control thingy. I hate too-loud announcements! In addition to that train, if my hair were to regrow, I’d want it to be like yours.
Canada just bragging now lol
Richard n his specifics regarding consistent speech within recordings was cool. Kinda similar to retakes when recording an album.
Great video as always, keep it up.
Wish Via Rail would bring back the Trans Canada that started from St.Johns, Newfoundland to Vancouver, B.C. with all these new trains. That would be amazing.
Looking forward to when these get deployed to the public. I take VIA regularly through the Ottawa-Toronto corridor and the older trains are seriously showing their age. Now if only we could get bullet trains built in this country!
We love it. I've tried it now and although it was a long wait, Canadians now have the train they deserve. And with bus service in the corridor spotty, VIA is going to clean up. Thanks for sharing.
"Canadians now have the train they deserve". You mean Canadians in Ontario and Quebec have the train they deserve.
You Canadian peeps have it made seriously! Beautiful train, excellent presentation as always!
Lol it's useless to travel Canada 😆😆😆it won't last
maybe take a look and see how expensive tickets on via rail cost... let alone the sleepers and cabins.
That looks great. Love the sand for the train. Never herd of that before.
As I have written on the old trains last year I can totally understand how thrilled you are. As a European nonetheless it just seems like any other train here - welcome to modern trains Canada. Don’t get me wrong VIA Rail did an awesome job maintaining the old trains (something most European train operators are not able to) and the Eurostar sleeper coaches are beyond any other seat coaches I travelled on, but train travel really had to go some steps further to be excellent in Canada. The new trains are the right direction (no stop weighing suitcases, boarding procedure, etc.).
Not exactly "like any other train" there. These are based on OBB's Railjet Siemens trainsets. The Siemens Charger is an Americanized Vectron, and the Venture cars are the US version of the Viaggio Comfort cars. This is rolling stock from a pretty bougie express "near HSR" service (up to 140 mph or 225 kph).
Amtrak and VIA are effectively standardizing a premium European express train for most of the intercity services on the continent. I know that you Europeans are not used to Amtrak and VIA giving you a run for your money, but this is genuinely a much nicer train than the average European intercity. They're definitely raising the bar.
@@TohaBgood2 the "average European Intercity" is not as nice because this kind of train is running out. The big countries rely on high-speed services and those are who are the fathers of the VIA rail coaches as you already said. In fact you have to compare the new VIA rail coaches to the new Velaro ICEs or the newest set of Stadler trains etc. Sure you can't really compare them as high-speed train are built differently and the travel times in Europe are mostly alot shorter than the ones in Canada
@@castlehighschool The bulk of the train travel in Europe will still happen on the intercities for the foreseeable decades. You'll see a few more equipment generations of conventional intercity trains before speeds increase.
And that's not because of the rolling stock. There just aren't that many new HSR lines planned in Europe. There are some and that is good. But the entire east and north have zero HSR lines and no feasible plans to introduce them. That's not going to change likely within your lifetime.
Plus, the intercities won't go anywhere just like trams didn't with the introduction of subways. They cover a different use case that won't go away. Even in the most heavily HSR EU countries the bulk of train travel is on regular speed trains.
@@TohaBgood2 that's wrong. High-speed trains don't necessarily go on high-speed lines. In fact you have different price ranges in Europe. Intercities are not the same as the high-speed trains. The high-speed trains (category A) have swept the Intercity in countries like Germany, Austria and France. The Eastern European countries are a different story but even there they are more and more using the class A products such as the railjet
@@castlehighschool And your "Class A" Railjet product just became the default intercity train type in the US. That was my whole point. Amtrak and VIA adopted a premium product as their default intercity offering. That has nothing to do with HSR. They operate on shorter routes that would exist with or without HSR. It's sad that we don't have the HSR trains, but that has nothing to do with the Railjetification of American intercities. They're different products catering to different needs.
And no, in general you don't want to use the much, much more expensive HSR/TGV trainsets on slow, short intercity routes. It's a waste of a train and a waste of money.
You could try commuting to work in an F1 bolide too, but that would make about as much sense as using a 220 mph Alstom Avelia on 80 mph intercity track. That is to say, very little sense.
This is a train we all want.
Mike congrats on the channel growth man. Cheers to 700k and beyond!
Hope you, the family and the crew for DownieLive are doing well
That's awesome, thank you for sharing this with us. I'm in the US but now I want to take VIA trains and experience Canada!! ❤️🇨🇦🚄
Amtrak has also bought a lot of these Siemens train sets to replace their fleet.
That large washroom will be great for those who want to join the metre high club.
New trains are nice, but I would really love some higher speed trains on the via network to cut down travel times.
The trains themselves are capable of 200km/h. Unfortunately until VIA gets more tracks of their own, they will be limited in speed due to their host railways.
Already planning a trip next spring to visit the entire Toronto to Quebec City corridor and I'll be so stoked if we're lucky enough to ride even one of these new trains. Thank you for sharing this with us and thanks to ViaRail for letting you ride along so we can see what's coming soon!
WOW! WOW! WOW!
Thank you VIA Rail for allowing us to travel vicariously through Mike. It seems VIA has thought of everything! Great job! Mike, I'm so glad you got to go on this test run...pure joy emanated from your face.
I love the tablet in the bathroom with the camera on it 👍🏽
When I saw the front of the train, I was thinking "That's one expensive snow shovel!"
Very cool upgrade! That bathroom will really be a hit for anyone with a disability! I've recently had the "temporary" disability experience with a broken leg...and even HP bathrooms usually aren't that big.
Ouh, this train looks lovely. I have to go from Ottawa to Montreal from time to time for work and I usually take the train on business class. I can't wait to try this one.
Those trains really do epic, impressed with some of the features. Great video.
Great job VIA! They're a huge improvement over the current trains.
Dear Amtrak, please take note of what's possible with Siemens Venture coaches. ❤
Hopefully Amtrak equips them the same for the northeast regional fleet they just ordered.
@@hi55us2 Hopefully VIA has better luck with reliability in cold weather
@@tonywalters7298 No need for luck. Your whole conspiracy theory about "poor cold weather reliability" of the Chargers has been debunked. It turns out that when a bunch of teenage foamers make crap up no one believes them. Go figure!
Literally the same train. Yes, it's beautifully shot. But I've been on Brightline, Amtrak Midwest, and Railjet. All three versions are basically the same. The European version is on narrower loading gauge and less ADA-compliant. But everything else is virtually identical. The color of the trim is literally the only difference.
The same plastics, the same lights, the same hardware, the same vianyl/leather, the same carpets. Everything is the same except the colors. Siemens does not do custom jobs. You're thinking of Stadler.
@@TohaBgood2 I think the seats on the Amtrak Midwest cars aren't as nice as these
Impressive! Thanks Mike for the tour.
I would love to travel trains in the USA if they all were taken care of as the VIA. I feel USA doesn't want to slow down enough to enjoy such travel. Such a shame. Being in my 70's I would love to travel by train, I know I said that before but really truly mean travel to see the country would be fun. Sit back and enjoy the ride with out the worry. Thank you for this nice video. What a great train. Via are doing a great service to the public.
Trust Via Rail is in a worse position than Amtrak, they’re having a massive expansion and overhaul of their system while Via Rail is just getting new trains and the new High Frequency Rail and possibly the Corridor service will get privatized
Amtrak has similar rolling stock (minus the cab car) already in service in the Midwest and wants to replace its entire fleet (state-supported routes, long-distance, NEC) by the next decade. If it wasn‘t for them or Brightline, Via Rail wouldn‘t have been able to order these new trains.
Via Rail doesn‘t seem to be doing that well from what I hear. There are barely any expansion plans and barely any funding, whereas Amtrak just received billions in federal funding and also many applications from cities, states, transit agencies, etc. for service expansion (as far as I know there‘s one program for long distance trains and another one for intercity trains). Amtrak‘s own proposal (ConnectUS) is not as ambitious.
They have this same/similar model of train in Germany on the DB... Coming from the US, it was a delightful experience to ride on their trains with so many well-thought-out features!
The only thing I'm wondering though, is will VIA uped their ticket prices because of these new trains? Or will they keep it the same as it is now? Thank you so much for this amazing tour! I can't WAIT to go to Montreal on this train! Love the content a lot!
Thanks for showing us how Canada is doing great work on providing rail access to all!!
I love your vids keep up the good work
Love taking the corridor. Can't wait for this beauty!
im sure europeans are just like 'yep weve had that for a decade' lol
Literally looks like the S-Bahn trains I rode in Germany in 2006-7... We're so "streets behind"
New trains old trains all slow no big difference, just have a highspeed train already pls it's been 40 years
We took our 4yr old on his first train ride just today! He LOVED it. After seeing this video, I went to my pictures and I think that train was next to us at the station! I even said, “wow, that one looks new”. Lol. I still found our seats comfortable and the bathroom was bright, but no comparison to that baby. I’m jealous now we didn’t have that one. Lol!
Bienvenue a Quebec, and all that Quebecois jazz! That is an absolutely amazing new train Canadian Rail has in service now! That bathroom looks like it should be on the Starship Enterprise D! You are most definitely blessed to have the job you have now...your enthusiasm is a great asset, selling point to get others to take the train, or ferry. Nicely done Downie-dude, well done.
People so excited for this. Japan has had such trains (even more advanced than this) for ages, a much smaller country, smaller economy, not even close to the Canadian wealth but still manages to provide first world quality to their citizens. It's 2023 and Canada is just starting to introduce this.
Brand new train with all its features and comfort embarking from the classic and decorated old station. Its the best of both worlds combined
I have been following mike since he had about 20k subscribers, nice to see his channel grow. Still very underrated. Man just oozes positivity in a very natural way.
I appreciate that!
Looks super awesome and extremely wheelchair friendly!! Can't wait for Ontario Northland to receive theirs.
Ça paraît merveilleux. For the Usonians in the audience, -20 C is about - 1 F,, so not too cold for those of us who have lived along the northern tier of States. Also, if your goal is to make us jealous of your ability to go on such adventures and have such experiences, you have succeeded. Bravo!
I never knew I liked trains so much until I stumbled upon this channel. Thank you sir!
Thanks for sharing the accessibility features. As a wheelchair user, this is so helpful.
We are taking that train in Jan 2024 from Montreal to Quebec City and back. Can’t wait!