Passenger trips to take longer in Ontario and Quebec after CN rule change: Via

Passengers riding on Via Rail's most heavily travelled corridor may endure a slower trip after Canadian National Railway Co. imposed requirements on Via's new trains. New passenger trains sit on the tracks at the Via Rail Canada Maintenance Centre in Montreal, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (The Canadian Press/Christinne Muschi)

Passengers riding on Via Rail's most heavily travelled corridor may endure a slower trip after Canadian National Railway Co. imposed restrictions on Via's new trains.

CN last Friday said that Via's recently arrived Siemens trainsets running between Montreal and Windsor, Ont., must lower their speed at public crossings.

Via says the rule — previously in effect only between Montreal and Quebec City — is causing delays of about 30 minutes per train on average.

It says no incidents at level crossings have been reported since the 16 Venture trains now operating first hit the rails two years ago.

CN, which owns most of the tracks used by Via in Central Canada, says it made the decision when it learned the new trains were traversing routes they had previously steered clear of.

The company says that in order to maintain higher speeds through crossings, Via would need to add cars to the new trainsets in order to raise their axle count for reasons tied to signalling and speed detection.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:CNR)