This website has been archived from TrainWeb.org/web_lurker to TrainWeb.US/web_lurker.

VIA Rail Canada

photo above {Steve Brown} VIA took over Canadian Passenger service and assumed the ownership of the ex Milwaukee Pullman Standard "Superdome" cars from Canadian National in March 1978, and the Budd domes originally purchased by Canadian Pacific in August 1978. Of the 18 "Park" series observation domes (each named for a Canadian park), one had been wrecked prior to VIA, and 3 more ran as VIA but were not converted to HEP and were stored, leaving 14 active. Additionally, one additional observation dome was purchased from D&RGW - it also was stored unrebuilt. Of the 18 "Skyline" midtrain domes of CP, 2 were wrecked and one was burned, leaving 15 active. One additional car was wrecked 4/2001 and is being rebuilt using parts from the burned car (expected to return to service in 2002). The "Skyline" dome-coffee shop cars were named as such in paying a tribute to the famous (at least in Canada) "Skyline Trail Hikers of the Canadian Rockies". This group was founded during 1933 and was comprised of a number of avid ("foamers"?) mountain climbers/hikers. VIA also purchased 7 more mid-train domes built for US roads, all stored unrebuilt. VIA runs domes on the 'Canadian', 'Skeena' and the 'Ocean', and as of 1/1/2000, domes were in operation on Montreal-Senneterre and the 'Enterprise' Montreal-Toronto service ('Enterprise' dome service discontinued in 2002). At 2001, the Senneterre service no longer had domes, and the seasonal 'Bras d'Or' used 'Ocean' domes on "off" days. In 2003 new equipment replaced domes on the "Ocean" and "Enterprise", although domes were occasionally seen running on the 'Enterprise' as late as 4/03. In 2003 VIA also purchased the low-level "glasstops" from discontinued BCR 'Northwind' service to supplement the "Skeena". The cars have retained the BCR numbers (1720-21-22) but have a new paint job. The interior remains the same. In 11/09 VIA shipped the frist 2 of 4 "Park" cars (LAURENTIDE and KOOTENAY) to Avalon Rail in USA for conversion to "luxury" service including larger bedrooms.

(photo above - VIA maintenance facility - Vancouver {PBK Architects} (click the links below for photos and history of each dome) "Park" observations (pre HEP) VIA 15501 CP 15401 - Algonquin Park - stored unrebuilt - sold late 2003/early 2004 to Bill Harman VIA 15502 CP 15402 - see VIA 8702 VIA 15503 CP 15403 - see VIA 8703 VIA 15504 CP 15404 - see VIA 8704 VIA 15505 (no such number - CP15405 "Fundy Park" wrecked prior to formation of VIA) VIA 15506 CP 15406 - see VIA 8706 VIA 15507 CP 15407 - see VIA 8707 VIA 15508 CP 15408 - see VIA 8708 VIA 15509 CP 15409 - see VIA 8709 VIA 15510 CP 15410 - see VIA 8710 VIA 15511 CP 15411 - see VIA 8711 VIA 15512 CP 15412 - Riding Mountain Park - stored unrebuilt - sold late 2003/early 2004 to Harry Purnell VIA 15513 CP 15413 - Sibley Park - sold 2004 to Canadian Rail Museum Delson Quebec VIA 15514 CP 15414 - see VIA 8714 VIA 15515 CP 15415 - see VIA 8715 VIA 15516 CP 15416 - see VIA 8716 VIA 15517 CP 15417 - see VIA 8717 VIA 15518 CP 15418 - see VIA 8718 VIA 15519 DRG 1145 - Jasper Park/Silver Sky(ex California Zephyr) - stored unrebuilt - sold late 2003/early 2004 to Bill Harman "Superdomes" VIA 2700 MILW 50 - Jasper - sold VIA 2701 MILW 53 - Athabasca - sold VIA 2702 MILW 54 - Yellowhead - sold VIA 2703 MILW 56 - Fraser - sold VIA 2704 MILW 51 - QuAppele - sold VIA 2705 MILW 52 - Columbia - sold "Skylines" (pre HEP) VIA 500 CP 500 - see VIA 8500 VIA 501 CP 501 - see VIA 8501 VIA 502 CP 502 - see VIA 8502 VIA 503 CP 503 - see VIA 8503 VIA 504 CP 504 - see VIA 8504 VIA 505 CP 505 - see VIA 8505 VIA 506 CP 506 - see VIA 8506 VIA 507 CP 507 - see VIA 8507 VIA 508 CP 508 - wrecked - not HEP rebuilt VIA 509 CP 509 - see VIA 8509 VIA 510 CP 510 - see VIA 8510 VIA 511 CP 511 - see VIA 8511 VIA 512 CP 512 - see VIA 8512 VIA 513 CP 513 - wrecked - prior to HEP rebuild VIA 514 CP 514 - see VIA 8514 VIA 515 CP 515 - see VIA 8515 VIA 516 CP 516 - see VIA 8516 VIA 517 CP 517 - see VIA 8517 VIA 518 CBQ 254 - Silver Kettle(ex Denver Zephyr) -stored & stripped. Sold to Gateway Coach/Ben Butterworth and moved to USA 12/06-1/07 VIA 519 DRG 1140 - Silver Shop(ex California Zephyr) at MMC - stored unrebuilt. Sold 5/06 to Phil Sheridan and moved to USA 12/06-1/07 VIA 520 SPS 1332(ex Empire Builder) - stored & stripped. Sold to Gateway Coach/Ben Butterworth and moved to USA 12/06-1/07 VIA 521 CBQ 1334(ex Empire Builder) - stored & stripped. Sold to Gateway Coach/Ben Butterworth and moved to USA 12/06-1/07 VIA 522 WP 817 - Silver Thistle(ex California Zephyr) - stored unrebuilt. Sold to Mike Gresham and moved to USA 12/06-1/07 VIA 523 CBQ 321 - Silver Patio(ex Kansas City Zephyr) at MMC - stored & stripped. Sold to Mike Gresham and moved to USA 12/06-1/07 VIA 524 CBQ 4726 - Silver River(ex Twin Zephyr) at MMC - stored & stripped. Sold to Gateway Coach/Ben Butterworth and moved to USA 12/06-1/07 "Skylines" (HEP rebuilds) VIA 8500 VIA/CP 500 VIA 8501 VIA/CP 501 VIA 8502 VIA/CP 502 VIA 8503 VIA/CP 503 - wreck damage 4/12/01 Stewiacke NS - being rebuilt as of 8/2001. VIA 8504 VIA/CP 504 - wrecked 1/31/05 Evansburg AB VIA 8505 VIA/CP 505 VIA 8506 VIA/CP 506 VIA 8507 VIA/CP 507 VIA 8508 (no such number - see VIA 508) VIA 8509 VIA/CP 509 VIA 8510 VIA/CP 510 VIA 8511 VIA/CP 511 VIA 8512 VIA/CP 512 VIA 8513 (no such number - see VIA 513) VIA 8514 VIA/CP 514 - burned in fire - being scrapped to repair 8503 as of 8/2001 VIA 8515 VIA/CP 515 VIA 8516 VIA/CP 516 VIA 8517 VIA/CP 517 VIA 8718 (no such number - see VIA 518) VIA 8719 (no such number - see VIA 519) VIA 8720 (no such number - see VIA 520) VIA 8721 (no such number - see VIA 521) VIA 8722 (no such number - see VIA 522) VIA 8723 (no such number - see VIA 523) VIA 8724 (no such number - see VIA 524) "Park" observations (HEP rebuilds) VIA 8701 (no such number - see VIA 15501) VIA 8702 VIA 15502/CP 15402 - Assiniboine Park VIA 8703 VIA 15503/CP 15403 - Banff Park VIA 8704 VIA 15504/CP 15404 - Evangeline Park VIA 8705 (no such number - CP 15405 "Fundy Park" wrecked prior to formation of VIA) VIA 8706 VIA 15506/CP 15406 - Glacier Park VIA 8707 VIA 15507/CP 15407 - Kokanee Park VIA 8708 VIA 15508/CP 15408 - Kootenay Park - 11/09 began conversion to "Luxury" service. VIA 8709 VIA 15509/CP 15409 - Laurentide Park - 11/09 began conversion to "Luxury" service. VIA 8710 VIA 15510/CP 15410 - Prince Albert Park VIA 8711 VIA 15511/CP 15411 - Revelstoke Park VIA 8712 (no such number - see VIA 15512) VIA 8713 (no such number - see VIA 15513) VIA 8714 VIA 15514/CP 15414 - Strathcona Park VIA 8715 VIA 15515/CP 15415 - Tremblant Park VIA 8716 VIA 15516/CP 15416 - Tweedsmuir Park VIA 8717 VIA 15517/CP 15417 - Waterton Park VIA 8718 VIA 15518/CP 15418 - Yoho Park VIA 8719 (no such number - see VIA 15519)