[RU479]

I think the thought of paying big money to refurbish something and then not using it is dumb. The cars should definitely be cycled out into service sometimes, especially at the expense of unrefurbished cars.

The only unrefurbished old cab cars that still are used is 251-257 (most of which aren't even being used now), the rest are all CEM Cab Cars.

There is also the supposed fact that they can't lead right now because apparently the electronics in the cab weren't re-installed after their deactivation.

 

[smallspy]

I think the thought of paying big money to refurbish something and then not using it is dumb.

You're right, it is.

But when the decision made is a political one, sometimes logic has to exit the equation.

Dan

 

[RU479]

You're right, it is.

But when the decision made is a political one, sometimes logic has to exit the equation.

Dan

What do you mean by political?

 

[cplchanb]

What do you mean by political?

Jobs.... northbay needs jobs... so they found work for the ON plant. Even if it's at best half meaningful. Then again why the hell are they delivering without electronics?? Half done job prematurely delivered only to sit idle and waste more money in storage and then another refurb just to bring them to service standards!??! Talk about waste of time and money


Edit: corrected plant location

 

[RU479]

Jobs.... thunder bay needs jobs... so they found work for the Alstom plant. Even if it's at best half meaningful. Then again why the hell are they delivering without electronics?? Half done job prematurely delivered only to sit idle and waste more money in storage and then another refurb just to bring them to service standards!??! Talk about waste of time and money

Well it'd be the Ontario Northland plant in North Bay but I see your point.

I also don't think they'd need much work to install the electronics back into the cab. Just a matter of when they see a need for them to be using them right now.

 

[SaugeenJunction]

What do you want them to do? Switch out active cab cars for the older ones just 'cause? Until service increases there’s no need to use the cab cars

I’m at least surprised they haven’t put one as a train lead to give it a good sweat test. Usually when one gets a new product you want to use it to work out any kinks that may exist. Others here have said the electronics are yet to be installed, but again surprised that one hasn’t been pressed into service for rigorous live tests.

 

[RU479]

I’m at least surprised they haven’t put one as a train lead to give it a good sweat test. Usually when one gets a new product you want to use it to work out any kinks that may exist. Others here have said the electronics are yet to be installed, but again surprised that one hasn’t been pressed into service for rigorous live tests.

Guessing the testing right now is with having it be the car behind the loco. 206 is the only one set to do that right now as it's facing east, I expect once it's given the go ahead to lead the others ones delivered will all be quickly rolled into service.

 

[cplchanb]

Well it'd be the Ontario Northland plant in North Bay but I see your point.

I also don't think they'd need much work to install the electronics back into the cab. Just a matter of when they see a need for them to be using them right now.

thanks for the correction.

Its still an unnecessary doubling of labour when they couldve done all the enabling works at the plant. there is no reason to deliver a shell, especially since they already invested heavily to bring them back as a cab car.

 

[smallspy]

Jobs.... northbay needs jobs... so they found work for the ON plant. Even if it's at best half meaningful. Then again why the hell are they delivering without electronics?? Half done job prematurely delivered only to sit idle and waste more money in storage and then another refurb just to bring them to service standards!??! Talk about waste of time and money


Edit: corrected plant location

This is it. The Provincial Government was looking for a way to keep North Bay busy and those people employed, and giving them a contract from another Government Agency is a great way to do it. It isn't the first time, and it won't be the last.

I'm not sure what electronics you think that they are or aren't installing, however. The isn't much in terms of electronics in the cars, unless they have also decided to update them to Cat5 - which I don't believe they have.

Dan

 

[RU479]

I'm not sure what electronics you think that they are or aren't installing, however. The isn't much in terms of electronics in the cars, unless they have also decided to update them to Cat5 - which I don't believe they have.

Dan

From what I’ve been told, all the wiring in the cab needed to have the cab car control the locomotive were severed when they were deactivated in 2016, however MX seemingly did not ask ONR to reconnect them once refurbished, which is why they haven’t led any trains.

 

[cplchanb]

I guess I answered my own question.... they probably left out the electronics intentionally so that they can give people jobs to do the installation separately.

 

[smallspy]

From what I’ve been told, all the wiring in the cab needed to have the cab car control the locomotive were severed when they were deactivated in 2016, however MX seemingly did not ask ONR to reconnect them once refurbished, which is why they haven’t led any trains.

You were told wrong. Wires was unplugged, not cut. Air pipes were cut and sealed, but that's a relatively easy thing to undo.

In any case, the cars coming back from ONR are apparently complete, and other than doing whatever needs to be done in PDI, ready to go.

Dan

 

[RU479]

You were told wrong. Wires was unplugged, not cut. Air pipes were cut and sealed, but that's a relatively easy thing to undo.

In any case, the cars coming back from ONR are apparently complete, and other than doing whatever needs to be done in PDI, ready to go.

Dan

I see, then I'm guessing it's just a matter of when GO sees it fit to enter them into service.

Perhaps in 2024-2025 when those 13 diesel locomotives may or may not arrive for service improvements that might or might not happen.

 

[Bordercollie]

I see, then I'm guessing it's just a matter of when GO sees it fit to enter them into service.

Perhaps in 2024-2025 when those 13 diesel locomotives may or may not arrive for service improvements that might or might not happen.

What about smarttrack? Is that going to be using different rolling stock?

 

[Willybru21]

What about smarttrack? Is that going to be using different rolling stock?

No it isn’t, it’s just 5 new GO stations now, honestly I’m surprised everyone doesn’t know that at this point, the original SmartTrack has been dead for years