(The Canadian Press circulated the following story by Jonathan Montpetit on December 12.)
MONTREAL — Via Rail has signed a $101.5-million deal to overhaul its fleet of aging F40 locomotives and transform the rusting dinosaurs into efficient workhorses for its passenger service.
Via announced yesterday that 53 F40s — about 70 per cent of its fleet — will be refurbished by CAD Railway Services Ltd., which is wholly owned by Global Railway Industries Ltd.
The retrofit will be conducted at CAD’s Montreal factory and aims to extend the life of the 20-year-old F40s while also making them more environmentally friendly.
Financing for the project will come from the $691.9 million the federal government set aside this fall to improve the sustainability and reliability of passenger-rail service in the country.
Federal Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon joined Via Rail president Paul Cote at CAD’s Montreal factory for yesterday’s announcement.
“The rebuilt locomotives will provide more reliable service to Canadians in all regions of the country,” Cannon said.
“Not only is this investment good for the environment but it will also allow us to improve the punctuality of the trains.”
Cote, flanked by both an aging F40 and a recently refurbished prototype, stressed the changes are not merely cosmetic.