Tuesday’s federal budget gives approval for procuring a new Via fleet, something the company has been requesting for years. Via’s current fleet of locomotives and passenger cars is 40 years old on average, and has been stretched beyond its normal life expectancy. In press materials released after the budget, Via says it expects the new trains will be operating by 2022. There’s no firm deadline yet for making a decision, and the budget allocates another $8 million over three years for study work. Via’s proposal could face competition for funding from other rail projects such as a high-speed rail line between Toronto and Windsor, which the Ontario government is eyeing.

Source: National Post February 28, 2018 20:15 UTC