This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
4/6/2026
Last week, VIA Rail Canada Inc. announced a CA$150 million modernization program for its entire fleet of 56 Chateau and Manor sleeper cars over the next five years.
The company contracted CAD Railway Industries to upgrade the cars’ key systems and interiors to improve comfort, reliability and onboard amenities for passengers travelling on The Ocean and The Canadian long-distance routes.
"By modernizing these sleeper cars, we are enhancing comfort and reliability for our passengers, supporting skilled Canadian jobs and ensuring our services continue to meet expectations as we renew our fleet over the coming decade,” said VIA Rail President and CEO Mathieu Paquette in a press release.
Over the coming years, the company plans to progressively renew the trains serving its long-distance, regional and remote networks. The procurement process for new locomotives and passenger cars is already underway, with full fleet replacement expected over the next decade, VIA Rail officials said.
Meanwhile, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is purchasing 24 rail cars from Exo in Quebec, Canada, as part of an ongoing effort to bolster the authority’s Regional Rail fleet.
Funding for the $8.6 million purchase comes from the nearly $220 million in additional capital dollars allocated by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro in November 2025 to support SEPTA’s urgent safety upgrades and infrastructure improvements.
SEPTA had been in contact with transit agencies across North America in recent months about potential rail-car purchases following Federal Railroad Administration-mandated inspections and repairs of its 50-year-old Silverliner IV fleet instituted last fall.
SEPTA is currently working out the logistics to transport the Exo cars from Montreal, with a timeline for placing them into service to be developed later in spring. The cars’ doors and other systems will be modified to meet SEPTA’s standards.