Caption: Early Thursday it had been confirmed that the first of the Nippon-Sharyo Diesel Multiple Units for the Union Pearson Express were on their way to Toronto. With this equipment poised to make significant impact on passenger rail in the Greater Toronto Area, it was only fitting to attempt to see them as they first arrived, despite the less than favourable photography weather and threatening clouds. I am surprised that I was not caught outside in the rain!
Before this train approached the Brampton Intermodal Terminal, a new 148 called himself out to head east, interestingly also symboled Q14891 13, leading to an interesting discussion between the crew and RTC. The RTC explained that since the trains were operating with identical symbols, they could not both be on the main track at the same time. The new 148 would not be able to leave until after the original 148 had entered the BIT. After making great time over the Dundas and Halton Subs, just 25 minutes from Mansewood to Torbram, this monster of a train ground to a crawl to enter the BIT. Those in the queues on Torbram Road not too impatient to watch the train slowly rumble by were rewarded with the sight of the new DMUs a whopping 29 minutes after the automatic warning devices were first activated. The delay was so lengthy that there was even an accumulation of pedestrian traffic - a rarity in the industrial jungle of the area - and a few of the pedestrians pulled out smartphones at the sight of the DMUs. I haven't found any of their photos on Twitter or Instagram, but the posts are likely to start popping up once the public becomes aware of the arrival.
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Strange route these units took from Japan. They arrived via the Panama Canal into Georgia and on rail up to Illinois then off to Ontario. Why not into Prince Rupert, BC? Last photo I saw had them in Oakville. So why in Brampton here? Are they taking the scenic route?
These cars are to be built at Rochelle, IL. How much work was actually done there versus in Japan I am unaware, but given the final assembly in the US, importing the unfinished cars via Canada wouldn’t make much sense.
As for Brampton, they were brought into Canada on a train that does not work Aldershot and which does not pass Oakville or Mimico. Nothing out of the ordinary here.
Japan built the car body … Fitted out in Rochelle .. Cars come without engines.. trucks come separately and all wiring and control and passenger comfort are done in Illinois …
Fox