Not the nicest day out today, but a successful shakedown test completed! Mostly couldn’t record as I was driving, but got a few seconds as we headed back to the shop. Lots of little things and cosmetic things still need sorting out, there’s still months of work ahead for that, but it’s finally a reliable vehicle at this point 😄 #choochoo

@sen i could watch first person speeder videos all day 😻

are those decommissioned VIA passenger cars on the left?

@vga256 Sort of, not their usual coaches but self-propelled ones with diesel engines built in. We bought 5 of them when they were getting rid of them all. We run 2 in regular service, are in the middle of stripping one (that was in very rough shape) for parts before we scrap what’s left, and these two are pending restoration using some of those parts.
@sen whoa crazy. didnt even know those existed.
@vga256 they’re super weird, in a lot of ways they’re just two busses glued together and with railway wheels put on. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_Rail_Diesel_Car
Budd Rail Diesel Car - Wikipedia

@vga256 @sen thé RDCs in service on the Sudbury White River line were totally rebuilt circa 2010 with new engines etc. alas, when the government cancelled the LRC rebuild projects, the company (IRSC in Moncton ) went under so VIA only got a few rebuilt RDCs. TVO has a 3 hour doc on train 185. Tripping 185. https://youtu.be/tztis9fKMiI?si=Jh_ICYV-GBHHvm2Q
Immersive railway POV through Canadian Shield in 4K | TRIPPING Train 185 (2023) | TVO Original

YouTube
@jfmezei merci pour le documentaire - c’est 👌🏽