The Feds announced a new Stadler Rail Facility in Montreal this morning, to build 36 new long distance locomotives for VIA Rail. Additional early models will be built by Stadler in Spain. These locomotives will be used on the Non-Corridor routes, including the Ocean, Canadian, Prince Rupert and Churchill trains.

The renderings bear a resemblance to the EMD F125, which was built from 2015-2021 for Metrolink in California. EMD is now Progress Rail, and is owned by Caterpillar. The F125 was built with design assistance from Vossloh Rail Vehicles of Spain, which was acquired by Stadler in part due to their ability to build licensed designs from Progress Tail. The F125 is a Eurolite variant, Which are powered by a Cat diesel.

The new locomotives are hybrid, and feature ABB Battery technology that is also made in Quebec. Diesel locomotives are generally hybrid now, with the diesel motor turning a generator which delivers power to electric traction motors to drive the train. Through a process called dynamic breaking, the traction motors can become generators, and assist in slowing the train. the power generated is dissipated as heat in the large flared blister you can see on the top of Locomotives. The addition of a battery means that waste energy can be captured and stored and used to improve power efficiency on the train.

Stadler Manufactures thier FLRT series of trains in Utah for North American Sales. Ottawa’s O-Train Line 2 runs with 7 Stadler FLRT Train sets. Stadler trains also operate in the Swiss Alps (Bernina Express, Glacier Express, and others), Norway and kazakstan. Stadler also built dome cars for the Rockey Mountaineer, which means they have a good chance of supplying the long distance train sets for VIA Rail.

VIA Recently put Siemens Charger Locomotives and Venture trainsets into service on the corridor to replace the GE P42DC locomotives and mix of LRC, REN and BUDD coaches in use, all of which are past their service lives.

UPDATE: Stadler has posted a release with more details. the project also calls for 20 years of support. read the release at https://www.stadlerrail.com/en/media/media-releases/stadler-to-supply-45-hybrid-locomotives-to-via-rail