On December 1, 2023 the VHA announced that we acquired three “new” rail cars. These three cars included two Dayniter cars and a baggage car.
The two Dayniters were built in 1954 by Canadian Car & Foundry for the Canadian National Railways, and were originally numbered 5453 and 5605.
They were rebuilt into “Dayniters” in the 1970s. The intent of the Dayniters was to provide an experience midway between coach and sleeper accommodations. The Dayniter seats recline, and they have leg and foot rests, along with a tray on the seat back. The floors were carpeted to provide a quieter experience.
5605 became 5700, and 5453 became 5714.
These cars became surplus to VIA in the early 1990s and were acquired by Ontario Northland Railway.
The VHA took ownership of the cars in North Bay, Ontario and had them shipped to a location near Guelph, Ontario for repainting.
They were sandblasted to remove the existing paint, then body filler was applied and sanding was done to smooth the exterior for painting. Many thanks to our volunteers for their hard work!
The exterior painting was completed in June 2023.
The interior has not been altered from the VIA days. This is the interior of one of the Dayniters.
These Dayniters will fulfill a key role in our heritage train.
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