Nothing else on Canadian rails reads like a VIA consist: an F40PH-2D on the point, Renaissance or Siemens Venture equipment trailing behind it. Modelling VIA means matching the right locomotive to the right generation of passenger car, and this collection is built around that pairing.
Rapido dominates the range. Their N scale F40PH-2D comes in the schemes that actually ran — 580015 in the Canada scheme #6433, 580018 in the Kool-Aid wrap #6406, 580019 in the Home Hardware wrap #6429 — plus the 582510 Rebuilt F40PH-2D in Renaissance colours #6409 with dual-mode DC/DCC/Sound. Bachmann handles the newest equipment in HO with the Siemens Venture cars, including the 74519 coach #2917 and the 74521 business car #2717. KATO covers the Genesis fleet in N with the 176-6043 P42DC #917 in both DC and DCC versions.
The split runs roughly three-quarters HO and one-quarter N, across locomotives, passenger cars and a couple of train sets. Rapido and KATO both list their units by decoder option, so you choose Standard DC (silent) or dual-mode DC/DCC/Sound up front rather than sorting out a decoder afterwards. If you are repainting or correcting a stand-in, Microscale's 87-672 VIA Rail Canada passenger car sheet and 87-1359 rebuilt F40PH-2/Renaissance sheet are both stocked.
Also worth a look: Canadian railways, CN and decals. Ships from Oakville, Ontario. Contact us for special orders.
