By Tim Hayman and Christopher Greenlaw | VHA Secretary and VHA Executive Director
As 2025 has come to a close and we're now into 2026, it’s worth reflecting on just how much the VHA has accomplished over the past twelve months. It was a year of challenges and significant accomplishments and, due to your ongoing support, 2025 was a year for which we all should be proud. Here are some highlights specifically related to locomotive 6539:
January: Just before Xmas 2024, we discovered that the traction motor on 6539 had to be replaced. We couldn’t get the job done before the holidays but managed to secure a traction motor combo. By the middle of January, the work was complete and the unit passed its CN inspection.
February: FP9ARM no. 6539 was wrapped and ready for its journey to join the fleet at VIA’s Toronto Maintenance Centre (TMC).
March: By March, FP9ARM no. 6539 left Salford en route for the TMC. Unfortunately, the trip took a little longer than anticipated due to a snow storm that tied the unit up in Mac Yard for several weeks, but it made it to its destination.
May: TRACCS was a tremendous success as VIA President Mario Péloquin sought us out at the convention. It marked the second time since the November 2024 Parliamentary Reception in Ottawa that the VIA President saw us in action.
June: Our first edition of Panorama for 2025 that we’d been preparing since March was released in time for VIA’s 40th Anniversary Celebration of the TMC. At this event, we also unveiled our Heritage Train. VIA president Mario Péloquin and all the staff in attendance were immensely impressed with our locomotive and trainset.
You can read more of the full year's report on the VHA website.
While tough at times, it ended up being a perfectly cromulent year for the VHA as we accomplished a great deal. Together, we’ve built a lot of momentum that will continue into 2026, which is good because there are significant challenges ahead. With your continued support, we’ll move the yardstick forward in 2026 in preparation for the VIA Rail 50th Anniversary Train in a little more than two years’ time.
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