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VIA Rail Canada Dec. 15 purchased 139 new passenger rail cars from Alstom Transport for $82 million.


The cars, which include coaches, sleepers and restaurant service cars, originally were built in the mid-1990s for use by a consortium of five European railways, but never went into service.


Since most of the cars already are built, delivery would begin immediately and continue through the middle of next year. VIA Rail authorities expect to put the cars into service in fall 2001.