Should there be a High Speed Rail link from Calgary to Edmonton?

[jawagord]

Originally Posted by freeweed

I'd LOVE a train like that to go see an Oilers game. I'd go to easily a dozen every year if I could be home in 60-90 minutes (or whatever). Driving home at 11pm really sucks. Plus, those who like to booze it up during a game could do it without worrying about driving.

Of course, both teams sell out every game, so for right now it's not exactly a realistic dream.

Other than that, though, it's just too easy to take a car. Maybe if the train had berths for cars (like the chunnel trains do)...?

Reality check. A oneway ticket for a 90 minute ride on the Shinkansen currently costs about $90 Canadian. So how many people will pay a $180 dollars for return train ticket + all the other costs to go see an Oilers or Flames game?

At say $5 Billion to build a HSR/(20 yearsx365 DaysX$100 a trip), we would need something like 7000 trips per day for 20 years just to break even.

[Nutterbug]

Originally Posted by jawagord

Reality check. A oneway ticket for a 90 minute ride on the Shinkansen currently costs about $90 Canadian. So how many people will pay a $180 dollars for return train ticket + all the other costs to go see an Oilers or Flames game?

At say $5 Billion to build a HSR/(20 yearsx365 DaysX$100 a trip), we would need something like 7000 trips per day for 20 years just to break even.

^ What about number of passengers per trip?

[mersar]

Well if you look at something like the 700T that they are using in Taiwan, its ~1000 passengers per train (12 cars) thats only 7 trips per day if its all booked, more reasonably maybe 10 or 12.

[jawagord]

Originally Posted by Nutterbug

^ What about number of passengers per trip?

Sorry not train trips but passenger trips, ie 7000 one way passengers per day.

[chenmau]

Land bought for rail terminal
Province takes first step for potential high-speed link
MARIO TONEGUZZI
CALGARY HERALD
The provincial government has taken a tentative first step toward a high-speed rail link by buying land in downtown Calgary for a possible city station or terminal.
Luke Ouellette, minister of infrastructure and transportation, told a Calgary Real Estate Board breakfast meeting Tuesday the possibility of a high-speed train between Calgary and Edmonton has created a lot of interest over the years.
Ouellette said the government is conducting a market assessment for such a link. The study is expected to be completed by the fall.
In the meantime, the government has bought the land in Calgary.
Jerry Bellikka, spokesman for the Department of Infrastructure and Transportation, said he didn’t have specifics about the location, size or cost of the purchase.
“I don’t think it’s a very big parcel,” Bellikka said. “We have a transportation/utility corridor that already extends around the city, and then there’s some strategic stuff through the middle where power lines and stuff go.
“So as land becomes available when landlords are willing, we’ll deal with them and acquire it because we’ve got some right-ofway if we want to put railbed down in the future.”
He added: “My understanding is that somebody in downtown Calgary had a chunk of land . . . they were looking to get rid of it, and we said, ‘well, it’s right next to where we have our transportation/utility corridor, so we could probably use it if we decide to go ahead with the project, and if not, we could resell it for probably good cash.’ ”
Bruce Graham, president and CEO of Calgary Economic Development, said he’s pleased the province is being proactive.
He said a high-speed rail link between Calgary and Edmonton would have numerous advantages.
“It just adds critical mass and some context, and completeness to the Calgary-Edmonton corridor by virtue of the fact you’ll be able to systematically do business — face-to-face business — in both those major centres, as well as Red Deer in between, in a more businessfriendly and appropriate manner.”
Graham added the link would define the region as a transportation leader.
“When you set up those linkages, it creates more business-to-business opportunities. Those are hard to quantify. . . . I’m looking forward to hearing what the detailed feasibility study is going to show us.”
Mayor Dave Bronconnier said city council’s priority is to expand the existing light rail transit service in Calgary.
“Having said that, we are supportive and have been supportive in terms of our staff participating in the study groups and working with a number of the proponents for a high-speed rail link between Calgary and Edmonton,” Bronconnier said.
“I do think it’s an idea whose time has come. If you look at it from an economic perspective linking Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton together with Calgary’s International Airport, it truly provides a significant air, transportation and rail link in Calgary.
“Our focus is still expanding the light rail transit, and that’s where our dollars will go within Calgary. But from a provincial perspective, it does make a lot of sense to consider it.”
At the Tuesday morning Calgary Real Estate Board meeting, Ouellette said the province is also finalizing an agreement with private developers to construct an interchange at Beddington for the Stoney Trail expansion.

[Calgarian]

good news.

[mersar]

Well Global just was showing the map of the site that was acquired, its between 4th and 5th St SE on the south side of 9th adjacent to the CP yard. Supposedly from what was said (they were interviewing Luke Ouellette, minister of Infrastructure & Transportation) the plan will involve CP a fair bit. The station, and a ~4000 car parkade would fit on the site, which I do believe is adjacent to the new City parkade that will be replacing the ugly one north of the municipal building. The routing, at least what they alluded to (probably based off the previous studies) showed the routing leaving the station site along the CP right of way, following it north to where it hits the airport. Then straight north to Red Deer where an optional station may be, and then on to downtown Edmonton where they already own land for such a station.

[Wooster]

God, I can't believe they are serious enough about this to purchase land.

[Policy Wonk]

Edmonton needs to hit the books and read up on what happened the last time they got into the railroad business...

[davee930]

no. who wants to go to edmonton?

[murman]

Originally Posted by mersar

and then on to downtown Edmonton where they already own land for such a station.

I find that completely surprising.

[240glt]

no. who wants to go to edmonton?

I'd love to be able to walk to the LRT station from my north central Edmonton home, take the LRT south to a HSR hub, take the train to DT Calgary, hop on the C-Train and take the ride down the free fare zone to 12streetSW, walk 10 minutes south and be at my condo

I drive the QE2 a lot, flying to Calgary is simply not practical, and driving is stressful when the highway is packed, and in the summer, it can be slow drive, esp. friday afternoon. Sit back on the train with a book and the iPOD, oh yeah!

[Boris2k7]

Originally Posted by mersar

Well Global just was showing the map of the site that was acquired, its between 4th and 5th St SE on the south side of 9th adjacent to the CP yard. Supposedly from what was said (they were interviewing

So, just kitty corner to Arriva on the Remington site?

Originally Posted by 240glt

I'd love to be able to walk to the LRT station from my north central Edmonton home, take the LRT south to a HSR hub, take the train to DT Calgary, hop on the C-Train and take the ride down the free fare zone to 12streetSW, walk 10 minutes south and be at my condo

I drive the QE2 a lot, flying to Calgary is simply not practical, and driving is stressful when the highway is packed, and in the summer, it can be slow drive, esp. friday afternoon. Sit back on the train with a book and the iPOD, oh yeah!

High Five!

[The Kid]

Originally Posted by murman

I find that completely surprising.

Yep, I heard it again on QR77 while driving from Edmonton to Calgary this morning. Looks like the government now owns the land for train stations in both Calgary and Edmonton.

It went on to further say that the province will start counting cars in the next couple of weeks that drive straight through to/from Calgary/Edmonton without stopping (how they do that I have no idea) to get an idea of direct traffic numbers.

This thing could become reality!

[walli]

Originally Posted by mersar

Well Global just was showing the map of the site that was acquired, its between 4th and 5th St SE on the south side of 9th adjacent to the CP yard. Supposedly from what was said (they were interviewing Luke Ouellette, minister of Infrastructure & Transportation) the plan will involve CP a fair bit. The station, and a ~4000 car parkade would fit on the site, which I do believe is adjacent to the new City parkade that will be replacing the ugly one north of the municipal building. The routing, at least what they alluded to (probably based off the previous studies) showed the routing leaving the station site along the CP right of way, following it north to where it hits the airport. Then straight north to Red Deer where an optional station may be, and then on to downtown Edmonton where they already own land for such a station.

Wow! That is right by the stampede! Great location.

BTW - have they actually accepted my idea of by-passing Leduc International? I think it is a good move, but I know that some in Edmonton would have their ego's hurt. It would make Calgary International Alberta's main airport hub!

[mersar]

They didn't mention anything about an airport station for Edmonton, so its possible.

[chuber]

I don't know if anyone noticed, but on the map on the first page, it looks like the south Edmonton stop would be in SEC. How cool would it be for people living downtown to take HSR to SEC!!! lol

(I'm really not serious...)


And I sure hope they would make a stop at YEG. Forget the southside stop.

[Danma]

Originally Posted by 240glt

I drive the QE2 a lot, flying to Calgary is simply not practical, and driving is stressful when the highway is packed, and in the summer, it can be slow drive, esp. friday afternoon. Sit back on the train with a book and the iPOD, oh yeah!

Absolutely! I drive up to E-town to visit both my and my wife's family on weekends. If I could go up and back in an hour and a half each way, and not spend 5-6 hours driving on busy highways, especially when the snow's blowing and the roads are slippery... sign me up! It would be even better because since I'm not driving, I can catch the 10 PM sunday one back and enjoy a nicer stay!

I also saw the Global clip. They were talking $120 round trip in their studies, apparently, but that isn't based on electric Shinkansen/TGV technology obviously.

[walli]

Originally Posted by chuber

And I sure hope they would make a stop at YEG. Forget the southside stop.

I'd agree that they should forget the South Edmonton stop and go straight to DT, however, I do not agree that they should stop at YEG.

The whole idea is to make an efficient mode of transportation from Calgary to Edmonton and Edmonton to Calgary. YEG (which is NOT in Edmonton no matter how much Edmontonians scream) is a fly in the soup. With the slow-down and couple minutes layover, you'd be adding 25 minutes to the trip! It defeats the purpose.

I'll go to the extent that I'd only support the idea if it is either Calgary to Edmonton direct, with possibly only a single stop in between in Red Deer. There is absolutely no need to add a second stop in the middle - it really does defeat the purpose.

[walli]

Originally Posted by Danma

Absolutely! I drive up to E-town to visit both my and my wife's family on weekends. If I could go up and back in an hour and a half each way, and not spend 5-6 hours driving on busy highways, especially when the snow's blowing and the roads are slippery... sign me up! It would be even better because since I'm not driving, I can catch the 10 PM sunday one back and enjoy a nicer stay!

I also saw the Global clip. They were talking $120 round trip in their studies, apparently, but that isn't based on electric Shinkansen/TGV technology obviously.

Sounds to me like there are would be a large number of people who would purchase multi-trip or yearly passes. That's the way to go!