BNSF in White Rock

[ilikeredheads]

I think the biggest problem is that you have a tourist trap right along an active rail line. It certainly doesn't help that the city is dumb enough to build a promenade literally right next to the track. While it is separated by a waist high fence, it is certainly not deterrent enough for idiots to climb over it just so they can get a better picture.

They certainly should add the gates. While it won't stop those who go "full r*****", it'll will help to a certain degree.

Interesting note: if you look at street view, the promenade has signs that says no pets lol. Obviously the city aint gonna enforce that.

[Kisai]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

we should not be baby proofing our world for stupid people that natural selection are weeding out.


personally i think the railway should just put up a 10ft chain-link fence along the edges of the ROW and have the city build some under passes. that's what i would do if i were them; it would solve the problem instantly.

No, we should be building the correct transit to begin, which means all rail lines should be grade separated a good 8' above or below grade. For White Rock that means actually moving the rail line away from the coast itself, if erosion doesn't eventually do it for BNSF first.

Like, here's a simple proposal. Build a 20' "tunnel" over the rail line where it goes through white rock. Everyone will complain about it being an eyesore, but now nobody gets hit by trains anymore. It doesn't even need to be a solid tunnel, just something with no holes small enough for a kitten to get in. Put some ramps on each side of it so people can just go up it with their bikes and scooter/wheelchairs.

Otherwise, keep dealing with the aftermath of people being killed on it.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by Kisai

No, we should be building the correct transit to begin, which means all rail lines should be grade separated a good 8' above or below grade.

of course they should be grade separated, in a perfect world; i agree. we are talking about a rail line, over 100 years old and that just isn't possible in this instance; this isn't The Sims. unless you can talk the government into paying for it with their already huge amounts of debt and people who would protest to using public money for a private company. and no, you cant force the private company to do it.

Originally Posted by Kisai

Like, here's a simple proposal. Build a 20' "tunnel" over the rail line where it goes through white rock. Everyone will complain about it being an eyesore, but now nobody gets hit by trains anymore. It doesn't even need to be a solid tunnel, just something with no holes small enough for a kitten to get in. Put some ramps on each side of it so people can just go up it with their bikes and scooter/wheelchairs.

"simple," sure, we will pretend building that is simple. you'll block peoples views, you'll cut off the beach access, and you need to deal with building a public structure over private land. this is a good way to get protests happening.

the only why this could work is if it was underpasses, which cost money. an overhead structure would have to be quite large with the ramps included so people in wheelchairs could use it effectively. i could only see it being an option if stairs were used as they are steeper, but that wont fly today like it would have 50yrs ago.


it all comes down to $$$ and who will pay for it. the railway wont, and the governments cant and should not either. how hard is it NOT to get hit by a train?!?! these ones move slowly, its a single track, and it is 100% predictable where it will be going.

[BCPhil]

Montreal's Old Port is separated from the downtown by an active rail line with level crossings, and it easily has more visitors in an hour than White Rock gets in a week. I was there on a weekend and several trains rolled through in a few hours, blocking THOUSANDS of people from crossing (it was a hot Spring day, there were literally thousands of people waiting to cross the tracks).

White Rock is nothing compared to how busy downtown Montreal is, and they don't have billions at their disposal to move the railway.

That said, White Rock completely missed the boat.

They had the perfect opportunity to put in a pedestrian overpass at the foot of the pier while they were re-doing the Bathrooms. They easily could have had a walkway from the roof of the Washroom, which is perfectly at street level behind, down to the Promenade or onto a new, expanded landing for the pier.

But no, instead of a couple million dollars, the provincial taxpayer should give a multi billion handout to an American Company to move the tracks? Go take a long walk on a broken pier.

[MIPS]

I'd rather not have my taxpayer dollars go towards the entitlement of some senile Boomer on the waterfront. If they want a safer waterfront they can watch it drizzle out of their own pensions.

[BCPhil]

Originally Posted by MIPS

I'd rather not have my taxpayer dollars go towards the entitlement of some senile Boomer on the waterfront. If they want a safer waterfront they can watch it drizzle out of their own pensions.

Exactly why the City of White Rock and their taxpayers should have taken care of it when they were renovating their public space in the area. Instead they built one hell of an ugly looking Bathroom and a mostly useless event space. Thank God I don't live there anymore.

[Bdawe]

The line you're referring to in Montreal is most assuredly not a mainline

[BCPhil]

Originally Posted by Bdawe

The line you're referring to in Montreal is most assuredly not a mainline

Someone from Montreal can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it is a pretty crucial link between the Container Port on the north side of the island to the rail network on the Islands South Side. It might not be a mainline, but it's an actively used shortcut.

In the couple of hours I spent hanging out on the patio at BreWskey taproom, 2 trains went by, on a beautiful Saturday with thousands of tourists out and about.

Hell, the google maps satellite view shows a train on the tracks there. It's common enough that that's the best Google could do.

It wasn't even signalled a few years ago, AND streetview captured a train in 2016.


source: https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.5097328,-...TGA!2e0!5s20160701T000000!7i13312!8i6656

Now at least there are gates. But only after someone lost their legs trying to climb between stopped trains. And I think there was another accident a few years before that when it used to be double tracked.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by BCPhil

Someone from Montreal can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it is a pretty crucial link between the Container Port on the north side of the island to the rail network on the Islands South Side. It might not be a mainline, but it's an actively used shortcut.

In the couple of hours I spent hanging out on the patio at BreWskey taproom, 2 trains went by, on a beautiful Saturday with thousands of tourists out and about.

Hell, the google maps satellite view shows a train on the tracks there. It's common enough that that's the best Google could do.

It wasn't even signalled a few years ago, AND streetview captured a train in 2016.

Now at least there are gates. But only after someone lost their legs trying to climb between stopped trains. And I think there was another accident a few years before that when it used to be double tracked.

Exactly... gates help prevent otherwise sensible people from doing senseless stuff. You can't stop stupid... but that's not the point.

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

Exactly... gates help prevent otherwise sensible people from doing senseless stuff. You can't stop stupid... but that's not the point.

Why stop it? The line has been there for decades already with minimal incident.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by BCPhil

Montreal's Old Port is separated from the downtown by an active rail line with level crossings, and it easily has more visitors in an hour than White Rock gets in a week. I was there on a weekend and several trains rolled through in a few hours, blocking THOUSANDS of people from crossing (it was a hot Spring day, there were literally thousands of people waiting to cross the tracks).

White Rock is nothing compared to how busy downtown Montreal is, and they don't have billions at their disposal to move the railway.

That said, White Rock completely missed the boat.

They had the perfect opportunity to put in a pedestrian overpass at the foot of the pier while they were re-doing the Bathrooms. They easily could have had a walkway from the roof of the Washroom, which is perfectly at street level behind, down to the Promenade or onto a new, expanded landing for the pier.

But no, instead of a couple million dollars, the provincial taxpayer should give a multi billion handout to an American Company to move the tracks? Go take a long walk on a broken pier.

I think part of the problem was that White Rock thought they'd get BNSF to move between then and now. How (or even why), I have absolutely no idea.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by MIPS

Why stop it? The line has been there for decades already with minimal incident.

Yep. Just pop some pedestrian gates on there. There's no good reason not to, really... for public safety if nothing else.

[Trainguy]

White Rock BNSF Train Whistles to be Silenced by End of Month

BNSF's blistering loud train whistles, which for years have been a common annoyance to some White Rock beach residents, will be silenced at the end of the month.

BNSF spokesperson Gus Melonas confirmed to Peace Arch News Thursday that the freight company will no longer sound its whistle when it passes through the eight railway crossings in the city come 29 Jan 2020.

"However, we will sound the horn when there's emergency situations, maintenance activity, work crews in the area, or if there's animals or pedestrians that require warning, we will sound the horn," Melonas said.

White Rock director of engineering Jim Gordon told council last September that there has been an interest in muted train whistles for a number of years.

"We've certainly had a lot of interest in this community for stopping the whistles," Gordon said during the September council meeting, adding that an open house in June 2017 at White Rock Museum and Archives shows that "everybody was firmly behind the plan to do this."

Whistle cessation was allowed, in part, due to the crossing upgrades that were completed last year.

The federal government contributed more than $1.63 million in funding crossing upgrades to meet the new Transport Canada regulations, with additional cost sharing by BNSF.

The upgrades include improved signage and crossing surface specifications, as well as better sight lines and warning systems.

This week, some councillors took to social media to celebrate the announcement, but also warn residents that it's subject to change.

"Good news today, starting 29 Jan 2020 BNSF railway has agreed to train whistle cessation in White Rock!" Coun. Christopher Trevelyan wrote to Facebook 14 Jan 2020.

"Please also stay off those tracks, BNSF can bring back automatic whistles so let's not give them a reason to."

Coun. Scott Kristjanson tipped his hat to engineering staff.

"Congratulations to Jim Gordon and Dan Bottrill and all the White Rock engineering staff for making this happen for the benefit of all our residents who will soon be able to sleep much better each night," Kristjanson wrote.

Aaron Hinks.

[ronthecivil]

As crazy an idea it is to move the tracks, a few things....

If it was part of some huge upgrade to the tracks, say triple tracking it up from the states, then you might get some buy in from the railway.

If they did move it, the railway does retain a huge swath of very prime, waterfront property. How about a long line of waterfront condos!

Sure, the railway would still have to provide access across the tracks, but if they wanted, that barbed wire fence down the centre of the parking lot would be one hell of an eyesore.

So as mentioned, the railway holds all the cards, and unless someone than think of the deal that benefits the railways, don't expect anything. Well, perhaps you can look forward to a change in business where they go from five trains a day to fifty.

That might happen.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by ronthecivil

As crazy an idea it is to move the tracks, a few things....

If it was part of some huge upgrade to the tracks, say triple tracking it up from the states, then you might get some buy in from the railway.

If they did move it, the railway does retain a huge swath of very prime, waterfront property. How about a long line of waterfront condos!

Sure, the railway would still have to provide access across the tracks, but if they wanted, that barbed wire fence down the centre of the parking lot would be one hell of an eyesore.

So as mentioned, the railway holds all the cards, and unless someone than think of the deal that benefits the railways, don't expect anything. Well, perhaps you can look forward to a change in business where they go from five trains a day to fifty.

That might happen.

The Promenade is on the Railway ROW...

[officedweller]

Probably under lease from BNSF.
If the line were to be relocated, arguably, there's no guarantee that the City would be able to purchase the RoW lands (for the promenade)

[Trainguy]

Originally Posted by fredinno

The Promenade is on the Railway ROW...

The parking lot is also leased by White Rock from BNSF. Everyone knows the rail line will never get moved. There is no money for it and no political will to make it happen. So few people actually live within the proximity of the line that the cost is not justifiable. In 100 years they might still be talking about relocation...

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by Trainguy

The parking lot is also leased by White Rock from BNSF. Everyone knows the rail line will never get moved. There is no money for it and no political will to make it happen. So few people actually live within the proximity of the line that the cost is not justifiable. In 100 years they might still be talking about relocation...

Relocation due to annoyance of the people isn't justifiable, but relocation due to shorter more direct route bored through the mountain may be... say as part of a rail corridor that includes a high-speed line?

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

Relocation due to annoyance of the people isn't justifiable, but relocation due to shorter more direct route bored through the mountain may be... say as part of a rail corridor that includes a high-speed line?

and many of billions of dollar later... public money used to upgrade private company infrastructure. good luck.

[Bdawe]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

and many of billions of dollar later... public money used to upgrade private company infrastructure. good luck.

Public money is used to upgrade private railway infrastructure all the time