VIA Rail

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by biguc

I've said this before, but you could plunk Austria over the area covering Vancouver, Kelowna, Kamploops, Edmonton, and Calgary. They're comparable in population, area, wealth, and rugged terrain. Yet they aren't at all comparable in rail service.

That's the scale passenger rail works at in real life. Germany, France, and Spain all have excellent rail systems, but taking a train from Hamburg to Barcelona isn't a convenient or fast trip. There are political and administrative reasons for that, which wouldn't exist in Canada, but Europe could also smooth out those issues. They haven't because they don't really need to in the same way that Canada doesn't need coast-to-coast HSR.

HSR across Canada is a distraction. Canada should build strong regional rail networks. Once they exist and establish, extending regular service across the bald-ass prairie, or to the Maritimes, or to Sudbury, becomes realistic.

I agree. The problem is, the only region that Via or, as it seems, anyone else cares about is the Corridor.

Originally Posted by milomilo

I agree. There's no need for this to be VIA though, this could easily built by the provinces if the population wanted it, but they don't - not strongly enough to vote for parties that would implement it at least.

And while a network of lines between smaller and larger centres may be a great goal, it's not what you would start with when we have zero useful passenger rail in most of western Canada (the Canadian isn't useful). Your initial line would have to be the single line that is both economically feasible on its own merits and is politically desirable. In the prairies, the only place I can see this being a reality is either commuter rail around Calgary and maybe Edmonton, a passenger train to Banff and/or YYC, or a fastish train between Calgary and Edmonton.

Maybe there's some potential around Winnipeg, but the cities in SK and MB will be better off focusing on public transit in their boundaries rather than outside.

3 cities have built commuter rail. Of them, one has not been expanded from it's initial route, except for adding 1 more station. Yet they tout themselves as being about transit and being green.

Local transit is not what Via or regional rail is about. It is about serving a local area. Outside of that, you are screwed.

Let's say Ontario and Quebec focused on public transit in their own provinces. How would people commute between Gatineau and Ottawa? Your premise falls apart the minute you forget that we are a nation of movers. We don't all live within walking distance of our work. We also don't vacation in our own cities.

The other thing you miss is the tax base. Right now, places like AB are hurting due to the downturn in oil. They are laying off health care workers, even during the pandemic. So, to provide intercity transit isn't going to happen. The federal government, on the other hand, has the tax base to do this.

Another thing you missed? negotiating with CN/CP. Just imagine each province having to negotiate with them, as apposed to one negotiated agreement across the country.

Now, should the country's rail routes be split into regions? Yes. Make each major city a hub, and a place where trains terminate. They do it in the Corridor. There is not a thru service from Windsor to Quebec City. You have to transfer. So, why not do the same everywhere else. The Ocean, for instance, have it be cut in Moncton. Then, if service from Saint John is added, it is easier to connect to Halifax or Montreal. Do the same in Winnipeg. Then adding the southern route, or the lake route would be more seamless.

Instead, Via is running themselves so that they will only operate on their tracks.

Canadians built this country with the rail line. All Canadians should have access to reasonable rail service. HSR is a dead issue when we cannot even service ll our major cities with SSR. HFR is pitiful when we cannot even run NFR on time.