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VIA Rail

Urban Sky said:
Why would they build two facilities in parallel if the same people building one can build the other one once they are finished with the first? Also, any peoblems identifoed while building the first facility can be rectified before building the second facility…
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Agreed. It is prudent to delay the upgrade of TMC until it is necessary, and have the first (approximately) dozen trains based out of MMC. The top priority will be to use the new trainsets on the Q-M-O trains, though they might send a few all the way out to Toronto and back. TMC will be completed well before they need to use the new trains on any of the corridor routes that don't go to/through Montreal.
 
roger1818 said:
Agreed. It is prudent to delay the upgrade of TMC until it is necessary, and have the first (approximately) dozen trains based out of MMC. The top priority will be to use the new trainsets on the Q-M-O trains, though they might send a few all the way out to Toronto and back. TMC will be completed well before they need to use the new trains on any of the corridor routes that don't go to/through Montreal.
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Can I ask what TMC stands for?
 
I've been trying to figure out whether Via actually owns Pacific Central Station recently, does anybody know? Given Translink's move to start a development arm that could potentially cross-subsidize transit operations (a la CPR, Brightline, and Japanese rail operators), and the BC government's interest in increasing the housing supply, it seems like the space over the platforms is ripe for a mini-Hudson Yards type project. It's immediately adjacent to both intercity and urban transit, and across the street buildings are 10 stories already.
 
Next VIA trainset is enroute to Canada:

IMG_1558.jpeg
 
Frank_Lee said:
I've been trying to figure out whether Via actually owns Pacific Central Station recently, does anybody know? Given Translink's move to start a development arm that could potentially cross-subsidize transit operations (a la CPR, Brightline, and Japanese rail operators), and the BC government's interest in increasing the housing supply, it seems like the space over the platforms is ripe for a mini-Hudson Yards type project. It's immediately adjacent to both intercity and urban transit, and across the street buildings are 10 stories already.
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I was told that even though VIA owns the building, CN has the contractual right to buy it back for a pre-determined amount, should VIA ever decide to sell it…
 
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roger1818 said:
Is that @TerryJohnson interviewed in the article?

Edit: At 20:22 of VIA’s 2023 Annual Public Meeting, a question was asked about when VIA will bring back Train 651.

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I think both Train 84 from Brantford and Train 651 from Port Hope should be replaced with GO trains. Similar to the London GO pilot.

VIA shouldnt be providing commuter service.
 
robmausser said:
VIA shouldnt be providing commuter service.
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I wouldn't call a 3-hour train ride a commuting service. VIA promised Kingston that if they moved the primary service to run through Peterborough, they would use Kingston as a hub, with lots of Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa service to Kingston.

And yet they can't even maintain the one train that exists now. Kingston should start squeaking the wheel with the Ministry of Transport to cancel HFR, given VIA's lies about maintaining Kingston service.
 
robmausser said:
I think both Train 84 from Brantford and Train 651 from Port Hope should be replaced with GO trains. Similar to the London GO pilot.

VIA shouldnt be providing commuter service.
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Train 651 starts in Kingston, with stops at Belleville, Cobourg, and Port Hope. It’s a commuter-friendly train, but it’s not strictly a commuter service.

Train 84 starts in London.

GO Trainsets are not good for such lengthy trips, anyway.

VIA needs to come clean, though, about the continued loss of those trains. Is it a lack of viable carriages and locomotives? Staffing? Or just not caring?
 
nfitz said:
I wouldn't call a 3-hour train ride a commuting service. VIA promised Kingston that if they moved the primary service to run through Peterborough, they would use Kingston as a hub, with lots of Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa service to Kingston.

And yet they can't even maintain the one train that exists now. Kingston should start squeaking the wheel with the Ministry of Transport to cancel HFR, given VIA's lies about maintaining Kingston service.
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There is a plan for a Sharbot Lake stop which is not that far from Kingston.
 
Bordercollie said:
There is a plan for a Sharbot Lake stop which is not that far from Kingston.
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Not far from Kingston!?! It's over an hour's drive - in good weather. And I hate to think how long on transit.

I really doubt there'll be many trains stopping in Sharbot lake.

Bordercollie said:
Have trains cycle between Kingston and London through Toronto
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That's a good idea!
 
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