Lack of meaningful Passenger Rail service outside the Quebec-Windsor Corridor

[Urban Sky]

The 'Rockies By Daylight' service did quite well as well. It sounds like this business model was largely subsumed by Rocky Mountain Rail Tours.

VIA's Canadian Rockies by Daylight

In 1987, VIA Rail Canada under President Lawrence Hanigan became increasingly aware of a need to try new things, in light of continuing...

tracksidetreasure.blogspot.com

Just to add salt to the injury of loosing half of its network because it was too unprofitable, VIA was also forced to sell off (or more like: hand over) the “Rockies by Daylight” service because it actually was profitable, which was subsequently absorbed by a private investor under the “Rocky Mountaineer” brand.

It was only when VIA started to refocus the Canadian on tourism by introducing the Prestige Class that the Canadian briefly recovered all its direct costs (101.5% in 2018), but it is of course telling that making the trains as unattractive as possible for tourists (e.g., by imposing overnight stays in Winnipeg and Edmonton on them) seems to be among the top concerns of our troll from Sudbury…

 

[micheal_can]

Just to add salt to the injury of loosing half of its network because it was too unprofitable, VIA was also forced to sell off (or more like: hand over) the “Rockies by Daylight” service because it actually was profitable, which was subsequently absorbed by a private investor under the “Rocky Mountaineer” brand.

It was only when VIA started to refocus the Canadian on tourism by introducing the Prestige Class that the Canadian briefly recovered all its direct costs (101.5% in 2018), but it is of course telling that making the trains as unattractive as possible for tourists (e.g., by imposing overnight stays in Winnipeg and Edmonton on them) seems to be among the top concerns of our troll from Sudbury…

I think you have missed the part of "Canadian should be a daily train, especially during peak season".

 

[just east of the creek]

Quick reminder that even in the golden age of VIA (1985-1989), no intercity route outside the Quebec-Windsor Corridor recovered even half of its direct costs, despite most operating daily:

View attachment 596780
Crosspost from: Amtrak Unlimited forum

The claim that any VIA routes outside the Corridor would likely be profitable if operating daily is as detached from reality as anything else that same person writes here…

Completely, absolutely and totally agree. Which is why something like the Northlander ( as beloved as it may be) is strictly a political puppy and will die a quick death through political expediency should ridership, tourist and non-tourist, show abysmal levels of use, should budget pressures become more extreme for the Ontario Government, and should airlines begin to compete on the same routes. Only the routes where sizeable populations exist, and the potential for speed, service and numbers exist, should remain.So VIA corridor, GO and GO Regional, possibly Edmonton-Calgary (although that could be a provincial service) and the existing tourist trains (which also add a degree of connectivity to remote areas - So the Canadian etc) The rest is pure fantasy (fun, but fantasy). Even the Montreal Transit Rail services are in danger if the government does not undergo a sea change in thought as well.

 

[micheal_can]

Completely, absolutely and totally agree. Which is why something like the Northlander ( as beloved as it may be) is strictly a political puppy and will die a quick death through political expediency should ridership, tourist and non-tourist, show abysmal levels of use, should budget pressures become more extreme for the Ontario Government, and should airlines begin to compete on the same routes. Only the routes where sizeable populations exist, and the potential for speed, service and numbers exist, should remain.So VIA corridor, GO and GO Regional, possibly Edmonton-Calgary (although that could be a provincial service) and the existing tourist trains (which also add a degree of connectivity to remote areas - So the Canadian etc) The rest is pure fantasy (fun, but fantasy).

If after 5 years of operating,if the ridership of the Northlander is filling the trains, what then? What then? We look at why it is a success and we look at other places that have similar metrics that can be successful.

Even the Montreal Transit Rail services are in danger if the government does not undergo a sea change in thought as well.

I heard about that. Is there any real reason given as to why those routes are unsuccessful? Is ridership down? Have costs risen? Is it more politicking to get what they want?

 

[lenaitch]

should airlines begin to compete on the same routes.

A return to pre-Covid frequencies would be helpful to show any level of interest. For Toronto-North Bay, Air Canada went from 3/day, to zero, to one. Porter briefly tried and lost interest.