General railway discussions

[Bojaxs]

Did Toronto ever consider having a terminus passenger station, like we see in London? I always like walking up to the trains in a grand hall rather than under or over them. The only thing similar I’ve experienced in Canada is Quebec City’s station.

- The Union Pearson Express
- Oshawa GO station

But seriously, where would you put a terminus station in Toronto? I get the appeal of such a station and seeing all the trains lined up next to each other. But it's better to have stations with tracks that run through, no?

Because of all the terminus stations in London, a lot of folks in England complain that when they want to take rail through London, they often have to terminate at a train station, transfer to the tube for 1 or 2 stops, and then transfer to another train station just to keep heading in the same direction by rail.

 

[micheal_can]

I don't know what economic conditions are needed to greenfield a railway (which that would essentially be) but I highly doubt it. I don't know what favourable condition exists now that didn't exist in the 1980s when the line was lifted. The population of the island is about 525,000 with about half of that living on the Avalon (where St. John's is). The other 'major population centres' are all under 20K, some well under. That's like London, spread over an entire province. St. John's has a container port, but by the time a train was made up and trundled across the province a seacan on a truck could have been there two days earlier.

As I have had some time to think of it, The death of this railway, and other quieter railways are directly related to privatizing CN. Having an understanding that the crown corporation may not make an increasing profit year over year, but will serve all of Canada with railways that will keep businesses around is what made Canadian rural areas prosperous. With the strong desire to cut cut cut, a railway on the Island of Newfoundland, although attractive is pure fantasy so long as railways need to increase profit year over year.

 

[lenaitch]

As I have had some time to think of it, The death of this railway, and other quieter railways are directly related to privatizing CN. Having an understanding that the crown corporation may not make an increasing profit year over year, but will serve all of Canada with railways that will keep businesses around is what made Canadian rural areas prosperous. With the strong desire to cut cut cut, a railway on the Island of Newfoundland, although attractive is pure fantasy so long as railways need to increase profit year over year.

Your comment ignores the lines that always-privately-owned CP has abandoned over the years. CN was created by the government to save a number of failing privately owned railways. In some cases, it inherited essentially parallel lines that increasingly became more unprofitable, particularly as rural/small town Canada deindustrialized and moved away from LCL.

You can carry on discussing re-nationalization with other fans of it on the forum.

 

[crs1026]

As I have had some time to think of it, The death of this railway, and other quieter railways are directly related to privatizing CN. Having an understanding that the crown corporation may not make an increasing profit year over year, but will serve all of Canada with railways that will keep businesses around is what made Canadian rural areas prosperous. With the strong desire to cut cut cut, a railway on the Island of Newfoundland, although attractive is pure fantasy so long as railways need to increase profit year over year.

Your comment ignores the historical and logistical facts. The railway was seen as doomed in the 1960's, before anyone considered privatisation. It was a non-issue for CN's privatisation as it was already largely abandoned.

As noted, freight moves much faster by road than rail could deliver. St John's has a very active marine container terminal with pretty much daily service to the mainland. Small harbours exist in various locations eg Lewisporte that are close to the highway.

Dream all you like, but NL is not going to recover rail service.

- Paul