Here are my thoughts on it all.... First, great news.
Second,when will we see actual construction along the route.
Third, what happens to the existing stations along those lines? Will Via be running slower trains as a 'milk run'
As others have pointed out, there is a lack of stations that seem to be obvious. Whether it be one in Ottawa, one in the GTA, or even one on the east side of Montreal, it seems that it will require everyone to get to those few stations, which could be problematic.
Yeah there's no way from Gare Centrale to Laval without using the tunnel, unless the train backs out to Cote St Luc and goes the long way around the mountain. Which would defeat the entire purpose of the high speed network.
Could they tunnel new tunnels for this?
Since the trains likely would be double ended, could they do what the existing Senneterre/Jonquiere trains do to go that way?
That segment will likely need to be provincially led, or at the minimum a partnership between the feds/province with province offering important funding.
Could we here within days one of the provincial parties announce that? If they do, would that be a thing that would get them voted in? Would this be something Ford might do? If they are built with the same technology, it would make sense for it to be a provincial section.
Exactly.
Any party may well say, “we oppose this” - but now they pretty much have to explain what they would do instead. A position of “lets just keep building airports and highways” will not sit well with voters.
The full HSR is not out of the woods yet, but every party will have to take a position.
A HSR Light position may emerge.- but this is politics now, not transport planning. Once one party offers the voters nice things, being pragmatic and watching pennies just isn’t sexy.
- Paul
The thing I think about is that even with tariffs still looming, this is a project that will pay good jobs for the area, and no party would want to cancel good jobs. Theya re seeing the outrage down south.
