nfitz
Superstar
Winnipeg?That won't make a difference as it has been made clear that the One trains are being maintained at TMC. It has to be Toronto or Winnipeg.
Surely Montreal would be far closer. Though still absurd.
Winnipeg?That won't make a difference as it has been made clear that the One trains are being maintained at TMC. It has to be Toronto or Winnipeg.
I didn't say it was a good idea. I just said that those are the choices.Winnipeg?
Surely Montreal would be far closer. Though still absurd.
Why is Montreal not a choice? Far closer than Winnipeg.I didn't say it was a good idea. I just said that those are the choices.
Why is anything going to Winnipeg that can’t go to North Bay? There is some sort of misunderstanding going on.Why is Montreal not a choice? Far closer than Winnipeg.
I think that would require a lot of legislative gymnastics at both the federal and provincial level. The ONR is not a federally regulated railway company, so having them operate a VIA service, particularly one that is isolated from their other operations, might be problematic. As it has be discussed in relation to other services, there doesn't seem to be a mechanism, or perhaps just the will, for the provinces to provide funding towards VIA services like AMTRAK enjoys.Or… not convert the service to trainsets which are best maintained in a purpose built shop 400km away but instead existing equipment which can be maintained 130km away in North Bay. (And yes, what I mean by that is handing the service over to ONTC, along with a transfer of suitable and serviceable equipment and the Feds writing them a cheque for operations and CP/OVR passage). Whatever sense having shiny Ventures operate Northlander, it doesn’t seem to me that modern trainset furnishings are suited to bringing people to and from campgrounds, and paying Siemens design and qualify a baggage door to boot.
I mean even if the White River service remains RDCs, re-timing and meeting ONR at North Bay without a through service would be a real improvement... though I think the ideal (and most realistic form of improvement) would be Federal subsidy for ONR to take over operation, with direct Venture/Charger trains from Toronto via North Bay on alternating days with the Northlander.That won't make a difference as it has been made clear that the One trains are being maintained at TMC. It has to be Toronto or Winnipeg.
I mean even if the White River service remains RDCs, re-timing and meeting ONR at North Bay without a through service would be a real improvement... though I think the ideal (and most realistic form of improvement) would be Federal subsidy for ONR to take over operation, with direct Venture/Charger trains from Toronto via North Bay on alternating days with the Northlander.
How about proper connections with the Canadian at Sudbury? A real station perhaps?Because..... people who flag down the RDC and board with their canoe are destined all the way to Toronto ????
I think you misinterpret the point of this service.
I'm quite certain that whatever ails the RDC's, it can be fixed for less than the capital cost of a Venture trainset.
But it would be quite charming to see portage signage at Toronto Union, leading to a set-in point at Queens Quay. And people trundling their coolers full of freshly caught pickerel over to the Union Pearson platform. Just don't try to haul your canoe down the escalator to the VIA concourse.
- Paul
Sure, if you can suggest a less unsuitable location than at Nickel Centre…How about proper connections with the Canadian at Sudbury? A real station perhaps?
How about proper connections with the Canadian at Sudbury? A real station perhaps?
Also you can take your canoe on the Canadian to head to your destination and what's wrong with that? I'm surprised people dont do it on the GO train.
They couldn't do it even if the service was extended to North Bay since the Northlander trainset won't have baggage.Because..... people who flag down the RDC and board with their canoe are destined all the way to Toronto ????
I think you misinterpret the point of this service.
I'm quite certain that whatever ails the RDC's, it can be fixed for less than the capital cost of a Venture trainset.
But it would be quite charming to see portage signage at Toronto Union, leading to a set-in point at Queens Quay. And people trundling their coolers full of freshly caught pickerel over to the Union Pearson platform. Just don't try to haul your canoe down the escalator to the VIA concourse.
- Paul
It's only about 2.5 km between CP and CN property. A moving sidewalk perhaps?Sure, if you can suggest a more suitable location than at Nickle Centre…
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Why is anything going to Winnipeg that can’t go to North Bay? There is some sort of misunderstanding going on.
You don't want my suggestion.... If we are talking the Siemens trains,they can work in a push/pull configuration. Have them start and end at Sudbury Junction, or even Capreol. You can get there from downtown through various ways.Sure, if you can suggest a more suitable location than at Nickle Centre…
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So create more capacity at those choke points on the condition that VIA will have priority to access them. If that will really solve the problem.I hope this image makes it thru UTspace legibly - if not I will find some other way to display this.
It's a crude "string diagram" of the current VIA Corridor schedule between Oshawa and Brockville. (Yeah, two many rainy days in a row, perhaps)
The things to note are
a) The freights need to work in the white space, but there are periods of time where there isn't enough white space for a freight to proceed without a following VIA train catching up
b) The red squares are where one VIA train passes an opposing VIA train. These are significant, because those are points where CN must grant VIA access to two main tracks, either to simply let trains pass, or to cross one over in front of the other.
The time scale on this chart is one line for 12 minutes, and the collumns correspond to where CN has crossovers. So one square is roughly equal to one train occupying one "block", all things being equal.
It's a very crude effort, but it serves to make a point - CN gives VIA a very great deal of access at the moment, at least in theory. The complaint that CN is somehow antipathetic to VIA sure doesn't play out - if it were true, VIA would not be able to run this many trains in a day.
(The issue is, any freight trains that are out there cause delays and awkward dispatching..... but that's a different problem.....one wouldn't expect CN to simply vacate the line during daylight hours).
It sure looks like the Oshawa-Brockville part of the Corridor is chock a block with VIA trains already. Now we see why we can't run them faster or more frequently.
- PaulView attachment 530502