VIA Rail

[p_xavier]

Seems that the EXO Mascouche line will go around the mountain. This is what should happen with the HFR. It adds 10-15 minutes to the trip.

Vers un nouveau tracé - La Presse+

Les organismes liés aux transports collectifs dans la région montréalaise s’approchent d’une entente qui permettrait au train de l’Est de poursuivre sa route jusqu’au centre-ville après la fermeture

plus.lapresse.ca

 

[nfitz]

Seems that the EXO Mascouche line will go around the mountain. This is what should happen with the HFR. It adds 10-15 minutes to the trip.

I suspect that's the only feasible option - though how would trains move from the CP line onto the CN line to get to Central Station, now, the old link is covered with a Home Depot? Which is why the Exo train to St. Jerome goes into Lucien L'allier rather than Central.

Interesting to see them thinking of reactivating the station at du College. I wonder if there's any other feasible station locations (for the REM - presumably VIA would go from A40 to Central). It would be interesting to see a station at Cavendish, if they do join that through the yards, though probably hard to access and place platforms. I suspect when they built that new alignment near the Montreal-West/St-Pierre border they didn't consider placing a commuter station. I always thought a station where the track backs onto Metro Place St. Henri would be interesting ... but perhaps redundant.

 

[robmausser]

Seems that the EXO Mascouche line will go around the mountain. This is what should happen with the HFR. It adds 10-15 minutes to the trip.
View attachment 193864

Vers un nouveau tracé - La Presse+

Les organismes liés aux transports collectifs dans la région montréalaise s’approchent d’une entente qui permettrait au train de l’Est de poursuivre sa route jusqu’au centre-ville après la fermeture

plus.lapresse.ca

Version Anglais

Vers un nouveau tracé - La Presse+

Les organismes liés aux transports collectifs dans la région montréalaise s’approchent d’une entente qui permettrait au train de l’Est de poursuivre sa route jusqu’au centre-ville après la fermeture

translate.google.com

 

[ShonTron]

Version Anglais

Vers un nouveau tracé - La Presse+

Les organismes liés aux transports collectifs dans la région montréalaise s’approchent d’une entente qui permettrait au train de l’Est de poursuivre sa route jusqu’au centre-ville après la fermeture

translate.google.com

That's the route currently used by the VIA train to Seneterre/Jonquiere. It's scenic, but slow.

 

[robmausser]

That's the route currently used by the VIA train to Seneterre/Jonquiere. It's scenic, but slow.

Could it be sped up, and even in its current state is it slower than having people get off the VIA train at Garre Central, transferring to the REM and getting on another VIA train waiting for them at the REM A40 station?

Because thats the current solution right now.

 

[robmausser]

The other problem is that Via HFR is proposing to use the CFQG line out of montreal.

This route takes the CN line, it doesnt connect with the CFQG line

Homes would have to be expropriates and a track would have to be made to connect the two lines

OR Exo would have to be OK with VIA using their line that connects the two.

Traffic would become higher on the CN portion of the line.

 

[p_xavier]

Could it be sped up, and even in its current state is it slower than having people get off the VIA train at Garre Central, transferring to the REM and getting on another VIA train waiting for them at the REM A40 station?

Because thats the current solution right now.

There are other VIA stops for those trains, one being at the Sauvé métro station. The route go get a tad faster with upgrades by the CN.

And it's 15 minutes on trains that are regularly 2-3 hours late.

Mascouche users can spare the time if they really don't want to transfer.

 

[nfitz]

Could it be sped up, and even in its current state is it slower than having people get off the VIA train at Garre Central, transferring to the REM and getting on another VIA train waiting for them at the REM A40 station?

Because thats the current solution right now.

That's not the current solution. The current plan is (was) to suspend service through Mount Royal for a period of years, and terminate the trains at Sauve, with passengers having to walk to the Metro.

The article doesn't indicate that they'll keep servicing from A40 to Central station once the REM opens - it's talking about the upcoming years of construction.

 

[kEiThZ]

WRT to HFR and the Mount Royal Tunnel, the study announcement said this:

...It will also fund technical work to ensure the interoperability and integration of High Frequency Rail with operating tracks used by local and regional transit providers in Montreal and Toronto. This includes track work in Montreal’s Mont-Royal Tunnel to enable VIA Rail Canada’s heavy rail trains to operate on this segment of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) light rail system. This important piece of preliminary work is needed so that the different rail systems work together should High Frequency Rail proceed in the future.

I would bet at least a few discussions have been had with CDPQ Infra. I still think part of the project may include funding to improve/expand the tunnel or enable another short tunnel underneath.

 

[p_xavier]

WRT to HFR and the Mount Royal Tunnel, the study announcement said this:



I would bet at least a few discussions have been had with CDPQ Infra. I still think part of the project may include funding to improve/expand the tunnel or enable another short tunnel underneath.

Yes but it's entirely hypothetical at this point.

Discussions have been had, but it's limited to stronger rails in the tunnel corridor.

 

[smallspy]

Yes but it's entirely hypothetical at this point.

Discussions have been had, but it's limited to stronger rails in the tunnel corridor.

I can assure you that the discussion had absolutely zero to do with the actual type and size of rail in the tunnel. The type and size of rail is immaterial to the problem.

Dan

 

[p_xavier]

I can assure you that the discussion had absolutely zero to do with the actual type and size of rail in the tunnel. The type and size of rail is immaterial to the problem.

Dan

Of course it is, gauge and lateral forces are important aspects in any rail system.

 

[Garuda]

I haven't had the chance to experience this service myself, but your description of it certainly makes sense.

What I envision is a service that has a similar feel to the UP Express. Basically a hybrid between a GO train and a VIA train. It could even use the same model of train, since the demand wouldn't require as many coaches as VIA.

Australia feels (especially the rail system) like bizzaro Canada. Drive on other sides of the road, opposite seasons, warnings about kangaroos crossing the road, but similar commonwealth government systems and urban/suburban/rural split. I found Australia to feel half way between Europe and car loving North America. Imagine if the cuts of the 90's hadn't have happened and instead of VIA, we had provincial transit systems like NSW Translink and Queensland Rail. Many of the railway stations had similar architecture to Victorian Era stations found throughout Ontario. I spoke to resdients of the area and they were suprised that a country like Canada didn't have a bus-train network to get from a small rural town to the city for appointments.

One thing I realized that we take for granted here is how cheap some VIA services are. If I train to book the equivant sleeper service on the Ghan or Indian-Pacific, the price would have been double what I'd pay on the Canadian. Consider outselves lucky!

I arrived in Brisbane and took bassically what you described (but more on the transit side) a Queensland rail train and tram (G:Link) from the airport to the Gold Coast. I knew about G:Link from this from this fourm, which made planning fun. But it was such a breeze to walk 2 minutes from the International terminal at BNE to the station (similar to UP Express) and take the train to Helensvale and onto the Tram, especially after a 15 hour flight. Aside from the climate G:LINK and ION ae so similar: they're both being used a development incentives and I can tell it's paying off.

I agree there should be a hybrid service between GO and VIA that runs these distances. Basic, bare bones with UP Express style seating. For that to happen, the federal government needs to let VIA act more like a business and buy more infrasatruce and lease out more space in the train stations for better quality retail (looking at you Ottawa station). Berlin's Central Station is a great example of what can happen when a railway takes advantage of foot traffic operates more like a shopping centre that happens to offer waiting space for a train that a hospital waiting area (looking at you again Ottawa station).

 

[lrt's friend]

Australia feels (especially the rail system) like bizzaro Canada. Drive on other sides of the road, opposite seasons, warnings about kangaroos crossing the road, but similar commonwealth government systems and urban/suburban/rural split. I found Australia to feel half way between Europe and car loving North America. Imagine if the cuts of the 90's hadn't have happened and instead of VIA, we had provincial transit systems like NSW Translink and Queensland Rail. Many of the railway stations had similar architecture to Victorian Era stations found throughout Ontario. I spoke to resdients of the area and they were suprised that a country like Canada didn't have a bus-train network to get from a small rural town to the city for appointments.

One thing I realized that we take for granted here is how cheap some VIA services are. If I train to book the equivant sleeper service on the Ghan or Indian-Pacific, the price would have been double what I'd pay on the Canadian. Consider outselves lucky!

I arrived in Brisbane and took bassically what you described (but more on the transit side) a Queensland rail train and tram (G:Link) from the airport to the Gold Coast. I knew about G:Link from this from this fourm, which made planning fun. But it was such a breeze to walk 2 minutes from the International terminal at BNE to the station (similar to UP Express) and take the train to Helensvale and onto the Tram, especially after a 15 hour flight. Aside from the climate G:LINK and ION ae so similar: they're both being used a development incentives and I can tell it's paying off.

I agree there should be a hybrid service between GO and VIA that runs these distances. Basic, bare bones with UP Express style seating. For that to happen, the federal government needs to let VIA act more like a business and buy more infrasatruce and lease out more space in the train stations for better quality retail (looking at you Ottawa station). Berlin's Central Station is a great example of what can happen when a railway takes advantage of foot traffic operates more like a shopping centre that happens to offer waiting space for a train that a hospital waiting area (looking at you again Ottawa station).

Ottawa station does not have enough train traffic at the present time to allow for successful retail operations. This will gradually change if HFR gets off the ground, when the Confederation LIne opens and if a pedestrian connection is opened to the Trainyards development to the south via the station. Ottawa station is in an awkward location wedged between railway tracks and the Queensway.

 

[Allandale25]

Not sure why they used this pic for the article but nevertheless...

Train traffic to Ottawa up 18% over Canada Day weekend: Via Rail | Ottawa Business Journal

A growing number of Canada Day weekend travellers opted to take the train to the capital this year, according to Via Rail

obj.ca