kEiThZ
Superstar
In these corridors the majority drive, and rail can steal a lot more from driving if price and schedule are right.
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VIA Rail
- Thread starter ehlow
- Start date
In these corridors the majority drive, and rail can steal a lot more from driving if price and schedule are right.
yrt+viva=1system
Senior Member
SaugeenJunction
Senior Member
As well intentioned as HSR Canada is, they have to understand that Canada isn't getting true HSR anytime soon, and if they torpedo/sabotage HFR all that we get is the status quo, nothing better.
From their release: VIA RAIL has been actively promoting their High Frequency Rail Plan in Ontario. Repeated attempts to obtain detailed maps of where this train will run from VIA RAIL have been unsuccessful.
- If they haven't seen maps, they need to learn how to look, because there are maps out there clearly showing the alignment of HFR, via Peterborough and on the North Shore in Quebec.
- HFR rolling stock is supposed to be able to run at 200 km/h, with Transport Canada allowing 175 km/h over level-crossings. This is an improvement from 1975 for sure
SaugeenJunction
Senior Member
Also, for those who want a clear map of VIA's HFR project there is this - VIA was asked for it and they gladly gave it. I'm kind of concerned with HSR Canada and their motives. Don't want this project to be undermined.
ssiguy2
Senior Member
The Smith Falls/Peterborough route is the route they should NOT take. Why?.......because already you have the 2 mayors lining up and getting the citizens pumped up about the future service. In other words, more stops. What's the point of having HFR when your trip is actually slower?
For the TOM corridor they should have just 2 trains... 1} Tor/Mon and 2} Tor/King/Ott/Mon.
For the TOM corridor they should have just 2 trains... 1} Tor/Mon and 2} Tor/King/Ott/Mon.
SaugeenJunction
Senior Member
With 15 departures per day from major city centres (roughly what HFR will provide), only 2 or 3 daily trains actually have to stop in small places like Perth, with the other 12 or 13 only stopping in larger towns. For Perth, and small towns like it, 2 or 3 trains per day is huge in comparison to the zero they have now. But I agree - not every train should stop in small towns. I also wouldn't be surprised to see a Markham station - currently York Region doesn't really have VIA service and I can see this being a well-used station.
muller877
Senior Member
Also, for those who want a clear map of VIA's HFR project there is this - VIA was asked for it and they gladly gave it. I'm kind of concerned with HSR Canada and their motives. Don't want this project to be undermined.
This is exactly what I'm worried about. Just comparing London to QC they have similar plane and car trips to/from Toronto and Montreal respectively. Then if you compare Kitchener to Trois-Rivieres the Ontario route will have more usage hands down.
But of course our prime minister from the Laurentian Consensus only think Canada exists within Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and QC. So no money for HSR in SW Ontario.
SaugeenJunction
Senior Member
JohnnyRenton
New Member
The point about a possible Markham station is one that often gets missed in these discussion. Improving access to some of the larger suburbs in the GTA, and Montreal and Ottawa for that matter, would definitely help make the train a more attractive option for those living in those areas, as well to people who may be travelling to them.
It was already mentioned before in this thread, somewhere, but Fallowfield Station in Ottawa is a perfect example of this. It is extremely well used, sometimes being just as busy as Ottawa's main station. And at least as of a few years ago (before detours and LRT construction began), if you were coming into Ottawa from Toronto and wanted to get to Lebreton Flats by transit as your final destination you could almost always get there faster by getting off at Fallowfield instead of taking the train all the way to the main station on Trembley. So even people living at the western fringes of Ottawa's downtown, and in neighborhoods like Hintonburg or Westboro, actually benefited, albeit in a small way, from the addition of that station.
Aylmer
New Member
Well, that escalated quickly. It might also be that KW already has regular rail service, so the gains in ridership from a slightly higher speed might be smaller than opening up a completely new market in TR.
That in no way means that TR is more important than KW, but for a phase 1 of a project, you aim for the low-hanging fruit.
TOareaFan
Superstar
First time I have ever seen Quebec City and London compared to each other and, frankly, I am really struggling to get the comparison.
crs1026
Superstar
Provincial capital, high-attractiveness history-rich culturally rich tourist destination, major international harbour versus....London? I won't go there.
My question would be the same as in Ontario - what does this mean for the current service on the south shore? Will service to say Drummondville be cut back? Is this on anyones' radar screen as a concern?
I haven't heard Quebec speak of provincial level regional rail service in the same way that GO has extended its view to KW and Niagara. London is the next logical step in this direction. Does Quebec see any value in extending regional rail beyond Montreal commuter routes?
- Paul
JohnnyRenton
New Member
HSR Canada does have a lot of great historical resources, but as an advocacy group, they really miss the mark (as most rail advocacy groups in Canada do).
HFR shouldn't be seen as an alternative, rather it is a prerequisite. This project would allow VIA to better serve existing customers, add new ones, and create a more flexible network with a handful of new destinations. Yeah I get that a full fledged HSR service on an HSL would be great to see, but there are a lot of steps that need to be taken before that is going to make sense.
JohnnyRenton
New Member
The impression I get that is that whatever service is implemented on these new lines will be in addition to what currently exists, not replacing it. I'm sure existing lines might see the odd change but nothing in any of the articles or discussions about HFR has lead me to believe that places like Drummondville could see service cutbacks (time will tell though).
muller877
Senior Member
You say that and London is only 10-20% different in the number of trips from Toronto vs Mtl to QC. QC does get more tourist trips but London probably gets more business trips (and rush hour is where we need the transit...not on a Sat in August where there's plenty of capacity).
I want to make sure that the feds don't forget that Ontario is just not the Nations Capital and Toronto. They need to remember SW Ontario.