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VIA Rail

That'd be alright. Doing milk runs to smaller communities and whatnot. I had this template already made so for fun I thought I'd try Via's colour scheme.

View attachment 101586
Hi Where did you get this template (Which website)
I want to it (or get the larger version of it)
can you please give me the link to the website
it would be much appreciated thank you
 
2 days left to submit your questions for this year’s Annual meeting:
89BF7316-1C89-4BA9-9016-C5BE2886B164.jpeg

 
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Here's hoping VIA can create this much positive buzz when the Chargers arrive.
Apparently, we need to consider the "fists of quality" and "elbows of sleep" when accepting the final trains... ;)
First introduced on the Great Western, review here:
https://www.businesstraveller.com/forums/topic/rail-review-great-western-azuma-trains/
The last HST (Class 43) were retired from the GWR a few days back, with a big send off (literally, four different liveries from over the years).
The Last HST's from Paddington - YouTube

Geoff created a massive faux pax though with his making the tea (and he of all people should know better!). He put the milk in before the tea had 'brewed' (Cdns say 'steeped'). There's a special section in the Tower of London for people who do that!

(Truth be told, I 'brew' mine in the microwave in a china cup. Tell no-one, they'll have me for sedition, I still have a UK passport).

Marshall's point on the elbow ledge is incredibly pertinent, not just to trains, but planes, streetcars, subways, all manner of vehicle. It's a torture when you desperately need a few winks of shut-eye, and you're deprived by poor design. I'd go so far as to recommend a small pad for the elbow on that ledge to assist exactly what Marshall does. It would have to be replaceable every few weeks for the purpose of hygiene. Even a small sponge like the ones for dish washing would work...without the green abrasive side...unless you have really crusty elbows.

Any chance of putting that to the 'appropriate persons' @Urban Sky for the Siemens?
 
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I personally think that at least half of the TOP 20 of the most frequently asked questions would be more appropriately directed at the federal government, but in case you want to make sure a certain questions get’s answered by VIA’s new CEO personally, here is your chance:
B7ED4007-DBE3-4257-9D60-2C12E39F302F.jpeg

 
For the second year in a row, they renewed my Premier status even if I have not accumulated the required $ spent. Quite nice !
 
Out of curiosity, how did you accumulate so many points and take that many segments with such little spent?

I have an unlimited semester pass so whenever I knew my train would be delayed I cancelled my original reservation and booked a separate segment for every stop the train made. I got 65 points per segment for a 1 hour+ delay and 130 for a 4 hour+ delay.
 
Out of curiosity, how did you accumulate so many points and take that many segments with such little spent?

I have an unlimited semester pass so whenever I knew my train would be delayed I cancelled my original reservation and booked a separate segment for every stop the train made. I got 65 points per segment for a 1 hour+ delay and 130 for a 4 hour+ delay.

There are a number of other ways to do it as well. There are regular surveys that you can fill in that will give you points. And they regularly run special deals to improve points accumulation at various times of the year.

Dan
 
OK, needless to say, I consider this *overdue* news, and quoting the CP wire on this, save for their actual quotes of officials, wouldn't stand in debate, so let's flip this over for a moment:
In practice, that means projects need to meet federal policy objectives, along with those of the jurisdiction housing a particular project. Projects must also be attractive to the private sector, meaning they need to bring in money to pay off investors.

“Our role is to conduct analysis of options in order to provide commercially confidential advice,” agency CEO Pierre Lavallee said in a statement about the meetings regarding Via Rail.
All well and good! Anyone reading that in this string would realize that's been D-S' argument all along.

Now apply those criteria stated above to the Metrolinx situation.

Seems to me there's a lot of explaining to be done from one end or the other. And this point isn't with VIA, it's with Verster, Fedeli, McNaughton, Yurek and Lavallee. Pardon my extrapolating it from this string's perspective, but this was a point that @crs1026 raised a week or so back.

The demands being made of VIA *with the information being provided* appear to be far more stringent than with Metrolinx. Again, let's flip this over, what "business case" has Metrolinx provided to the the InfraBank as the basis for that "$2B"...best I quote this:
So far, the agency has gotten involved in two projects, first through a $1.28-billion loan to an electric rail project in Montreal, and last month with up to $2 billion in debt to expand GO Transit’s rail network around Toronto.

And subsequent to that, where was Lavallee's reference to it being "debt-financing" in that announcement that so many have pounced on as gospel truth? (He and all others studiously avoided it...an odd stance for 'regimes imbued with accountability and thrift management')

"$2B" either financed debt or a grant, is a damn good part of what D-S has been asking for and "Transport Canada" are still 'sitting on this'?

Again, even though this is CP wire copy, best I quote exactly:
Transport Canada has been looking over the Via proposal for more than a year, and the Liberals have yet to announce a decision on funding.
And Yurek is totally unable to put detail on what his 'Big Huge Massive Gargantuan Largest P3 In Canada' Announcement is all about?

Hey...what's wrong with this picture?

This is great news for VIA, it keeps the blood flowing...but it poses as many..*more* questions than it answers. And last time I checked the Act that enabled the InfraBank...best I quote and reference:
Canada Infrastructure Bank Act
S.C. 2017, c. 20, s. 403
https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-6.18/FullText.html

...accountability and due process is all laid out.

Back later...after I've brushed up on a few chapters.

Something doesn't smell right, and I'm being diplomatic...

Who exactly is behind the financing of that "$2B debt" to Metrolinx? And who carries the risk/underwrites it? And the risk stops where?
 
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