Just a bit of an aside question with all this 200kmh talk: The new Siemens trains can do 200 kmh. Are there any areas on the current corridor that are rated for those speeds?
No, not in Canada. At least not yet.
How fast can the new Siemens trains go on the existing lines?
The expectation is that they will be allowed to operate at LRC speeds. But that is also subject to dynamic testing.
So the reality is that we just don't know yet.
I know some areas had 100MPH postings for the LRCs... is that still the limit? Or are there places rated for 177kmh or even 200kmh on the CN track.
There is still lots of 100mph (162km/h) track not just for LRCs but now for all passenger trains. And Transport Canada did recently (-ish) make allowances for 110mph (177km/h) speeds, although there doesn't seem to be any movement afoot to actually enact those.
But acheiving 125mph (201km/h) requires another jump not just in track quality but also signalling, apparently. And the elimination of grade crossings.
Any ability to play "catch up" after being stuck behind freight will be a nice addition.
The schedules are written with an element of excess "fluff" to them - if in ideal circumstances it takes 20 minutes to travel from one station to another (plus, say, 3 minutes for the station stop itself), than rather than scheduling 23 minutes they will schedule 27 or 28. This will allow for a train that is late to make up some time if it is late.
The reality too is that the schedules used today are not even this simplistic, and take into account the daily freight schedules, track usage (crossing over from mainline-to-mainline once will cost something like 60 seconds if it is a 45mph crossover, and more if it is a slower one), meets on any single-tracked sections, and so on.
Dan
