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VIA Rail
- Thread starter ehlow
- Start date
Xav
Active Member
No need to apologize.My apologies, I really didn't intend to come across as abrasive. This is just what I do here whenever I want to proof my point or to proof someone else wrong: I sketch down how a thing might look in reality.
And this is the problem I have with your idea: I struggle to imagine how it could be practical and would allow for door-to-door travel times which are remotely competitive with driving. However, I am genuinely curious about what you might come up with, so why don't you give it a "quick and dirty" try? I promise nobody will laugh...
I didn't say anything about being competitive with driving. What I'm talking about is providing something basic, whether it's a coach line or a train service. By pure coincidence, I have family in the Lachute area, and I did take the Greyhound a couple of times when I was younger. It was a shitty experience, but at least there was a way to get there without a car. If the pandemic illustrates anything when it comes to public transportation, it is that we definitely need more government mandated service, in order to avoid transportation "deserts" like this one. I'm saying this for Argenteuil and Outaouais, it could be the same for most of Québec or Ontario.
There is no need to connect with Via the way Amtrak Thruway does... there's nothing to connect to anyway.
crs1026
Superstar
I’m not advancing this rumour, but I will comment on it from the perspective of our discussion about the election.
Trainorders.com, a rail enthusiast forum, is reporting that the first VIA Siemens trainset will be released from the factory on Friday.
This exact timing may or may not be true, but (given that the first trainset is known to be nearing completion) in a more Del Ducaish world, the LPC would have moved heaven and earth to have that trainset arrive in time for a pre-election photo op…. even if it was only a car or two, and even if the trainset wasn’t truly ready and it had to be returned to the factory afterwards for actual completion or setup.
Ottawa’s silence on celebrating this milestone is somewhere between puzzling and astounding….it’s just too much money spent to not take credit for. In what universe does a political entity spend $1B on something and not brag about it?
It says something that they don’t consider this election friendly…. perhaps they understand how any mention of VIA would inevitably draw attention to their non-stellar pace on HFR.
Or perhaps the rumour is unfounded…. even so, we’ve seen photos of the locos in their pre delivery state…. one wonders why there isn’t a single photo of any smiling Liberal candidate or Minister standing next to the pretty new engine.
- Paul
Trainorders.com, a rail enthusiast forum, is reporting that the first VIA Siemens trainset will be released from the factory on Friday.
This exact timing may or may not be true, but (given that the first trainset is known to be nearing completion) in a more Del Ducaish world, the LPC would have moved heaven and earth to have that trainset arrive in time for a pre-election photo op…. even if it was only a car or two, and even if the trainset wasn’t truly ready and it had to be returned to the factory afterwards for actual completion or setup.
Ottawa’s silence on celebrating this milestone is somewhere between puzzling and astounding….it’s just too much money spent to not take credit for. In what universe does a political entity spend $1B on something and not brag about it?
It says something that they don’t consider this election friendly…. perhaps they understand how any mention of VIA would inevitably draw attention to their non-stellar pace on HFR.
Or perhaps the rumour is unfounded…. even so, we’ve seen photos of the locos in their pre delivery state…. one wonders why there isn’t a single photo of any smiling Liberal candidate or Minister standing next to the pretty new engine.
- Paul
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kEiThZ
Superstar
It's very hard to guarantee that a locomotive would be delivered on time for any announcement. Beyond that, a minister posing with a locomotive isn't going to win many votes. Might even remind some Bombardier supporters about how Siemens won this contract and isn't building this in Canada. Really not worth all the risk for literally 2-3 days before the election.
crs1026
Superstar
That’s my point, really. Photos of a superficially complete loco have been floating around for months. Boeing doesn’t wait until it delivers an order to start showing off a new plane model. Tunnelling milestones for Toronto subway and similar projects had carefully staged breakthrough photo ops using fake but specially constructed end walls. Lots of ribbon cuttings happen to “open” a new facility while workers continue to build in the background. The timing of the true delivery is irrelevant.
If nobody saw this coming, and nobody saw a way to manufacture a (contrived) photo op to create a talking point around having spent $1B on VIa, they are either disengaged on the topic or made a conscious decision not to.
- Paul
roger1818
Senior Member
I agree. The vast majority of Canadians don't care about trains. You are right that it could rub salt on the wounds in Quebec, which is considered a key battle ground and western Canadians won't care, because most won't ever get a chance to see, let alone ride on the new fleet, and it might play into feelings of western alienation. That means that there is only those in southern Ontario will care, and even then, most will be apathetic to the new fleet.
ManyQuestions
Active Member
GO Train service expanding to London, Stratford and St. Marys
The Ontario government is expanding GO Train service to London, Stratford and St. Marys.
www.thestar.com
Looks like via is getting some very slow but cheaper competition between London and Toronto. Timings aren't very attractive with an early departure from London and a late return from Toronto and a 4 hour travel time end to end....
nfitz
Superstar
I'd assume the London-Toronto traffic would remain on VIA. The benefit here would be stuff like London to Kitchener traffic, and even Brampton. But like Kitchener/Toronto this service would also benefit from a morning train from Toronto to Kitchener, and points west.
drum118
Superstar
For those going from London to Toronto will most likely stick with VIA due to time saving, but its the points in between the 2 cities where it will be beneficial to riders to use GO in place of VIA. Once more GO service is added, it will open the door for more riders since they will have more opinions of choice for their travel needs than today as well think of not driving to/from Toronto/London.
For me, I would grab the train at Brampton than having to go to Oakville by local transit and GO which is faster than going into Toronto to get the train. Taking local transit to Brampton is faster than Oakville even with the changing of the bus. Now with the LRT went there like it should, it will be even faster.
Next time anyone is using VIA from London/Toronto/Windsor, watch to see how many riders are getting on/off at each station to see not everyone is going end to end. Same for Ottawa/Montreal
jamincan
Active Member
I think the press release specified that the train would leave London in the morning and return in the evening, but I was thinking that it would be nice if GO did the opposite to complement the existing Via schedule. That said, I don't think the morning schedule on the Guelph Subd allows for trains heading west until swarm of eastbound trains from 6:30-8:30 or so clears. I suppose this will resolve once some of the improvements they've been working on (tunnels under the 401 etc.) come online.
ManyQuestions
Active Member
My disappointment with the travel time was largely because I did not realize how dismal the current speeds are for the current VIA train between London and Kitchener. I had through that it would take about one hour to make the journey without realizing that it seems to be at an average speed of ~60kph. No wonder the service is less popular than the Ottawa-Montreal-Toronto triangle!
I've done this often while traveling between Ottawa and Montreal yet almost exclusively see 5 or fewer passengers embark/disembark and never more than 10. Doesn't mean that intermediary stops aren't important, but there also needs to be a balance with ideally a mix of fast and local trains. My ideal but likely unrealistic service pattern for HFR would be express trains that only stop in Montreal, Dorval, Ottawa, Peterborough, GTA East, and Toronto with timed crossplatform transfers to all-stops trains in Peterborough and Ottawa. Ofc this would require increased track capacity and likely won't be economically viable...
I've done this often while traveling between Ottawa and Montreal yet almost exclusively see 5 or fewer passengers embark/disembark and never more than 10. Doesn't mean that intermediary stops aren't important, but there also needs to be a balance with ideally a mix of fast and local trains. My ideal but likely unrealistic service pattern for HFR would be express trains that only stop in Montreal, Dorval, Ottawa, Peterborough, GTA East, and Toronto with timed crossplatform transfers to all-stops trains in Peterborough and Ottawa. Ofc this would require increased track capacity and likely won't be economically viable...
Bordercollie
Senior Member
Stops such as Belleville, Kingston and Brockville are very busy.
Trenton and Port Hope, not so much.
This is why there should be more local trains that stop at all of those stops to encourage people to travel from those in-between stops.
Also places like Brighton dont even have a stop, and it would help if people could use the train to Travel from Oshawa to Trenton or Trenton to Belleville.
cplchanb
Senior Member
No sure if anyone posted this already but the new fleet page now has updated interior renders of both classes (at bottom of page). Looks like there will be pods for business class!
Thought the seats themselves look like the same size and width throughout both classes... I was hoping for some sort of upgraded larger seat (apart from the mini tray table in between)
corpo.viarail.ca
Thought the seats themselves look like the same size and width throughout both classes... I was hoping for some sort of upgraded larger seat (apart from the mini tray table in between)
Fleet Replacement Program | VIA Rail
With our new bi-directional trains, we’ll take you where you need to go while providing a comfortable, accessible, eco-friendly experience.
Northern Light
Superstar
No sure if anyone posted this already but the new fleet page now has updated interior renders of both classes (at bottom of page). Looks like there will be pods for business class!
Thought the seats themselves look like the same size and width throughout both classes... I was hoping for some sort of upgraded larger seat (apart from the mini tray table in between)
Fleet Replacement Program | VIA Rail
With our new bi-directional trains, we’ll take you where you need to go while providing a comfortable, accessible, eco-friendly experience.
Just bringing those interior pics forward, from the link above:
kEiThZ
Superstar
They really are taking design cues from the Austrian Viaggios. I'm so glad.