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VIA Rail

^I wonder if there is a deadline date in the Siemens contract re the option to order additional trainsets should HFr be approved?

- Paul
 
robmausser said:
IMO they should do the project in phases. Build the tack asap, and throw some Siemens Chargers on it.

Then electrify and the Chargers can go to other routes.
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The problem is the curves would need to be re-designed to support higher speeds later which makes it easier to do it right the first time.
 

Something of interest in the new 2051 regional transportation plan is this segment:
1646930538289.png

Assuming this is accurate, it seems like VIA HFR will be using the CP tracks in its entirety to reach Peterborough. Now this plan doesn't show how its going to reach Union from Agincourt, but at this point we're left with either A) Using the midtown sub and using the CP Don sub (the more likely variant now), or using the Stouffville Line down to Union.
 
ARG1 said:
..., but at this point we're left with either A) Using the midtown sub and using the CP Don sub (the more likely variant now), or using the Stouffville Line down to Union.
Click to expand...
Looks to me, with an absence of any red west of the Stouffville line, that they are using Stouffville.

Also, that's the first time I've seen Metrolinx acknowledge VIA HFR. If it was going down Don, Metrolinx wouldn't still be pushing the very controversial new storage area there, on the tracks VIA would need!

I wonder where the Toronto suburban station lands. Maybe they'll have to rebuild Kennedy again. :)
 
robmausser said:
Again, nice, but phase it out.

Build Toronto to Smiths Falls ASAP, and use the existing VIA track through Ottawa for now.

Build the Smith Fall -> Montreal bypass next and then Montreal to Quebec.

No reason this has to be done all at once and we wait until 2030s
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Why build Montréal-Québec last? It's already there.

It looks like HFR will be using the CP corridor, does that mean it would stop at Lucien-L'Allier station rather than Gare Centrale?
 
robmausser said:
Again, nice, but phase it out.

Build Toronto to Smiths Falls ASAP, and use the existing VIA track through Ottawa for now.

Build the Smith Fall -> Montreal bypass next and then Montreal to Quebec.

No reason this has to be done all at once and we wait until 2030s
Click to expand...
I thought there were already phases? I remember first one being Ottawa-Montréal. Then Ottawa-Toronto, Québec-Montréal, Smiths Fall-Montréal. I might be wrong though.
 
Yup, I recall Ottawa-Montreal being first on the list because it's the lowest hanging fruit. Toronto-Smith Falls requires an EA for some new alignments and will take longer, while Ottawa-Montreal can get away with a much less rigorous environmental approvals process.
 
duffo said:
"Significantly increase trip frequency between Major Cities (e.g. to 12–15 trains per day between Toronto and Montreal, HFR Services and Local Services combined)"

Existing frequency: 10 trips... so "High Frequency Rail" is adding a net 2 trips to the network?
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"12–15 trains per day between Toronto and Montreal" would be between 2 and 2.5 times as much as the 6 trains per day pre-Covid:

1646948170520.png
1646948350186.png
 
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