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VIA Rail

Urban Sky said:
No, and VIA only hires already qualified LEs, but that pool is limited by the number of LEs who are already qualified and in the active working force…
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This is true now and for the past several years. And mainly because there are a good number of LEs that VIA has the ability to poach from CN, CP, Metrolinx, etc. And in fact, they have been doing just that - much to the chagrin of those railroads.

But a dozen-ish years ago VIA was forced to hire crews off of the street, with the attendant delays to staffing levels that it entails.

Dan
 
Bordercollie said:
Port of Vancouver is full. They need to figure out a way to add additional capacity.
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thats where the Fairview terminal in Prince Rupert is coming in handy .. and expanding like crazy... and its also has the benefit of being 3 days quicker to asia then vancouver.
 
Bordercollie said:
www.timescolonist.com

$1B rail and barge network proposed for Island; would help ease congestion at Vancouver

Under Island Rail Corp.’s ambitious proposal, it would offer local, national and international rail freight service and serve local passengers and tourists up and down the Island
www.timescolonist.com www.timescolonist.com

Just when we thought that the train on the island was dead.
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The problem is not making the business case for rail, which is easy, it is the hundred plus years of insulting and high-handed treatment of First Nations.
This "proposal" continues that trend, so take it with trainload of salt.
 
TerryJohnson said:
The problem is not making the business case for rail, which is easy, it is the hundred plus years of insulting and high-handed treatment of First Nations.
This "proposal" continues that trend, so take it with trainload of salt.
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To be fair, the article at least made it clear that the line was being placed back in the hands of the First Nations and nothing is going to happen without them.

It was not good negotiating strategy (nor particularly respectful) to immediately offer opinions publicly on what the FN should do with the reclaimed land - before their possession of the land was even fully transacted. Wouldn't surprise me if they pointedly refused to discuss the proposal - or even went ahead and did something else that conflicts with a railway or makes the route unusable - just to make the point that no one should "assume" their agreement nor forge ahead energetically as if that was a fait accompli.

- Paul
 
I'm skeptical but here is Island Rail Corp's website.

Island Rail Corp

Island Rail Corp (IRC) is a privately held company with identified partnerships and collaboration proposing a new vision for rail on Vancouver Island.
islandrailcorp.com islandrailcorp.com
 
TerryJohnson said:
The problem is not making the business case for rail, which is easy, it is the hundred plus years of insulting and high-handed treatment of First Nations.
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Isn't the business case for Island rail tenuous at best? From what I remember, compared to the level of ridership and freight volume, the required investment is huge.

Especially now that the corridor is broken up, and with First Nations being hostile to its return, I can't ever see it coming back, despite what the BC NDP might try to allude to. That talk is just trying to score cheap political points.

IMO, given that both levels of government have gone completely over the head of the Island Corridor Foundation with this one, I'm wondering if it's time they be dissolved. It definitely seems like they are circling the drain now that they almost completely lack involvement from First Nations. They haven't even made a statement on what has transpired.

As for Island Rail Corp, I honestly can't see how a solution to Port congestion would be to put containers on trains on an island, and then barge them to the mainland. It doesn't make any sense at all.
 
C_Johnson_1995 said:
Isn't the business case for Island rail tenuous at best? From what I remember, compared to the level of ridership and freight volume, the required investment is huge.

Especially now that the corridor is broken up, and with First Nations being hostile to its return, I can't ever see it coming back, despite what the BC NDP might try to allude to. That talk is just trying to score cheap political points.

IMO, given that both levels of government have gone completely over the head of the Island Corridor Foundation with this one, I'm wondering if it's time they be dissolved. It definitely seems like they are circling the drain now that they almost completely lack involvement from First Nations. They haven't even made a statement on what has transpired.

As for Island Rail Corp, I honestly can't see how a solution to Port congestion would be to put containers on trains on an island, and then barge them to the mainland. It doesn't make any sense at all.
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The province is putting in a fair chunk of coin for a serious evaluation of the viability of renewing passenger service: https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-island-rail-corridor-funding-planning
 
Frank_Lee said:
The province is putting in a fair chunk of coin for a serious evaluation of the viability of renewing passenger service: https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-island-rail-corridor-funding-planning
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$18 million for planning and consultation isn't exactly a path towards restoring rail service. It is basically a way for both levels of government to continue to put off the decision until the condition of the corridor deteriorates to the point that makes it impossible to restore.

Horgan already said it's not coming back. It's not the lack of a commitment to restoring rail that bothers me, that would be the wrong choice given the body of evidence we have. To me, I just wish the province and federal government would be honest rather than stringing people along.
 
The land that was returned to First Nations is immediately north of Nanaimo. it’s possible that one might continue to talk about how the NanImo-Victoria corridor - the portion with the greatest population density and ridership potential - might be useful.
But with nobody willing to put up money - I wouldn’t hold my breath.

- Paul
 
Coming to Council next week; https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2023.MM5.5

MM5.5 - Support for the City of Montreal's motion regarding a High-speed Train in the Quebec-Toronto Corridor - by Councillor Paul Ainslie, seconded by Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie​

Notice of Motion
Consideration Type: ACTIONWards: All
Attention
* Notice of this Motion has been given.
* This Motion is subject to referral to the Executive Committee. A two-thirds vote is required to waive referral.

Recommendations​

Councillor Paul Ainslie, seconded by Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie, recommends that:

1. City Council express its support for the City of Montreal’s motion of February 20,2023 in support of a high-speed train program instead of a high-frequency train.

2. City Council join the City of Oshawa in endorsing and pledging support for the City of Montreal’s Motion of February 20, 2023 (moved by Craig Sauvé, Conseiller de la Ville du district de Saint-Henri-Est-Petite-Bourgogne-Pointe-Saint-Charles--Griffintown and seconded by Serge Sasseville, Conseiller de la ville du district de Peter-McGill) in Attachment 1 to this Motion.

3. City Council forward this Item to the Prime Minster of Canada, the federal Minister of Transport, The Honorable Omar Alghabra, the federal Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, The Honorable Dominic LeBlanc, members of the House of Commons, the Premiers of Ontario and Quebec and the Ontario Minister of Transportation, Caroline Mulroney, the Quebec Minister of Transportation, Geneviève Guilbault, the City of Montreal, each Municipality and Region on the Toronto-Montreal Rail Corridor, Martin R. Landry, Chief Executive Officer, VIA Rail, Tracy Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, CN Rail, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
 
C_Johnson_1995 said:
$18 million for planning and consultation isn't exactly a path towards restoring rail service. It is basically a way for both levels of government to continue to put off the decision until the condition of the corridor deteriorates to the point that makes it impossible to restore.

Horgan already said it's not coming back. It's not the lack of a commitment to restoring rail that bothers me, that would be the wrong choice given the body of evidence we have. To me, I just wish the province and federal government would be honest rather than stringing people along.
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It always amazes me how much money governments are willing to spend to push something under the rug that they aren't willing to proceed with, but don't want to take the political hit of killing altogether.
 
crs1026 said:
The land that was returned to First Nations is immediately north of Nanaimo. it’s possible that one might continue to talk about how the NanImo-Victoria corridor - the portion with the greatest population density and ridership potential - might be useful.
But with nobody willing to put up money - I wouldn’t hold my breath.

- Paul
Click to expand...

That portion isn't coming back either. The Halalt First Nation is beginning proceedings to get its portion of the corridor back. They plan on demolishing the RoW to improve drainage on the reserve.

I think it's worth pointing out that this portion isn't particularly useful for rail either. I personally think that it's time to acknowledge that passenger rail outside of the corridor and some regional services really doesn't have any justification to exist in Canada. The only reason there is any level of advocacy in bringing any of these services back is because in transport discourse, bus is a dirty word, even if they would do the job better. It's the reason we are bringing the Northlander back in Ontario. There is absolutely no reasonable case in its favour and the BCR spells it out in the plainest way possible.

Tbh, I think there are few services that VIA has suspended where they didn't make the right choice. There needs to be a shift in the public and transit advocate mindset to recognise that intercity busses can do a lot.
 
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