Bordercollie
Senior Member
You can only do that if there is another effective means of transportation
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VIA Rail
- Thread starter ehlow
- Start date
cplchanb
Senior Member
Exactly...
We just have the Corridor... and its slow
lenaitch
Senior Member
Because it also operates equipment on shared track, both freight and VIA.
cplchanb
Senior Member
Ok then those lines can use diesels or go buys the rest of the track.
But theres no reason why LSW, LSE and stouffville cant use more efficient trains. ML is just being cheap
lenaitch
Senior Member
I don't think not wanting to operate two fleets comes under the heading of 'cheap'. Ownership of the track aside, freight still operates on a lot of MX's corridor.
KevinT
Senior Member
So I'm about a month late posting this, but my trip from Kitchener to Dorval on Jan 25th (yes, that giant snowstorm day) did not exactly go well:
Train 84 was over 30 minutes late leaving Kitchener, though that didn't affect my connection in Toronto, and the service in business class was decent. It turns out my snowboard bag fit easily into two interconnected overhead bins, which nobody else was using. There was also the option to stand it behind some seats in another car, but keeping it close in my own car just felt better.
Train 66 from Union to Montreal (my ticketed distance, since that was cheaper than purchasing Kitchener to Dorval per the incredibly helpful booking agent) was much more problematic. It left Toronto late, then kept losing minutes along the way stuck behind a freight; an issue which probably wouldn't have existed had it left on time. By 18:00 we were an hour behind, but the worst was yet to come. At 18:25 I missed the PA announcement, but checked the tracker which reported "Switch Issues West of Belleville — The train is delayed at Belleville due to switch issues in the area. Rail traffic can proceed in the area, but at reduced speed and one train at a time. As such, significant delay is expected." This was followed by "UPDATE 18:41: trains 47 and 53 are now back on the move", which sounded at least somewhat hopeful. At 19:04 I texted my wife "Announcement: We're now 2 hours and 10 minutes late, but should be the next train to go through this zone. Once we pass through this zone we should be proceeding again at regular speed." Again, this was false hope, and it wasn't until 20:23 that I texted, "We're moving!"
Any idea at that point of my buddy picking me up at Dorval and us driving to Tremblant (he'd already killed off a few hours at a brew pub in Brossard) was ridiculous, so we booked the cheapest hotel in Dorval that Expedia could find us. At 20:50 I texted Michelle, "Stopped again, we've cleared Quinte West but are still not in Belleville", followed at 21:05 by, "Moving again. Reduced speed until the Belleville stop, then normal speed after that."
Here's where I do have to give kudos to VIA, because it was right around then they announced that a) our trip would be credited back to us, and b) we'd each get a pizza slice in Belleville. It was lukewarm pizza but quite welcome; so well done to our attendants for that one! At 00:37 we arrived in Dorval, 4 hours and 39 minutes late. It was at 01:01 that I finally texted Michelle, "In bed at the hotel in Dorval. Good night, I love you!", and true to their word VIA's compensation email arrived at 05:24 while I blissfully slept: A complete refund, available as either a voucher good for 12 months, or 8 VIA Preference Points per dollar that would never expire. I chose the points, as I don't travel with VIA often, and have no idea when I'll get around to using them.
For a CN track issue that was out of their hands, on the night of a massive snowstorm causing issues across southern Ontario, they done good. Thank you VIA!
Bordercollie
Senior Member
I mean if you flew you would have gotten stuck at the airport. Driving would not have been fun. If it wasn't for the switch issue you would have been an hour late? That's not bad actually.
Admiral Beez
Superstar
So does Fredericton, and I often enjoyed a walk over the retired railway bridges that now make up some of the best bike cycling and walking paths I’ve seen.
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reaperexpress
Senior Member
Most of the core bike paths are on old regional lines that are never coming back. The rail line people are talking about is the line from Fredericton York St Station to Fredericton Junction (on the Canadian Pacific mainline that still exists), which was used by Via Rail for its Fredericton-Halifax RDC. There's a brief segment that is a key link in the waterfront trail, but they could have built an adjacent bike path if the rail were still there.
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reaperexpress
Senior Member
Mostly off-topic but while I was assembling the above map I stumbled upon the 1881 and 1915 railway maps I made a few years ago:
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Bordercollie
Senior Member
I have a question in regards to Dark Territory. It now limits trains to 50mph. 1/4mile from a switch.
Is that supposed to allow the train to slow to prevent a switch that is missalighned or to see if it's missalighned?
What difference does I make if the train is going 50 or 70mph. It's not like it can stop in that distance anyway?
Main Track Switches in OCS Territory
unless or until the switch is seen to be in normal position, movements approaching a main track hand operated switch in a facing point direction in OCS territory, must not exceed the following speeds from ¼ mile of the switch;
PASSENGER50MPH
FREIGHT45MPH
FREIGHT handling
Special Dangerous
Commodities40MPH
Board Reassessment of Response to R01-01
The added CROR Rule 104(p) prescribes a speed restriction at all MT switches in non-signalled territory. This constitutes an additional administrative system defence. In consideration that a permanent additional administrative defence has been implemented, the Board reassesses the response to Recommendation R01-01 to be "Fully Satisfactory".
Is that supposed to allow the train to slow to prevent a switch that is missalighned or to see if it's missalighned?
What difference does I make if the train is going 50 or 70mph. It's not like it can stop in that distance anyway?
Main Track Switches in OCS Territory
unless or until the switch is seen to be in normal position, movements approaching a main track hand operated switch in a facing point direction in OCS territory, must not exceed the following speeds from ¼ mile of the switch;
PASSENGER50MPH
FREIGHT45MPH
FREIGHT handling
Special Dangerous
Commodities40MPH
Board Reassessment of Response to R01-01
The added CROR Rule 104(p) prescribes a speed restriction at all MT switches in non-signalled territory. This constitutes an additional administrative system defence. In consideration that a permanent additional administrative defence has been implemented, the Board reassesses the response to Recommendation R01-01 to be "Fully Satisfactory".
crs1026
Superstar
Looks like you are reading from
The intent of the speed restriction is as you suggest - crew has more time to potentially spot the misaligned switch, more reaction time to initiate a brake application, and hopefully reduction of momentum.
Not really a guarantee that the train will stop safely, but lowers the potential for harm as even in worst case the force of impact or derailment is probably somewhat less than if there were no speed restriction.
- Paul
Bordercollie
Senior Member
So routes such as the ocean should really be upgraded to CTC for safety reasons...
crs1026
Superstar
I can't argue with that conclusion.....the cost is the killer. Both the cost to i stall and the cost to maintain. It could sink the Ocean.
For a route like the Ocean, where there are so few trains out there, technologies less than full CTC might be used.... but still expensive.
- Paul
Bordercollie
Senior Member
Once the fleet renewal is complete, will we see a restoration of frequencies? Given that the new equipment should require less maintenance?