Heavy Rail, Commuter Rail, & Intercity Transportation

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

HA! Where exactly are you going to run 160km/h-capable track between Vancouver and Whistler? Your only choices in that corridor are slow or insanely, prohibitively expensive.

There was this: http://www.urbanstudio.sala.ubc.ca/squamish2004/trans%20High-Speed_Passenger_Rail.pdf

The top speed of tilting-body (non-HSR) would be 150mph, and would cost about $119 Million if you stopped in 'North Vancouver' (I guess just outside Lonsdale?) If you had a Skytrain up there, the additional expensive proposed trans-harbor tunnel could be avoided.

However, even at a 2h 7min time for the max speed of a non-HSR tilting-body train, it's still be uneconomical.

In fact, pretty much all the options were considered uneconomical. Considering BC Rail's previous experience on the line, I would have to say I reluctantly agree.

If Squamish doubles in size, into a true exurb of Vancouver, I can see it happening.

In any case, we probably won't see it until at least there's rapid transit across the harbour.

It depends where in Canada you are talking about. The Quebec City/Windsor corridor already has inter-city rail and VIA has plans to make it faster, more reliable, and more economical. I could also see an Edmonton Calgary train. Vancouver-Whistler would also make a lot of sense. It doesn't need to be HSR as even 160km/h is still very competitive.

The other factor for most of Canada is winter and rail is the safest, most reliable mode of transportation when there is bad weather. Airports and highways will close during a bad storm, but the trains keep running.

I was talking more trans-Canada movement. Commuter Rail in between the exurbs/satellite cities could definitely become economically viable within the foreseeable future, assuming proper investments are made.