Calgary Public Transit II

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by lubicon

Is any part of the Green Line a 'go' yet? I mean formally. To my knowledge it is not and funding hasn't even been secured yet.

Formally not until the amended contribution agreements are signed, which is late in the tender process.

No one should be concerned by this though.

[DSC]

I have also noticed that Calgary does not have a Via Rail station yet. And in saying that how long until we get one?

[speedog]

Originally Posted by DSC

I have also noticed that Calgary does not have a Via Rail station yet. And in saying that how long until we get one?

Ummm, well when pigs fly...

[CrossedTheTracks]

Originally Posted by DSC

I have also noticed that Calgary does not have a Via Rail station yet. And in saying that how long until we get one?

Sure we do! (tongue somewhat in cheek) We just lack Via Rail service.

Of course many bits of station infrastructure are long gone (ticket counters, etc.) but there are tracks and platforms still...

[DSC]

Originally Posted by CrossedTheTracks

Sure we do! (tongue somewhat in cheek) We just lack Via Rail service.

Of course many bits of station infrastructure are long gone (ticket counters, etc.) but there are tracks and platforms still...

i knew that we used to have rail service and i was just wondering of we can expect it to be back anytime in the next 5-10 years?

[PPAR]

Rail service to Banff and Lake Louise coming this way, if Banff Tourism has its way.

It would be useful to see rail service to the park happen. While not directly comparable, it would give a sense as to whether high speed rail to Edmonton would have popular appeal.

[DSC]

Originally Posted by PPAR

Rail service to Banff and Lake Louise coming this way, if Banff Tourism has its way.

It would be useful to see rail service to the park happen. While not directly comparable, it would give a sense as to whether high speed rail to Edmonton would have popular appeal.

I agree that rail service to the park would be useful considering that Calgary's the main entrance to Banff and area

[Socguy]

I love the idea of rail links but the problems I see give me pause.

It's hard to compete with a car. Tickets can get expensive. If you're a single traveler, it might be comparable but for groups of 3 or 4 people, traveling by train can get very expensive when everyone buys a 50$ ticket.

Next, what do you do when you get to your destination? If you drove, you've got a car. When destination points don't have good internal transit, it really devalues inter community links IMO. If Banff is serious about restarting a train, they should start by investing heavily in their own mass transit. But perhaps some combination of bikes, car rentals and buses/street cars could get them by.

At the end of the day, I hope that they can get this thing off the ground. I know that all things being equal, I'd prefer to kick back in a train car, sipping a beverage and watching the scenery roll by instead of trapped in a car fighting my way along the trans Canada.

[PPAR]

Originally Posted by Socguy

I love the idea of rail links but the problems I see give me pause.

It's hard to compete with a car. Tickets can get expensive. If you're a single traveler, it might be comparable but for groups of 3 or 4 people, traveling by train can get very expensive when everyone buys a 50$ ticket.

Next, what do you do when you get to your destination? If you drove, you've got a car. When destination points don't have good internal transit, it really devalues inter community links IMO. If Banff is serious about restarting a train, they should start by investing heavily in their own mass transit. But perhaps some combination of bikes, car rentals and buses/street cars could get them by.

At the end of the day, I hope that they can get this thing off the ground. I know that all things being equal, I'd prefer to kick back in a train car, sipping a beverage and watching the scenery roll by instead of trapped in a car fighting my way along the trans Canada.

I think the game changer here is that highway one is staring to see meaningful capacity issues at peak times. I have, on a couple of occasions, come to complete stops for prolonged periods coming back to Calgary on holiday weekends. We are heading to a situation similar to highway 400 from Toronto to Muskoka, where nobody in their right mind wants to drive up just for a long weekend.

[MasterG]

Originally Posted by PPAR

I think the game changer here is that highway one is staring to see meaningful capacity issues at peak times. I have, on a couple of occasions, come to complete stops for prolonged periods coming back to Calgary on holiday weekends. We are heading to a situation similar to highway 400 from Toronto to Muskoka, where nobody in their right mind wants to drive up just for a long weekend.

This is true. Coupled with Banff's concentrated and walkable nature, it's car congestion challenges (see ongoing parking discussion), and a high amount of international tourists that don't always want / need a car. Couple that with the general trends of younger people not being (or desiring to be) as car-oriented as previous generations there is an interesting business case.

Of course, cars aren't going away altogether and the train won't work for many people and families. But to provide accessibility to other modes of travel won't hurt a place dealing with acute car congestion challenges. Not everyone is a family of four, nor does everyone have access to a car.

The building blocks are already there. Banff & Canmore has continued to upgrade it's regional transit (Roam Transit), they are building more pedestrian friendly streets with on-street patios and street furniture, and it is building off it's draw as an active destination of hiking, cycling and outdoor lifestyle.

The very nature of the park is one of most activities concentrated in only a few spots, separately by medium distances. This is a good formula for rail transport. Canmore (just outside), Banff townsite, Sunshine ski hill and Lake Louise make up the majority of all visits, hence the high levels of congestion at all these sites.

[DizzyEdge]

It's true a train may work better for singles than families, but if that means you get singles on the trains and high occupancy vehicles on the roads, that's a positive move.

[Cage]

The train to Banff is a really bad idea, but more importantly it is an idea that wastes provincial funds that could be better spent on urban transit. By urban transit I mean Calgary and Edmonton.

One of the lead Banff train proponents was on AM770 last week. Their thesis revolves around Banff wanting to get cash from the green infrastructure fund from the provincial government. The logistics of train do not pan out. The train would only operate in the summer and would be primarily for out of province tourists. There would be a single daily round trip and this round trip with airport origin/destination pax being funneled through downtown Calgary (bus from airport to down town, catch train to Banff, then a second bus around the Banff town site to hotel destination).

[People.talking]

Originally Posted by Cage

The train to Banff is a really bad idea, but more importantly it is an idea that wastes provincial funds that could be better spent on urban transit. By urban transit I mean Calgary and Edmonton.

I somewhat agree with this statement, I agree that most funds should go to urban transit. But a train to Banff would not be a all around bad idea because i mean i think it would do pretty good during the summer season and even better on long weekends, and also keep in mind that Calgary is the one of the only major Canadian cities that does not have rail service

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by Cage

The train to Banff is a really bad idea, but more importantly it is an idea that wastes provincial funds that could be better spent on urban transit. By urban transit I mean Calgary and Edmonton.

One of the lead Banff train proponents was on AM770 last week. Their thesis revolves around Banff wanting to get cash from the green infrastructure fund from the provincial government. The logistics of train do not pan out. The train would only operate in the summer and would be primarily for out of province tourists. There would be a single daily round trip and this round trip with airport origin/destination pax being funneled through downtown Calgary (bus from airport to down town, catch train to Banff, then a second bus around the Banff town site to hotel destination).

We are getting to the point where we have to start looking at cost benefit for the extra special transit funding carbon tax fund (GreenTRIP II — now with better branding!) that isn't a transfer that is guaranteed. After the GreenLine in Calgary and the West Ed Line in Edmonton are done it would probably be useful for the province to establish a Capital Decision Risk Analysis process to be able to weigh the benefits of very different projects.

I don't think a Banff line would be very practical without being an add on to a commuter train to Cochrane to cover the project cost up to the point to add a 3rd and 2nd track where needed until then, but I am always prepared to be surprised. Reviewing the High Speed Rail businesses cases the case is overwhelming which is a surprise to most (not just benefits exceeding costs which is usually the public transit test but revenue exceeding costs) so don't want to dismiss things that maybe wouldn't have made sense in my perception of the province that might be a little too informed by year 2000 Alberta.

Banff will apply for their sweet gondola project (still in a early stage) and get approved as long as they can keep the cost in check. http://www.rmoutlook.com/article/20150430/RMO0801/304309974/-1/RMO/rfp-issued-for-gondola

and then a map on this: http://banff.ca/documentcenter/view/2676

[CrossedTheTracks]

Calgary Transit is seeking to simplify some of the NW bus routes. They have info boards up at Brentwood this morning, and have other dates and locations for public information, as well as a survey.

Information (with link to survey at the bottom) at: http://www.calgarytransit.com/2016ServiceReview

[Socguy]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

It's true a train may work better for singles than families, but if that means you get singles on the trains and high occupancy vehicles on the roads, that's a positive move.

A good point!

[Fuzz]

Some choice quotes form the SW BRT meeting....

"It has no purpose but to jam up the roads entirely," he said. "So, what else can I say? It's ridiculous."

"The response is from the city that all people are expected to use the nature trails and the pathway systems to get there," Spenceley said.

"So what have you done? You've just eliminated half the planet from ever getting on that bus, because no woman – self-respecting or otherwise – is going to get on a nature trail to go to a bus."

City transportation spokesman Sean Somers, who at one point during the meeting was yelled and sworn at by an older man who said people along the southwest route won't use public transit because they can afford to drive Mercedes-Benz vehicles, acknowledged the mood of the crowd was, at times, hostile.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/southwest-brt-transitway-woodbine-meeting-1.3461754?cmp=rss

People are just awesome, aren't they?

[ByeByeBaby]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Some choice quotes form the SW BRT meeting....

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/southwest-brt-transitway-woodbine-meeting-1.3461754?cmp=rss

People are just awesome, aren't they?

Old rich white men say the darndest things!

[Fuzz]

The poor guy getting yelled at....You couldn't pay me enough to have to explain stuff to people like that.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

The poor guy getting yelled at....You couldn't pay me enough to have to explain stuff to people like that.

I've been there dozens of times. Been called all kinds of things. This guy isn't nearly as bad as some others out there.