Transit Fantasies

[cganuelas1995]

Here is my transit, or more maritime transportation I should say, of a Vancouver Island canal similar to the Panama Canal, so vessels can cut through the Island, saving some time and fuel and resources, instead of going around Victoria. Note that the alignment is very rough

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1oSDGaWunoIFW7nKKLoragvMSYprmvNdq&usp=sharing

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

Here is my transit, or more maritime transportation I should say, of a Vancouver Island canal similar to the Panama Canal, so vessels can cut through the Island, saving some time and fuel and resources, instead of going around Victoria. Note that the alignment is very rough

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1oSDGaWunoIFW7nKKLoragvMSYprmvNdq&usp=sharing

Thanks for the post, but unfortunately viewing your map requires requesting access with one's Google account. Can you perhaps post it as an image instead?

[cganuelas1995]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

Thanks for the post, but unfortunately viewing your map requires requesting access with one's Google account. Can you perhaps post it as an image instead?

I changed the setting on the link. Try it now.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

I changed the setting on the link. Try it now.

It works. Out of interest, how would the canal get over "the hump," that shoulder of Mt. Arrowsmith separating Port Alberni and eastern Vancouver Island?

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

Here is my transit, or more maritime transportation I should say, of a Vancouver Island canal similar to the Panama Canal, so vessels can cut through the Island, saving some time and fuel and resources, instead of going around Victoria. Note that the alignment is very rough

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1oSDGaWunoIFW7nKKLoragvMSYprmvNdq&usp=sharing

I cannot see the benefit of this being worth the cost of it. You are also going to have to deal with the "tree hugging hippies" as that is all old growth forests.

[cganuelas1995]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

I cannot see the benefit of this being worth the cost of it. You are also going to have to deal with the "tree hugging hippies" as that is all old growth forests.

Probably save time/fuel and would be an alternate route other than going around Victoria, in the event it gets congested in the future.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

Probably save time/fuel and would be an alternate route other than going around Victoria, in the event it gets congested in the future.

Unless the Port of Vancouver can process double what it is now, the traffic won't be high enough to justify this.

[cganuelas1995]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

Unless the Port of Vancouver can process double what it is now, the traffic won't be high enough to justify this.

What about the Roberts Bank project?

[Migrant_Coconut]

Unless Roberts Bank turns us into the Malacca Strait, that's a no.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

What about the Roberts Bank project?

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Unless Roberts Bank turns us into the Malacca Strait, that's a no.

This is a solution looking for a problem that does not exist and likely won't.

[waves]

Your route is the same distance to the Pacific Ocean from Roberts Bank as it is by just going around Victoria though (~210km). It would just be slower and more tedious than going around. It'd be like rat racing in a car through a Downtown Vancouver, soon enough you realize it's really not faster or shorter than just sticking to the arterials and using some tricks.

[BCPhil]

It would be cheaper (but not cheap) to create a fixed rail link from the mainland to Vancouver Island and just build a mega port in Port Alberni. And it would offer other benefits, as if it were built properly in the right location could be used for high speed rail between the Island and mainland. But that is a fantasy beyond all I've seen on the transit fantasy thread. 20 different Skytrain lines seems more feasible.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by BCPhil

It would be cheaper (but not cheap) to create a fixed rail link from the mainland to Vancouver Island and just build a mega port in Port Alberni. And it would offer other benefits, as if it were built properly in the right location could be used for high speed rail between the Island and mainland. But that is a fantasy beyond all I've seen on the transit fantasy thread. 20 different Skytrain lines seems more feasible.

So, destroy the ecosystem of that area?
Also, to build a rail line to the island, you need to cross the water. This means a fairly long line up the coast on the mainland.

We just won't have the demand for something this elaborate.

[BCPhil]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

So, destroy the ecosystem of that area?
Also, to build a rail line to the island, you need to cross the water. This means a fairly long line up the coast on the mainland.

We just won't have the demand for something this elaborate.

I think if you read the last part of my post I say it's ridiculous in not so many words. But as far as a fantasy goes, it's much more plausible than a canal through a pretty tall mountain and provincial park and has other benefits.

But anyway, how does a rail line destroy the ecosystem of the area?

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by BCPhil

But anyway, how does a rail line destroy the ecosystem of the area?

They might not realise that Port Alberni is already, well, a port.

Ultimately, if a superport were to be built on the Island with a mainland rail connection, I'd argue that the logical terminus would be at Port Hardy. Alberni Inlet is incredibly narrow meaning very little moorage, limited navigational room, and amplification of any tsunami that crosses the Pacific; Port Alberni was destroyed in 1964 because of this. Meanwhile, Port Hardy is on the east coast of the Island meaning protection from the elements, it has ample moorage in Queen Charlotte Strait, and most importantly it's geographically closer to Asia Pacific; Same reason Prince Rupert remains competitive with Vancouver.

[cganuelas1995]

Originally Posted by chowhou

They might not realise that Port Alberni is already, well, a port.

Ultimately, if a superport were to be built on the Island with a mainland rail connection, I'd argue that the logical terminus would be at Port Hardy. Alberni Inlet is incredibly narrow meaning very little moorage, limited navigational room, and amplification of any tsunami that crosses the Pacific; Port Alberni was destroyed in 1964 because of this. Meanwhile, Port Hardy is on the east coast of the Island meaning protection from the elements, it has ample moorage in Queen Charlotte Strait, and most importantly it's geographically closer to Asia Pacific; Same reason Prince Rupert remains competitive with the Vancouver.

Could probably use the Discovery Islands around the northeast of the island and sorta "island hop" the railway to Port Hardy. I think we should add a rail bypass near Nanoose bay to avoid that weird looking curve, as well as extend the railway past Courtenay.

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

Could probably use the Discovery Islands around the northeast of the island and sorta "island hop" the railway to Port Hardy. I think we should add a rail bypass near Nanoose bay to avoid that weird looking curve, as well as extend the railway past Courtenay.

Looking at the terrain (and also based on driving the IIH) there's a fair bit of a climb on the highway going north out of Nanoose Bay. The loop for the train appears to bypass that.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

Looking at the terrain (and also based on driving the IIH) there's a fair bit of a climb on the highway going north out of Nanoose Bay. The loop for the train appears to bypass that.

Let's ignore the Island for a moment.... Have you noticed how north of Sqamish along the coast there aren't many roads? There is a practical reason for it. It is also why a rail link to the Island will be mostly tunnels.

[cganuelas1995]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

Looking at the terrain (and also based on driving the IIH) there's a fair bit of a climb on the highway going north out of Nanoose Bay. The loop for the train appears to bypass that.

Tunnel through it.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

Let's ignore the Island for a moment.... Have you noticed how north of Sqamish along the coast there aren't many roads? There is a practical reason for it. It is also why a rail link to the Island will be mostly tunnels.

The Sunshine Coast bridge proposal pops up every once in a while. It wouldn't be completely surprising if a rail link came with it.