VIA Rail network developments

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by Gat-Train

What was their reasoning for tearing up tracks? Does it cost them more money to keep around tracks they aren't using? Or do they sell the steel for scrap?

CP upgraded the line to CTC and removed sections of the second track, leaving long passing sidings. With CTC, they seem to think they can manage their volume using the sidings.

The rail is reported to be heading east to improve the recently acquired CMQ.

[Truenorth00]

VIA has a proposal to hire for public consultations on HFR, up on Merx:

https://www.merx.com/solicitations/open-...gh-Frequency-Rail-HFR-Project/0000182905

Hopefully, we'll be seeing good info in a few months.

[Truenorth00]

It's unfortunate for Ottawa, that Hurdman and the VIA Rail Stations aren't co-located. It makes for a particularly odd situation that our main VIA rail station is one stop from one of the largest transit hubs in the city. Most passengers might be downtown bound, but a small fraction will incur an extra transfer heading south. And that number will grow with HFR as we get to (hopefully) beyond hourly service.

[LRTeverywhere]

I lived near this rail line most of my life and while I am sad to see it getting reduced it makes sense, I dont think I have ever seen two trains come by at a frequency enough to justify having two tracks. They just did signal work at Bedell to have what I assume will be a passing track, with the passing track there and I assume at Smith falls I dont think the frequency of the line will be effected at all, they may even have the ability to increase the frequency from what it currently is since from what I've seen there is only a few trains a day.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by The Conductor

It makes for a particularly odd situation that our main VIA rail station doesn't really offer access to to the city core. Most passengers might want to access Bank Street because of all the roads that run across Bank from Parliament Station to Billings Bridge or perhaps South Keys.

Having the VIA Rail station on a transit line, four stops from the core is far better than having it built on a road with only bus service. And there's really not much on Bank St that is particularly driving inter-city travel. Business travelers are bound for the core mostly. And they can take advantage of the Confederation Line or the 417 to be anywhere in the city relatively quickly, from Tremblay. Will be great when Fallowfield has the Confederation Line and HFR service in the west end.

[Gat-Train]

Originally Posted by Catenary

CP upgraded the line to CTC and removed sections of the second track, leaving long passing sidings. With CTC, they seem to think they can manage their volume using the sidings.

The rail is reported to be heading east to improve the recently acquired CMQ.

That makes sense. I don't know too much about railroads, but I still think it would make more sense to keep the extra tracks in order to have some redundancy.

[The Conductor]

Originally Posted by Gat-Train

That makes sense. I don't know too much about railroads, but I still think it would make more sense to keep the extra tracks in order to have some redundancy.

AND - if they decide to walk away at some in the future, the city could have access to a line for public transit that would already be double tracked...

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by Gat-Train

That makes sense. I don't know too much about railroads, but I still think it would make more sense to keep the extra tracks in order to have some redundancy.

Redundancy isn't free. Somebody has to pay for it. And it's usually the organization that wants that redundancy maintained.

I'm okay with them removing rail as long as the corridor is preserved, which is always what is actually valuable, not the rusting rails and rotting ties. We might be seeing the benefit of the corridor being preserved with what is happening with HFR and its use of old corridors. Converted to trails. And could be converted back to rail.

[LRTeverywhere]

Originally Posted by The Conductor

AND - if they decide to walk away at some in the future, the city could have access to a line for public transit that would already be double tracked...

The Winchester sub is not within the city of Ottawa and runs parallel to it.

[Gat-Train]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Redundancy isn't free. Somebody has to pay for it. And it's usually the organization that wants that redundancy maintained.

I'm okay with them removing rail as long as the corridor is preserved, which is always what is actually valuable, not the rusting rails and rotting ties. We might be seeing the benefit of the corridor being preserved with what is happening with HFR and its use of old corridors. Converted to trails. And could be converted back to rail.

Except once you convert a railroad to a recreational trail, you have to deal with the ear-piercing screeching of the people preserving their precious trails when you try to switch back. Just like with the Byron Linear Park.

[J.OT13]

In the Ottawa Citizen's 175 article last week (?) it mentioned that the original planned location for the new Ottawa station was on Walkley around where the DriveTest Centre is located today.

That would have been far worse location than the current situation.

[Allandale25]

[cross posted to Urban Toronto]

At today's Toronto Region Board of Trade Recovery Summit Series on transportation, on a panel (screenshot below) the President and CEO of VIA Rail provided some remarks that touched on HFR.

Here is the audio: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x_Da_AQ4NYMwOCS_MOfr6x6uzrB37q62/view?usp=sharing

Quick summary (my paraphrasing):

• VIA had its best year in 2019 and hit a revenue high and experienced 5 years of ridership growth leading up to 2019;
• Despite the challenges of the blockade and COVID-19, we can't lose sight of modernization;
• VIA is reaching the limit of its potential and frequency potential, and needs modernization;
• Modernization includes: 1) new reservation system; 2) refurbishment of the existing fleet; 3) the new fleet coming online in 2022; and 4) HFR is the "flagship" and the "heart of the future";
• $71 million was allocated by the feds in 2019 to study 2019. The Joint Project Office (JPO) report should be available "shortly" and they hope for a decision by the end of the year [it wasn't clear who is making the decision but I assume the Minister];
• HFR: it's about frequency and connectivity, creating service for new places, improving reliability/on-time performance, getting passenger trains away from freight trains, environmental sustainability, and there is an opportunity to electrify the network [route]. It was noted that it's a large-scale project that aligns with the governments goals on job creation and aligns with green goals; and

SW Ontario - there was a question on more SW Ontario service. Here is the audio of the response: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yhOz5jJ1-oKlQ607wswoMMuB4sbLotVx/view?usp=sharing

[Truenorth00]

Has anybody seen anything on station upgrades? I presume of HFR is approved, there might be some need for renewal of station infrastructure.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

In the Ottawa Citizen's 175 article last week (?) it mentioned that the original planned location for the new Ottawa station was on Walkley around where the DriveTest Centre is located today.

That would have been far worse location than the current situation.

Yep, that's why Station Blvd is so named; it was originally planned to head out to Walkley Rd to the new train station.

[J.OT13]

Wine-by-the-glass vending machines.

Jon Willing
@JonathanWilling

Big honour for Ottawa, selected by Via Rail to pilot new wine-by-the-glass vending machines in the business lounge: https://merx.com/public/solicitations/1682977166/abstract

4:38 PM · Jan 13, 2021·TweetDeck

https://twitter.com/JonathanWilling/status/1349470918310035456

Here's what that could look like.

• Video Link

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Wine-by-the-glass vending machines.


https://twitter.com/JonathanWilling/status/1349470918310035456

Here's what that could look like.

• Video Link

Forget coffee, this is what we need at Hurdman.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Wine-by-the-glass vending machines.


https://twitter.com/JonathanWilling/status/1349470918310035456

I wonder if this is going to be charged or free. Should be free given that wine is included in your VIA One meal.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

I wonder if this is going to be charged or free. Should be free given that wine is included in your VIA One meal.

Given that, according to VIA's website, the lounge only offers "Free non-alcoholic beverages," I would say it won't be free. I'm guessing this is considered premium product and superior to the complimentary, single-serve bottles served onboard.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by roger1818

Given that, according to VIA's website, the lounge only offers "Free non-alcoholic beverages," I would say it won't be free. I'm guessing this is considered premium product and superior to the complimentary, single-serve bottles served onboard.

That 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵. They need to steal a page from the airlines on this one. Also, that wine is just going to sit there, if they charge.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

That 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵. They need to steal a page from the airlines on this one. Also, that wine is just going to sit there, if they charge.

Don't underestimate the desire for people to drink booze. Sure many won't drink it, but I suspect many will.