VIA Rail

[GoTrans]

[QUOTE=swimmer_spe;9367769]If you think they are just disappointing me in how they handle Via, you really don't know me.



For the Canadian, are you suggesting getting rid of the northern route?

For the Maritimes, return the Gull.[Quote]

I would keep a train but only 1x per week on the CN route except route it via Regina to Saskatoon. If the schedule goes back to 2 or 3 per week, I would route it via Thunder Bay to Sudbury. In the interim the route vis SSM should be examined to determine the ridership and operational feasibility.

If frequencies are increased beyond 3/wk then the extra trains should be Vancouver Winnipeg via Calgary. At that point I think all trains should terminate in Winnipeg. The CN route in northern ON should operate 2/wk and via Thunder Bay the balance of the time. As mentioned before if the government lets Rocky Mountaineer Train have its way then the train should be truncated at Calgary. I don’t know if we will ever see the day where we have daily trains on either route in northern ON.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

For the Maritimes, return the Gull.

Firstly, a train from Boston to Halifax will never compete with flying due to geography.

Secondly, there isn't enough demand in NB alone for a rail service to Boston.

Returning service to the NB corridor (Saint John-Moncton-Halifax) is more feasible but even then would need significant passenger numbers in NB to warrant route expansion...and would have to navigate the multinational oil company that operates NB.

[someone123]

A simple starting point would be to restore something resembling previous service levels from Moncton to Halifax for a while. Make it possible for people to go back and forth between the two cities on the train any day of the week.

[Truenorth00]

Can we rename this thread to national rail discussion. And make an actual thread for VIA Rail, so we can discuss the actual projects going on?

[GoTrans]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Can we rename this thread to national rail discussion. And make an actual thread for VIA Rail, so we can discuss the actual projects going on?

There is not enough going on in terms of construction, re-instating service, new service or reducing service to make it worthwhile, even in the long term. The national rail service is Via Rail. Until AB does a HSR or HFR between Calgary and Edmonton or the Banff proposal goes ahead, there is only Via Rail.

[Urban_Sky]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Can we rename this thread to national rail discussion. And make an actual thread for VIA Rail, so we can discuss the actual projects going on?

I think it is blatantly obvious that this thread only exists as a honey trap so that Micheal Artindale as its creator can jump on any posts of unsuspecting people genuinely interested in what's going on with VIA Rail (as in the railroad, not its historic network) and steer the discussion back onto his personal fantasy: restoring daily passenger rail service across the prairies, irrespectively of any real-world constraints and the actual needs and priorities of taxpayers and the communities to be served.

I have created threads to discuss these fantasies and I have created threads to have the present-day-and-near-future VIA discussion, but people insist on keeping this thread alive. It's only inertia which prevents us from separating the fantasy discussions from the actual VIA Rail discussions...

[swimmer_spe]

[QUOTE=GoTrans;9367963][QUOTE=swimmer_spe;9367769]If you think they are just disappointing me in how they handle Via, you really don't know me.



For the Canadian, are you suggesting getting rid of the northern route?

For the Maritimes, return the Gull.

I would keep a train but only 1x per week on the CN route except route it via Regina to Saskatoon. If the schedule goes back to 2 or 3 per week, I would route it via Thunder Bay to Sudbury. In the interim the route vis SSM should be examined to determine the ridership and operational feasibility.

If frequencies are increased beyond 3/wk then the extra trains should be Vancouver Winnipeg via Calgary. At that point I think all trains should terminate in Winnipeg. The CN route in northern ON should operate 2/wk and via Thunder Bay the balance of the time. As mentioned before if the government lets Rocky Mountaineer Train have its way then the train should be truncated at Calgary. I don’t know if we will ever see the day where we have daily trains on either route in northern ON.

I am not for adding service at the cost of service. Leave the existing route as is, and let it grow as needed.

The issue with SSM is not ridership, but track condition. Running passenger service along it would require extensive track work. Not saying it shouldn't be done, but helping you understand the challenges for that.

Originally Posted by JHikka

Firstly, a train from Boston to Halifax will never compete with flying due to geography.

Secondly, there isn't enough demand in NB alone for a rail service to Boston.

Returning service to the NB corridor (Saint John-Moncton-Halifax) is more feasible but even then would need significant passenger numbers in NB to warrant route expansion...and would have to navigate the multinational oil company that operates NB.

I'd be happy if they just added the Saint John-Halifax train. The Gull is one of those ''it'd be nice' things.

Originally Posted by someone123

A simple starting point would be to restore something resembling previous service levels from Moncton to Halifax for a while. Make it possible for people to go back and forth between the two cities on the train any day of the week.

Agreed, but go to Saint John.

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Can we rename this thread to national rail discussion. And make an actual thread for VIA Rail, so we can discuss the actual projects going on?

There are actual projects going on? Only thing I know if are the Charger fleet. Post away....

Originally Posted by GoTrans

There is not enough going on in terms of construction, re-instating service, new service or reducing service to make it worthwhile, even in the long term. The national rail service is Via Rail. Until AB does a HSR or HFR between Calgary and Edmonton or the Banff proposal goes ahead, there is only Via Rail.

I guess he only wants notifications once every few months.

[milomilo]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Can we rename this thread to national rail discussion. And make an actual thread for VIA Rail, so we can discuss the actual projects going on?

There must be a fantasy rail thread somewhere, could we move all the fantasy posts to that?

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by milomilo

There must be a fantasy rail thread somewhere, could we move all the fantasy posts to that?

At this point, this is the fantasy rail thread...

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

At this point, this is the fantasy rail thread...

I have yet to post my fantasy ideas. My Fantasy ideas are HSR to all capitals and major cities. Do you really want me to post my fantasy?

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

I have yet to post my fantasy ideas. My Fantasy ideas are HSR to all capitals and major cities. Do you really want me to post my fantasy?

Go for it. This has after all become your personal stream of consciousness thread....

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Go for it. This has after all become your personal stream of consciousness thread....

I isn't. I just contribute to what someone else posts. I actually haven't started a conversation on here for a while, except for the one on what the parties are promising in their platform. You likely don't like that more people seem to like what I have to say. That's ok, we live in a free country.

[GoTrans]

Originally Posted by Urban_Sky

I have created threads to discuss these fantasies and I have created threads to have the present-day-and-near-future VIA discussion, but people insist on keeping this thread alive. It's only inertia which prevents us from separating the fantasy discussions from the actual VIA Rail discussions...

You are quick to criticize me but slow to respond to my concern about your calculations of ridership on re-routing the Canadian via Brandon and Regina to Saskatoon. I have been calling for an actual Origin/Demand study to determine ridership. Before you do a study you need to know what you are studying so having a plan is not a fantasy but a place to start.

If the Canadian is brought back to 3/wk though northern ON, then having 1/wk or 2/wk running via CN and 1/wk or preferably 2/wk running on CP would make sense. I am sure that after a period of time you would find that more people would ride the CP route than the CN route. We would find the obvious that the CP route is more sustainable. That being said, due to the remoteness of the CN route some service needs to be retained.

[milomilo]

Originally Posted by GoTrans

You are quick to criticize me but slow to respond to my concern about your calculations of ridership on re-routing the Canadian via Brandon and Regina to Saskatoon. I have been calling for an actual Origin/Demand study to determine ridership. Before you do a study you need to know what you are studying so having a plan is not a fantasy but a place to start.

If the Canadian is brought back to 3/wk though northern ON, then having 1/wk or 2/wk running via CN and 1/wk or preferably 2/wk running on CP would make sense. I am sure that after a period of time you would find that more people would ride the CP route than the CN route. We would find the obvious that the CP route is more sustainable. That being said, due to the remoteness of the CN route some service needs to be retained.

You don't need an in depth study when the plan is so obviously stupid to someone who's even slightly interested in the subject. Even if you did decide those cities needed intercity transit, the clear choice would be to run buses, which would provide vastly superior service for less money spent. If they were so successful that they were carrying multiple train capacity loads per day (and they won't), then you might have an argument for running trains.

But of course, you've been told all this before, but you don't care. Because you don't care about intercity transit, you care about running specific trains, because it's a train.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by GoTrans

You are quick to criticize me but slow to respond to my concern about your calculations of ridership on re-routing the Canadian via Brandon and Regina to Saskatoon. I have been calling for an actual Origin/Demand study to determine ridership. Before you do a study you need to know what you are studying so having a plan is not a fantasy but a place to start.

If the Canadian is brought back to 3/wk though northern ON, then having 1/wk or 2/wk running via CN and 1/wk or preferably 2/wk running on CP would make sense. I am sure that after a period of time you would find that more people would ride the CP route than the CN route. We would find the obvious that the CP route is more sustainable. That being said, due to the remoteness of the CN route some service needs to be retained.

I pointed out that they canceled the wrong line due to the subsidies at the time in the data he provided. He could not admit that it was political. Let's be fair, Via is still a political tool.

[swimmer_spe]

https://www.thesudburystar.com/opinion/n...wcm/2a746428-4e71-4025-8742-4069f567e36b

This has been making the rounds. I did not write it.

Some exerts from it:

"On a regular basis, I have to travel 130 kilometres by car in order to reach the nearest VIA station – Sudbury. Ontario Northland’s bus service just isn’t a practical option for me because their schedules don’t align with the train."

"Returning from Thunder Bay, I must board a different passenger train – the Canadian – because of the reduced service between Sudbury and White River. For some unknown reason, travel by rail from the largest city in Northwestern Ontario just isn’t possible at the moment. Therefore, my partner and I must drive a few hours – on single lane provincial highways with limited to no cell phone service – before finally arriving at the station in Armstrong or Longlac."

"In both of these communities, the waiting rooms are not open to the public – at least for the time being. One can either wait for the Canadian’s arrival in a personal vehicle, or for those who are less fortunate, outside – which can often be in very warm or very cold temperatures depending on the season."

"Flights in this region are just too expensive. Buses aren’t comfortable for distances above a few hundred kilometres. People who drive quite simply can’t do anything else but keep their eyes focused on the road ahead."

"Considering that VIA has resumed many daily trains in the Québec-Windsor corridor, I am having great difficulty understanding why the two other Sudbury-White River runs and the second Canadian frequency can’t possibly be restored."

[GoTrans]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

I pointed out that they canceled the wrong line due to the subsidies at the time in the data he provided. He could not admit that it was political. Let's be fair, Via is still a political tool.

Unfortunately a lot of posters on here don’t believe that ands think that all the decisions are based solely on economics.

[acottawa]

It seems to me the person’s main complaint is Via does not use the CP track for the Canadian. That would not be helped by more service on the CN line.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by GoTrans

Unfortunately a lot of posters on here don’t believe that ands think that all the decisions are based solely on economics.

If things were based solely on economics, there would be more service. There would also be better service.

Originally Posted by acottawa

It seems to me the person’s main complaint is Via does not use the CP track for the Canadian. That would not be helped by more service on the CN line.

Yes and no. I read it as his main complaint is that the Budd car does not run as often as it used to. However, I also do get the feeling that what the person wants is a return of service between the 2 largest cities in Northern ON.

[GoTrans]

Originally Posted by milomilo

You don't need an in depth study when the plan is so obviously stupid to someone who's even slightly interested in the subject. Even if you did decide those cities needed intercity transit, the clear choice would be to run buses, which would provide vastly superior service for less money spent. If they were so successful that they were carrying multiple train capacity loads per day (and they won't), then you might have an argument for running trains.

But of course, you've been told all this before, but you don't care. Because you don't care about intercity transit, you care about running specific trains, because it's a train.

We are already running trains even if it is only 1/wk. All I am suggesting for starters is to huge the routing from Winnipeg to Brandon and Regina to Saskatoon. If you want to replace the Canadian with buses then promote cancelling all trains north and west of Toronto. You don't want to fi what we already have.