Quote:
Originally Posted by FFX-ME
VIA's website... virtually all outlets give the same price...
Their proposal would use a lot of existing rail.
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I see the confusion here. I have been following VIA's HFR proposal for a while. When the first started the cost estimate was to Montreal. Not Quebec City. Just checked the website. They are now saying Quebec City.
I still think they are being a little optimistic. I think the costs will be going up after the estimate gets a real once-over from the CIB. For example, VIA dropped the ball on this:
http://www.cat-bus.com/2016/10/via-t...regional-rail/
How much will that cost to remedy?
Their first cut estimate seems to be very rough. Especially when we're talking about using the now defunct Shining Waters railway. It's easy to say they use "existing rail". In reality, a lot of that rail is in poor condition, converted to trails or has curve or grades that would not see them achieving desired speeds. I am eagerly waiting to see what the CIB says later this year. I think the corridor will be a lot more than $4 billion. Though $2 billion for electrification is probably accurate.
In any event, the rest of your points stand. VIA's project and Queen's Park's proposal should not be seen as competing. They are complimentary. If VIA succeeds with the Toronto-Quebec City HFR proposal, then the service will be significantly enhanced by the ability to continue through Union westward till Kitchener or London, at even faster speeds. This would, for example, even make it attractive for a traveler from Kitchener to take the train to Ottawa over a flight since the additional time of air travel would be marginal. Heck, even London to Ottawa becomes competitive with air given the required transfer at Pearson.