VIA Rail

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

So, lets get on getting something started today.

That is what VIA is trying to do with HFR.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by roger1818

That is what VIA is trying to do with HFR.

I thought you were meaning to improve Via for all Canadians.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

I thought you were meaning to improve Via for all Canadians.

So now you want VIA Rail service in Newfoundland, PEI and the three territories?

[Truenorth00]

Yeah. Don't you know that unless VIA is simultaneously building inter-city rail in every territory and province it doesn't count. Heaven forbid, VIA prioritize the corridor with the greatest return, highest ridership and half the country's population first. We don't even have an announcement on HFR yet, or shovels in the ground by Swimmer_Spe is off to whine already. I wonder how that effort to bully his Member of Parliament is going.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by roger1818

So now you want VIA Rail service in Newfoundland, PEI and the three territories?

Well, Hay River NWT does have rail to it....

But, what I mean is if Via feels that just improving existing service is good enough, I would argue it isn't. I am not suggesting new tracks anywhere. That means NL, PEI and most of the Territories are not on my radar. However, if you look at the existing rail infrastructure and add routes where none exist, starting with the largest cities in Canada on rail line, then, I might agree it is for all Canadians.

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Yeah. Don't you know that unless VIA is simultaneously building inter-city rail in every territory and province it doesn't count. Heaven forbid, VIA prioritize the corridor with the greatest return, highest ridership and half the country's population first. We don't even have an announcement on HFR yet, or shovels in the ground by Swimmer_Spe is off to whine already. I wonder how that effort to bully his Member of Parliament is going.

If we did that with other government services, we wouldn't have mail to most places, or even have a military. Lets not forget that people on EI and CPP are costing the government. During Covid the local MP offices are closed.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

If we did that with other government services, we wouldn't have mail to most places, or even have a military. Lets not forget that people on EI and CPP are costing the government.

What a terribly weak strawman. Rail isn't an essential service to most of Canada. Nor a core social program. VIA could shut down tomorrow with little to no discernible national economic impact. This is not close to the case with EI or CPP. Try again.

Ironically, you bitch about the one plan that might actually make VIA somewhat important to half the country's population.

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

During Covid the local MP offices are closed.

Your harassment over email didn't pan out?

[Dengler Avenue]

Sorry for the brief interruption:
http://skyscraperpage.com/forum/show...=236180&page=5 #85
Can someone help me with some math problems? Thanks.
Afterward, you guys can go back to the "debate".

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

What a terribly weak strawman. Rail isn't an essential service to most of Canada. Nor a core social program. VIA could shut down tomorrow with little to no discernible national economic impact. This is not close to the case with EI or CPP. Try again.

Ironically, you bitch about the one plan that might actually make VIA somewhat important to half the country's population.

What about the crown corporation I did mention. Sure those others could be argued about because they are government services, but the other crown corporation is more like Via than anyone here cares to admit.

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Your harassment over email didn't pan out?

I am not going to waste their time with endless emails. An in person meeting where I can discuss it with them is better. So, it is on hold for a while.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

What about the crown corporation I did mention. Sure those others could be argued about because they are government services, but the other crown corporation is more like Via than anyone here cares to admit.

1) The military is not a Crown Corporation. You seem to not know what a Crown Corporation is and what it is meant for.

2) The military itself does not have an even distribution of forces across the country.

3) The military is essential to national security. VIA Rail is not.

On mail,

1) Canada Post is vital to enabling living across the country. It does this by using revenue from populated regions. A strategy you oppose for VIA.

2) Canada Post does not have even service levels across the country. If you live in a remote region, your service is worse.

3) Canada Post has substantial national support for its subsidies. Not the case with VIA.

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

I am not going to waste their time with endless emails. An in person meeting where I can discuss it with them is better. So, it is on hold for a while.

I'm guesssing they ignored you. Lest see when they finally get around to ignoring you in person.....

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

1) The military is not a Crown Corporation. You seem to not know what a Crown Corporation is and what it is meant for.

2) The military itself does not have an even distribution of forces across the country.

3) The military is essential to national security. VIA Rail is not.

You read horribly....

Try again. What was the first thing I listed?

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

You read horribly....

Try again. What was the first thing I listed?

Read again. Edited.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Read again. Edited.

I am not wasting my time. I know who close their eyes to anything outside of the Corridor.

[Djeffery]

Canada Post doesn't operate with a government subsidy.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Canada Post doesn't operate with a government subsidy.

It is losing more money than Via is subsidized and cannot cut costs due to political decisions, so it will have to get bailed out at some point, which is just a deferred subsidy.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by acottawa

It is losing more money than Via is subsidized and cannot cut costs due to political decisions, so it will have to get bailed out at some point, which is just a deferred subsidy.

Maybe if we just focus on the major cities, and shut down most service elsewhere it can make money again.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

Maybe if we just focus on the major cities, and shut down most service elsewhere it can make money again.

If HFR isn't built, this is exactly where things are headed. What do you think the next CPC government will propose?

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

If HFR isn't built, this is exactly where things are headed. What do you think the next CPC government will propose?

Actually no, this is what we have now. Canadian and Ocean are both shut down. Prior to this, over the last 40 years Via has been constantly chopped to become profitable. So, let's only have mail service in a select few major cities.

CPC's don't scare me. They did nothing under Harper. They also don't seem to have enough of a draw from anyone outside their base.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

Actually no, this is what we have now. Canadian and Ocean are both shut down. Prior to this, over the last 40 years Via has been constantly chopped to become profitable. So, let's only have mail service in a select few major cities.

Are we now pretending the current pause came out of nowhere and doesn't have an underlying cause? I'm sure, remote rural communities would love a rolling super spreader to come through 3x per week.

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

CPC's don't scare me. They did nothing under Harper. They also don't seem to have enough of a draw from anyone outside their base.

Yeah. Cause the Conservatives have always been so friendly to rail. Remember how much that Mulroney boosted services? They are already telegraphing their line of attack (GO is more important than VIA) and you still think there won't be cuts under them.

In any event, your hypotheticals are going nowhere. Time to let this thread sleep till we have actual news from VIA.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Are we now pretending the current pause came out of nowhere and doesn't have an underlying cause? I'm sure, remote rural communities would love a rolling super spreader to come through 3x per week.

No. I know it is due to covid. However, there are other interprovincial passenger trains running. I guess 3 of the top cities in Canada want super spreaders too?

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Yeah. Cause the Conservatives have always been so friendly to rail. Remember how much that Mulroney boosted services? They are already telegraphing their line of attack (GO is more important than VIA) and you still think there won't be cuts under them.

In any event, your hypotheticals are going nowhere. Time to let this thread sleep till we have actual news from VIA.

CPC =/= PC Mulroney is too left wing for the current party. Harper could have cut Via during the 2008 recession, but didn't. If the existing party stays on their right wing side and not move more left, they will not hold majority for a long while.

You know, you can unsubscribe. Or, if that s too extreme, you can just not reply.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

But, what I mean is if Via feels that just improving existing service is good enough, I would argue it isn't. I am not suggesting new tracks anywhere. That means NL, PEI and most of the Territories are not on my radar. However, if you look at the existing rail infrastructure and add routes where none exist, starting with the largest cities in Canada on rail line, then, I might agree it is for all Canadians.

It is not feasible for VIA Rail to run trains on every piece of track in Canada, so we need to prioritize.

I have said this before, but there is a strong argument to create a rail corridor in Alberta. Unfortunately with the Alberta government agreeing to support the construction of a hyperloop between Calgary and Edmonton (please discuss that project in the Hyperloops in Canada thread, and if you want my opinion on it, see this post). As a result, I don't see any government putting any money into conventional rail in Alberta until that project runs its course.

Outside of Alberta and the Eastern Corridor, the largest city without rail service is Victoria (pop. 367,770). There are talks about bringing back the E&N, but we will have to see where that goes as the track needs significant repair.

IMHO, the rail project outside of the either Alberta or the Eastern Corridor that has the most merit, is upgrading/relocating the BNSF track to Vancouver used by Amtrak Cascades. That is going to be a tough sell though, because both Amtrak and BNSF are American railroads, so it is harder to justify to a Canadian government. It also isn't VIA Rail, so is out of scope for this thread. The rail bridge over the Fraser River also needs to be replaced. It is also used by VIA, so it might easier to swallow; however, finding a good solution won't be easy because of the elevation and river traffic.