High Speed Rail in Canada

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I can see the Portland to Seattle section but Vancouver not a chance.

The area between Seattle and Portland is a rather wide valley and not mountainous at all. The section from Sea/Van is very far more imposing and would require a bridge over the Fraser.

Also Vancouverites don't have a "train mindset" unlike people in the Corridor. I know that sounds weird but Vancouver has never really had train travel of any form, it's part of the psyche. Also for the Port/Sea section it would be faster than driving for most but not for most Vancouverites as the end station will be downtown which is the far corner of the metro area. Also the area between the two cities is too rugged to allow for speeds high enough to make it worth someone's while.

Well, there is the WestCoast express....Regardless I don't see either the current Federal or Provincial government acting on it which is unfortunate. That being said, it would still be beneficial for Vancouverites to have the Seattle to Portland section complete as it would make Amtrak from Vancouver to Portland faster than it currently is.

[TorontoDrew]

I just took the Cascade from Vancouver to Portland last week. Great ride but the train was only half full. I do think however if there was a high speed option more people would use it since they could operate more then one train per day in each direction.

It's too bad Via doesn't run to Portland because that Amtrak train was run down on the inside. My first class ticket had nothing on the first class ticket on the Montreal Toronto route. Mind you it was only $98 after tax.

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I can see the Portland to Seattle section but Vancouver not a chance.

The area between Seattle and Portland is a rather wide valley and not mountainous at all. The section from Sea/Van is very far more imposing and would require a bridge over the Fraser.

Also Vancouverites don't have a "train mindset" unlike people in the Corridor. I know that sounds weird but Vancouver has never really had train travel of any form, it's part of the psyche. Also for the Port/Sea section it would be faster than driving for most but not for most Vancouverites as the end station will be downtown which is the far corner of the metro area. Also the area between the two cities is too rugged to allow for speeds high enough to make it worth someone's while.

What's a train mindset? You can't develop a mindset for something you don't really have. If you tell people you can go to Seattle in an hour, I think they'd be all over it. As far as construction goes, I'm sure they'd be able to figure something out. HSR has been built in far more difficult geography.

I'm skeptical about this happening too, but I wouldn't dismiss it from ever happening.

[ssiguy]

The geography between Sea/Van is far too imposing to get up to speeds one would call high speed.

I know it does sound weird but there is a "mindset" in people that is hard to change. Once you have done something the same way all your life changing that is more difficult than many are willing to admit. This is why some people will always drive to work. Even if they had to pay for parking, fight traffic, and was no faster than taking a brand new train stop right beside their house a lot of people still won`t do it. This much the same as some people will never set foot in a bus but will in a train even if the bus is faster and cheaper.

I`m willing to bet that most native Vancouverites have never even boarded an inter-city train. To most Vancouverites it is a foreign way of travel.

Regardless, it will never get built at least not to Vancouver, never. Not only do I not think the ridership is even close to supporting it but also because it would be a political minefield. Even Harper couldn`t keep a straight face if he offered money for the BC portion but somehow doesn`t have money to connect Canada`s 4th and 5th largest cities together to say nothing of the Corridor which carries 90% of the national passenger ridership.

There are 2 places where HSR can be justified in Canada .......The Corridor and Cal-Edm.

[Henbo]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

The geography between Sea/Van is far too imposing to get up to speeds one would call high speed.

The routes not that imposing is it? Beside that one mountain passage south of Bellingham, the entire route is relatively flat is it not? And that mountain range shouldn't be more than 10% of the entire 200km route.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

There are 2 places where HSR can be justified in Canada .......The Corridor and Cal-Edm.

I hope one day Winnipeg, Regina, and Saskatoon will be feasible.

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

The geography between Sea/Van is far too imposing to get up to speeds one would call high speed.

I know it does sound weird but there is a "mindset" in people that is hard to change. Once you have done something the same way all your life changing that is more difficult than many are willing to admit. This is why some people will always drive to work. Even if they had to pay for parking, fight traffic, and was no faster than taking a brand new train stop right beside their house a lot of people still won`t do it. This much the same as some people will never set foot in a bus but will in a train even if the bus is faster and cheaper.

I`m willing to bet that most native Vancouverites have never even boarded an inter-city train. To most Vancouverites it is a foreign way of travel.

Regardless, it will never get built at least not to Vancouver, never. Not only do I not think the ridership is even close to supporting it but also because it would be a political minefield. Even Harper couldn`t keep a straight face if he offered money for the BC portion but somehow doesn`t have money to connect Canada`s 4th and 5th largest cities together to say nothing of the Corridor which carries 90% of the national passenger ridership.

There are 2 places where HSR can be justified in Canada .......The Corridor and Cal-Edm.

You are comparing very different things. Calgary to Edmonton or 'the corridor' would require a much larger investment by Canada than tagging Vancouver onto an HSR corridor predominantly funded by the Americans.
Also your argument about people not having an inter-city "train mindset" or whatever doesn't really mean anything. Amtrak train service and the multiple express bus services running between Vancouver, Seattle, Portland are well established and well utilized. The reason the inter-city train system, Amtrak, isn't consistly sold out is because the bus services like BoltBus are faster, currently. Regardless, inter-city transit in general between Vancouver, Seattle and Portland is well established. There is an established inter-city "transit mindset" between the 3 cities, it just isn't solely a train mindset due to the convenience of the express bus system between the cities. If there was HSR it would certainly draw people away from services like BoltBus because it would be faster, unlike the current Amtrak Cascades.
Currently though you're right, it wouldn't get built due to the governments in power. However I wouldn't say it is a whole lot less likely than the other potential HSR corridors. It would be outrageously expensive to do either the Calgary to Edmonton corridor or the Ontario/Quebec corridor. Going from the border to Pacific central station wouldnt require enything close to that level of investment. Not even in the same league. These are incomparable projects with differing levels of commitment. HSR in the Pacific Northwest is predominantly an American investment that Canada could tag onto with less prohibitive costs.

[MolsonExport]

Ahh, you haters. What about the Medicine Hat-->Moosejaw HSR corridor?

[Taeolas]

The Moncton <-> Halifax HSR corridor might be feasible by the 2100's.

[GoTrans]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Ahh, you haters. What about the Medicine Hat-->Moosejaw HSR corridor?

I would say: "Go big or go home". In that vein of thought lets do it like the Chinese and build HSR from Smithers to Moosonee.

[Franco401]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

The Moncton <-> Halifax HSR corridor might be feasible by the 2100's.

Joke all you want, but i could see an international line from Quebec or Mtl through Maine via Bangor through SJ and Moncton to Halifax, assuming a population boom and interest for all parties along the route. It would be highly beneficial to northern Maine, similar to the East-West Highway proposal.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Franco401

Joke all you want, but i could see an international line from Quebec or Mtl through Maine via Bangor through SJ and Moncton to Halifax, assuming a population boom and interest for all parties along the route. It would be highly beneficial to northern Maine, similar to the East-West Highway proposal.

epiac's bucket

[Taeolas]

Originally Posted by Franco401

Joke all you want, but i could see an international line from Quebec or Mtl through Maine via Bangor through SJ and Moncton to Halifax, assuming a population boom and interest for all parties along the route. It would be highly beneficial to northern Maine, similar to the East-West Highway proposal.

For HSR? That will never happen. Or it might happen after the Moncton Halifax HSR is made. That said, passenger rail links between BGR to Montreal and Saint John should have been made ages ago. That's a big gap in the passenger rail network in North America, and IMO, one of ( many many ) the reasons the Maritimes end up 'cut off' from the rest of North America.

Maybe the Aroostock Highway might spur development for a rail component. (Last I think I heard that project did include railway right of way rights along with the highway rights)

[Elmira Guy]

Ontario appoints special advisor on high-speed rail project.

http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/mobile/o...ject-1.2635333.

[mistercorporate]

Originally Posted by Elmira Guy

Ontario appoints special advisor on high-speed rail project.

http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/mobile/o...ject-1.2635333.

Can't wait! (Oktoberfest beer)

[haljackey]

High-speed rail line gathers steam

http://www.lfpress.com/2015/10/30/hi...-gathers-steam

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by haljackey

High-speed rail line gathers steam

http://www.lfpress.com/2015/10/30/hi...-gathers-steam

Oh no!! Don't tell me they plan on cheapening out by using steam power. I was hoping it would be electric.

[caltrane74]

The wheel is slowly beginning to turn...

[Elmira Guy]

Originally Posted by mistercorporate

Can't wait! (Oktoberfest beer)

:-)

My hope from this end is someday being able to catch a game or concert/show downtown Toronto and be able to get back to K-W the same night without someone having to drive.

I lived in the UK, and that really spoiled me for rail transportation. That and really good fish & chips.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by haljackey

High-speed rail line gathers steam

http://www.lfpress.com/2015/10/30/hi...-gathers-steam

That's a touch oxymoronic isn't it?