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Originally Posted by casper
The problem bridge is owned by the Federal Government and maintained/operated by CN. Used by about 5 different railways.
From New West into Vancouver it is the same track that Via Rail uses. It is the same station that Via Rail uses.
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I agree. AFAIK, the bridge is primarily used by CN and probably use it more than BNSF and Amtrak combined. It has been an issue for a long time and there really isn't a good excuse for the government's inaction.
Quote:
Originally Posted by casper
Heading south from New West it is an import line for moving goods exported into the US.
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It is also important for moving American goods to Canadian ports (which provides employment), especially
Roberts Bank. There are also significant safety concerns about continuing to have freight and passenger trains running along a public beach.
Quote:
Originally Posted by casper
I don't see the issue. Canada is not investing in rolling stock, just cleaning up some problem with track that in the future we should be looking at putting commuter rail on.
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There is an image issue of investing in an American Railway. Another factor could be the CPR. If the government replaces the rail bridge (for CN et al. but not CP) and moves/upgrades BNSF's track, CP could complain about the playing field not being level.
Having said that, it is a huge bargain for Canada and shouldn't be dismissed or put off as unimportant.