Only in places. Under the vanilla HFR - I would assume that CPKC would relinquish control east of Agincourt. Assuming the route ends up in Perth, the HFR trackage would run beside (rather than on) the CPKC main line over to Smiths Falls. Similarly, CP already has relinquished control east of...

CN will be performing the work. - Paul

That’s a ballast regulator, spreads and details ballast during track surfacing. - Paul

With the Gardiner reduced to two lanes for a very long time, I doubt that a bus lane would be sellable either there or on Lakeshore..... but.... maybe when the work on the Gardiner is done, the City should just stick with two auto lanes and reopen the third lane as a bus lane. Or maybe then...

As much as the plan does greatly reduce conflicts with freight trains, and use of private investor assets, any of the possible scenarios continues to depend on freight railway cooperation..... particularly in west end Montreal, and in northeast Toronto. Both zones have choke points, especially...

Almost certainly we will need both eventually. I haven't done any systematic research, but as a casual rider it was apparent to me that there are plenty of secondary stations along the TGV routes that see some lesser level of service while the express trains fly through. And SCNF clearly made...

Interesting idea. It amazes me how, - after debating HxR for how many years now ? - there are still possibilities and options that come up that haven't been debated to death. I really like this suggestion, my one comment would be: politically imposed mandate aside, I wonder what would the...

More meat in this single post than the accumulated last two or three years' worth of ML press releases. Thanks for sticking your neck out. - Paul

I certainly haven't noticed anything non-standard about the height of the platform, so it seems unlikely they are reducing the platform height (by raising the rail). My theory would be, they intend to pour 5" of granular material (and maybe geotextile) to the east of the end of track before they...

I read it differently - what is being called a “pocket track” is actually the platform trackage. The graphic appears to indicate a turnout immediately east of the platform, narrowing the two platform tracks to a single new track (a “connecting track” in other terms) which then joins the existing...

That per separation price may be a bit high - certainly some approach that number, but that’s because they involve major highways in fairly tight and urban locations. For high end HSR, the number of separations is high because of the number of low volume minor crossings out in the countryside...

VIA can say only what the government directs them to say. I’m sure they would love to say more. -Paul

Here is Parliament back in session, and the Transport Committee has released some interesting reading about HxR https://www.ourcommons.ca/documentviewer/en/44-1/TRAN/report-18 For those wondering what the Conservatives' position is - they say they need more info before taking a position. But...

I agree that there is not much backlash potential in axing VIA in the east or west, because those voters are already not getting any value from VIA, and it does fit (cosmetically, but appearances matter as much as substance) with an "axe the tax" stance. However I do think the cost and impact of...

Well, it's a fair question - but the list of things unfinished and still unpaid for is still fairly long, so cash flow for more transit is some ways away - GO Expansion and electrification - OL itself - The other signature Ford projects - Richmond Hill, Scarborough Line 2, Crosstown West...

Between Crosstown, Finch, and now this stretch, I hope the message sinks in..... Ontario is getting darn good at building above-ground transit infrastructure. And at reasonable cost. I am really impressed with how well this stretch of the project is coming along. As for underground transit...

Sure, but your definition of "possible" diverges from what's worth discussing. No once-daily train route is economically reasonable except for remote services. A single daily train doesn't generate enough revenue to cover its overhead costs. If there is no corridor, there is no economic basis...

If you want a serious answer, please read the most recent VIA Rail business plan (on their website) as well as the vision statement from the HxR RFQ, and tell us how your suggestion aligns or differs from that. There was also discussion here on UT back when VIA HFR was set up as a separate...

Yeah, kinda peaceful, isn’t it ? - Paul

This is the thing..... when you need a car, you need it badly. A sample of one -but - I commute once or twice weekly from Humber Bay to north Waterloo. The activity in Waterloo begins at 07:30 and ends at about 16:30. There is no venue for such activity in central Toronto, and no non-auto means...