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Yeah - my guess is $800 million for CPR to upgrade tracks and signals, mostly going towards the mainline and access to it. $500 million to the west (lots of constrained valley walls), $300 million to the east, north and south.
 
Thanks. So that's $800 million or so for access between Calgary and Banff, or does that include Airdrie/Okotoks also?
 
All three, plus stations, rolling stock, consultants for a cool billion. Never heard an estimate even of sure what the incremental to Banff would be at that point to have hourly, once you have the core network.
 
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?...&ll=51.08035032396812,-114.47429897031247&z=8


So this is what I put together during a slow day at work. The only line I don't agree with is the one out to Strathmore, but why not throw it in. I'd like it to connect Chestermere, Langdon and Strathmore but with now ROW it's a costly option. I only followed the former ROW that passed through Langdon to Strathmore for simplicity sake. I also don't think commuter is necessary to Banff seeing as residents need to work in Banff to live there, thus having an express train maybe every 2 or 3 hours while the other runs during rush hour.

http://calgaryregion.ca/dam/Website...Regional-transit-plan---November-20--2009.pdf

This is the regional transit plan from 2009, commuter rail is talked about starting on page 30. They were estimating that it would be needed in 15 to 20 years. Back in 2009 it was estimated to cost 1.1 billion to 1.24 billion for 3 lines, stations, station upgrades and purchasing ROW. I would assume it's probably closer to 1.7 to 2.0 for what I would like with more intermediate stations and a line all the way to Canmore.

* Edit - In that report it also says the estimated ridership for 2076 would be approximately 2700 to 3500 for each corridor which I feel is being generously low. The region is supposed to hit 2.4 million by 2050 or something.
 
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The Langdon line is harder due to the former ROW. Using the CN line would be easier - way less constrained mainline to upgrade than staying with CP. It would probably necessitate a flyover to not reduce operations a lot. Put a station in Chestermere and one at a Highway 1 intercept as the line is also partly abandoned. Either alignment would probably be the least used line.
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Rail within the CMA has more immediate potential:
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Rail to Strathmore and Okotoks has potential to change trends and extend the CMA. Though good bus service to Seton when the Greenline is extended and to the South LRT could bend the curve enough as well, even if it serves a different market.
 

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I'm fairly new here and not sure how to quote but this is my worry about feeding to LRT terminal stations.


Airdrie funneling feeder busses to the green line or Okotoks sending people to Silverado concerns me that LRT will become crowded before it even reaches inner city stations. This was an issue before 4 car trains were put into service and they want to push LRT further. A regional network set up to handle higher capacity is a better solution and GO Transit success is a good example of such system.
 
I don't mind the idea of Okotoks, Airdrie and Cochrane using our LRT as long as they chip in for it, and it allows CT to run more train cars during rush hour.
 
I don't mind the idea of Okotoks, Airdrie and Cochrane using our LRT as long as they chip in for it, and it allows CT to run more train cars during rush hour.

How can we run more trains when capacity is pretty much full downtown. Trains can't be longer and they already run every 2 minutes during rush hour. Putting the lines underground will be at least a billion.
 
Run more train cars. They don't need to support operating (a good portion of the capital already comes from a region wide pot, GreenTRIP). The marginal LRT operating cost per passenger is so low, it is always cost recovery. Not charging for parking on the other hand ...
 
Run more train cars. They don't need to support operating (a good portion of the capital already comes from a region wide pot, GreenTRIP). The marginal LRT operating cost per passenger is so low, it is always cost recovery. Not charging for parking on the other hand ...
How can we run more cars if trains will be longer than a city block and stop traffic?
 
Is four the maximum size for the city block? I thought that the stations could handle 5 cars.
 
I like the idea of a regional rail system, but I'll throw this question out there. Do you think the benefit will outweigh the cost at this point? I haven't looked into all the details, but I would assume a regional bus network would be much cheaper.

Depends on the extent of the system, there are some routes where even now the benefit does outweigh the cost, there are others that don't meet the criteria.
I have posted this elsewhere:
"GO Transit was started in 1967 with the Lakeshore East and Lakeshore West lines, in 1974 the Georgetown line was established through Brampton. In 1971 the population of Brampton was 41,211, by 1981 the population had exploded to 149,030. The current population of Airdrie is 61,581 (2016). From the Airdrie Transit Master Plan, according to the 2015 Municipal Census, 45.2% of workers commute to Calgary daily, residents commuting to Calgary represent a significant portion of Airdrie Transit's market. The primary destination in Calgary for commuters is the downtown core."
RTD in Denver is possibly the closest example to Calgary, look at what they have done, are doing, and their future plans, look at the costs involved. If a train is the ultimate end, should we spend billions on expanding the highways to include MOV lanes?

https://www.albertaregionalrail.com/
 
I'm fairly new here and not sure how to quote but this is my worry about feeding to LRT terminal stations.


Airdrie funneling feeder busses to the green line or Okotoks sending people to Silverado concerns me that LRT will become crowded before it even reaches inner city stations. This was an issue before 4 car trains were put into service and they want to push LRT further. A regional network set up to handle higher capacity is a better solution and GO Transit success is a good example of such system.

Airdrie has 2 ICE routes into downtown Calgary and another that feeds to the C-Train at Rundle station.
Okotoks, and surrounding towns, have On-It that feeds to the C-Train at Somerset/Bridlewood.
First Canada and Southland Transportation also operate commuter bus services from Airdrie, Okotoks, Cochrane, and others.

Seems like you have an interesting plan in your head, I'd be interested to hear it.

https://www.albertaregionalrail.com/
 

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