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That's not good
The last train - - that used the spur before it was shut down. It is now being brought back into service. The CP swing bridge over the Trent-Severn Waterway is still in service because both the canal and rail line are still in service. It will obviously need upgrading or some other solution if HFR gets out of the gate. The two CN swing bridges in the city and their associated trackage are long out of service.
 
Construction has finally started on London CP grade separation. Shoring rig on site with Centre St close.

Couldn't find a spot to park to get some shots.
 
Update on the Calgary-Banff proposal in the news.

I’m a bit dubious about the suggestion that this can be built in three years, but if the project does get a green light it will contrast very favourably with Ottawa’s inability to commit to HFR.

I’m not sure that the fare structure is prudent when tourism is such a big component of the market…. feels a bit like “let’s soak the rich tourists”……, but the discount to Alberta residents may be necessary to get political buyin for Provincial backing.

- Paul
 
Update on the Calgary-Banff proposal in the news.

I’m a bit dubious about the suggestion that this can be built in three years, but if the project does get a green light it will contrast very favourably with Ottawa’s inability to commit to HFR.

I’m not sure that the fare structure is prudent when tourism is such a big component of the market…. feels a bit like “let’s soak the rich tourists”……, but the discount to Alberta residents may be necessary to get political buyin for Provincial backing.

- Paul

I think the issue there is no commuter train system in Calgary... and put the fares any lower - even with a 2 hour gap between trains ... it would suddenly be filled with commuters if it has as many stops as there saying.
 
Update on the Calgary-Banff proposal in the news.

I’m a bit dubious about the suggestion that this can be built in three years, but if the project does get a green light it will contrast very favourably with Ottawa’s inability to commit to HFR.

I’m not sure that the fare structure is prudent when tourism is such a big component of the market…. feels a bit like “let’s soak the rich tourists”……, but the discount to Alberta residents may be necessary to get political buyin for Provincial backing.

- Paul
I'm not clear on all the legislation, but if it is operated as some kind of private shuttle, they might get away with the discriminatory pricing - although in my mind it is really bad marketing, but if it is operated as a common carrier it might be a non-starter.
 
It would be by far the cheapest way to get to Banff, beyond the seasonal, weekend only, "On-It" bus which will only take a single bag, and doesn't go to the airport.

The pricing is reasonable, but the logic and optics of a two-tier fare structure is puzzling. How will it be enforced? Is there actually a desire to incent Albertans to use the service? Is the Calgary-Banff day or short-term overnight recreational auto traffic by Calgary residents what is clogging up the TCH, as opposed to the tourist-from-away traffic?

i suspect Calgary-Canmore Banff has some of the same market dynamics as say Toronto-Collingwood or Toronto-Muskoka… lots of locals with city homes and chalets and weekend/summer/winter vacations, ski trips, etc usage… so maybe a commuter fare structure has some logic. Perhaps Union Pearson is a comparable business model… but maybe the commuter ridership might justify its own service.

Giving Albertans a price break just because they are special seems a bit of a political statement to this Easterner.

- Paul.
 
Giving Albertans a price break just because they are special seems a bit of a political statement to this Easterner.

Probably, but I'd have been happy to pay that double fare anyway on my last snowboarding trip to Lake Louise, as it's still far cheaper than what I paid to rent a car. I no longer recall why I didn't take a bus and perhaps this train wouldn't work for the same reason, but right now my plan would be to use it if it were available.
 
The pricing is reasonable, but the logic and optics of a two-tier fare structure is puzzling. How will it be enforced? Is there actually a desire to incent Albertans to use the service? Is the Calgary-Banff day or short-term overnight recreational auto traffic by Calgary residents what is clogging up the TCH, as opposed to the tourist-from-away traffic?

i suspect Calgary-Canmore Banff has some of the same market dynamics as say Toronto-Collingwood or Toronto-Muskoka… lots of locals with city homes and chalets and weekend/summer/winter vacations, ski trips, etc usage… so maybe a commuter fare structure has some logic. Perhaps Union Pearson is a comparable business model… but maybe the commuter ridership might justify its own service.

Giving Albertans a price break just because they are special seems a bit of a political statement to this Easterner.

- Paul.
The service is modeled on the service to Zermatt.

There is a commuter market, and there is also a desire that if Alberta public funds are going in, to have a Alberta public benefit. (Alberta is expected to make a yearly availability payment, the Canada component is a concessionary loan)

The TCH is only really clogged a handful of days a year - congestion isn't the driving force. Allowing Banff/Canmore to intensify uses while not inducing more car traffic is a goal, along with making it a much more seamless destination to visit. The destination aspect is overlooked. An economic analysis showed that by joining the Calgary/Banff markets better they could induce on average an extra visitation day from out of province visitors. The economic impact on just Calgary is staggering—more than a billion extra a year in tourism spending, most likely more.
 
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The pricing is reasonable, but the logic and optics of a two-tier fare structure is puzzling. How will it be enforced? Is there actually a desire to incent Albertans to use the service? Is the Calgary-Banff day or short-term overnight recreational auto traffic by Calgary residents what is clogging up the TCH, as opposed to the tourist-from-away traffic?

i suspect Calgary-Canmore Banff has some of the same market dynamics as say Toronto-Collingwood or Toronto-Muskoka… lots of locals with city homes and chalets and weekend/summer/winter vacations, ski trips, etc usage… so maybe a commuter fare structure has some logic. Perhaps Union Pearson is a comparable business model… but maybe the commuter ridership might justify its own service.

Giving Albertans a price break just because they are special seems a bit of a political statement to this Easterner.

- Paul.

It isn't uncommon for businesses to offer resident discounts, especially if they receive funding or special considerations from the local government. Doing a google of "Resident Discount" and you will find a variety of different businesses that offer them (everything from Disney, to Transport for London, to Northumberland Ferries and Bay Ferries in NS). For most a driver's license would be adequate proof, though I am sure they will accept other methods for those who don't have one.
 
I wonder if this could help improve VIA's on time performance?

Not really.

But what it will do is give CN some serious peace-of-mind - they had been using a Siemens CTC product which they had enhanced and modified after Siemens abandoned it several years ago. This will allow them to return to proper vendor-supplied support, rather than having to employ in-house programmers to do it.

Dan
 

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