[micheal_can]

New Carlisle is only like 120 km from Matapedia. It seems a touch far-fetched to me to run a separate train just for that 120 km, especially if you have to transfer to a bus anyways to get to Gaspé itself. I think both VIA Rail and the Gaspé region would be better off running a train from Montreal to Rimouski or Matane on the days the Ocean doesn't run. From Rimouski or Matane, you could connect with a bus circling around the peninsula. It would probably be faster than today's Ocean and would be daily service compared to the Ocean's three days a week.

I never understood why these and the ones to Northern Quebec run together. If they alternated days they would provide more options for travelers along the combined part,

 

[roger1818]

I never understood why these and the ones to Northern Quebec run together. If they alternated days they would provide more options for travelers along the combined part,

The reason why is cost. It is much cheaper to tack cars onto the end of an existing train than it is to run a separate train. I suspect the increased utilization along the combined part wouldn't even come close to paying the added cost.

 

[Sauga89]

The reason why is cost. It is much cheaper to tack cars onto the end of an existing train than it is to run a separate train. I suspect the increased utilization along the combined part wouldn't even come close to paying the added cost.

With regards to Rimouski though, there might actually be enough demand to support a daily train service. Orleans express charges $110 for a 7 hour one-way bus ticket from Montreal with three round trips daily. 200,000 people live in the Bas Saint Laurent region, many of them within walking distance of the rail line. At the very least, I suspect VIA's cost recovery would be better with a bus connection from Rimouski than a bus connection from New Carlisle.

 

[lenaitch]

I don't know, but suspect that a very large portion of VIA service to Gaspe, much like Canadian, was tourist-based, not locals.

 

[Sauga89]

I don't know, but suspect that a very large portion of VIA service to Gaspe, much like Canadian, was tourist-based, not locals.

The Ocean (to which I understand the Gaspé train was frequently attached) currently goes through Rimouski eastbound at 2:30 a.m, and 1:30 a.m. westbound, three times per week. That's not exactly conducive to building local ridership in the Rimouski area. Also, if you want to serve Gaspé better, it seems to me that daily service would be better for Gaspé, even if you had to catch a bus from Rimouski instead of New Carlisle. Especially if the bus connection was in daylight hours 4 days per week.

 

[micheal_can]

The reason why is cost. It is much cheaper to tack cars onto the end of an existing train than it is to run a separate train. I suspect the increased utilization along the combined part wouldn't even come close to paying the added cost.

That is what I figured. It is unfortunate that is how it is done, but if it is the only way to make it viable,then it is what it is.

 

[lenaitch]

The Ocean (to which I understand the Gaspé train was frequently attached) currently goes through Rimouski eastbound at 2:30 a.m, and 1:30 a.m. westbound, three times per week. That's not exactly conducive to building local ridership in the Rimouski area. Also, if you want to serve Gaspé better, it seems to me that daily service would be better for Gaspé, even if you had to catch a bus from Rimouski instead of New Carlisle. Especially if the bus connection was in daylight hours 4 days per week.

I suspect if there was sufficient demand for a frequent scheduled bus into the Gaspe someone would operate it. I suspect a 'south shore' bus would be more viable since there is more population (relatively speaking - it's not a high population area). The former 3 days/week schedule was consistent with other Via 'regional' services.

 

[Sauga89]

I suspect if there was sufficient demand for a frequent scheduled bus into the Gaspe someone would operate it. I suspect a 'south shore' bus would be more viable since there is more population (relatively speaking - it's not a high population area). The former 3 days/week schedule was consistent with other Via 'regional' services.

Someone does operate it. The first of the daily three Orleans express buses that run into Rimouski from Montreal arrives in Rimouski around 2:30 pm. Passengers can then connect to 2 buses from Rimouski to the town of Gaspé. One of these connecting buses follows the north road, and the other follows the south road, essentially splitting the first Montreal-Rimouski bus. The other 2 buses from Montreal to Rimouski arrive later in the day, without connecting buses.

Honestly, the biggest argument against better train service either to Rimouski or to New Carlisle is that these regions are already served by buses. But if the Gaspé region is so determined to have train service 3 days per week to New Carlisle, with a connecting bus to Gaspé town, I would argue both VIA and the Gaspé region might be better off establishing daily service to Rimouski instead.

 

[micheal_can]

Someone does operate it. The first of the daily three Orleans express buses that run into Rimouski from Montreal arrives in Rimouski around 2:30 pm. Passengers can then connect to 2 buses from Rimouski to the town of Gaspé. One of these connecting buses follows the north road, and the other follows the south road, essentially splitting the first Montreal-Rimouski bus. The other 2 buses from Montreal to Rimouski arrive later in the day, without connecting buses.

View attachment 657004

View attachment 657006

Honestly, the biggest argument against better train service either to Rimouski or to New Carlisle is that these regions are already served by buses. But if the Gaspé region is so determined to have train service 3 days per week to New Carlisle, with a connecting bus to Gaspé town, I would argue both VIA and the Gaspé region might be better off establishing daily service to Rimouski instead.

If we look at the return of the Northlander,that area has 3-4 buses running. So, we could extrapolate success.The question is who pays for the train?

 

[lenaitch]

Someone does operate it. The first of the daily three Orleans express buses that run into Rimouski from Montreal arrives in Rimouski around 2:30 pm. Passengers can then connect to 2 buses from Rimouski to the town of Gaspé. One of these connecting buses follows the north road, and the other follows the south road, essentially splitting the first Montreal-Rimouski bus. The other 2 buses from Montreal to Rimouski arrive later in the day, without connecting buses.

View attachment 657004

View attachment 657006

Honestly, the biggest argument against better train service either to Rimouski or to New Carlisle is that these regions are already served by buses. But if the Gaspé region is so determined to have train service 3 days per week to New Carlisle, with a connecting bus to Gaspé town, I would argue both VIA and the Gaspé region might be better off establishing daily service to Rimouski instead.

Perhaps, but the regional/remote service routes are established by Cabinet, and none of it is daily as far as I know. The Province of Quebec has been sinking a lot of money into the rebuilding of the Gaspe corridor under the commitment that VIA will 'unsuspend' service when the track conditions allow.

 

[Sauga89]

The Province of Quebec has been sinking a lot of money into the rebuilding of the Gaspe corridor under the commitment that VIA will 'unsuspend' service when the track conditions allow.

The Gaspé region wants a New Carlisle train as an interim solution. That was my comparison point.

Plus, I'm not convinced the full rail corridor will re-open any time soon, if it ever does. The latest news reports suggest the final section, between Port Daniel and the town of Gaspe, will cost $500 million to repair. The Quebec government hit pause on the procurement and referred it for further study in March. Even if the procurement goes ahead, construction could take years, and who's to say VIA actually will restore the full service?

Perhaps, but the regional/remote service routes are established by Cabinet, and none of it is daily as far as I know.

Just because it hasn't been done before doesn't mean it can't be done.

Also, if you could get people into the region at Rimouski, some government agency (the local tourism board or the Quebec government) could probably do a better job of busing people around than Orleans express. I know the coast of Australia has had a lot of success with hop-on hop-off buses, where people can buy weekly or monthly passes, hop off in some small town, explore it for a day or two, and hop back on the next bus. I envisage a certain amount of reserved seating, with the rest being flexible seating subject to availability, and break-even pricing. The Orleans express bus does take bikes currently for a $30 fee, but this could be improved. I imagine for those who want to do cycling tours, the tourism agency could partner with a local bike shop for bike rentals. Get a flat or broken chain? The bike shop could send you a replacement on the next bus.

Truthfully, the tourism board could probably do the busing thing now, even with the current Ocean, if they encouraged people to stay overnight in Rimouski.

 

[lenaitch]

Plus, I'm not convinced the full rail corridor will re-open any time soon, if it ever does. The latest news reports suggest the final section, between Port Daniel and the town of Gaspe, will cost $500 million to repair. The Quebec government hit pause on the procurement and referred it for further study in March. Even if the procurement goes ahead, construction could take years, and who's to say VIA actually will restore the full service?

Fair point. Most of the damage on the line was caused by erosion/trackbed failure due to its shoreline routing. A lot of the line east (north?) of Chandler runs inland so it might not be as bad.

All we can go on is VIA's public statement that the service is only 'suspended' pending track condition.

Just because it hasn't been done before doesn't mean it can't be done.

Based on VIA's history of adding or even improving regional/remote route service, it's a pretty decent assumption.

 

[micheal_can]

Perhaps, but the regional/remote service routes are established by Cabinet, and none of it is daily as far as I know. The Province of Quebec has been sinking a lot of money into the rebuilding of the Gaspe corridor under the commitment that VIA will 'unsuspend' service when the track conditions allow.

What about the province of Quebec do a Northlander style operation in which they own and operate it, or at least pay for that to be contracted out to whomever. It is easier to do since it does all run within the province.

 

[lenaitch]

What about the province of Quebec do a Northlander style operation in which they own and operate it, or at least pay for that to be contracted out to whomever. It is easier to do since it does all run within the province.

Give 'em a call; I'm sure they'd love to hear from you.

 

[micheal_can]

Give 'em a call; I'm sure they'd love to hear from you.

If people think Via will do it without a federal government mandate to do it, then it is no more crazy to think the province will do it. Besides,I cannot speak French, so they would not pay any attention to me....