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It's not even a vanity project, like the airport rail spur in Ottawa; that is, basically good but not worth it. It's a stupidity project because it will cost a staggering amount and eventually make the problem worse not better. It's like shooting yourself in the foot with a golden bullet.
That could also be a valid description of the REM, but I digress…
 

But as one government source explained, the vision for the project shifted toward high speed rail, despite the “conventional wisdom” at Via and within the public service “just to do it at regular speed.”

Part of that was a perception of public appetite, the source said. A public opinion survey completed in August for Imbleau’s Crown corporation found a majority of respondents — 58 per cent of those from Quebec and 57 per cent from Ontario — said they preferred a faster but more expensive train over a slower, less costly option.

“Everybody wants high speed,” said the source, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity.
Ottawa seems to be laying the ground work to announce the project as at least partly being true high-speed rail.

Drew Fagan, former Ontario deputy minister of infrastructure, was recently on a TVO panel where he mentioned this project has gone further than previous proposals due to the increase in population density of the corridor. He claimed that the Toronto-Montreal corridor now has a population density at least equal to several european corridors where high speed rail exists.
 
Off-topic from the thread I took this:
Quick reminder that even in the golden age of VIA (1985-1989), no intercity route outside the Quebec-Windsor Corridor recovered even half of its direct costs, despite most operating daily:

View attachment 596780
Crosspost from: Amtrak Unlimited forum

The claim that any VIA routes outside the Corridor would likely be profitable if operating daily is as detached from reality as anything else that same person writes here…
Wow - those Toronto-Sarnia numbers (that are the Toronto-Kitchener-London-Sarnia service in that period) are incredibly strong or similar when compared to some other parts of the corridor that have since had service increased.

But service has been completely savaged for one of there better performing and busiest routes.
 
Off-topic from the thread I took this:
Wow - those Toronto-Sarnia numbers (that are the Toronto-Kitchener-London-Sarnia service in that period) are incredibly strong or similar when compared to some other parts of the corridor that have since had service increased.

But service has been completely savaged for one of there better performing and busiest routes.
It’s indeed quite striking how much more SWO suffered during the 1990 (and 2012) cuts than the Corridor East:
IMG_6976.png

 
Drew Fagan, former Ontario deputy minister of infrastructure, was recently on a TVO panel where he mentioned this project has gone further than previous proposals due to the increase in population density of the corridor. He claimed that the Toronto-Montreal corridor now has a population density at least equal to several european corridors where high speed rail exists.
If people want to watch the clip (3 minutes) 32:02-35:02

How Will Municipalities Fund the Growing Need for Infrastructure? | The Agenda

 
It’s indeed quite striking how much more SWO suffered during the 1990 (and 2012) cuts than the Corridor East:
It was very obvious as I was living in Kitchener than, frequently taking VIA to Montreal. Though after that it was mostly busing to Toronto; and yet I didn't actually notice any Montreal-Toronto cuts, other than the night train that I never took; maybe some Saturday service?

I certainly knew about the cuts. It was the actual ridership that surprises me in retrospect! The Trois-Rivieres service in comparison, also seems (if I read that correct) had a significant mileage cut (if I read the colours right) - but the ridership was pathetic; even on a Friday night (I don't even see it in your data table), even before the A-40 was completed!
 
Apologies if this has been talked about already on this thread.

The REM in Montreal has absorbed the entire tunnel under Mount Royal making any future prospects of connecting Quebec City to this line much more challenging. Are there plans to construct a whole new tunnel under Mount Royal? And what of the REM essentially taking over all the space for trains at Gare Central? Have VIA HFR end at Lucien-L'allier station instead?

Apparently there was a study to see if VIA trains could operate on REM tracks. The date shows 2018. Not sure what the outcome of this study was.
 
Apologies if this has been talked about already on this thread.

The REM in Montreal has absorbed the entire tunnel under Mount Royal making any future prospects of connecting Quebec City to this line much more challenging.
Correct.
Are there plans to construct a whole new tunnel under Mount Royal?
Not really. Converting the Saint-Jerome line into a frequent S-Bahn style service pattern has turned overnight from a $1 billion into a $10+ billion project, which means it’s not going to happen for the next 20 years.
And what of the REM essentially taking over all the space for trains at Gare Central? Have VIA HFR end at Lucien-L'allier station instead?
It’s important to note that the Mont-Royal tunnel only matters for trains and passengers travelling east of Montreal. For Montreal-Toronto trains, it’s self-evident that trains should continue to terminate at Gare Centrale. Where Montreal-Quebec trains have a) their terminus station, b) their downtown station and c) their transfer station (for passengers connecting from/to Ottawa/Toronto) is of secondary importance.

Personally, I believe that Parc station will act as downtown terminus (though most people will transfer at De La Concorde into the Orange Line) and that the terminus and transfer station will be at the Airport (Dorval).
Apparently there was a study to see if VIA trains could operate on REM tracks. The date shows 2018. Not sure what the outcome of this study was.
The outcome was that the CDPQi was given the carte blanche to do whatever they wanted and could therefore ignore whatever findings that study might have had…
 
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Toronto Council is being asked to weigh in....


- Paul
It's already being proposed, it makes no sense for Multiple levels of government to do studies on the same thing.

Also it's not just people that needs to be transported but goods also. A rail bypass using the mid town corridor or York Sub should be considered. A tax break for using rail to bypass Toronto.
 
Also it's not just people that needs to be transported but goods also. A rail bypass using the mid town corridor or York Sub should be considered. A tax break for using rail to bypass ToToronto.
Unless I'm misreading your post, the Midtown is already used by CPKC to run freight and the York sub by CN.

So I'm not exactly sure what you mean by using these lines as freight rail bypasses.
 
Unless I'm misreading your post, the Midtown is already used by CPKC to run freight and the York sub by CN.

So I'm not exactly sure what you mean by using these lines as freight rail bypasses.
Load trailers or trucks on trains to bypass Toronto instead of driving them.

Japan is using bullet trains to carry time sensitive seafood, this eliminates the need for reefer trucks to do the trip. They also use 10ft containers to carry small cars or other cargo and the train stops at the station where a forklift moves it to a truck.

We need to rethink the way we transport goods from one end of the country to the other.
 
Load trailers or trucks on trains to bypass Toronto instead of driving them.

Japan is using bullet trains to carry time sensitive seafood, this eliminates the need for reefer trucks to do the trip. They also use 10ft containers to carry small cars or other cargo and the train stops at the station where a forklift moves it to a truck.

We need to rethink the way we transport goods from one end of the country to the other.
We already had this discussion. "Piggy backing" has been made obsolete by shipping containers.

They have reefer containers they can load onto trains for temperature sensitive products.

I would discuss more, but I'm literatelly about to start my shift at CN where I'm going to load containers on to trains destined for Montreal.
 
We already had this discussion. "Piggy backing" has been made obsolete by shipping containers.

They have reefer containers they can load onto trains for temperature sensitive products.

I would discuss more, but I'm literatelly about to start my shift at CN where I'm going to load containers on to trains destined for Montreal.
What about merchandise that doesn't fit in a container?
 

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