UrbanWarrior
Senior Member
As we have been talking about in the Calgary forum for years, the restoration of rail service to Alberta is a very pressing issue that needs way more attention than it is receiving.
Calgary and Edmonton are perhaps the two most intrinsically linked major cities in the nation, with something like 25 round-trip flights per day during non-Covid times.
Coming from Ontario, I remember how awesome it is to just hop in the Via Rail in inner city Woodstock and be in Downtown London in half an hour for 20 bucks, or in Downtown Toronto in an hour for 35 bucks. It’s so convenient, no security, no lines (except at Union Station) and faster than flying if travelling for either business or pleasure.
Even at regular rail speeds - not to mention enhanced or HSR level speeds - getting from downtown to downtown would be a good half hour to hour faster, as even though the flight is only an hour, you have a half our or so at security, possible flight delays, transport a combined hour of transport to and from the hinterland-based airports, etc.
The Canadian Infrastructure Bank is investigating the feasibility of a link between Calgary and Banff, with stops at YYC, Downtown, Cochrane, Canmore, and Banff. This link should have already been operational for years by this point, but as we all know, regardless of what federal government is in power, they only pay lip-service to sustainability even when it comes to our national parks. That said, this link is likely to be the first part of the restoration of our rail system, as not only is the CIB looking into it, but various groups have been fundraising for it for years, with one group ostensibly having raised over half a billion.
Eventually I would love to see service restored along the Corridor after Banff, and eventual extension of service south to Lethbridge, thereby serving our four major cities and the vast majority of the provincial population and a good chunk of tourist destinations and nearly every post secondary institution (U of A, Macewan, NAIT, University of Red Deer, Olds College, U of C, MRU, SAIT, BVC, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge College). Long term extensions should also include consideration for extensions to Medicine Hat and Fort Mac, though that may be unfeasible in many respects.
Calgary and Edmonton are perhaps the two most intrinsically linked major cities in the nation, with something like 25 round-trip flights per day during non-Covid times.
Coming from Ontario, I remember how awesome it is to just hop in the Via Rail in inner city Woodstock and be in Downtown London in half an hour for 20 bucks, or in Downtown Toronto in an hour for 35 bucks. It’s so convenient, no security, no lines (except at Union Station) and faster than flying if travelling for either business or pleasure.
Even at regular rail speeds - not to mention enhanced or HSR level speeds - getting from downtown to downtown would be a good half hour to hour faster, as even though the flight is only an hour, you have a half our or so at security, possible flight delays, transport a combined hour of transport to and from the hinterland-based airports, etc.
The Canadian Infrastructure Bank is investigating the feasibility of a link between Calgary and Banff, with stops at YYC, Downtown, Cochrane, Canmore, and Banff. This link should have already been operational for years by this point, but as we all know, regardless of what federal government is in power, they only pay lip-service to sustainability even when it comes to our national parks. That said, this link is likely to be the first part of the restoration of our rail system, as not only is the CIB looking into it, but various groups have been fundraising for it for years, with one group ostensibly having raised over half a billion.
Eventually I would love to see service restored along the Corridor after Banff, and eventual extension of service south to Lethbridge, thereby serving our four major cities and the vast majority of the provincial population and a good chunk of tourist destinations and nearly every post secondary institution (U of A, Macewan, NAIT, University of Red Deer, Olds College, U of C, MRU, SAIT, BVC, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge College). Long term extensions should also include consideration for extensions to Medicine Hat and Fort Mac, though that may be unfeasible in many respects.