steveintoronto
Superstar
Been ruminating Paul's earlier post, and realized that some probable answers can be had by inverting the logic presented, and since some posters have now touched on exactly this, it's *political expedience*...and why Ontario might now be running with the ball instead of the Feds on HFR (and associated manifestations)...and it comes down to votes, and *not alienating the rest of the nation* by showing 'favouritism' to Ontario and to a lesser extent, Quebec.
Remember, we were discussing (and the exact quotes stated) by Il Duce on the CBC interview a few weeks back as to (gist) "An announcement early in the New Year" and "a meeting with the Federal Transport Minister" on something 'big' to do with the K/W line, or something associated that it's a part of.
Consider for a moment as to who would get the biggest vote windfall from this: The QP Libs or the Parl Hill Libs? Almost all of the regions affected are already Fed Lib ones. Their need to sway lies outside of the HFR geographic catch area. Meantime, the QP Libs are struggling to hang on to what they have, and an announcement of some form of HFR/Ont HSR combined (even if it is privately financed and vertically integrated as to owning/building/operating own rolling stock) would have a huge political benefit. Metrolinx, as one poster mentioned, is already leaning this way, for good reason. Just think "BBD" and "Fug-up real good" in one sentence.
So behind closed doors, take a good guess at how the pieces are being divvied up. Note that Ont is putting as much money in on the announcement as the Feds. Curious?
Paul hit on this a few posts back, and the more I think about this, the more it makes sense from almost every angle. Sure it will involve VIA, but not the VIA as we now know it. All technical jobs there will be safe, but think of the advantage of Ontario via Metrolinx absorbing many of VIA 'corridor and commuter trunk' lines, and the rest left to being what VIA was always intended to be: Money losing but an asset to keeping the nation together "sea to sea". The business model, as VIA is presently set-up, hobbles the best part of VIA becoming truly successful.
Meantime the 'corridor' becomes a separate division working with Ont/Quebec/Private Enterprise to *capitalize* on their strengths, not weaknesses. This is happening in other nations. London, UK, for instance, via TfL is absorbing many of the nationally owned, privately franchised routes into London. It doesn't equate exactly to Ontario, as there is no regional level in the UK to compare to, but the *absorption* of London oriented services does translate to Toronto, and to a lesser extent, Montreal. And all that's in-between on a mainline.
The Market is there! VIA's Corridor has proven that beyond doubt. It's time to kick it up a huge notch.
Addendum:
This is somewhere between RER and VIA, and Metrolinx is already clearly signalling this approach, financed through IO as P3.
More here on the TfL example:
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/...ached-breaking-point-rail-transport-mayor-tfl
It's time to start melding HSR/RER and HFR, and attracting inward heavy rail manufacturing again. BBD is on the edge of selling off the Rail operations of the Transport Division, time for a deal all around.
I'm thinking less the InfraBank, and their need to kick-off with more remote regional goodies to prime the vote pot for the Fed Liberals.I've said this before, and I'll say this again. The VIA HFR project is a great political bullet, and would demonstrate the worth of the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
It's really nothing in terms of money, a pittance actually. It's purely for the purpose of priming the electorate's attention. It's an intro for something much bigger.This comes as a surprise. Overall, I'd say this is a positive. A curious line in the release is "The Government of Canada is contributing up to $65,000 towards this project, which will build on economic and engineering work already completed". Could this already completed work be HFR-related? Maybe the extra $65,000 will go towards studying upgrades to the spur to Blue Mountain (not the ski resort), and towards examining if longer sidings are required for freight trains or yard upgrades in Havelock. Maybe the Feds are throwing CP a bone so they can subsequently implement HFR?
I don't think this is about CP directly as much as it is having them 'still in the game'. *IF* HFR is the end game here, this is about priming John Q Public and press releases for *temporally separated freight services* over a Privately Financed Project, and so both levels of government saying "see what good boys we are?". There's something very odd about this announcement. It's 'curious' to say the least. It's really nothing, the studies have already been done. This is a first shot at PR.I hope that this shows that unlike Metrolinx and CP (in reference to the Milton Line), maybe the Feds and CP can have a viable working relationship. A Federal investment in HFR plus freight specific infrastructure like sidings specific means a better Peterborough Corridor for both CP and the Feds. HFR would require VIA to run in the CP corridor from Agincourt Yard to the Don Branch (there is space for a VIA specific track, with caveats) so maybe this is early signs of cooperation? Fingers are crossed.
Remember, we were discussing (and the exact quotes stated) by Il Duce on the CBC interview a few weeks back as to (gist) "An announcement early in the New Year" and "a meeting with the Federal Transport Minister" on something 'big' to do with the K/W line, or something associated that it's a part of.
Consider for a moment as to who would get the biggest vote windfall from this: The QP Libs or the Parl Hill Libs? Almost all of the regions affected are already Fed Lib ones. Their need to sway lies outside of the HFR geographic catch area. Meantime, the QP Libs are struggling to hang on to what they have, and an announcement of some form of HFR/Ont HSR combined (even if it is privately financed and vertically integrated as to owning/building/operating own rolling stock) would have a huge political benefit. Metrolinx, as one poster mentioned, is already leaning this way, for good reason. Just think "BBD" and "Fug-up real good" in one sentence.
So behind closed doors, take a good guess at how the pieces are being divvied up. Note that Ont is putting as much money in on the announcement as the Feds. Curious?
Paul hit on this a few posts back, and the more I think about this, the more it makes sense from almost every angle. Sure it will involve VIA, but not the VIA as we now know it. All technical jobs there will be safe, but think of the advantage of Ontario via Metrolinx absorbing many of VIA 'corridor and commuter trunk' lines, and the rest left to being what VIA was always intended to be: Money losing but an asset to keeping the nation together "sea to sea". The business model, as VIA is presently set-up, hobbles the best part of VIA becoming truly successful.
Meantime the 'corridor' becomes a separate division working with Ont/Quebec/Private Enterprise to *capitalize* on their strengths, not weaknesses. This is happening in other nations. London, UK, for instance, via TfL is absorbing many of the nationally owned, privately franchised routes into London. It doesn't equate exactly to Ontario, as there is no regional level in the UK to compare to, but the *absorption* of London oriented services does translate to Toronto, and to a lesser extent, Montreal. And all that's in-between on a mainline.
The Market is there! VIA's Corridor has proven that beyond doubt. It's time to kick it up a huge notch.
Addendum:
http://www.railtechnologymagazine.c...tes-ripe-for-devolution-ahead-of-dft-approval16.09.16
TfL picks London routes ripe for devolution ahead of DfT approval
Transport for London (TfL) has targeted four groups of suburban rail services across southeast London that would suit its intention to absorb a larger number of devolved routes into its network.
The organisation first announced in January that a new partnership with the DfT meant all rail services that operate mostly or entirely within Greater London could be transferred to TfL when current franchises expire in the coming years.
As well as adding more routes to its devolved portfolio, which includes London Overground and TfL Rail, the organisation would also take the lead on a new London Suburban Metro service.
In papers published ahead of a board meeting on 22 September, TfL revealed that it had already identified routes – currently part of the South West Trains, Southeastern and Govia Thameslink Railway franchises – where such devolution would work, subject to governmental approval. These include:
The services targeted are considered “suitable” for devolution because they would be ‘stopping’ suburban services that terminate inside, or just beyond, the London boundary.
- To/from Charing Cross, Cannon Street and Victoria serving southeast London (current franchise ends in June 2018)
- To/from London Bridge and Victoria serving south central London (current franchise ends in September 2021)
- To/from Waterloo serving southwest London (current franchise ends in June 2017)
- To/from Moorgate serving north central London (current franchise ends September 2021)
Gareth Powell, director of strategy and contracted services at TfL, added in the board paper: “The suburban rail network in south London provides excellent geographical coverage in many areas but frequencies are low compared to both London Underground and some other suburban routes, journey times are relatively long, services are complex and many trains are heavily crowded at peak times.
“The concept of ‘metronisation’ that we have developed would introduce more consistent stopping patterns, clearer routes, and new interchanges. It would also implement improvements to track, junctions and signalling to increase capacity.
“New rolling stock would have better acceleration and braking to reduce journey times, which combined with wider doors and more active dispatch staff would enable reduced station dwell times and increased train frequencies.” [...continues at length...]
This is somewhere between RER and VIA, and Metrolinx is already clearly signalling this approach, financed through IO as P3.
More here on the TfL example:
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/...ached-breaking-point-rail-transport-mayor-tfl
It's time to start melding HSR/RER and HFR, and attracting inward heavy rail manufacturing again. BBD is on the edge of selling off the Rail operations of the Transport Division, time for a deal all around.
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