Snow storms boost ridership

[MasonJar]

From CBC.CA - Canada's News, Money, Sports, Health, Technology & Science, Consumer Life, Arts, and Kids Information Source

Winter storms boosted Ontario-Quebec train travel

In the second part of the story is an announcement that Ontario & Quebec will look at the possibility of a highspeed corridor from Quebec City to Windsor, VIA's most heavily used section.

Andrew

 

[RonP]

well i guess thats a trip ill have to take.

 

[RobertInOntario]

Andrew: I heard about the high-speed train possibility today on the news. In Europe (France, Germany, etc.), I believe high-speed trains that can travel in excess of 300 km/hr are fairly common. Such high speed trains could compete with air travel and be more environmentally friendly. In North America (and Britain) I believe we're "behind the times" re high speed rail travel so I hope these trains become a reality. Cheers, Rob

 

[MasonJar]

The main problem is that even in the Quebec-Windsor corridor, we simply do not have the same population density from which to draw ridership.

However, I hope that they will take the "if you build it, they will come" approach, and perhaps modify the exisiting Right of Way as a proof of concept. They will have to resist adding station stops at every little spot along the way though in order to make travel times as low as possible.

The other "corridor" that is worth exploring is north from Toronto. I know a number of people now who live in Barrie (or even further north) who work in Toronto. They can spend 2+ hours each way commuting! Imagine if that was reduced to a 45 minute train ride!

Andrew

 

[galt904]

The GO runs to Barrie now.

They've been talking about high speed VIA for 15-20 years or more. I'll believe it when I see it. The biggest problem would be a dedicated line to handle the high speeds instead of sharing the freight line with CN.

 

[cntown]

We have the trains that leave in the morning from town but then it's only the buses after that.The VIA is only 3 times a day now(down from 5) to Toronto and unless the Government hands out to GO or VIA there isn't going to be any expansion on the Georgetown line. There is a more daily service down the line but you have to drive to Bramalea to get on so most people just end up diving all the way to Toronto instead.

 

[60103]

I keep pushing for the railways to use their natural advantage over airlines: they go through all the towns in between. I think having so few intermediate stops, and not all of those served by many trains, is a mistake.
cntown: they're improving the Georgetown line. The single track stretch through Brampton is being doubled, though it seems to make the expanded station a Bramalea a bit redundant.
Trivia: have you noticed that the GO Train from Georgetown to Toronto is the only one where the conductor has to change sides of the car at every station?

 

[cntown]

no i didn't notice that.the last time i rode the GO i fell asleep after going over the Grand Trunk bridge.I used to ride the first VIA train into TO every sunday which was usually an RDC back then.There was only a few people on board when we left town and after a while the conductor who got to know my face even allowed me to stand in the front with the engineer ,the view when we went over the GT trestle was amazing,the pickup in those was fast from a dead stop.There is such a need for daily trains on this line but even with more trackage they still need more money for service.They still talk in the town paper about getting the GO to expand out to Acton again with one train everyday each way,the lot is still setup at the old station property for parking.

 

[MasonJar]

David,

The "serve every town" seems like a catch-22 for the trains... While it is an advantage, it can also increase the travel time, which is then a drawback. It's a hard call to make.

Still, with all the stops that VIA makes from Ottawa to Toronto, the train still comes out ahead over flying from YOW to YYZ and then taking a cab from the airport to downtown. In addition, on the train, you get a nice meal, you can use your computer and/or highspeed internet, your cell phone, and you can get up and walk around. All very civilized...!

Andrew

 

[cntown]

A friend of my wife's took the Canadian back to Sudbury for xmas and enjoyed the ride both ways.The train was late both times but she didn't mind because she didn't have to drive by herself and flying would have been around $500 or so.She even enjoyed dinner on the train.She is already planning to go to Ottawa on the train right from town.With the price of gas always going up and taxes &fees on airlines it shows how affordable train travel is for the single person,but for a family it can sometimes still cheaper to drive.