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VIA Rail says no deal reached yet to return passenger trains to Vancouver Island
WHY would you even want to have a return of passenger service anywhere in CANADA when
AIRPLANE,CARS & BUSES DO SO MUCH OF A BETTER JOB OF POLLUTING THE AIR…
Canadians should look SOUTH and see what the UNITED STATES is doing regarding reestablishing passenger service…
THINK, maybe it might wake some people up…???and then there are those who are so concerned about the environment…eh!
If I have my conversions right $5.40 usd a us gallon. Or if someone wants to check my math $1.296 cad @ litter. Currency conversion $1. cad =.9108 use. That was the price posted on gas buddy for Victoria, BC. And people complain about US gas prices.
I think the West Coast Express (Vancouver commuter rail system) should take over the Vancouver Island Victoria-Nanaimo-Courtenay service. The distances between stations and major towns on that route are more similar to a commuter line than an intercity rail line anyway, and considering VIA barely even runs intercity trains anyway (outside of the Quebec City-Montreal-Toronto-Windsor corridor) there is no reason that VIA should be the one operating this service. I think the commuter rail agency would do much better.
As an entry to my impending article, “The Great North American Rail Conspiracy,” note how the Federal government of Canada, despite objections from the provinces impacted, has stealthy worked with CN and VIA to use similar track/bridge conditions to kill off services on Vancouver Island, Gaspe, and now, the Ocean route.
The only commitment to passenger rial in Canada is along the main corridor between Toronto-Montreal. The schedule and route of “The Canadian” no longer serves the population, or, even connects to Hudson Bay & Prince Rupert.
Once the profitability of the Corridor is established, it will be sold off to a private operator, who will not have to worry about the other services, which will be gone by then.
Certainly Vancouver Island can surely benefit from renewed passenger service. Undoubtedly, gas prices are much higher Than the United States and this will give the islanders an alternative to the auto.
It is probable that a new federal government will be elected in October 2015 (or earlier). This government will care more about the environment and be more supportive of rail, including passenger rail. The leader of the official opposition, Tom Mulcair, is pro-rail and was a principled environment minister in a provincial government.
The present Conservative government is increasingly unpopular, and the minister who seemed most supportive of VIA (Lawrence Cannon) was defeated in 2011. The present minister responsible for transport (Lisa Raitt) was a strong supporter of a regional airline in competition with VIA on some routes.
Sadly, whether rail service is restored or not, the accompanying photo cannot be reproduced because the bridge has been replaced by a road-only bridge.
Perhaps some of these passenger train hating trolls in this forum should move to Canada; they would be in their element.
Where are the RDC cars. I had heard that they had been moved to the mainland after the line was closed . I believe there were only 3 . I got a lovely snippet of video of one leaving naniamo station in 2007
We have heard this before. Until VIA signs ther is no deal.
We have heard this before. Until VIA signs ther is no deal.
A pair of the RDC’s from the island were used in a test run last month on the Skeena run from Jasper to Prince Rupert. I just saw them the one time parked here in Prince George.
This was a passenger train that served no useful purpose and the route was not particularly scenic either. Compared to the other passenger trains discontinued in recent years by Via Rail, British Columbia Railway, Algoma Central and Ontario Northland, this one is the most insignificant. As for the fate of the RDCs, I believe they are at Mimico yard in Toronto. There are several RDCs that have been sitting there for a long time.
This was a passenger train that served no useful purpose and the route was not particularly scenic either. Compared to the other passenger trains discontinued in recent years by Via Rail, British Columbia Railway, Algoma Central and Ontario Northland, this one is the most insignificant. As for the fate of the RDCs, I believe they are at Mimico yard in Toronto. There are several RDCs that have been sitting there for a long time.
This was a passenger train that served no useful purpose and the route was not particularly scenic either. Compared to the other passenger trains discontinued in recent years by Via Rail, British Columbia Railway, Algoma Central and Ontario Northland, this one is the most insignificant. As for the fate of the RDCs, I believe they are at Mimico yard in Toronto. There are several RDCs that have been sitting there for a long time.
This was a passenger train that served no useful purpose and the route was not particularly scenic either. Compared to the other passenger trains discontinued in recent years by Via Rail, British Columbia Railway, Algoma Central and Ontario Northland, this one is the most insignificant. As for the fate of the RDCs, I believe they are at Mimico yard in Toronto. There are several RDCs that have been sitting there for a long time.
This was a passenger train that served no useful purpose and the route was not particularly scenic either. Compared to the other passenger trains discontinued in recent years by Via Rail, British Columbia Railway, Algoma Central and Ontario Northland, this one is the most insignificant. As for the fate of the RDCs, I believe they are at Mimico yard in Toronto. There are several RDCs that have been sitting there for a long time.