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VIA Rail to cut service, eliminate 200 jobs
Recently made round trip on skeena line, wonderful scenery, very interesting route, definatly understand, why government is making cutbacks. Biggest problem other then low ridership is the attitude of the so called Train Managers. Passengers where the sounding board for almost continuous complaining about how hard doneby these poor employees are, perhaps they should get a real job in the real world without the protection of the union like the majority of working stiffs.
When I was living in Sackville, New Brunswick in the early 1980s, VIA actually provided good service to the Maritimes, with two affordable daily overnight trains to Montreal, one via eastern N.B. and the St. Lawrence Valley, and the other via Saint John, McAdam, Maine and Sherbrooke. They also had numerous RDCs serving places like New Glasgow, Sydney, Saint John, the Annapolis Valley, and Edmundston, as well as connecting buses to Prince Edward Island. All are gone now, except one six-nights-per-week, tourist-oriented overnight train that most people - especially Maritimers - cannot afford. Outside the “corridor”, the Government is slowly starving VIA to death. Thirty years ago the trains in the Maritime provinces required a subsidy, but at least we got a useful and popular service that ordinary people could afford. Why should today’s taxpayers be subsidizing the well-off people who can afford to ride today’s expensive hotels on wheels? VIA has, by necessity, become so focused on cost recovery that it can no longer provide many of the useful services that would justify its existence.
Quebec - 1; Rest of Canada - 0. Nothing new here…
My sad thoughts are with the many dedicated VIA employees I have come to know.
Mr.Schurman’s comments sums it all up. Via has not only abandonded the Maritime provinces but Western Canada as well since the 80’s. Now have more fun planning trips around a twice weekly schedule !
As for that score card Ontario should be included. Like Amtrak our passenger agency/railway looks at the political map ! before making service cuts.
A Via transportation planner in 2004 told me that almost a third of their annual subsidy goes to CN Rail. $15 million per quarter plus the additional 10% performance bonus.
Neither party discloses payments. Just imagine what they’re giving them now.
Looks like an embarrassing financial albratross to me.
It is tragic that Canada can’t sustain a robust passenger system. Mr. Schurman is spot on about starving and jettisoning everything but the corridor. The Maritimes would be well served economically with frequent service - especially if it could be linked with - if Amtrak could coaxed to it - Amtrak to tap the US tourist market.
William, I have to disagree with you on that. Quebec is seeing the Montreal-Halifax Ocean (which serves many small communities between these two cities in Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia) being cut from running six times a week to three.
harper will have Canadians in cars and working in Fort McMurry
This is a serious mistake.
Instead of cutting routes and reducing service frequencies, the train service should be expanded and frequency of service aggressively expanded.
What the transportation planners do not understand, which is a critical error in judgement, is that oil production will eventually come to an end; and aviation and highway based transportation will NOT survive without oil. ONLY rail transportation has any hope for surviving without oil for energy. This it can do through electrification (using all sources of energy for electric power generation) for all trackage.
By cutting routes and reducing frequency of service, the transportation planners are setting up Canada for outright economic hardship and eventual collapse.
The transportation planners would be well advised to remember that cutting or destroying rail service equals destroying the country.
Don’t destroy what you have!
… the Canadian will operate between Toronto and Vancouver, B.C. two days a week rather than the existing three.
How about making the move on one of those two days on the CP route through Calgary, Banff, and The Spiral Tunnels!
Whether or not one agrees with any of the eight comments preceding mine, six of them are at least thoughtful. Those by Mr. Hays and Mr. Warner are definitely NOT!
OK, here is something to think about. The demise of the Ocean (from 6 days to 3 days in the off-season) began with the introduction of the Renaissance equipment. I know many people who will not ride the Renaissance-equipped Ocean. They find it too confining and generally uncomfortable. The Budd equipped Ocean is far more comfortable, has superior food and service, and, just as an aside to the VIA bean counters, provides a viable sleeping car service to many towns lacking other transportation alternatives. In sum, the “new” equipment priced VIA right out of the market with the average Canadian unable to afford the “luxury.” Let’s be honest. Tri-weekly and bi-weekly service isn’t a service at all - it is a curiosity.
My wife and I recentlly traveled on the busy Montreal Toronto Corridor. Until Via Rail becomes more consisent with their services people will not spend their money taking the train. All other modes are still cheaper then the train. We traveled business class. We couldn’t have been used more rude on the trip up, however on the way home we were treated like royalty. For the business class fare we could have flown alot cheaper and been at our destination in half the time. I am a frequent train traveler and love trains and I know what service is to be expected.
I also want to comment on the ride itself. CN has been installing new track for well over a year. I expected a smoother ride. We were treated to spilled drinks, people falling while attempting to make it to the washroom. It was impossible to read a book or even use a lap top. How can other countries have such smooth rides and we are still in the dark ages being bounced back and forth and side to side.
What’s up Canada?
My wife and I recentlly traveled on the busy Montreal Toronto Corridor. Until Via Rail becomes more consisent with their services people will not spend their money taking the train. All other modes are still cheaper then the train. We traveled business class. We couldn’t have been used more rude on the trip up, however on the way home we were treated like royalty. For the business class fare we could have flown alot cheaper and been at our destination in half the time. I am a frequent train traveler and love trains and I know what service is to be expected.
I also want to comment on the ride itself. CN has been installing new track for well over a year. I expected a smoother ride. We were treated to spilled drinks, people falling while attempting to make it to the washroom. It was impossible to read a book or even use a lap top. How can other countries have such smooth rides and we are still in the dark ages being bounced back and forth and side to side.
What’s up Canada?
Although the Niagra Falls-toronto train is being dropped, I’d like to know what plans are on the horizon for making this a commuter route. The traffic on the QEW could sure use some relief on this busy corridor. If not, I wouldn’t be surprised if Amtrak ends Maple Leaf service beyond the US side of the border, due to probelms with securing funds for the upkeep of the Whirlpool Bridge.
When Kitchener was given GO train status rain would suffer…
Now 1 train only through London Ontario a AM and a PM train all afternoon trains are gone … 10 hr layover in London now exists…
Sarnia Ont is a dead end spur due to 911 and our ticket station attendents are layed off as of Friday permanently…
VIA cares only about profit so eventually Sarnia will be gone only CN wins… Total freight hauling only to Toronto and beyond…
Been getting the shaft from VIA for years … As we aren’t on the Windsor / Quebec corridor… Niagara will eventually lose too…