New Prime Minister

Ottawa (the Federal Government) operates and capitalizes an intercity network for Quebec and Ontario. This is not funded by Ontario or Quebec. If the Federal Government is going to be funding intercity service in Central Canada it follows that they should be responsible for intercity service where viable in the rest of the country (and unlike the Northeast Corridor, these services are not operationally self-funding). Sure, BC could fund the corridor, but it would be unfair.

The Amtrak Cascades route would benefit tremendously by some capital upgrades, enabling faster average speeds and more frequencies, made even more compelling by the fact that WSDOT is willing to fund operating subsidies. But instead of making the most of this offer, the Canadian Federal Government had to persuaded not to charge special customs inspection fees on the second train.

bdawe wrote:Ottawa (the Federal Government) operates and capitalizes an intercity network for Quebec and Ontario. This is not funded by Ontario or Quebec. If the Federal Government is going to be funding intercity service in Central Canada it follows that they should be responsible for intercity service where viable in the rest of the country (and unlike the Northeast Corridor, these services are not operationally self-funding). Sure, BC could fund the corridor, but it would be unfair.

Population of :
British Columbia 4,400,057
Alberta 3,645,257
Ontario 13,550,900
Quebec 8,214,700

British Columbia and Alberta = slightly over 8 million in total
Both Ontario and Quebec individually are larger, and together almost 21 million.

Elapse time between Vancouver and Edmonton is over 24 hours.
Elapse time between Toronto and Montreal is around 5 hours.

I'm not talking about Edmonton. Nor am I talking about Calgary. I'm talking about Seattle. Nor is anyone here it seems suggesting a service over the Rockies except as something to argue against.

Seattle!

Back in November I wrote the new Minister of Transport about the 2006 WSDOT higher speed rail report. Received a reply today

Dear Mr. Dawe:


Thank you for your correspondence of November 13, 2015, supporting future public investment in infrastructure to support faster passenger rail service in the Montreal–Ottawa–Toronto and Seattle-Vancouver corridors.

With respect to passenger rail service between Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto, the government will take the time to determine the best approach to delivering a safe, efficient and reliable service. We will review options for VIA Rail passenger services, including VIA’s recent proposal for high-frequency and faster service in that corridor, within that context.

I also appreciate your suggestions for improvements to the Vancouver–Seattle rail corridor. Infrastructure investment is a priority for the federal government. With regard to the specific infrastructure projects you have identified, I will be working with the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, who will have the lead, and in consultation with the provincial, territorial and municipal governments, to develop and implement an Infrastructure Strategy that will see significant investments made to improve public transit infrastructure and green infrastructure. I have copied Minister Sohi, so that he may be aware of your concerns.

Thank you again for writing and for your interest in passenger rail.

Yours sincerely,





The Honourable Marc Garneau, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Transport


c.c. The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

Nice to see that form letters (polite blowoffs of a citizen's concerns) comply to an international standard. The ones I get from my congressman read nearly, aside frothe topic, the same.

bdawe wrote:I'm not talking about Edmonton. Nor am I talking about Calgary. I'm talking about Seattle. Nor is anyone here it seems suggesting a service over the Rockies except as something to argue against.
Seattle!

It's only 26 miles, 42 kilometers, between Vancouver and White Rock B.C.
About the right distance for a commuter rail line. A refurbishment for a new commuter line of these 26 miles of track will leave less than 5 miles of corridor left to the US border.

It's not as wise to spend money to refurbish this rail corridor for two rAmtrak ound trips a day, it would be much wiser to spread that same amount of money for four, six, eight, ten, or more round trips a day.

Anyways, you'll going to need a significant share of B.C. funds to attract national funds for these tracks.

I wasn't dissatisfied with the letter.

This is a new government elected in October. Garneau truthfully reported that they are still in the consideration stage of the VIA rail proposal, and forwarded my letter drawing attention to the 2006 WSDOT study to the appropriate Minister (Sohi) where they are currently drawing up infrastructure spending plans and consulting with local and provincial governments on infrastructure priorities.

They really don't have much to comment on at this time, otherwise. What would you be expecting them to write back?

Just making a tongue-in-cheek observation, good sir. Nothing was meant.

I just noticed that the pattern of speach (or type written word), the cadence, and the structure all appeared similar to the many letters I've recieved on rail related issues from my representative to the government. It seems like they have a cut and paste file somewhere that when a question arises they pull from.

Again, didn't meat imply anythign about your representative or your interactions with him.

You write enough letters to-constituents and you develop a certain mechanical style

It may only be 26 miles from Vancouver to the border, but they have to be the slowest, most frustrating miles on the corridor, particularly from New Westminster to Vancouver. If they could shave minutes off of that section it would be greatly aid service as it is heartbreaking to crawl at 25 MPH in yard limits when the destination is so near. Fixing the bluffs north of White Rock would also be nice, but probably more difficult.

A Calgary-Edmonton study would also be interesting.