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Discussion of Canadian Passenger Rail Services such as AMT (Montreal), Go Transit (Toronto), VIA Rail, and other Canadian Railways and Transit

Moderator: Ken V

 #1540030  by Tadman
 
bdawe wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 2:18 pm Three train stations? They had three intercity terminals at one time,
CN Station for Via/Amtrak
CP station for WCE
Rock station for Rocky

Crazy thing is, CN and CP stations are both enormous grandiose terminals. CN sees 2-3 Canadians/week and 2 Cascades/day, CP sees something like 5-7 commuters/day. Rocky sees probably 4 trains per week in the high season.

At one time, both CP and CN stations probably saw 20/day.
 #1540221  by lstone19
 
Tadman wrote: Sat Apr 18, 2020 5:14 pm
bdawe wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 2:18 pm Three train stations? They had three intercity terminals at one time,
CN Station for Via/Amtrak
CP station for WCE
Rock station for Rocky

Crazy thing is, CN and CP stations are both enormous grandiose terminals. CN sees 2-3 Canadians/week and 2 Cascades/day, CP sees something like 5-7 commuters/day. Rocky sees probably 4 trains per week in the high season.
Since the Rocky Mountaineer is mostly a tourist operation, I wouldn't count it. But from what I've seen of it, it is probably better suited to their operation than Pacific Central or the old CP terminal. But the CP terminal (Waterfront) is very busy so long as you look past conventional railroads. When you add in the Skytrain passengers and the Seabus passengers (many connecting from one to the other), that is a lot of people moving through there. And it has been very nicely restored.

As for ferry terminals, I assume you are talking about BC Ferries at Tsawwassen and Horseshoe Bay. Those ferries are not intended to be commuter ferries but rather to move vehicles as well as their occupants. I always assumed the terminals are where they are for two reasons: 1) lots of space for staging vehicles (at peak times, there can be a multi-departure wait for those without reservations) and 2) minimizing the sea distance to be covered given the ships are much slower (under 20 knots) than the driving speed. For the person trying to get from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria (I've done it), the shortest travel time comes driving to the terminal where the shortest possible sea crossing results. Note that for their busiest route, Tsawwassen (Vancouver) to Swartz Bay (Victoria), the Swartz Bay is just about as far from Victoria as Tsawwassen is from Vancouver. But Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay is 90 minutes on the ferry; DT Vancouver to DT Victoria on the same speed ferry would be over eight hours.
 #1541881  by Gilbert B Norman
 
This CV-19 is the most disruptive national crisis I have encountered - and I've been "through a few if 'em" in this 78 years on this sphereoid.

The "gas crisis" '73-74, 9/11, Great Recession - but none have topped this for disruption of daily life.

I somehow thought that "the switch would be flipped" long about "The Fourth"/Dominion Day and we'd all be back to normal. This announcement by VIA Rail certainly throws those thoughts of mine "out the window".
 #1541889  by NS VIA FAN
 
Gilbert B Norman wrote: Thu May 07, 2020 6:55 am I somehow thought that "the switch would be flipped" long about "The Fourth"/Dominion Day and we'd all be back to normal. This announcement by VIA Rail certainly throws those thoughts of mine "out the window".
And this makes sense. Why would anyone want to be travelling now anyway. I can see the number of trains for corridor point to point journeys being increased but who is going to want to ride the Canadian or Ocean when you will spend your time in your accommodations. Who would be comfortable riding in the dome or even taking a meal in the dining car. These are trains for socializing!

Right now most provinces have domestic/inter-provincial travel restrictions at their borders that would make it difficult for any travellers on a transcontinental train. For example..... Any non essential travellers crossing the New Brunswick/Quebec Border (on the route of the Ocean) also between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia has to self-isolate for 14 days. And it's seems to have worked. New Brunswick has only 120 confirmed Corvid cases total and no deaths. 118 have now recovered.

https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/travel-rest ... -1.4911118
 #1541902  by bdawe
 
We're going to start opening up in British Columbia next week - we were never on "shelter in place" levels of restrictiveness, but they're talking about 6 person home gatherings and opening up some personal service businesses, since the plague seems to be under control here. But the hits to the economy in this town will be considerable regardless, given how much the summer tourism season, given each cruise ship was a $2-3 million boost to the local economy, and there were over a million cruise ship passengers last year
 #1541903  by exvalley
 
I keep trying to ride the Ocean, but the universe is telling me not to. My original reservation was for May 22nd. I rebooked to October 9th.

I think that I am going to give up for now. As much as I would like to make the trip, I'm not terribly excited to travel in the winter. As it stands, may have to eat may airfare on Air Canada for the return to Montreal. I already used my credit to rebook for October 9th so I don't think that they will give me a credit again unless there are restrictions closer to that date.
 #1541906  by bdawe
 
Sure, but when you were already losing $600 a ticket for the Canadian in the first place and hemorrhaging money elsewhere, management in Montreal might be looking for an excuse not to open up that expense if they don't have to.
 #1541911  by exvalley
 
bdawe wrote: Thu May 07, 2020 9:26 am Sure, but when you were already losing $600 a ticket for the Canadian in the first place and hemorrhaging money elsewhere, management in Montreal might be looking for an excuse not to open up that expense if they don't have to.
Now that actually makes sense. Or more specifically, if you truly believe that summer bookings will remain extremely low - which is a reasonable assumption. After all, summer is the most profitable season.

The problem with this approach is that it reinforces that train travel is not a public necessity. This is in stark contrast to the approach that Amtrak is taking, whether or not Amtrak's hands were tied due to funding requirements.

If the Ocean never returns, I will be sad that I came so close, yet so far from riding it.
 #1541912  by NS VIA FAN
 
exvalley wrote: Thu May 07, 2020 9:14 am
NS VIA FAN wrote: Thu May 07, 2020 8:07 am And this makes sense. Why would anyone want to be travelling now anyway.
Now? Sure, I understand. But cancelling until November 1st seems a bit long.
I'm not sure if I would be comfortable socializing in the dome or diner even by November. But if things do get under control by then.....early November is still a fine time for a trip on the Ocean.