High Speed Rail: London - Kitchener-Waterloo - Pearson Airport - Toronto

[rbt]

VIA didn't take it over in 2013, no. What did happen is an agreement between VIA and CN on paying to install CTC / signals along the Guelph subdivision, which is currently being done.

My mistake. Thank-you for correcting me.

I thought, for some reason, CN handed it over to VIA as they didn't want to do maintenance on that chunk any more.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

It was a budget pandering to the NDP though.. I dont think the budget will be passed as is, especially if she's going to keep her promise of slaying the deficit dragon. On the list of transit priorities, I can't see this item coming first.

Wynne has said on multiple occasions that they'll be tabling the same budget if they're reelected.

 

[BurlOak]

Wynne has said on multiple occasions that they'll be tabling the same budget if they're reelected.

It can be passed and then completely revised in a fall economic statement that could include as many new taxes as they want. They have a mandate for Carte Blanche, so why not use it.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Whether this project goes through or not is probably dependent on who gets elected at the Federal level next year - I can easily see Trudeau jump on board and turn it into some Ontario-Quebec-Federal project.

AoD

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

It can be passed and then completely revised in a fall economic statement that could include as many new taxes as they want. They have a mandate for Carte Blanche, so why not use it.

We can actually get a lot done right now. They should speed up the Crosstown and open in 2017. That's what I would do. Then have Eglinton West open for 2021 and Moringinside Malvern open for 2024. Start Finch AND Sheppard right now, open in 2019. Start the DRL (Dundas West-Eglinton Don Mills) next year for 2022, etc.

 

[dunkalunk]

We can actually get a lot done right now. They should speed up the Crosstown and open in 2017. That's what I would do. Then have Eglinton West open for 2021 and Moringinside Malvern open for 2024. Start Finch AND Sheppard right now, open in 2019. Start the DRL (Dundas West-Eglinton Don Mills) next year for 2022, etc.

I don't see HSR on that list. Where would you put it?

 

[TOareaFan]

We can actually get a lot done right now. They should speed up the Crosstown and open in 2017. That's what I would do. Then have Eglinton West open for 2021 and Moringinside Malvern open for 2024. Start Finch AND Sheppard right now, open in 2019. Start the DRL (Dundas West-Eglinton Don Mills) next year for 2022, etc.

Your right.....why waste time on any projects outside of the city of Toronto......we did just have Province of Toronto election after all.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

I don't see HSR on that list. Where would you put it?

Your right.....why waste time on any projects outside of the city of Toronto......we did just have Province of Toronto election after all.

Right after the Crosstown really. That depends on the EA though.

 

[gweed123]

Murry hints at this possibility by calling the new Pearson train stop Terminal 2.

That would be interesting. I'd like to see the Eglinton LRT and a future GO REX service use that same "terminal". Terminals 1 and 3 are air travel, Terminal 2 is rail travel.

 

[gweed123]

We can actually get a lot done right now. They should speed up the Crosstown and open in 2017. That's what I would do. Then have Eglinton West open for 2021 and Moringinside Malvern open for 2024. Start Finch AND Sheppard right now, open in 2019. Start the DRL (Dundas West-Eglinton Don Mills) next year for 2022, etc.

How would they speed up the Crosstown? Buy a new set of TBMs and have them start tunnelling eastward from Yonge?

But yes, I agree that they need at least a couple of completed transit projects by the next election, to show that stuff is actually getting done.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

How would they speed up the Crosstown? Buy a new set of TBMs and have them start tunnelling eastward from Yonge?

But yes, I agree that they need at least a couple of completed transit projects by the next election, to show that stuff is actually getting done.

Probably. That or cut and cover to Don Mills.

 

[TOareaFan]

Right after the Crosstown really. That depends on the EA though.

So, to be clear, HSR to London is now a higher priority than all day GO Trains on the non-lakeshore lines? Wow, to think no one was talking about this until Murray dropped the news about it 2 weeks before the budget!

 

[MisterF]

Correct, sharing tracks won't impact most operating costs though I suppose you can split corridor maintenance costs between more runs.

Provided HSR ticketing is available through the online airfare booking systems like Expedia as a connection option (Hotwire, Expedia, etc.) and perhaps even get Air Canada/WestJet on board as a partner, it'll be fine.

London to Toronto flights are not profitable (not a loss either). They exist purely because they connect to a profitable flight. Kitchener to Toronto or Pearson to Union flights don't exist at all, so Air Canada or WestJet selling those tickets would be pure profit from the commission earned (usually 10% IIRC). Several European trains are bookable as connections from travel sites as flight connection option. By serving Pearson this becomes an option. Murry hints at this possibility by calling the new Pearson train stop Terminal 2.

Again, tons of open questions including business associations but there is enough of a business case to do an EA.

Indeed, serving Pearson is likely an essential part of this line's business case. The study from a couple years ago assumed that Pearson (and Kitchener) would be bypassed altogether, one of its many mistakes.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

So, to be clear, HSR to London is now a higher priority than all day GO Trains on the non-lakeshore lines? Wow, to think no one was talking about this until Murray dropped the news about it 2 weeks before the budget!

What do you want me to say? Really? I was talking about the Toronto projects and I get accused of not caring for the 905, and then I got back on topic and I don't care for GO.

 

[Markster]

We can actually get a lot done right now. They should speed up the Crosstown and open in 2017. That's what I would do. Then have Eglinton West open for 2021 and Moringinside Malvern open for 2024. Start Finch AND Sheppard right now, open in 2019. Start the DRL (Dundas West-Eglinton Don Mills) next year for 2022, etc.

Now that would be a sight to see. Ottawa, which has a much less technically difficult build tried very hard to see if they could speed up construction to open in time for Canada's 150th in 2017, and they found pushing up the schedule by a single year was much too difficult and expensive, and they investigated that a couple years ago now.