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VIA Rail: New Funding

My very short-term plan to fix VIA would be:
  • Increase speeds on all lines to 100mph, which would make the train competitive with the car in all corridors
  • run at least 8 trains a day, each way, in all corridors
  • Reduce prices or at least offer better off-peak discounts--especially with the last price increase, the train has become quite outrageously expensive
  • implement intercity service outside Central Canada. Edmonton-Calgary is blindingly obvious, Vancouver-Kamloops, Vancouver-Whistler, maybe Regina-Saskatoon.
 
VIA released a backgrounder in July that has detailed information on the Kingston Subdivision project. The $300 million project is part of a total of $923 million in capital investments to VIA Rail. I don’t know what the rest of the investments are. The first phase of the Kingston Subdivision project includes:

A third track at the following locations:
-west of Brockville
-Mallorytown to east of Gananoque
-Napanee West to Belleville
-Grafton to Cobourg
-at Oshawa

-a fourth track at Belleville
-additional remotely controlled crossovers, improved signalling, and upgraded warning systems at crossings at various locations
-expanded freight sidings and yard track at Turcot, Les Cedres and Coteau in the Montreal area
-new island platforms and bridges or tunnels at Brockville, Belleville, Cobourg, and Oshawa stations.

The project will allow for two additional daily round trips on the Toronto-Ottawa and Toronto-Montreal routes, and additional Ottawa-Montreal service.

No mention of fixing the Smiths Falls bottleneck, even though VIA owns the track between Smiths Falls, Ottawa, and Coteau. They also own the Chatham-Windsor line.
 
According to this press release, they are adding some passing tracks at Smiths Falls... although $10 million probably doesn't buy much.

Smiths Falls Subdivision
Work on the Smiths Falls Subdivision is part of a multi-phase, multi-year program worth some $10 million.
The work, which is taking place between Smiths Falls and Ottawa, includes:
Extensive track work and upgrades including the construction of new passing tracks (sidings). This
work, being carried out by D + S Railway Construction Inc, is taking place over two phases:
Phase 1: Grading and drainage work for the sidings at Dwyer Hill, ON and Smiths Falls, ON,
which began in 2008 will be completed by summer 2009.
Phase 2: The construction of signals for the new sidings. This work, along with the
development of a Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) system and work to upgrade level
crossing automatic warning devices, is being carried out by X-Rail Signals Inc.
All projects in the Smiths Falls Subdivision are scheduled for completion by the end of 2009.
Click to expand...
 
Via Rail Canada: New funding...

Everyone: I hope that VIA makes out well from new Canadian Federal Government funding and remembering the 1990 Cutbacks a pro-rail
government keeps the system growing in its importance to Canada.
Thoughts from LI MIKE
 
The Government of Canada Invests in Safety With New Funding for Grade Crossing Improvements

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Nov. 3, 2009) - Today at the North American High Speed Rail Summit, the Honourable Brian Jean, MP, announced that the Government of Canada will provide $3.8 million in funding to upgrade 35 high-priority rail grade crossings in communities across Canada for the safety of Canadians.

"Keeping Canadians safe is a top priority for the Government of Canada, and upgrading rail grade crossings is an important action we are investing in to enhance public safety and save lives," said Mr. Jean. "This year, under Canada's Economic Action Plan, our government boosted funding to get work underway at many critical grade crossings across the country."

Canada's Economic Action Plan provides $28 million over the next five years to further enhance safety at grade crossings. The $3.8 million announced today will upgrade 35 grade crossings in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. These projects are in addition to the Government of Canada's earlier round of grade crossing projects announced on May 12, 2009.

"Safety at railway crossings is something we can all get behind," said Canada's Transport Minister John Baird. "Communities across the country will be safer because our government is making these safety improvements happen."

"Today's funding builds on the government's commitment to improve safety at rail crossings across Canada," said the Honourable Rob Merrifield, Minister of State (Transport). "By continuously collaborating with rail companies and communities, we are improving safety for motorists and pedestrians alike."

The projects range in magnitude and complexity from simple electronic improvements in existing systems to full signal system installations. Under the Government of Canada's Grade Crossing Improvement Program (GCIP), eligible railway crossings are upgraded, relocated or closed, based on an assessment of factors such as traffic volume and accident history.

The funding announced today is part of an unprecedented financial commitment to build and renew federal public infrastructure, including funding to VIA Rail Canada. In 2007, the Government of Canada committed to spend $516 million over five years to help VIA provide faster, cleaner, more frequent and more reliable passenger service across Canada. The Government of Canada built on this investment in Budget 2009 by providing an additional $407 million to VIA for infrastructure and other capital improvements.

Backgrounders on railway crossing facts and tips, and crossings scheduled for improvements are available at the following address http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/TRABA.pdf
 
With $3.8 million they are only putting in gates. A single grade separation costs more than that. Considering these gates are also going to be in British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba it isn't much benefit for VIA Rail either which would only have one train in each direction every two days.
 
New VIA Station in Oshawa

The latest 'reannouncement' of the VIA monies is that they will rebuild/replace the Oshawa VIA station with a new building.

http://www.viarail.ca/en/pressreleases/view/1401

I scanned back through their other releases and had a chuckle when I noticed the exact same quote attributed to the Mayor of Cobourg (from the new station announcement there a couple of months back) as from the current Mayor of Oshawa in this latest release. All they did was change 'Cobourg' to Oshawa.

Really, I know they don't expect anyone to read these things....but that's lazy! :p
 
Northern Light said:
The latest 'reannouncement' of the VIA monies is that they will rebuild/replace the Oshawa VIA station with a new building.

http://www.viarail.ca/en/pressreleases/view/1401

I scanned back through their other releases and had a chuckle when I noticed the exact same quote attributed to the Mayor of Cobourg (from the new station announcement there a couple of months back) as from the current Mayor of Oshawa in this latest release. All they did was change 'Cobourg' to Oshawa.

Really, I know they don't expect anyone to read these things....but that's lazy! :p
Click to expand...
Ditto Belleville :rolleyes:
 
I hope they are coordinating with the GO Bowmanville extension project since that project make major changes to the layout of the area around Oshawa station. It would be really sad if they rebuild the station only to have to move it to fit in GO track re-alignments.
 
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