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High-Speed Rail (HSR) - Toronto/Pearson/Kitchener/London
(04-12-2019, 10:26 AM)kps Wrote: HSR would be expensive to ride as well. Better to put resources into making GO competetive with driving the 401.

They do mention improving inter-community bus service, so maybe they'll buy a couple of more buses so that they can say they improved service.
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(04-12-2019, 10:35 AM)Rainrider22 Wrote:
(04-12-2019, 10:26 AM)kps Wrote: HSR would be expensive to ride as well. Better to put resources into making GO competetive with driving the 401.

I am ok with that if they can reduce the travel time.  2 hours isn't acceptable in today's day and age.

Yes, that's the main thing. The current right of way (including curves and level crossings) with off-the-shelf euro regional MUs, could do it in one hour, assuming the track is repaired to Class 5 and stations to short-dwell level boarding.
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(04-12-2019, 01:01 PM)kps Wrote:
(04-12-2019, 10:35 AM)Rainrider22 Wrote: I am ok with that if they can reduce the travel time.  2 hours isn't acceptable in today's day and age.

Yes, that's the main thing. The current right of way (including curves and level crossings) with off-the-shelf euro regional MUs, could do it in one hour, assuming the track is repaired to Class 5 and stations to short-dwell level boarding.

Alas, I have very little confidence that the current government will actually upgrade the track and buy new running stock.

Of course, I would be very pleased to be proven wrong.
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(04-12-2019, 09:53 AM)bgb_ca Wrote: Anyone actually surprised by this?

Not I.

I've actually come to grips with the fact that I'll never see high speed rail in my lifetime
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(04-15-2019, 06:04 AM)Spokes Wrote:
(04-12-2019, 09:53 AM)bgb_ca Wrote: Anyone actually surprised by this?

Not I.

I've actually come to grips with the fact that I'll never see high speed rail in my lifetime

I as well!  Unless I win the lottery and make a trip across the Atlantic, lol
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From CBC today

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/on...3Dsharebar
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(12-30-2019, 01:11 PM)KW65 Wrote: From CBC today

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/on...3Dsharebar
There's always the chance the restart the project just prior to the next election in a bid to win votes.

Either way though, we aren't getting a high speed rain for many years to come.
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Time to break this out again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10cXpd8haQQ
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Thats awesome... but sadly true !
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(12-30-2019, 02:19 PM)Bjays93 Wrote:
(12-30-2019, 01:11 PM)KW65 Wrote: From CBC today

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/on...3Dsharebar
There's always the chance the restart the project just prior to the next election in a bid to win votes.

Either way though, we aren't getting a high speed rain for many years to come.

Just give us decent-speed train, with fewer level crossings and speed limits, with service to Toronto in 60-75 minutes, and I'll be happy.

Even Toronto-Montreal would be doable in 4h (as opposed to the current 5h+) if the trains could average just 125 km/h (VIA's locomotives are capable of 160-180 km/h). And that would be beautiful, compared to driving in 5.5-6.5 hours.
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(12-30-2019, 10:48 PM)tomh009 Wrote:
(12-30-2019, 02:19 PM)Bjays93 Wrote: There's always the chance the restart the project just prior to the next election in a bid to win votes.

Either way though, we aren't getting a high speed rain for many years to come.

Just give us decent-speed train, with fewer level crossings and speed limits, with service to Toronto in 60-75 minutes, and I'll be happy.

Even Toronto-Montreal would be doable in 4h (as opposed to the current 5h+) if the trains could average just 125 km/h (VIA's locomotives are capable of 160-180 km/h). And that would be beautiful, compared to driving in 5.5-6.5 hours.

Is it level crossings which are slowing down Toronto to Montreal service? In my experience (which isn't the whole route), we're doing 150km/h most of the time, it's the stops which slow us down. Express service is under 5 hours for Via, which still makes a few stops, (provided it's on time).
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(12-30-2019, 11:16 PM)danbrotherston Wrote:
(12-30-2019, 10:48 PM)tomh009 Wrote: Just give us decent-speed train, with fewer level crossings and speed limits, with service to Toronto in 60-75 minutes, and I'll be happy.

Even Toronto-Montreal would be doable in 4h (as opposed to the current 5h+) if the trains could average just 125 km/h (VIA's locomotives are capable of 160-180 km/h). And that would be beautiful, compared to driving in 5.5-6.5 hours.

Is it level crossings which are slowing down Toronto to Montreal service? In my experience (which isn't the whole route), we're doing 150km/h most of the time, it's the stops which slow us down. Express service is under 5 hours for Via, which still makes a few stops, (provided it's on time).

You could be right on the Toronto-Montreal one, I have not taken that in a while. But a real express service should make very few stops (Kingston maybe?) and the trains can do 160 km/h plus, so I don't understand why the average speed for the express is just 100 km/h. Too many stops?
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(12-30-2019, 11:20 PM)tomh009 Wrote:
(12-30-2019, 11:16 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: Is it level crossings which are slowing down Toronto to Montreal service? In my experience (which isn't the whole route), we're doing 150km/h most of the time, it's the stops which slow us down. Express service is under 5 hours for Via, which still makes a few stops, (provided it's on time).

You could be right on the Toronto-Montreal one, I have not taken that in a while. But a real express service should make very few stops (Kingston maybe?) and the trains can do 160 km/h plus, so I don't understand why the average speed for the express is just 100 km/h. Too many stops?

They are making far more than one stop. Part of the problem there is the lack of frequency, when you're only running 7 trains a day, there isn't a lot of room for trains with few stops (most trains already don't make all stops).

I do think delays due to freight contribute to the slack in the timeline as well.

I'm definitely behind better service, I'd love HSR, but any improvements are good.  I really just don't know what the real delays on the Toronto-Montreal route are though, at one time that route was done in less time at 200 km/h...we've literally regressed.
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(12-30-2019, 11:20 PM)tomh009 Wrote:
(12-30-2019, 11:16 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: Is it level crossings which are slowing down Toronto to Montreal service? In my experience (which isn't the whole route), we're doing 150km/h most of the time, it's the stops which slow us down. Express service is under 5 hours for Via, which still makes a few stops, (provided it's on time).

You could be right on the Toronto-Montreal one, I have not taken that in a while. But a real express service should make very few stops (Kingston maybe?) and the trains can do 160 km/h plus, so I don't understand why the average speed for the express is just 100 km/h. Too many stops?

I would like to record the speed profile of the fastest Toronto-Montreal run (and others). It feels like the train is often at 150 km/h but any stops do increase the total time by quite a bit (0 km/h really slows one down). From Montreal to Toronto the quickest run is just under 5h at 4h50 (train 69 at 16:25) with stops in Dorval, Brockville, Kingston and Oshawa.
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I believe Via's next step for better reliability and frequency is a corridor from Scarborough to Smiths Falls via Peterborough. This would take Oshawa and Kingston off the main route, and run most Montreal trains via Ottawa.
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