OLYMPIA - The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced today that the long awaited second daily Amtrak Cascades train between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. will begin service on Wednesday, August 19, 2009.
The Canadian government approved the second train service on July 3 as a pilot project to start as soon as August 1 until after the 2010 Olympic and Paralympics Winter Games. WSDOT worked with Amtrak, BNSF Railway, U.S. Customs, and other stakeholders to get the additional Amtrak Cascades service operational as soon as possible.
With the addition of this second train service, travelers from Oregon will now have direct round-trip service between Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, B.C. ...
The current daily Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. route has also seen the return of Amtrak Cascades Talgo trains that have been missing from this leg of the route since summer 2008. The Talgo trains were substituted with Amtrak Superliner trains while WSDOT and Amtrak completed a refurbishment of the train interiors.
Amtrak Cascades consists of four daily round-trips between Portland and Seattle, with service between Bellingham and Portland, via Seattle; between Eugene and Seattle, via Portland; and between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. Amtrak Cascades is operated by Amtrak in partnership with the Washington and Oregon Departments of Transportation. For Amtrak Cascades fares and schedules, visit www.amtrakcascades.com.
"When the economy geared down last autumn, the jobs of those who transport the most emblemic goods of this recession went off the rails and still haven't returned.
Last year, the Kenora run-through terminal for Canadian Pacific Railways had its entire staff of 150 people working. .... As the economy slipped then fell, the rolls dropped to 110 workers with 47 laid off today. Where a year ago, there were 23 conductors, there are now only 16. Said Grant Sherred, the secretary treasurer for Teamsters Canada Rail Conference division 535. 'Little Kenora is feeling the effects of the global economy.'"
"As the worst global recession since the Second World War grinds on - although the Bank of Canada has declared the downturn over in Canada - workers are facing pay cuts, unpaid leave and layoffs. ..."
"Pushed into a corner by the federal government and pressured to save jobs, the CAW made major benefit concessions that helped secure the Canadian manufacturing operations of General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC. Nudged by a federally appointed mediator and other unions, the CAW also helped keep Air Canada out of bankruptcy protection by agreeing to a 21-month moratorium on pension funding. ..."
"Peggy Nash, an assistant to Mr. Lewenza who was heavily involved in the Air Canada talks, said no one should believe there is a change in philosophy occuring at the CAW. She said it was the airline's other unions, such as the Canadian Union of Public Employees, pushing for the equity stake. 'When you're dealing with a company on the brink of bankruptcy, you're doing what you can to preserve the best interest of your members'."
"Air Canada CEO focuses on cost-cutting; Carrier swings to operating loss. Traffic is down sharply in recession, especially for premium seating":
"Air Canada took a jolt from the global decline in air travel in the second quarter and CEO Calin Rovinescu warned it must accelerate its cost-reduction program to deal with a weak economy over the rest of 2009 and beyond. 'Recovery in the economy is not yet in sight and we must use our present window of opportunity to make structural changes and raise efficiency,' he told analysts. He said the new round of cost-cutting might have an impact on staffing levels 'further down the road.'"
"The Montreal-based national airline posted an operating loss of $113 million in the quarter, compared with an operating profit of $7 million a year earlier. Revenue dropped by 16 per cent to $2.06 billion. Most major airlines have reported sharp traffic declines, especially for premium seats, and operating losses because of the global recession. Air Canada said empty premium cabins accounted for 40 per cent of the second-quarter drop in passenger revenue".
"Including special items, Air Canada posted a profit of $155 million, up 27 per cent from $122 million a year earlier. ... Aircraft may be parked this winter" though.
"A newly released confidential report about speeding up Canada's passenger rail service made a series of recommendations that could have been completed by today if it had not been lost in the transition between the Liberal governments of former prime ministers Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin".
"The plan, obtained by Canwest News Service, projected substantial short-term improvements, including a new fleet of 200 kilometre per hour intercity trains, and a link to one of the country's biggest airports".
"At a cost of $2.6 billion over five years, the "ViaFast" plan from 2002 would have introduced faster service between Quebec City and Windsor, Ont., while building new tracks that would reduce congestion for both passenger and freight trains".
"The ViaFast plan would have allowed passengers to take a trip from Toronto to Ottawa in two hours and 15 minutes, and then from Ottawa to Montreal in one hour and 15 minutes. The Montreal-Quebec City trip time would be reduced by nearly half to two hours, while a Toronto-Windsor trip would be down to three hours and 20 minutes".
"The former head of Via Rail, Jean Pelletier, in an interview published after his death by Quebec City newspaper Le Soleil, said he had reached deals with freight rail companies to launch ViaFast. But Pelletier, a former chief of staff to Jean Chretien, blamed former prime minister Martin for cancelling it and other infrastructure investments that had been announced by the outgoing government". Mr. Pelletier had pointed out tht Paul Martin had been the owner of the Voyageur Bus empire and was no friend on VIA's.
"I agree with the Record editorial. In principle, we need this (GO) service. That said, I suggest that the better route would be the CPR line through Cambridge. This line is already signalized, and minor infrastructure improvements would make it viable. Highway 401 is close to this line which connects to existing service at Milton. More people could access it without driving through Kitchener or Cambridge, if stations were properly placed. Stations could also be built near the Highway 6 and 401 interchanges.
... CN, which actually owns the Kitchener route, must be happy: The taxpayers of Ontario will fund major track upgrades even though a more convenient and less expensive option already exists".
Ron Bowman, Kitchener
Transport 2000 on the other hand has consistently advocated for the upgrade to the CN North Line through Kitchener.
"The idea of a train trip from Windsor to Toronto taking just an hour and 24 minutes might seem like a far off dream -- one that we'll get around to when the technology is available. However, high-speed rail and trains that can travel up to 300 km/h are a way of life in Japan and Europe, and have been for decades. Meanwhile, in Canada, the real impediment to creating a 21st-century passenger rail system isn't a lack of technology, but of political will. But as this week's Canwest series on high-speed rail has pointed out, a quarter-century discussion about upgrading our passenger train system is finally gaining some momentum"
...
"The real question is whether our governments are going to finally take high-speed rail seriously. And this isn't the kind of project that happens overnight.
It's estimated that the Windsor to Quebec City route would take up to 10 years to design and build. And that's why it's critical that planning get started as quickly as possible"
'I think the mindset in the country has changed," says Paul Cote, Via Rail president and CEO. 'There have been so many other projects that have been implemented worldwide that people know the technology exists. They've seen the benefits of it. They know that it can work.' It really is a matter of political will".
"Land has been assembled in Calgary and Edmonton, the provincial government is eyeing transportation corridors and there's growing corporate and public interest in the project, but a high-speed train won't be leaving the station any time soon in Alberta.
In the wake of a newly released government report studying the prospects for high-speed rail in Alberta, there's renewed momentum to build the 300-kilometre, multibillion-dollar link between Calgary and Edmonton -- one that could shuttle passengers between the two centres in as little as one hour".
"The public is on board, with repeated polls showing a large majority of Albertans would ride the rails if a bullet train pulled into town. Companies from around the world also are expressing interest in both building and operating the line in some form of a public-private partnership with the provincial government. But with Alberta's Tory government projecting deficits totalling more than $10 billion over the next few years, it will be upwards of two decades before a bullet train takes off in the province, said Transportation Minister Luke Ouellette. 'Money is pretty tight here,' he said.
"Ouellette said he envisions the province's primary role would be to assemble the necessary land and look to the private sector to build the track, purchase the rail cars and operate the system. The Stelmach government's next step is to conduct a corridor study to determine which route the train would follow -- a process that will likely take about two years and cost up to $10 million, Ouellette noted"
"An environmental assessment for Guelph was released by GO Transit July 23, and while this city was not even mentioned in GO's 10-year plan just three years ago this newest study recommends four trains per day running from Kitchener to Toronto and back. And the surprises don't stop there".
"According to Appendix B of the 1,452 page document found on GO's website, VIA Rail has advised GO that it intends to double service to Guelph, running 12 VIA trains and 8 GO trains to the Royal City, putting us well on our way back to levels not seen since the early 20th century".
"The cost is projected to be $153,400,000, a little over one-third of the cost of the new Highway 7".
"The new combined schedule for VIA and GO trains to Guelph will add four eastbound morning GO trains originating in Kitchener, and three additional afternoon VIA trains in each direction through Guelph between Toronto and London"
"Guelph is well on its way to a reasonable level of passenger rail service, and barring a cataclysmic event, it is likely to be here within two years. I commend GO and VIA for working together to improve our passenger network and to give people alternatives to our clogged highways. Better transit service cannot get here soon enough"
Bob Mihell wrote in Sault This Week on Aug. 12:
"The Huron Central Railway will cease operations on schedule Saturday, Aug. 15 unless an acceptable short-term arrangement is in place by week's end. But Sault MPP David Orazietti and MP Tony Martin both expressed optimism a short-term solution could be completed this week"
"On Monday morning, Orazietti said that his government is proposing to support a short term funding partnership through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation that would be matched by the federal government with FedNor assistance".
"Meanwhile, Sault Ste. Marie City Council has announced a special council meeting for Thurs. Aug. 13 at 4:30 p.m. A tentative item on the agenda is the Huron Central Railway.
Mayor John Rowswell confirmed Monday afternoon that Council might be asked to approve a municipal contribution toward a short-term solution to keep Huron Central operational past this week. Rowswell could not attach a dollar figure yet as to what the city's share might total".