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Originally Posted by Canadian Mind
So wait, we have (or at least own) the technology to produce a 380kph/235mph train?
Why aren't we jumping to build HSR here in Canada with connections to the states? if we built to cities like Seattle via Vancouver, Detroit & Buffalo via a Hamilton Line, and Syracuse/Albany via Ottawa and Montreal, the Americans would be very much inclined to use our technology which is already being proven and close to home. The implications and benifits could be huge!
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The Acela trains used on the eastern seaboard in the USA are Bombardier trains. Bombardier is a participant in the TGV, Eurostar, Thalys, and ETR 500. Bombardier is also involved in ICE in Germany, builds most of the trains for China's High speed rail system, and builds the 200km/h diesel trains for the British.
The Zefiro trains the link goes to are in production right now for use in China. Just because it's Canadian doesn't mean Bombardier is some backwater company, it's a worldwide leader in this field.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Canadian Mind
I'm not of the mind that a trans-canada HSr network should be built within next 25 years. Maybe 50. But within next 25 no reason why a Vancouver-Portland, an Edmonton-Calgary, and a Detroit/Windsor-Quebec City (with a Buffalo leg) couldn't be built within next 25 years.
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Even if we are targeting 50 years from now for the completion of a transcontinental HSR network, the first segments are going to need to be built soon. So we really should be focusing on several coridors, like Windsor-Quebec City (or at least Toronto-Montreal) and Calgary-Edmonton right now, like shovels should hit the ground within 5 years.
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Originally Posted by awvan
I think a lot of people here are getting way ahead of themselves speaking of different trains and fanciful routes. One must keep in mind the relative size of Western Europe. It's tiny. 2.8 million sq. km, and that is if you include Portugal, Hungary and Poland where HSR isn't exactly abundant. Ontario and Quebec combined are 2.6 million sq. km, and with a population of 21 million, we're not exactly close to the 430 million in Western Europe. We're a long way off in most of these corridors, especially ones that are already well served by relatively cheap and quick airplane service, or highway, it takes a little over 3 hours to drive from Calgary to Edmonton.
Mexico and South Africa are hardly in the financial position to start building HSR, Jo'burg only just got it's first subway. Besides, airline travel from Cape Town to Jo'burg is about the cost of a flight from Vancouver to Calgary, and takes just under 3 hours, there is no way HSR could touch that.
So long as the track is compatible with different rolling stock in the limited areas that will see HSR in North America (likely New York-Philly-DC first) I don't really think it matters who builds the trains down there. Besides, Bombardier has lots of business to chase in China right now.
I'd love to have HSR from Vancouver to Portland as much as any of you, but we have to be at least somewhat realistic. Upgraded track and rolling stock for the Amtrack Cascades route to perhaps shave an hour or two off the travel time is probably all we can hope for in the next 20 years.
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If you are going to compare Canada to Europe, you have to remember that about 90% of Ontario and Quebec are uninhabited. The Windsor-Quebec City corridor is home to 50% of the Canadian population. A single line from Windsor to Quebec would be within a transit ride of about 18 million people.
Finland has a population 5.3 million, and about 5000km of passenger rail tracks, with trains that reach speeds of 220km/h. Many lines are older, using tilting trains operating at 150-200km/h. Metro Helsinki has a population of 1.3 million and has several hundred km of commuter trains, some reaching speeds of 160km/h. It costs them a lot of money, but some consider Finland to have one of the best standards of living. BC has a comparable population to that of Finland, and we can't possibly build 1 high speed rail line through communities that would encompass about 2/3 of the provincial population?
To get this onto the Transit topic:
I think a good longterm project would be to build a high speed rail link to Kamloops. It doesn't need to be 380km/h right away, but even if it had an average speed of 150-180km/h using a combination of upgraded track and tilting trains, it would make a huge difference. Through the Fraser Valley, the trains could be used for commuter purposes, extending the reasonable daily commuting distance to Hope, and making day trips for business to/from Kamloops reasonable (increasing the economic possibilities for that community, and others along the route). Then Kamloops could become a provincial transportation hub. From there bus or train rides to other communities would be much shorter. And in the future, the rail link could be expanded from there to other points.
Much of the infrastructure in Vancouver could be used for both the link to Hope and for a link to Seattle, including a new river crossing. The link with Seattle should be a priority, but if it includes an upgraded station downtown, new bridge, and ROW through Surrey, that's a lot of cost taken off other HSR projects in the future.