We need more people like this!!!

http://www.saobserver.net/

Scroll down to "standing up for rail service"

The shortsightedness of politicians at the provincial and federal level never fails to astound me. Congratulations to the protester and a pox on the likes of the B.C. Premier and the likes of federal M.P. Jim Gouk (also from B.C.

Harold Nicholson

Barb Brouwer - Salmon Arm Observer wrote:...Referring to a recent letter from the premier, [Rhona] Martin said he had made it quite clear the B.C. Liberal government would support the return of VIA only if it did not compete in any way with Rocky Mountain Rail...

That about says it all. Even if VIA ran a nighttime coach only winter service between Calgary and Vancouver some would argue that it's still competing with the Rocky Mountaineer.

P.S. Here is a direct link to the story: Salmon Arm Observer story

That makes about as much sense....

....as a city refusing to have public transport because it may take away traffic from the local tourbus or the Fake Trolley.

~Ra'akone

Raakone wrote:That makes about as much sense....

....as a city refusing to have public transport because it may take away traffic from the local tourbus or the Fake Trolley.

~Ra'akone

Don't start giving them any ideas ...

If it is along CP tracks, is VIA and the Rockymountaineer trying to be the "tail wagging the dog"?
I don't see why the VIA can't reinstitute the run from Calgary to Vancouver and have the Rocky Mountaineer continue its present run.
In the "old days" of the Canadian run from Winipeg/Calgary/Vancouver ...was there not a northern leg up to Jasper..as from Winipeg to Jasper and then down to Vancouver? Whatever happens, I would still like to see a branch up to Jasper.
Any further news on the Rocky Mountaineer run from Jasper to Prince George and then down to Vancouver. Can they work it out so the Skeena will still run? It seems if the VIA and Skeena can still run, they should be able to work out the quagmire with the VIA through Calgara to Vancouver and keeping the Calgary run of the Rocky Mountaineer.

The pretense from CP seems to be that with the phenomenal increase in freight traffic, it is currently undesirable to (re)introduced a scheduled passenger service which would tie up their lines.

The whole thing has more to do with RMR than anything else, it is very well known and documented.

CP could still be involved, think about it....access charges for VIA are probably tightly controlled by the government, whereas with RMR...CPR can charge through the nose. So they want to make RMR happy.

I'm hoping no CP executives are reading this....

Raakone wrote:access charges for VIA are probably tightly controlled by the government, whereas with RMR...CPR can charge through the nose. So they want to make RMR happy.

In fact, the breakdown of access charges are kept secret from Via and the commuter roads in Canada. The contracts also prevent the public from knowing what those charges are.