Via May Return to Hamilton

I don't know if this is premature, but it seems like VIA Rail will finally make a return to Hamilton, Ontario! It is part of the MoveOntario 2020 plan, although details as to when it will actually be built seem sketchy at the moment. It might also be worth noting that it is being touted as a 'Gateway to Niagara', and will also be a GO Train station. The estimated cost is 3 million dollars, and it is right in downtown Hamilton (James Street North).

http://www.metrolinx.com/NonTabPages/1/ ... 0Wins.aspx

See 'Second Stage'

Some questions on my part. First of all, how quickly do you think that this station will be built, considering how logical and cheap (relatively) it is? Also, would this leave Hamilton with 2 GO Train stations?

In any case, if this does come to fruition, it would be great for Hamilton to finally see VIA service restored!

Improvements to GO service happen very slowly. I note that the three first stage items listed are planned for "by 2009." That would certainly imply that the second stage improvements would be later. The Lakeshore line station that I use, Long Branch, was supposed to get an elevator in the mid-1990s but that, as with all expansion of GO services, was cancelled by the government of the day. It is now expected that my station will be an "accessible station" by 2013!

Service to Barrie starts on the 17th inst. This has been planned for several years. The tracks were never lifted yet it took a long time to restore the service. When the north end of the route discontinued in the early 1990s by the allegedly pro-environment and pro-public transit NDP government of Bob Rae, there was only a single train on that line. Now there are four round-trips (Mon-Fri.) and all four trains will serve Barrie, admittedly at a new station in the south end of town and not the former CNR Allendale station that was closer to downtown.

I would say it's very premature to say VIA is returning to Hamilton. As the Marquis says, these things can take a very long time. MoveOntario2020 isn't all that new, having been announced back in June. Talk of returning VIA to Hamilton has been going on for much longer and was even given serious consideration by the then Transportation Minister Tony Valeri back in 2004 ( CCS Transportation Bulletin)

The planned new station, which is near to, but not exactly the same location as the former CN James St. station, isn't exactly right downtown. It's about 1 km from the city centre. That's why GO chose to move to the (former TH&B) Hunter St. GO Centre more than ten years ago.

What GO would do, if and when a new James St. station is built, is anyone's guess. I would hope that Hunter St. will continue to be used for rush-hour train and bus service at least. Ideally, VIA would also use the downtown station and rejoin the CN line to Niagara Falls with a connecting track southeast of there, but that is just a pipe dream.

Ken and everyone: Could this be the start of a GO Transit takeover of the Niagara Falls VIA service-with the exception of the NYC and NYS-bound Maple Leaf? The former TH&B facility is far better and oriented to Hamilton's Downtown then the James Street former CN station-which would accomodate thru Niagara service well. Electrifying the Lakeshore Line-provided GO,VIA or the Province of Ontario takes over title to it from CN-is a good improvement that can offer faster HML-TOR service. I am going to access the METROLINX site for more info and to keep informed on this proposed service. MACTRAXX