Blue Sky, Swifter, Higher, Stronger: A Report from Transport Action’s Toronto Blue Sky Vision Workshop on The Future of VIA Rail Canada The conclusions of the workshop are summarized below in six categories. 1. VIA’s Route Network and Service Plan • For a variety of practical and political reasons, the system must remain national, not just a limited number of intercity corridors. • The route network needs to be expanded to connect all Canadian centres and gateways with a population of more than 100,000 that are on the current railway infrastructure network. This will not only serve these larger centres, but hundreds of smaller on-line communities that have no air or bus service. • There needs to be a return to a twin-spine network with restoration of second spines from Montreal to Halifax (former Atlantic Limited route) and Toronto to Vancouver (southerly CP route). • Current third-party lines (Ontario Northland, Algoma Central and ex-BC Rail) should be brought into a coordinated VIA system. • Where rail abandonments have eliminated rail passenger options, VIA should copy Amtrak’s Thruway bus operation and provide coordinated bus service (common multimodal terminals, ticketing, baggage handling, etc.), perhaps operated by existing private bus operators. • VIA needs to develop alliances with other operators – air, bus, marine, urban transit – to the benefit of both carriers and users. • The four service types (long-haul transcontinental, intercity corridors, international and remote) are all important and must interconnect. • Transcontinental trains need to be daily – Amtrak’s experience shows tri-weekly winds up costing more per passenger. • Increased speed should be factored into the vision for all VIA services using the incremental approach. Freight and passenger service must be separated on the densest line, such as Toronto-Montreal, using two dedicated corridors. • Higher-speed express and local services need to be combined on the same lines, providing infrastructure to accommodate both types of trains. Local routes are important feeders to the higher-speed express services and also open up significant markets. • To reduce border delays on international routes, the secure inspection area approach used in Vancouver needs to be applied to the current and proposed international lines. 2. VIA’s Fleet Strategy • The main elements of the fleet should be based on new equipment, not refurbished, and it should be aligned with Amtrak’s fleet renewal strategy, including joint procurement and common specifications. • Bi-level rolling stock capable of 125 mph could be attractive as it offers higher capacity while incurring the same wheelage charges from CN and CP as single-level equipment. • Push-pull technology with cab cars should be used in turnaround corridor service to reduce costs and time delays. • Self-propelled diesel multiple units (DMUs) should be a good fit for VIA, making it possible to reduce the cost and increase the frequency of many existing or experimental services. Soon, we will FRA compliant DMUs on Toronto’s Air Rail Link, which VIA should examine. • Electrification is part of our long-term vision for VIA and will likely occur first for commuter rail transit in Toronto and Montreal. Electrification demands high service frequency, which does not exist on any VIA routes currently. 3. VIA’s Funding • VIA’s current funding model is unsustainable, as it is subject to the whims of the federal government. • VIA needs a funding mechanism that guarantees stable and predictable year-to-year funding, just as it is required for urban transit. • VIA’s funding needs to be dealt with through a National Rail Strategy similar to what the NDP has suggested for transit. There are valid national benefits from viable intercity rail passenger service, including national security, national competitiveness and environmental considerations. • The provinces should also be involved in funding VIA services. There is a co-funding mechanism in the U.S. for joint funding of interurban and regional rail Amtrak routes that should be studied for applicability in Canada. • Metrolinx, an arm of the Government of Ontario, and VIA need to discuss shared operations, as is the case with Amtrak and 14 states on 20 routes. • It may be possible to reduce VIA’s costs, such as the wheelage charges by CN and CP, but this information is not publicly available. VIA’s costs to operate on federally-regulated railways and its right to do so should be negotiated and incorporated into a VIA Rail Canada Act. 4. VIA’s Management • VIA’s management – even if it were stellar – is hamstrung by the lack of clear rights and performance targets, which can only be provided through a fair and innovative VIA Rail Canada Act. • However, there are definite concerns with management, as they appear to be walking away from long-haul transcontinental service and longer-haul Toronto commuter service. 5. VIA’s Governance • A VIA Rail Canada Act is absolutely vital to the future of Canada’s rail passenger service. It would spell out VIA’s rights, obligations, user charges, route network and service levels and standards. • There was a VIA Rail Canada Act drafted by the Rail Passenger Action Force in 1985, which was subsequently modified negatively by Transport Canada and allowed to die on the order paper in 1986. The original draft would be a good starting point for a new VIA Rail Canada Act, especially as the 1985 draft took Amtrak’s experience into account (see Attachment B). • Another good reference point would be the legislation that established Amtrak in 1970 and the recent reauthorization legislation, known as the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act. It is comprehensive and based largely on the need to operate publicly-funded passenger trains over infrastructure owned by privately-held freight railways. • In 1985 the Rail Passenger Action Force created a plan for VIA’s revival based on constant budget funding of $600 million per year for 10 years. Today, VIA is receiving only about $250 million annually for operating a system half the size of the one proposed by the Rail Passenger Action Force, as well as another $250 million annually for a short-term asset renewal program. • Although the Rail Passenger Action Force documents were withheld from public scrutiny, Transport Action has access to them. 6. VIA’s Friends and Foes • Transport Action must take a lead role, as there is no other citizen’s advocacy organization in a better position. • VIA has numerous friends, including non-government organizations, municipalities, unions, some federal politicians and the passengers themselves. • VIA’s foes include operators of competitive transport services, such as air and bus, as well as anti-public spending groups. • A fact-based pro-VIA campaign reaching out to VIA’s friends is urgently required and it most include extensive media outreach.
Posted on: Tue, 06 Aug 2013 19:17:36 +0000
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