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Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang
^ Yeah, Edmonton has that unique problem of their airport being so far away from the city, making a train link more beneficial. The taxi companies won't like that though.
You know what would be even better? A train from downtown Calgary to downtown Edmonton, with stops at each airport. Two birds, but one very expensive stone! Plus the larger benefit to travel between the cities. Can't see it happening for a very long time though, if ever.
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Downtown Calgary - YYC Airport - Airdrie - Red Deer - Leduc - YEG Airport - Edmonton Downtown. If it's going both ways (e.g. two trains on each direction), it would be a huge boon to commerce in all locations, and increase passenger load to both major airports. Depending on the train itself, people may even do a daily commute from as far as Red Deer.
Having this many stops also wouldn't be a problem. In Japan, this kind of stuff is common on the Shinkansen, where a bullet train will stop for 30 seconds at the smaller stops, but spend a little more time at the major ones.
To save costs, you could even have the YYC/YEG train just go airport to airport, and then rely on the local commuter trains to get you the rest of the way (transferring would have to be smooth, and ideally not outdoors).
I have dreamed of this line for a long time, but it will be a pipe dream to see it happen before I die (and I'm only in my early 30's).