Renewed passenger rail service between Banff and Calgary?

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

Would this train not see pretty massive commuter ridership? If you throw a decent train link between Canmore and Calgary, a lot of people are going to be pretty keen to move out that way.

There isnt a ton of housing available. Even less that is somewhat affordable.

[Reaper]

I hope this thing gets built. In the fall it'd be fantastic to take a round trip with a good edible, sunglasses, and headphones for a few albums while enjoying the scenery. That sounds like a great way to kill an afternoon.

[Northendzone]

Anything that makes commuting between calgary and Canmore/Banff easier on a Monday to Friday basis will not be good for the housing market in those towns. Bur given how more people may be working remotely in the future who knows what this does for the housing market in mountain towns

[surferguy]

New information…. Somewhat

They estimate a ticket on the train – with anticipated discounts in the national park – would cost travellers $20.

Perhaps most importantly for Calgarians visitors to the city, the line would provide an express service every 15 minutes between the airport and the downtown core.

CABR’s proponents say the $1.5 billion line would expose the city’s downtown to the more than 2 million visitors a year who land in the city and go directly to Banff by the highway.

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...ser-to-reality

[_Q_]

Originally Posted by surferguy

New information…. Somewhat





https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...ser-to-reality

Very exciting news!

[Fuzz]

The plan sounds about as well rendered as their, uhm, rendering.





Now it's hydrogen powered, too? I guess while you are dreaming...

[Fuzz]

I think this bit is my favourite:

Perhaps most importantly for Calgarians visitors to the city, the line would provide an express service every 15 minutes between the airport and the downtown core.

Now, they also mention 10 trains a day to the mountains. And sharing the CPR bridge over the Bow. So they will presumably run separate trains for the airport section. With 15 minute headways, presumably both directions, over a shared CPR bridge. Uh huh. There also isn't room under many of the Deerfoot area bridges for a parallel track. Have they talked to CPR about this plan and not been laughed out of the room yet?


I'm convinced 1.5 billion doesn't even get them out of Calgary. A quick look at HSR costs are anywhere from 10-30 million a km. At roughly 135km, they are on the low end of costs, and that doesn't get them trains, stations etc...

[Wormius]

It would seem like LRT from the airport should come first, and then the shuttle train could move travellers from around there.

I don’t see why this train can’t share tracks with CP, like Rocky Mountaineer managed to do.

[accord1999]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I think this bit is my favourite:

For the connection to the airport, are they planning to run a train directly to the terminal? Because I don't see how they can do it within the $1.5B budget when the cost of connecting YYC to the Blue Line (with a new people mover train) is by itself already $758M.



https://pub-calgary.escribemeetings....umentId=145966

[Sliver]

Yeah, it's not going to happen. We already have more visitors than we can handle and there is a screeching group of people that will vehemently (and successfully) oppose any new development in the mountains. Pretend for a second this was financially viable (it isn't), there isn't the space for them to walk around Banff or LL.

I mean, for the first 38 years of my life, you could just drive to Lake Louise on a whim without any preplanning whatsoever and park right beside it. Now you need to take a shuttle to see it at specific times. And we want trainloads of people going there? Forget it.

If somebody gifted us a couple billion to make the trains, stations, etc., we'd need to construct a whole new town before we even contemplated inviting more people to the mountains. And again, the screechers won't let that happen.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I think this bit is my favourite:

Now, they also mention 10 trains a day to the mountains. And sharing the CPR bridge over the Bow. So they will presumably run separate trains for the airport section. With 15 minute headways, presumably both directions, over a shared CPR bridge. Uh huh. There also isn't room under many of the Deerfoot area bridges for a parallel track. Have they talked to CPR about this plan and not been laughed out of the room yet?


I'm convinced 1.5 billion doesn't even get them out of Calgary. A quick look at HSR costs are anywhere from 10-30 million a km. At roughly 135km, they are on the low end of costs, and that doesn't get them trains, stations etc...

was wondering how expensive it would be to have hydrogen powered trains.
my 30 seconds on google, and I found this right away

The cost of hydrogen production remains one of the most notable barriers to its widespread adoption as a fuel source, with much of this cost the result of the high electrical use of green hydrogen production methods.

While supporters of hydrogen power for trains point to the fact that the only “emission” is clean water, this ignores the fact the hydrogen has to be made somehow. Some hydrogen is available as a by-product of industrial activity, but nowhere near enough is available to power trains in most countries. The “green” approach to making hydrogen uses electrolysis to split the hydrogen atoms from water, but this requires lots of electricity — around 3 times as much as a conventional electric train.

but I'm sure it will fit in their budget. lol

Seems battery powered trains would be a better financial bet their plans, but I have the feeling they're just throwing everything out there to see what sticks.

no way this happens.

[octothorp]

Not related to this, but I believe a CN hydrogen train project was one of the Alberta government carbon capture spending projects a few weeks back. Maybe it's a bit easier for commuter over freight, but this should still be considered a technology in its infancy. But maybe they think there's some extra government funding there if they can get on the proverbial blue hydrogen train.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Yeah, it's not going to happen. We already have more visitors than we can handle and there is a screeching group of people that will vehemently (and successfully) oppose any new development in the mountains. Pretend for a second this was financially viable (it isn't), there isn't the space for them to walk around Banff or LL.

I mean, for the first 38 years of my life, you could just drive to Lake Louise on a whim without any preplanning whatsoever and park right beside it. Now you need to take a shuttle to see it at specific times. And we want trainloads of people going there? Forget it.

If somebody gifted us a couple billion to make the trains, stations, etc., we'd need to construct a whole new town before we even contemplated inviting more people to the mountains. And again, the screechers won't let that happen.

I think the idea is to displace the vehicle traffic and shuttle buses, not add to it. But ya, that usually doesn't work so well. I'm not against a train, it's just that this proposal is laughable in its planning and cost estimates. As an investor I couldn't see how it makes any financial sense at all, unless they manage ot wrangle boatloads of government funds, and as a taxpayer, I'm not seeing how that makes sense either.

[BlackArcher101]

If Alberta gov approves funding this, I will have no idea how based on the below:

1. They barely thought the Green Line was worth it, and that's directly effecting voters and commuters. Don't see how a tourism focused line would be more viable for the government unless it saved them from adding two lanes to Hwy 1 in the near future (which I don't think is planned).

2. It's primarily for a federal park. No way Kenney gives money to help anything related to the feds. He would demand Banff be handed over to Alberta.

But then again, this government surprises me left right and center, so it'll be approved

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

The plan sounds about as well rendered as their, uhm, rendering.





Now it's hydrogen powered, too? I guess while you are dreaming...

Lol. This looks like a screen shot of something little baby bum music video meets Heritage park train station.

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

The plan sounds about as well rendered as their, uhm, rendering.





Now it's hydrogen powered, too? I guess while you are dreaming...

Good to see the CalgaryNext team is still getting work.

[topfiverecords]

I’m no expert but I believe trains ride on top of the rail.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

If Alberta gov approves funding this, I will have no idea how based on the below:

1. They barely thought the Green Line was worth it, and that's directly effecting voters and commuters. Don't see how a tourism focused line would be more viable for the government unless it saved them from adding two lanes to Hwy 1 in the near future (which I don't think is planned).

2. It's primarily for a federal park. No way Kenney gives money to help anything related to the feds. He would demand Banff be handed over to Alberta.

But then again, this government surprises me left right and center, so it'll be approved

Are the backers UCP donors? Always follow the money with this party.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

I’m no expert but I believe trains ride on top of the rail.

Levitating trains are passé. Levitating tracks are the future! It accommodates the mouse, vole, and snake corridors

[para transit fellow]

an ambitious proposal. every 15 minutes to the terminal seems wonderful but Toronto's UP express is every 30 mins and had to reduce fares to gain ridership

the challenge i see is how do we get to the Downtown Terminal with our luggage?.

Is the terminal near an existing or planned LRT station? (how far do we walk with luggage? do we create a large parking lot?)