MEDIA ALERT - High Speed Rail Canada to Release Ontario-Quebec High Speed Rail Study

We need to explore HSR with a more modest approach. First, we need new train sets that can make the best time between the major cities on the upgraded, non-electrified track that will soon exist in the Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto triangle. Bombardier had developed a jet-train engine that was designed to mate with existing HSR passenger wagons for use on non-electrified track. Called the JetTrain, it even made a demo run in Canada ten years ago. Our first step towards testing the viability of HSR in Canada would be to allow VIA to purchase 20 to 30 train sets using a high speed jet-type locomotive (under a competitive bidding process, please) to replace the existing LRC train cars that VIA has lived with since the early 80s. This semi-high speed train could probably reduce the Montreal-Toronto trip to approximately 3 hours, which for most people is competitive with the airlines. The airlines would stay quiet since they would not want to be accused of attempting to stifle competition and the LRC train sets require replacement in any case, after major refits that extended their lives to this point. With these modern trains running on existing rail, we would get a real idea what the potential ridership is in the Quebec City-Windsor corridor and further investment in electrification or dedicated HSR tracks could be made with greater certainty and fiscal responsibility.

Our American HSR partners are also likely to come to the conclusion that certain segments of track do not merit immediate electrification. For example, the route north of Albany to Montreal will be very expensive to build and operate, and the only way to make it economically viable may be to push off the electrification phase until later. Even if the Americans decided to electrify the entire network immediately, there could be an engine change at the border to allow train sets to continue into Canadian territory with only a few minutes delay for passengers. A hybrid system could exist for a long time and would allow HSR train sets to run on conventional rail in areas where dedicated HSR infrastructure would not yet exist.