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EllisDon to Lead Prairie Link High-Speed Rail Partners - Edm-RD-Cal

Based on what?

Taiwan opened its HSR line in 2006, with a stop at Taipei's Taoyuan International Airport. Despite this, the airports in other cities on the island like Kaohsiung and Taichung have only increased in passenger numbers and destinations.
I've been to Taiwan and can comfortably say that Taiwan is not a good comparison, 23 million people live there versus 4.5 million in Alberta.
 
I've been to Taiwan and can comfortably say that Taiwan is not a good comparison, 23 million people live there versus 4.5 million in Alberta.
I gave an example of a much smaller airport, 45 minutes away by train from a much larger airport that has only grown not shrunk since the opening of the HSR line. I quoted someone saying it will "kill YEG for good", and I'm asking what that's based on?

If YEG continues to offer an abundance of low-cost airlines and flights, I can see Calgarians drawn here. There is no Swoop in Calgary for example.
 
I gave an example of a much smaller airport, 45 minutes away by train from a much larger airport that has only grown not shrunk since the opening of the HSR line. I quoted someone saying it will "kill YEG for good", and I'm asking what that's based on?

If YEG continues to offer an abundance of low-cost airlines and flights, I can see Calgarians drawn here. There is no Swoop in Calgary for example.
If you're gonna quote me, do it right.
I said it will end all hopes of making YEG into a relevant international flight destination and turn it into a regional airport, which is what you just described.
Pardon me if I don't wanna need to go to Calgary to catch a flight that's not to Yellowknife or Kelowna.

Taiwan's population density, and the logistical nightmare that would entail an expansion of Tayiouan, make other airports viable, even with HSR, in the same fashion that most megacities have more than one viable airport (London, Tokyo, São Paulo, NYC...) This is not Alberta's case.
 
If you're gonna quote me, do it right.
I said it will end all hopes of making YEG into a relevant international flight destination and turn it into a regional airport, which is what you just described.
Pardon me if I don't wanna need to go to Calgary to catch a flight that's not to Yellowknife or Kelowna.

Taiwan's population density, and the logistical nightmare that would entail an expansion of Tayiouan, make other airports viable, even with HSR, in the same fashion that most megacities have more than one viable airport (London, Tokyo, São Paulo, NYC...) This is not Alberta's case.

Low cost does not equal regional.
 
Low cost does not equal regional.
Yeah, because everyone dreams of taking long haul flights feeling like canned tuna.
Anything more than 4 hours on a ULCC plane is torture.
Also, most of their flights are regional, anyways, with some spurious routes to sun destinations.

If the HSR links the airports, you can forget YEG ever getting more flights to Europe, for example. And I'd bet we'll lose KLM, too.

From an internal movement point of view, between Edmonton, Calgary and Red Deer, the HSR is great and makes sense, but I'm willing to bet money I don't have that if we link the airports, YEG will suffer terribly.
 
At least Edmonton will have a well-developed LRT network (like Calgary) by the time the HSR is built.
 
Call me petty, but I see this as another nail on Edmonton's coffin. Sum it to the fact that I think Banff is overrated, and you can imagine my opinion on this thing getting built.

I also believe that the HRS + this project would kill YEG for good.
Yes, Banff can be crowded and a bit of a tourist trap, but sometimes such places become a victim of their own excess as people eventually look for more authentic places.

I do think the rail to Banff idea is good, so it has only taken us 3 decades to start reversing some of the rail service cuts made in western Canada, ok we're very slow learners. The rail service could reduce traffic congestion there and that would be a plus too. The Calgary airport to downtown is a clever add on for them and would be most beneficial for Calgary.

As for high speed rail service, I am beyond cynical on that one. They were talking about this when there was still regular rail service to Banff. However, I suspect the idea is mainly one pushed by some groups in Calgary with the idea it will benefit them. As much as some of our provincial governments like boondoggles, I think they have been wary of this one for good reason.
 
I think it will be a big win for YEG - a lot larger catchment area and we know YEG has a lot less debt than YYC, so YEG is very well positioned to undercut and become Alberta's flight hub.
I hope you are all right, and I'm wrong, but I really skeptical of this.
HSR between Edmonton and Calgary - 100% in favor
Including stops at both YYC and YEG, not so sure.
 
I think the benefit of a high speed link would be to eliminate all inter-city flights between Edmonton and Calgary, which would be a big win from the perspective of the climate crisis. People should not be flying such short distances and some countries are banning this type of super short-haul flight.

As for the potential danger to YEG, people already connect through Calgary for flights so I am not sure that a train would make all that much difference. Regardless of whether you take a short flight or train, I certainly have a strong preference to fly directly out of Edmonton -- and not just for civic pride, but because it is typically much more convenient to avoid a 3 hour commute at the end of a long trip.
 
I don't doubt it will remove some vehicular traffic, which is great, but once you get to Canmore of Banff and want to venture out and explore then what? Transit and shuttles will only take you so far.
Also, depending on why you're going to Banff and what gear you have with you, it may still be more practical for you to take a vehicle anyways. This will especially be a consideration for domestic tourists (such as myself) who bike, hike, ski ect... there frequently.

International tourism to both places will be much easier and more attractive, especially if this is directly connected to YYC. "Tokyo/Beijing to Banff via Calgary, take the train from the airport and get there in 45 mins!" will certainly be promoted to the max. With more people mingling about, both places will struggle to keep up with the increased demand (especially Banff), and thus prices will go up.

I'm good with Jasper
The Bow Valley transit system reaches pretty much all the key tourist destinations. Its frequency is pretty low, but that's understandable. I think that raising a tourist tax and making transit free might be a good move in that area in the future. As for folks like me who will venture there with climbing or watersports equipment, I could see a car share system develop and local shops be able to provide more services. For example, there are outfitters in Jasper that provide canoe rentals for Maligne Lake at less than 1/4 the cost of anything in the Banff area. Minnewanka and Moraine only have the one place at each with their monopoly. Car rentals in Jasper this summer were also quite cheap – around $30/day for a small SUV. A small anecdote: I needed to grab one with my partner when doing a backpacking through-hike so we wouldn't have to hitchhike during COVID. Rentals in the rest of the province were entirely booked!
 
Another group is proposing a regional rail network. I messaged them on Facebook asking who's behind the project (individuals, a consortium of companies, etc.) and how they'd interact with the High Speed Rail group if both teams try to push ahead with the Calgary-Edmonton corridor. Fingers crossed they respond!
 
Article in the Cowtown Herald with a milk run.

"Alberta Regional Rail is proposing a commuter line between the two cities, stopping at communities along the Highway 2 corridor."

resurrecting-the-dayliner-a-new-push-for-calgary-edmonton-rail-line

Ok, sort of back to where we were 37 years ago? Interesting? However, I do think the point that bus service has been so gutted which offers an opening for rail, has some merit. When the VIA rail service was cancelled, Greyhound was in its heyday, running routes almost everywhere in Alberta. Now it is gone, although there are still some bus routes between larger centres.

I have always thought the arguments for high speed rail here were a bit fantastic. I think the best routes for high speed rail are those that already have fairly well used and frequent rail service. As the saying goes, you have to walk, before you can run.

Also, the cost of this could easily be covered under one of the various green initiative programs, so perhaps we will be riding the rails again, just not high speed yet.
 

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