High-speed rail in Canada
Encyclopedia
Canada
is the only G8
country that does not have high-speed rail
. In the press and popular discussion, there have been two routes frequently proposed as suitable for a high-speed rail corridor:
A possible international high-speed rail link between Montreal
and Boston
or New York City
is often discussed by regional leaders, though little progress has been made. On another international line between Vancouver
and Seattle, work is in progress to improve the existing Amtrak Cascades
service, though it will not reach speeds normally associated with high-speed rail.
On April 10, 2008, a new Canadian National Citizen's Advocacy Group High Speed Rail Canada was formed to promote and educate Canadians on the benefits of high speed rail in Canada.
's, TurboTrain service were marred with lengthy interruptions to address design problems and having to cope with poor track quality (accounted for by dual passenger-freight use); as such, the trains were operated at 160 km/h. The TurboTrain featured the latest technology advances such as passive coach tilting, Talgo attachment for rigid coach articulation and gas turbine power.
Beginning in the 1970s, a consortium of several companies started to study Bombardier Transportation
's LRC
, which was a more conventional approach to high-speed rail, in having separate cars and locomotives, rather than being an articulated train. Pulled by heavy conventional-technology diesel-electric locomotives designed for 200 km/h normal operating speed, inspired by the British InterCity 125
, it entered full-scale service in 1981 for Via Rail
, linking cities in the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor, but at speeds never exceeding the 170 km/h limit mandated by line signalling. It was the world's first active tilting train in commercial service.
In 1998, the Lynx consortium, including Bombardier and SNC-Lavalin proposed a 320 km/h high-speed train from Toronto to Quebec City via Kingston, Ottawa and Montreal based on the TGV and the French Turbo-Train technology. Recently, Bombardier and Via have proposed high-speed services along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor using Bombardier's experimental JetTrain tilting trains, which are similar to Bombardier's Acela Express, but powered by a gas turbine rather than overhead electric wires. These trains resemble the first TGV prototype (TGV001) powered by a gas turbine that were tested on the Strasbourg–Mulhouse line. As yet, no government support for this plan has been forthcoming, and Bombardier continues promoting the JetTrain
especially for Texas and Florida routes.
A study by the Van Horne Institute concluded that "high speed rail would bring significant benefits to the Calgary–Edmonton corridor and Alberta as a whole". The report also stated that the project would "generate between CAD
$3.7 and $6.1 billion in quantifiable benefits". The study considered three options:
The report also found that there was little incremental benefit in running at 300 km/h rather than 240 km/h, and therefore recommended the first option.
On September 22, 2006, the government of Alberta announced that it was deploying video cameras along a stretch of the Queen Elizabeth Highway to measure the number of cars that travel between the two cities.
The Calgary Herald
announced on April 18, 2007, that the provincial government had purchased land in downtown Calgary for a possible station or terminal. On April 7, 2011, Premier Stelmach
said that the land being purchased for the new location of the Royal Alberta Museum
could be used as the Edmonton terminal.
, Montreal
and Ottawa–Gatineau
). It is already the focus of most Via Rail
service. The area is currently served by several freeways, Via Rail, commuter and local transit, and several airports. This corridor population density is comparable to the Rhône River
valley where the French TGV
operates.
There have been several proposals for a high-speed service, such as Via Fast, but no action has been taken so far. However, the former leader of the Liberal Party
, Stéphane Dion
had said that he was in favour of developing a high-speed rail system as a way to fight climate change.
On January 10, 2008, Dalton McGuinty
(Premier of Ontario
), and Jean Charest
(Premier of Quebec
) announced their two provinces will conduct a joint $
2 million feasibility study into the development of high speed rail in the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The federal government
has agreed to participate in the study.
In February 2009, The EcoTrain Consortium, consisting of firms Dessau, MMM
Group, KPMG
, Wilbur Smith & Associates and Deutsche Bahn
International, were awarded a contract to update the feasibility studies for high-speed rail (HSR) in the Quebec City-Windsor corridor. The study was expected to take a year, but was delayed.. Michael Ignatieff
, then-leader of the Liberal Party
said in 2011 that he would agree to fund the Quebec corridor and described it as a means to unite the country, similar to early railway projects in Canada. His NDP
counterpart, Jack Layton
, had also pledged to fund the route.
When the results of the study were released in November, 2011, it revealed results for two technology alternatives: diesel traction and electric traction. Diesel traction would provide speeds of 200 kph and would cost $18.9 billion for an entire Windsor-to-Quebec City system; a Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto system would cost $9.1 billion. Electric traction would provide speeds of 300 kph and would cost $21.3 billion for an entire Windsor-to-Quebec City system; a Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto system would cost $11 billion. The study further revealed that a Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto system is the most economically viable section and could generate a positive net economic benefit using either diesel or electric traction.
In 2000, the United States Federal Railroad Administration
proposed an accelerated line (200 km/h) between Boston and Montreal
in order to link with the Acela Express
and Northeast Regional service from Washington, D.C.
to Boston
and to serve northern New England communities along the route. The first phase of the study, which included public hearings, was conducted in 2002 with the participation of the states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The second phase of the study was cancelled after New Hampshire withdrew its support.
In the 1970s, the mayor of Montreal, Jean Drapeau
, announced his project to build a TGV
(high-speed line) to New York in order to replace the slow and unreliable Adirondack service
operated by Amtrak. More recently, Mayor Bourque tried to revive the TGV to New York project. The topic has also been discussed between the governor of New York and the premier of Quebec, but no progress has been made since a pre-feasibility study conducted in 2003. The line is problematic because most of the investment would need to be made through the sparsely-populated Adirondack Mountains
north of Albany
. Between Albany and New York, fast and frequent rail service is already available.
conducted a survey of 1,647 Canadians ages 16 and over to measure public outlook on and support for developing a high speed rail system in Canada. The survey found that 80 per cent of respondents supported introducing high speed rail in Canada (including 62 per cent who “strongly supported it), while only 6 per cent were opposed.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
is the only G8
G8
The Group of Eight is a forum, created by France in 1975, for the governments of seven major economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 1997, the group added Russia, thus becoming the G8...
country that does not have high-speed rail
High-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...
. In the press and popular discussion, there have been two routes frequently proposed as suitable for a high-speed rail corridor:
- Edmonton to Calgary via Red DeerRed Deer, AlbertaRed Deer is a city in Central Alberta, Canada. It is located near the midpoint of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor and is surrounded by Red Deer County. It is Alberta's third-most-populous city – after Calgary and Edmonton. The city is located in aspen parkland, a region of rolling hills...
- WindsorWindsor, OntarioWindsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
to Quebec CityQuebec CityQuebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
via LondonLondon, OntarioLondon is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal
A possible international high-speed rail link between Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
or New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
is often discussed by regional leaders, though little progress has been made. On another international line between Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
and Seattle, work is in progress to improve the existing Amtrak Cascades
Amtrak Cascades
The Amtrak Cascades is a passenger train route operated by Amtrak in partnership with the states of Washington and Oregon in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and the province of British Columbia in Canada...
service, though it will not reach speeds normally associated with high-speed rail.
On April 10, 2008, a new Canadian National Citizen's Advocacy Group High Speed Rail Canada was formed to promote and educate Canadians on the benefits of high speed rail in Canada.
Early high speed rail in Canada
CN Rail placed some early hopes with the UAC TurboTrain, in its Toronto–Montreal route during the 1960s. The TurboTrain was a true HST with the train sets achieving speeds as high as 200 km/h in regular service. CN's, and later Via RailVIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
's, TurboTrain service were marred with lengthy interruptions to address design problems and having to cope with poor track quality (accounted for by dual passenger-freight use); as such, the trains were operated at 160 km/h. The TurboTrain featured the latest technology advances such as passive coach tilting, Talgo attachment for rigid coach articulation and gas turbine power.
Beginning in the 1970s, a consortium of several companies started to study Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
's LRC
LRC (train)
LRC is a bilingual acronym for Light, Rapid, Comfortable or Léger, Rapide, et Confortable, the name of a series of lightweight diesel-powered passenger trains that were used on short- to medium-distance inter-city service in the Canadian Provinces of Ontario and Quebec...
, which was a more conventional approach to high-speed rail, in having separate cars and locomotives, rather than being an articulated train. Pulled by heavy conventional-technology diesel-electric locomotives designed for 200 km/h normal operating speed, inspired by the British InterCity 125
InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
, it entered full-scale service in 1981 for Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
, linking cities in the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor, but at speeds never exceeding the 170 km/h limit mandated by line signalling. It was the world's first active tilting train in commercial service.
In 1998, the Lynx consortium, including Bombardier and SNC-Lavalin proposed a 320 km/h high-speed train from Toronto to Quebec City via Kingston, Ottawa and Montreal based on the TGV and the French Turbo-Train technology. Recently, Bombardier and Via have proposed high-speed services along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor using Bombardier's experimental JetTrain tilting trains, which are similar to Bombardier's Acela Express, but powered by a gas turbine rather than overhead electric wires. These trains resemble the first TGV prototype (TGV001) powered by a gas turbine that were tested on the Strasbourg–Mulhouse line. As yet, no government support for this plan has been forthcoming, and Bombardier continues promoting the JetTrain
JetTrain
The JetTrain is a Canadian experimental high-speed passenger train created by Bombardier Transportation in an attempt to make European-style high-speed service more financially appealing to passenger railways in North America. It uses the same LRC-derived tilting carriages as the Acela Express...
especially for Texas and Florida routes.
Vancouver – Seattle
The Pacific Northwest Corridor is one of ten high-speed rail corridors proposed by the United States federal government. If the 466-mile corridor were completed as proposed, 110-mph passenger trains would travel from Eugene, Oregon to Seattle, Washington in 2 hours and 30 minutes, and from Seattle to Vancouver, British Columbia in 2 hours and 50 minutes.Edmonton – Calgary
The Calgary–Edmonton Corridor is approximately 260 km long (about 3 hours by car), and is serviced by the Queen Elizabeth II Highway.A study by the Van Horne Institute concluded that "high speed rail would bring significant benefits to the Calgary–Edmonton corridor and Alberta as a whole". The report also stated that the project would "generate between CAD
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
$3.7 and $6.1 billion in quantifiable benefits". The study considered three options:
- Upgrade of an existing Canadian Pacific freight route to allow trains up to 240 km/h using Bombardier's JetTrainJetTrainThe JetTrain is a Canadian experimental high-speed passenger train created by Bombardier Transportation in an attempt to make European-style high-speed service more financially appealing to passenger railways in North America. It uses the same LRC-derived tilting carriages as the Acela Express...
, costing approximately $1.8 billion. - A new dedicated passenger route, known as the "Green Field" route, also using the Jet Train, and costing approximately $2.2 billion.
- An electrified version of the Green Field route, using TGVTGVThe TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
style trains running at 300 km/h, costing approximately $3.7 billion.
The report also found that there was little incremental benefit in running at 300 km/h rather than 240 km/h, and therefore recommended the first option.
On September 22, 2006, the government of Alberta announced that it was deploying video cameras along a stretch of the Queen Elizabeth Highway to measure the number of cars that travel between the two cities.
The Calgary Herald
Calgary Herald
The Calgary Herald is a daily newspaper published in the Canadian city of Calgary, Alberta.- History :The paper was first published on August 31, 1883 by Andrew Armour and Thomas Braden as The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate and General Advertiser. It started as a weekly paper with only...
announced on April 18, 2007, that the provincial government had purchased land in downtown Calgary for a possible station or terminal. On April 7, 2011, Premier Stelmach
Ed Stelmach
Edward Michael "Ed" Stelmach, MLA is a Canadian politician and served as the 13th Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 2006 to 2011. The grandson of Ukrainian immigrants, Stelmach was born and raised on a farm near Lamont and speaks fluent Ukrainian. He spent his entire pre-political adult life as a...
said that the land being purchased for the new location of the Royal Alberta Museum
Royal Alberta Museum
The Royal Alberta Museum is located in Edmonton, Alberta and was named the Provincial Museum of Alberta until 24 May 2005 when Queen Elizabeth II visited, bestowing royal patronage. It has a natural history exhibit, a wildlife exhibit, an entomology exhibit, a Native Culture exhibit, as well as...
could be used as the Edmonton terminal.
Quebec City – Windsor
The Quebec–Windsor Corridor is the most densely-populated and heavily-industrialised region of Canada. With over 18 million people, it contains approximately half of Canada's population, the national capital, and three of the four largest metropolitan areas in Canada (TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and Ottawa–Gatineau
National Capital Region (Canada)
The National Capital Region, also referred to as Canada's Capital Region, is an official federal designation for the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Ontario, the neighbouring city of Gatineau, Quebec, and surrounding urban and rural communities....
). It is already the focus of most Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
service. The area is currently served by several freeways, Via Rail, commuter and local transit, and several airports. This corridor population density is comparable to the Rhône River
Rhône River
The Rhone is one of the major rivers of Europe, rising in Switzerland and running from there through southeastern France. At Arles, near its mouth on the Mediterranean Sea, the river divides into two branches, known as the Great Rhone and the Little Rhone...
valley where the French TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
operates.
There have been several proposals for a high-speed service, such as Via Fast, but no action has been taken so far. However, the former leader of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
, Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
had said that he was in favour of developing a high-speed rail system as a way to fight climate change.
On January 10, 2008, Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
(Premier of Ontario
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
), and Jean Charest
Jean Charest
John James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
(Premier of Quebec
Premier of Quebec
The Premier of Quebec is the first minister of the Canadian province of Quebec. The Premier is the province's head of government and his title is Premier and President of the Executive Council....
) announced their two provinces will conduct a joint $
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
2 million feasibility study into the development of high speed rail in the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The federal government
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
has agreed to participate in the study.
In February 2009, The EcoTrain Consortium, consisting of firms Dessau, MMM
Group, KPMG
KPMG
KPMG is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, Ernst & Young and PwC. Its global headquarters is located in Amstelveen, Netherlands....
, Wilbur Smith & Associates and Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
International, were awarded a contract to update the feasibility studies for high-speed rail (HSR) in the Quebec City-Windsor corridor. The study was expected to take a year, but was delayed.. Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
, then-leader of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
said in 2011 that he would agree to fund the Quebec corridor and described it as a means to unite the country, similar to early railway projects in Canada. His NDP
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
counterpart, Jack Layton
Jack Layton
John Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of...
, had also pledged to fund the route.
When the results of the study were released in November, 2011, it revealed results for two technology alternatives: diesel traction and electric traction. Diesel traction would provide speeds of 200 kph and would cost $18.9 billion for an entire Windsor-to-Quebec City system; a Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto system would cost $9.1 billion. Electric traction would provide speeds of 300 kph and would cost $21.3 billion for an entire Windsor-to-Quebec City system; a Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto system would cost $11 billion. The study further revealed that a Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto system is the most economically viable section and could generate a positive net economic benefit using either diesel or electric traction.
Windsor – Detroit – Chicago
(Detroit – Chicago via Kalamazoo or Toledo)Montreal – United States
(Montreal – Boston or New York via Albany)In 2000, the United States Federal Railroad Administration
Federal Railroad Administration
The Federal Railroad Administration is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation. The agency was created by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966...
proposed an accelerated line (200 km/h) between Boston and Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in order to link with the Acela Express
Acela Express
The Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York...
and Northeast Regional service from Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and to serve northern New England communities along the route. The first phase of the study, which included public hearings, was conducted in 2002 with the participation of the states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The second phase of the study was cancelled after New Hampshire withdrew its support.
In the 1970s, the mayor of Montreal, Jean Drapeau
Jean Drapeau
Jean Drapeau, was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as mayor of Montreal from 1954 to 1957 and 1960 to 1986...
, announced his project to build a TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
(high-speed line) to New York in order to replace the slow and unreliable Adirondack service
Adirondack (Amtrak)
The Adirondack is a passenger train operated daily by Amtrak between New York City and Montreal. The trip takes approximately 11 hours to cover a published distance of , traveling through the scenic Hudson Valley and the Adirondack Mountains...
operated by Amtrak. More recently, Mayor Bourque tried to revive the TGV to New York project. The topic has also been discussed between the governor of New York and the premier of Quebec, but no progress has been made since a pre-feasibility study conducted in 2003. The line is problematic because most of the investment would need to be made through the sparsely-populated Adirondack Mountains
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....
north of Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
. Between Albany and New York, fast and frequent rail service is already available.
Public opinion
In October 2009, EKOS Research AssociatesEKOS Research Associates
EKOS Research Associates Inc. is a Canadian social and economic research company founded by Carleton University graduate Frank Graves. They specialize in market research, public opinion research, strategic communications advice, program evaluation and performance measurement, and human resources...
conducted a survey of 1,647 Canadians ages 16 and over to measure public outlook on and support for developing a high speed rail system in Canada. The survey found that 80 per cent of respondents supported introducing high speed rail in Canada (including 62 per cent who “strongly supported it), while only 6 per cent were opposed.
External links
- Quebec–Windsor Corridor Jet Train, Canada
- Calgary–Edmonton High Speed Rail: a report by the Van Horne Institute (2.45MB PDF)
- Reviving the once-mighty railroad, BBC News – UK, 11:50 GMT, Friday, 24 April 2009 12:50 UK