News   Apr 03, 2020
Pastel Morning
 6.1K     1 
News   Apr 02, 2020
A Message to Our Readers
 7.6K     3 
News   Apr 02, 2020
Soon to be Gone
 4.5K     0 

Calgary Regional Rail Transit

whatchyyc said:
New 60 year network:

View attachment 636170View attachment 636171
Click to expand...

60 years huh?

1000006202.jpg


Hopefully there's some more detailed near term plans released soon, those boards are a bit underwhelming...

One miss on the regional side that is worth correcting IMO would be including lines to cold lake and Wainwright. They would be much more useful than a line to camrose of all places.. and could likely get a significant contribution from the feds that they could file under defense spending.
 
Yeah, it really does... Lol

Fortunately Alberta only needs a fraction of the trackage that China has built in recent years.

Unfortunately, Canada has never been all that good at infrastructure..

If the AB gov can't come up with a plan to build most of that regional network by 2040, why even bother talking about it?

In 60 years we might just be teleporting from place to place instead.. 🫥
 
The idea is to start with the end in mind and distill the long term vision to a 15-year delivery plan. If they see big success alongside continuing population growth there's no reason they can't accelerate the buildout. If anything, the fact that the province is drawing lines to cities with lower populations than many singular Calgary neighbourhoods shows a pretty damn bold vision for the future of rail in Alberta.

Also, the trackage point still makes no sense. Most of the cities in that map have populations ranging from the size of Vancouver to the entire population of Alberta or even Ontario... and the few small cities have a billion other people to anchor ridership to. Might as well be a different planet
 
Last edited:
You aren't wrong about the different planet thing, it really is like being in a different world over there...

I suppose at a high level, my point is some places excel at talking, and other places excel at doing.

While I'd like Alberta to fall into the doing group with their rail plans, I'm prepared to be disappointed given Canada's long history of HSR studies.

That said, I don't think anyone is expecting the AB rail network to be dedicated HSR beyond the Cal/Edm line. Everything else can be done by improving existing rail links, double tracking, grade separations etc, which is why I find the 60 year time frame laughable.

It shouldn't take that long to improve what's already there...
 
You can't forget the tracks already exist in most of these places. We had a rail network until the car became our main mode of transport. It is a long timeline that can be accelerated, as others have said.

The regional airport/Banff train is an obvious first step, then commuter trains, and then you can look at more tourist/economically feasible destinations. I actually don't think HSR is the answer to most of these and instead fairly inexpensive rolling stock and some pullout track is all that's really required.

I'm obviously over simplifying it but there are quick easy wins available here. Your highest frequency would need to be airport to downtown via a nose creek transfer. Other wise you can run at commuter times in the morning and afternoon from the currently tracked suburbs and between the airport and Blue Line extension stop for people who work at the airport (or run it all day?). You can do three trains daily between Calgary and Banff that can feed Cochrane and Canmore commuters. Eventually or maybe even right off the start, add Friday and Sunday night trains between Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary, and Lethbridge and that is a realistic first step.

Airdrie>Calgary
(1 Train, hourly round trip)
6:30AM > 7AM (Stop at Nose Creek Airport Transfer Station 6:45 (return trip 7:15))
7:30AM > 8AM (Stop at Nose Creek Airport Transfer Station 7:45 (return trip 8:15))
8:30AM > 9AM (Stop at Nose Creek Airport Transfer Station 8:45 (return trip 9:15))

4:30PM < 4PM (Stop at Nose Creek Airport Transfer Station 4:15 (return trip 4:45))
5:30PM < 5PM (Stop at Nose Creek Airport Transfer Station 5:15 (return trip 5:45))
6:30PM < 6PM (Stop at Nose Creek Airport Transfer Station 6:15 (return trip 6:45))

Okotoks>Calgary
(1 Train, hourly round trip)
6:15AM > 6:45AM (Stop at Chinook C-Train Transfer Station 6:35 (return trip 6:55))
7:15AM > 7:45AM (Stop at Chinook C-Train Transfer Station 7:35 (return trip 7:55))
8:15AM > 8:45AM (Stop at Chinook C-Train Transfer Station 8:35 (return trip 8:55))

4:45PM < 4:15PM (Stop at Chinook C-Train Transfer Station 4:25 (return trip 4:55))
5:45PM < 5:15PM (Stop at Chinook C-Train Transfer Station 5:25 (return trip 5:55))
6:45PM < 6:15PM (Stop at Chinook C-Train Transfer Station 6:25 (return trip 6:55))

Airport>Nose Creek Commuter Transfer Station
(1 Train, 15 minute round trip)

Airport>Blue Line
(1 Train, 15 minute round trip)

So, in this phase you need 6 rolling stock to have 4 trains working at once and 2 spare that can supplement the airport trains and allow for maintenance. New track is required between Nose Creek the airport and Blue Line but other wise the new track is minimal outside of some pullouts.
 
I have a feeling the province wants to be much more ambitious with service levels, and I hope they are. CABR people although unrelated were touting 20 minute headways to Banff!! Based on the messaging I get the feeling the intention is not just to run a barebones service but build something truly transformative that changes the game and becomes a core part of the transport network. Can they walk the talk, who knows but this is the furthest we've ever gotten
 
whatchyyc said:
I have a feeling the province wants to be much more ambitious with service levels, and I hope they are. CABR people although unrelated were touting 20 minute headways to Banff!! Based on the messaging I get the feeling the intention is not just to run a barebones service but build something truly transformative that changes the game and becomes a core part of the transport network. Can they walk the talk, who knows but this is the furthest we've ever gotten
Click to expand...
If it is 30 minute headways off peak and half that on peak times then that would be great. Not sure the logistics behind that on a shared track but on a twinned track you can do anything (obviously). Comes to cost, I laid out the bare minimum, the province can go from there.
 
badc0ffee said:
Even getting that for (all of) our local buses here would be an improvement.
Click to expand...
15 minute bus frequencies during peak times for all routes would actually be a game changer.

I wonder what the funding requirement looks like to achieve it though. It would be interesting to maybe aim for upzoning of residential land on local bus routes, and tie the increased property tax revenue into increased local bus frequencies. Just as a way to perhaps translate benefits to local residents of building more homes to prevent some NIMBYism. Idk if what I'm saying makes any sense or is feasible.
 
I think the issue with frequency was a lack of drivers and a lack of buses. It isn't a lack of will. Saying that it has been forever since anyone asked about Route Ahead and what was holding it up.
 
CalgaryTiger said:
I think the issue with frequency was a lack of drivers and a lack of buses. It isn't a lack of will. Saying that it has been forever since anyone asked about Route Ahead and what was holding it up.
Click to expand...
both those issues result from a lack of funding, which could be alleviated through increased property tax revenue from new housing/mixed-use developments.

Like if a street is currently paying $X of property tax per year, then allowing for homes with more units like apartments and adding ground floor commercial would increase the street's property tax output to let's say $2*X (double). This additional revenue could be used to improve the frequency of the local bus serving that street, by paying for more buses/drivers. That's not even including the increased ridership aspect.

I'm saying that the city should make these kinds of arguments to prevent some NIMBYism, by showing how these new units and new neighbours on your street can help improve public services in your area. That there are positive impacts that can help you personally - not just filling up city coffers to be spent elsewhere.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top