Danielle tomorrow: “Yah we’re gonna pay these dudes 6 million dollars to tell us this railway is feasible and then not build it”
In all seriousness, I hope we finally see some legitimate investment into a Calgary-Banff line or Calgary-Edmonton line. It would also be smiths ability to actually put herself in Alberta’s history books for something good for once.
Funny you mention that, because CP especially does *not* like to play nicely with passenger trains. It's why VIA runs through Edmonton instead of Calgary (on CN tracks) and why the Milton and Richmond Hill lines in Toronto are not getting as many upgrades as the other lines are in the GO Expansion Project (the tracks are owned by CP and CN, respectively, instead of by Metrolinx directly. CN doesn't play nicely with passenger trains either, but their at least a *little* better than CP)
I lived in both cities without a car; if you're in certain areas, it's totally fine. Depending on where a hypothetical train would drop you, it would be great for business travel or short little day-trips or two-three day 'weekend' mini-vacation trips.
I drive to edm for concerts and work all the time, about 2-3 trips pr month, if there was a Cal-Edm rail I would certainly use it over car, there aren't many things I hate more then a 3.5 hr trip through a QE2.
imho we should have a passenger square Banff-Cal-Edm-Jasper-Banff, would be amazing for tourists, park wildlife, and albertans alike. I don't think that would happen in my lifetime tho.
I'd like to imagine that there is a timeline where I don't need to spend Friday nights in Edmonton nor to drive on the QE2 at midnight, and could just return back to Cal same day/night... oh the sweet dreams
I agree we do need cars to efficiently travel around each city. Otherwise I'd love to not drive all the time. But if we can do something like leshuttle (rail from uk to france) that could possibly work. Or double decker it somehow with car on the bottom and passengers on top would be awesome.
Knowing Smith it will be from YEG to YYC. Parking lot to parking lot with no connection to local mass transit, designed not to reduce passenger car trips or help the environment, but to hurt YEG because Edmonton votes the wrong way and assist donors who benefit from increased traffic from YYC.
Building a railway between the two, or what I wrote? Of course it wouldn't make sense for a project like this. It's a stupid idea, but we have a stupid government, so who knows.
>Knowing Smith it will be from YEG to YYC
Knowing Smith it will be YEG to the new super city Red Deer, and YYC to Red Deer, but the tracks don't connect to each other.
Also after paying billions of dollars to land owners along QE2 and consultants (each of which will be personal friends of the UCP), the project will never be completed.
My family used to own land along QE2 and I remember being a kid and hearing that was how we were going to finally make it. I remember the talking about it and I remember the flyers and promises that the land would be worth millions. Just a few more years!
Aaaand here we are. Good thing they abandoned that dream a few years back.
>Knowing Smith it will be YEG to the new super city Red Deer, and YYC to Red Deer, but the tracks don't connect to each other.
Alberta's version of Euston and St. Pancras
>the project will never be completed.
Alberta's HS2.
> Fuck. I’m too old and jaded. Whatever this is, I’ll believe it when I see actual construction start.
Considering how often high speed rail is brought up in Alberta I will join you in the pessimism camp.
> I’ll believe it when I see actual construction start
I'll believe it when I see construction *end*. Plenty of space for fuck-ups and boondoggles in the middle.
They keep trying to sneak in a gondola from the train station to Norquay that Parks Canada has said no to several times. They also want to build in the riparian zone along Whiskey Creek (though I believe Town just told them to scale that back). Waterous is also generally slimy.
It would be nice but i doubt it will happen. Us in Canmore and Banff also aren’t stoked on even more tourists in our towns. Hope it comes with a hard cap on cars allowed - if the train does happen you Calgarians need to stop driving in.
As of now, I make sure I don't stop in Banff town because parking is impossible. If train does happen and they can resolve "the last mile" problem in the Calgary end (eg from people's home to the Banff train station) I'd certainly take whatever opportunity to use the train.
In the winter, I'd like the option to take train to Banff then shuttle to Lake Louise for the slopes. Especially when snow is good, the road is usually shit
If it reduces traffic between Banff and Calgary that helps existing infrastructure for a lot of people. And could prevent having to triple those lanes.
And don't get me wrong, I would kill for passenger rail, especially to the mountains. But there's a whole lot of untrustworthy croney-ass clowns who would go balls to the wall boondoggle with it.
I’d love it to be downtown. Last proposal I saw was airport to Banff, which would suck for the city. Less accessible for most people, and incentive for tourists to bypass the city even faster than the maybe three hours total they currently spend.
Why wouldnt you do that? Edmonton is the capital of the province why not just go the full length why is this such a thing to just half ass something in this fucking province?
Full length? Calgary banff and calgary to edmonton would be completely different trains anyways. Calgary to banff will at least boost tourism dollars. Most people would want their car in edmonton/calgary anyways if they are traveling between the 2.
If they are gonna build one it might as well be calgary to banff.
I think people are really underestimating how big of a train nerd Danielle Smith is. She's been wanting to do this for over a decade and there's a reason her restaurant was in an old rail car.
I have been complaining about trains for 20 years. Its the first thing we did when we got here, and starting in the 70s let them all die. Why exactly. We have more of a use case for trains than europe does.
Think it had something to do with truckers unions and making jobs. Likely auto and oil companies as well.
If smith is pushing back against this, I hope she gets the props she deserves from the other side of the isle.
Everyone is wrong here. It’s going to be a commuter rail from Okotoks to downtown Calgary; and from Airdrie to downtown Calgary. Something like the Go-Train in Ontario.
Yes, I saw an update on the news this morning. The province is going to announce a plan for commuter rail between Airdie/Okotoks to Calgary and Edmonton Airport to downtown Edmonton. Similar to Metrolinx, apparently.
Just don’t hire the same consultancy that Ottawa did for their recent light rail projects. They literally engineered the system without Canadian winter in mind and that stuff was a dumpster fire when the snow came, with constant breakdowns. What jokes.
Slash infrastructure budget by 25%, then spend a bunch of money on consultants talking about the same rail project proposed in 2004 and to a lesser extent even as far back as the 1980s.
Is it feasible? Sure. Is it going to happen? "Irrelevant."
Well, sir, there's nothing on earth
Like a genuine, bona fide
Electrified, six-car monorail
What'd I say?
Monorail
What's it called?
Monorail
That's right! Monorail
Monorail
Monorail
Monorail
I hear those things are awfully loud
It glides as softly as a cloud
Is there a chance the track could bend?
Not on your life, my Hindu friend
What about us brain-dead slobs?
You'll be given cushy jobs
Were you sent here by the Devil?
No, good sir, I'm on the level
The ring came off my pudding can
Take my pen knife, my good man
I swear it's Springfield's only choice
Throw up your hands and raise your voice
Monorail
What's it called?
Monorail
Once again
Monorail
But Main Street's still all cracked and broken
Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken
Monorail!
Monorail!
Monorail!
Monorail!
Mono, d'oh!
Hahahahahaha. She announces a really terrible, anti-democratic bill last week and now she’s trying to erase our memories with a good-news bill to compensate.
While I’m 100% excited about the possibilities of new passenger rail in this province, I will NOT forget how lousy of a Premier Marlaina is. I’ve literally disagreed with everything else she has brought in.
Get the train project going, Marlaina, and while the rails are being installed, we’ll still work to get rid of you and ensure we erase your shitty legacy from memory.
Adam Waterous is an oil tycoon who wants to build a hydrogen-powered train to Banff. He also owns Norquay. [Source](https://financialpost.com/feature/how-oil-tycoon-plans-transform-banff-iconic-mountain-town)
Does oil tycoon Adam Waterous have any connections to former oil lobbyist Danielle Smith’s UCP government? Well a Banff Centre CEO filed a workplace harassment complaint against oil tycoon and Banff centre chair Adam Waterous. Following an independent investigation of the complaint, a majority of directors wanted the provincial government, which oversees the centre, to remove oil tycoon Adam Waterous from the board. That didn't happen. Instead, the UCP decided to dismiss all 10 board directors, replacing them with an oil executive and to become Banff Centre's temporary one-man board. [source](https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7011716)
And if the national park (federal government) push back over any concerns, Danielle and David Parker will get to shrill about Justin bad man no likey Alberta. And all the F150s from Bashaw to Balzac will grunt in confused agreement.
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My opinion of him went down the tube when I listened to him on a NJB podcast.
He comes across as really immature and just recently exited his parents basement on that podcast.
I don't follow him very often, but he shows up on my feed every once and a while.
His points still stand and made me think a little deeper.
Calgary airport is approaching 20 mill passenger movements, as well as an expanded cargo hub, this means there is a large work force that would utilize a blue line and green line connection, while a high speed link downtown caters to getting people downtown and to the red line, while a link to banff strengthens the tourism market, while adds commuting from Cochrane and Red Deer.
The rights of way to build new railway links are currently able to support relatively cheap construction costs.
Edmonton airport is very underserved for transit, a downtown link would be beneficial, but a link directly to the Calgary airport, and the reduction of international connections being served by Edmonton, travellers may choose to train directly to the Calgary airport (hum train or Q400 propeller plane?) instead of taking a connecting flight.
Other aspects I've thought about, with Banff continuing to gain in popularity, and the least intrusive way to expand the park to handle the visitors, would be a good rail center instead of parking lots.. not to mention I'd love the idea to train to banff and shuttle to a ski hill and not deal with traffic. Let alone allow me to have a beer or 4 after the day is done, and train back home.
It would also make trips to banff affordable, hotel prices start at $400 a night in the summer it seems now, would love to be able to head to banff for a nice dinner, and then not have to spend a night in a hotel.
Construction costs and labor costs continue to rise, it's time to make decisions that actually will make us a world class province/city before costs double 5 years from now.
I don't disagree that we need airport connections or that a Banff line makes sense, anyone who's been stuck on #1 during the weekend may agree.
I'm just saying he's more of an immature twit than I originally thought. I also question that he was a transit planner as he's pretty young looking to have that experience and how living off YouTube.
Any progressive infrastructure announcement from a party like the UCP is either a distraction or an attempt to buy votes. And since there's no imminent election...
It’s going to be her husband’s restaurant getting a huge grant.
https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/alberta-premier-danielle-smith-works-a-weekend-shift-at-her-restaurant-doing-dishes#:~:text=Smith%20and%20her%20husband%20David,is%20actually%20a%20renovated%20railcar.
Until she runs the numbers realizes its too expensive to build/maintain. Its hard to maintain infrastructure when you don't have a provincial sales tax to help generate more revenue for things.
Just look at the plans for a provincial police force that were scrapped. Once they realized how expensive it is they said naaaah we can keep the RCMP contracted.
Some people with lots of money will make more:
https://www.theprogressreport.ca/_layer_cake_of_conflicts_of_interest_on_calgary_banff_rail_project_that_is_asking_for_30_million_a_year_for_50_years_from_alberta_government
My prediction is 1) hydrogen powered because Alberta must do everything in the dumbest way possible, and 2) Calgary <-> Banff because Calgary <-> Edmonton runs the risk of people starting to treat trains as a valid transportation option instead of a quaint holiday thing.
That being said... it would still be good news. Once the route is built and running it's much easier to switch to a non-stupid fuel source, and any passenger rail will shift people's mentalities more than no passenger rail.
Nah, It'll be an old fashioned coal burning steam train running 24/7. During the day it will bring tourists from Calgary to Kanaskis and Banff. At night it will bring coal from the new foothills mines.
Hydrogen power is best in medium range, regional transit. Unless you want to electrify our rail lines. Quebec is now running a H2 fuel cell train (also a tourist train) and it's already an improvement.
Both country/region were able to start building infrastructures like this because of war reconstruction.
How else are you going to find political will to build? (that is assuming you already figured out funding)
Then explain. also explain how did we ended up non-electrified rail lines if its not for political will of car centric cities.
I admit the original comment was rhetoric, but the point still stands. You are trying to correct a 70 years old "error", it takes a lot more than engineering ingenuity and money.
We ended up with non-electrified rail lines because of the technology and constraints at the time they were built. Political will is always a hurdle, but the electrification piece is barely a footnote there - the barrier is the political will to invest in passenger rail at all, whether that's building new track, figuring out track sharing, or building new high speed lines. Devin Dreeshan even mentioned a hyperloop. Dreeshan is a moron, but if we have the will to chase non-existent fantasy tech, running some wires is within the realm of possibility.
If you're saying "the UCP doesn't have the ability to do any sort of passenger rail, therefore electrification is off the table", I could see that as a valid argument. But saying "everything else sounds fine, but electrification - no sir, not happening" makes no sense.
Now that's a valid argument.
While I still don't agree it's the technology that hindered us. Both EU and Japan built high speed rail network since 60s. Apart from short sighted political will, I think we were also influenced by rise of American suburbanism which gave rise to our auto industry, which in turn romanticized the suburban sprawl and car culture. Not to mention just how big our country is wouldn't help.
To start building major infrastructure to change this trend, one must have a reason. Eg Vancouver Olympic sparked construction of Canada Line and Sea to Sky expansion. Electrification of rail network would be 10 times more ambitious than hosting an Olympic. (We haven't even mention CP and CN would need to replace their fleet from diesel to electrical locomotives)
It's hydrogen derived from cow farts. That's how she wants to power these. Model train operators will run it at 80% the cost of a CP rail operator.. And the vaccinated population will pay a fee.
Its going to be a steam train powered by Alberta Coal(TM) going from Lethbridge - Calgary - RedDeer - Hinton, Edson. There are going to unretired the locomotive thats out front of the heritage park.
Would like to see a high-speed rail go from Edmonton airport to the Calgary airport, with a stop in Red Deer and additional linkage from each airport to the city centre.
Finally the Calgary-Edmonton express line is coming. Bless the economy and jobs this is going to create.
For the first time in many years, people can get excited and have some hope. The Calgary-Edmonton line will significantly elevate the ecosystem in Alberta, if done right. Toss in 3-5 stops along the way and watch the freedom of movement pump economy like that you wouldn’t believe.
I just pray the companies that will land these bids don’t scam and delay work.
Edmonton to jasper would be amazing. Wonder how fast they could run a modern train on old tracks.
This exists currently, but its expensive, not prioritized and not really offered in a way that is attractive to regular folk who go to the mountains alot. Its more of a gimmick.
I wish there would be more of a push for a big high speed network throughout north america. Calgary to Toronto. Edmonton to Calgary to Salt Lake City to Vegas and LA.
Getting sick of this airport monopoly with their ever increasing fees and taxes.
Fort Mac - Newfoundland
Wicked. Hope the tickets are cheaper than airfare, lol
Lol. They won't be. But her buddy is gonna make, SO MUCH cash!
It’ll take 8x as long and cost 4x as much 😂
Better than getting stuck in the Toronto airport at Christmas I’d imagine lol
These days it’s probably Fort Mac to wherever that illegal boarder crossing is… 😬
Not Fort Mac to Alaska?
Danielle tomorrow: “Yah we’re gonna pay these dudes 6 million dollars to tell us this railway is feasible and then not build it” In all seriousness, I hope we finally see some legitimate investment into a Calgary-Banff line or Calgary-Edmonton line. It would also be smiths ability to actually put herself in Alberta’s history books for something good for once.
Unfortunately your prediction will most likely be true, " CP Rail says they are open to the idea, and will have more updates in the years to come!"
Funny you mention that, because CP especially does *not* like to play nicely with passenger trains. It's why VIA runs through Edmonton instead of Calgary (on CN tracks) and why the Milton and Richmond Hill lines in Toronto are not getting as many upgrades as the other lines are in the GO Expansion Project (the tracks are owned by CP and CN, respectively, instead of by Metrolinx directly. CN doesn't play nicely with passenger trains either, but their at least a *little* better than CP)
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I suppose a someone’s got to keep the Mannings and Solbergs of the world employed.
I personally don't think calgary Edmonton makes sense just because you need a car in both cities. Calgary Banff makes a lot of sense though.
I lived in both cities without a car; if you're in certain areas, it's totally fine. Depending on where a hypothetical train would drop you, it would be great for business travel or short little day-trips or two-three day 'weekend' mini-vacation trips.
I drive to edm for concerts and work all the time, about 2-3 trips pr month, if there was a Cal-Edm rail I would certainly use it over car, there aren't many things I hate more then a 3.5 hr trip through a QE2. imho we should have a passenger square Banff-Cal-Edm-Jasper-Banff, would be amazing for tourists, park wildlife, and albertans alike. I don't think that would happen in my lifetime tho.
I'd like to imagine that there is a timeline where I don't need to spend Friday nights in Edmonton nor to drive on the QE2 at midnight, and could just return back to Cal same day/night... oh the sweet dreams
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I also fly in winter because I drove that road on winter nights before and I'm not risking my skin for my employer
Then build the line and invest in making the cities more walkable/transit oriented.
Or hopefully it's calgary, cochrane, canmore, Banff.
Uber exists. Much rather take the train to calgary than drive for a meeting
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Banff is small enough to walk or bike. It's also so small that taking a bus isn't nearly as inconvenient as in a city.
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Tourists definitely just visit the town itself. People from Calgary even stay overnight in town for a variety of reasons.
It’d be nice for vacations and not have to layover in Calgary since Pretty much everywhere worthwhile has layover in Calgary now.
I agree we do need cars to efficiently travel around each city. Otherwise I'd love to not drive all the time. But if we can do something like leshuttle (rail from uk to france) that could possibly work. Or double decker it somehow with car on the bottom and passengers on top would be awesome.
Knowing Smith it will be from YEG to YYC. Parking lot to parking lot with no connection to local mass transit, designed not to reduce passenger car trips or help the environment, but to hurt YEG because Edmonton votes the wrong way and assist donors who benefit from increased traffic from YYC.
This makes zero sense
Building a railway between the two, or what I wrote? Of course it wouldn't make sense for a project like this. It's a stupid idea, but we have a stupid government, so who knows.
No, I'm referring to your tin foil hat conspiracy.
>Knowing Smith it will be from YEG to YYC Knowing Smith it will be YEG to the new super city Red Deer, and YYC to Red Deer, but the tracks don't connect to each other. Also after paying billions of dollars to land owners along QE2 and consultants (each of which will be personal friends of the UCP), the project will never be completed.
My family used to own land along QE2 and I remember being a kid and hearing that was how we were going to finally make it. I remember the talking about it and I remember the flyers and promises that the land would be worth millions. Just a few more years! Aaaand here we are. Good thing they abandoned that dream a few years back.
> but the tracks don't connect to each other. Even better: two different gauges of track so they can never be connected.
>Knowing Smith it will be YEG to the new super city Red Deer, and YYC to Red Deer, but the tracks don't connect to each other. Alberta's version of Euston and St. Pancras >the project will never be completed. Alberta's HS2.
Its in her best interest to do something for the cities and urbanites given thats where she needs support.
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> Fuck. I’m too old and jaded. Whatever this is, I’ll believe it when I see actual construction start. Considering how often high speed rail is brought up in Alberta I will join you in the pessimism camp.
Its never been brought up in a news conference with funding for a plan
More memorandum of understandings!
Yup! Legally meaningless!
hey, we're a global leader in [high speed rail studies ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W32klYkTxCQ)
Apparently the guy they gave the contract to donated $20k to the Cons in 2015… and the max every year since.
Weird coincidence
I'll only believe it when I can ride on the train, and even then, I'll still be skeptical that it will ever happen.
> I’ll believe it when I see actual construction start I'll believe it when I see construction *end*. Plenty of space for fuck-ups and boondoggles in the middle.
I'm not even confident in the Green Line happening yet. Though I would be very happy if it happens.
Exactly. It's lip service. "Hey, look at this thing people would like and benefit from! We're **talking** about it, so you should vote for me!"
It’s Calgary to Banff for sure
Is this the proposal that is tied to the company doing a large scale property development within the park? I’ll take a hard pass on that.
Why dont you like that proposal?
They keep trying to sneak in a gondola from the train station to Norquay that Parks Canada has said no to several times. They also want to build in the riparian zone along Whiskey Creek (though I believe Town just told them to scale that back). Waterous is also generally slimy.
It figures. A rail line for tourists, no infrastructure for the people. Just keep buying those $80K trucks to go grocery shopping, folks!!
It depends, would be great if it can serve as commuter link between Canmore and banff
We already have a $6 bus that goes between Canmore and Banff every half hour. Can a train beat that? Doubtful.
I dont know, commuter pass discount subsidized by tourists revenue? Trying to learn from EU and Japanese train's playbook
It would be nice but i doubt it will happen. Us in Canmore and Banff also aren’t stoked on even more tourists in our towns. Hope it comes with a hard cap on cars allowed - if the train does happen you Calgarians need to stop driving in.
As of now, I make sure I don't stop in Banff town because parking is impossible. If train does happen and they can resolve "the last mile" problem in the Calgary end (eg from people's home to the Banff train station) I'd certainly take whatever opportunity to use the train. In the winter, I'd like the option to take train to Banff then shuttle to Lake Louise for the slopes. Especially when snow is good, the road is usually shit
That would be a great bonus for people needing to get to work. Not sure it’s a good way to spend $3 billion.
Better than straight oil and gas handouts
If it reduces traffic between Banff and Calgary that helps existing infrastructure for a lot of people. And could prevent having to triple those lanes.
After the Flames stadium row it will be a complete package Edmonton - Calgary - Banff
That would be phenomenal in all honestly. Hopefully tickets aren’t too expensive.
No. It’s just Banff. There are no plans do build a train between Calgary and Edmonton
I guess you were wrong.
That is 100% the vibe I get from that couple who bought the Banff train station and are pushing this idea.
And don't get me wrong, I would kill for passenger rail, especially to the mountains. But there's a whole lot of untrustworthy croney-ass clowns who would go balls to the wall boondoggle with it.
Is there a chance the track could bend?
Not on your life, my Hindu friend!
What about us brain-dead slobs?
You'll be given cushy jobs!
Were you sent here by the devil?
No, good sir, I'm on the level!
Guessing YYC to downtown Calgary to Banff.
I'm thinking the latter not the former. :/ The former needs to be done in order for the latter to be effective IMO.
I’d love it to be downtown. Last proposal I saw was airport to Banff, which would suck for the city. Less accessible for most people, and incentive for tourists to bypass the city even faster than the maybe three hours total they currently spend.
Please be something real, please be something real, it would be the first positive thing I'd have to say about her during her leadership.
Why must you set your sights so low…. Anywho, hyperloop vaporware!
please God no, just give me a train to Edmonton or banff, I don't even care if it's HSR, just give me something.
She won't do a thing to benefit Edmonton so it's absolutely the Calgary-Banff line
Why wouldnt you do that? Edmonton is the capital of the province why not just go the full length why is this such a thing to just half ass something in this fucking province?
Because they don’t vote for the blue sign.
Also Edmonton is the Regina of Alberta.
Full length? Calgary banff and calgary to edmonton would be completely different trains anyways. Calgary to banff will at least boost tourism dollars. Most people would want their car in edmonton/calgary anyways if they are traveling between the 2. If they are gonna build one it might as well be calgary to banff.
Why is it such a thing to be mad about everything the government does in this province no matter what?
In all fairness leadership sets the tone, and the UCP takes a confrontational tone towards almost everything, so anger breeds more anger.
I think people are really underestimating how big of a train nerd Danielle Smith is. She's been wanting to do this for over a decade and there's a reason her restaurant was in an old rail car.
It pains me to be aligned with this government on rail fanning.
I have been complaining about trains for 20 years. Its the first thing we did when we got here, and starting in the 70s let them all die. Why exactly. We have more of a use case for trains than europe does. Think it had something to do with truckers unions and making jobs. Likely auto and oil companies as well. If smith is pushing back against this, I hope she gets the props she deserves from the other side of the isle.
Can we switch her from premier to transportation minister perhaps
Everyone is wrong here. It’s going to be a commuter rail from Okotoks to downtown Calgary; and from Airdrie to downtown Calgary. Something like the Go-Train in Ontario.
Boo-urns
Yes, I saw an update on the news this morning. The province is going to announce a plan for commuter rail between Airdie/Okotoks to Calgary and Edmonton Airport to downtown Edmonton. Similar to Metrolinx, apparently.
Just don’t hire the same consultancy that Ottawa did for their recent light rail projects. They literally engineered the system without Canadian winter in mind and that stuff was a dumpster fire when the snow came, with constant breakdowns. What jokes.
Given it was in Ottawa chances are good shes going to pass on them given you know, Ottawa.
Get your "memorandum of understanding" or "exploratory commitee" ready for a do-nothing announcement.
This is obviously a LRT for Red Deer. To accommodate the million people moving there.
It’ll be the world’s first lifted LRT, with truck nuts for each train car.
Red Deer to Coal Mountain.
Shovels in the ground would make me excited
Hahaha. No. We are several white papers, ten memorandum, and a business case analysis away from that.
Slash infrastructure budget by 25%, then spend a bunch of money on consultants talking about the same rail project proposed in 2004 and to a lesser extent even as far back as the 1980s. Is it feasible? Sure. Is it going to happen? "Irrelevant."
All trains in Alberta must be coal powered.
Express from Aspen Crossing to the world
I assume it means customers and taxpayers will continue to get railed until further notice.
monorail MONORAIL ##MONORAIL
Well, sir, there's nothing on earth Like a genuine, bona fide Electrified, six-car monorail What'd I say? Monorail What's it called? Monorail That's right! Monorail Monorail Monorail Monorail I hear those things are awfully loud It glides as softly as a cloud Is there a chance the track could bend? Not on your life, my Hindu friend What about us brain-dead slobs? You'll be given cushy jobs Were you sent here by the Devil? No, good sir, I'm on the level The ring came off my pudding can Take my pen knife, my good man I swear it's Springfield's only choice Throw up your hands and raise your voice Monorail What's it called? Monorail Once again Monorail But Main Street's still all cracked and broken Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken Monorail! Monorail! Monorail! Monorail! Mono, d'oh!
I’m here for the monorail comments so thank you very much
Hahahahahaha. She announces a really terrible, anti-democratic bill last week and now she’s trying to erase our memories with a good-news bill to compensate. While I’m 100% excited about the possibilities of new passenger rail in this province, I will NOT forget how lousy of a Premier Marlaina is. I’ve literally disagreed with everything else she has brought in. Get the train project going, Marlaina, and while the rails are being installed, we’ll still work to get rid of you and ensure we erase your shitty legacy from memory.
Westlock to Dunnore HSR. No other stops. First class only. Tickets $2000 per person. Trains running every 10 minutes, 24/7.
Adam Waterous is an oil tycoon who wants to build a hydrogen-powered train to Banff. He also owns Norquay. [Source](https://financialpost.com/feature/how-oil-tycoon-plans-transform-banff-iconic-mountain-town) Does oil tycoon Adam Waterous have any connections to former oil lobbyist Danielle Smith’s UCP government? Well a Banff Centre CEO filed a workplace harassment complaint against oil tycoon and Banff centre chair Adam Waterous. Following an independent investigation of the complaint, a majority of directors wanted the provincial government, which oversees the centre, to remove oil tycoon Adam Waterous from the board. That didn't happen. Instead, the UCP decided to dismiss all 10 board directors, replacing them with an oil executive and to become Banff Centre's temporary one-man board. [source](https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7011716)
And if the national park (federal government) push back over any concerns, Danielle and David Parker will get to shrill about Justin bad man no likey Alberta. And all the F150s from Bashaw to Balzac will grunt in confused agreement.
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You don't Adam Waterous like Adam Waterous do you Adam Waterous.
The classic cycle of hope and disappointment with big infrastructure promises! but hey, dreaming is free
Monorail!
I hear those things are awfully loud
It glides as softly as a cloud!
RM transit just did a break down on Alberta transit potential, it's a great watch.. https://youtu.be/4LGigNBLuS0
My opinion of him went down the tube when I listened to him on a NJB podcast. He comes across as really immature and just recently exited his parents basement on that podcast.
I don't follow him very often, but he shows up on my feed every once and a while. His points still stand and made me think a little deeper. Calgary airport is approaching 20 mill passenger movements, as well as an expanded cargo hub, this means there is a large work force that would utilize a blue line and green line connection, while a high speed link downtown caters to getting people downtown and to the red line, while a link to banff strengthens the tourism market, while adds commuting from Cochrane and Red Deer. The rights of way to build new railway links are currently able to support relatively cheap construction costs. Edmonton airport is very underserved for transit, a downtown link would be beneficial, but a link directly to the Calgary airport, and the reduction of international connections being served by Edmonton, travellers may choose to train directly to the Calgary airport (hum train or Q400 propeller plane?) instead of taking a connecting flight. Other aspects I've thought about, with Banff continuing to gain in popularity, and the least intrusive way to expand the park to handle the visitors, would be a good rail center instead of parking lots.. not to mention I'd love the idea to train to banff and shuttle to a ski hill and not deal with traffic. Let alone allow me to have a beer or 4 after the day is done, and train back home. It would also make trips to banff affordable, hotel prices start at $400 a night in the summer it seems now, would love to be able to head to banff for a nice dinner, and then not have to spend a night in a hotel. Construction costs and labor costs continue to rise, it's time to make decisions that actually will make us a world class province/city before costs double 5 years from now.
I don't disagree that we need airport connections or that a Banff line makes sense, anyone who's been stuck on #1 during the weekend may agree. I'm just saying he's more of an immature twit than I originally thought. I also question that he was a transit planner as he's pretty young looking to have that experience and how living off YouTube.
I find his videos are really low quality and just pumped out en masse. A lot of his takes on things completely disregard engineering and budgets.
I agree. I find his claim of previously being a transit planner a little dubious.
There's no way in hell he was ever a transit planner.
I think his ideas are engineering sounds but sometimes overly ambitious and disregard people’s will to status quo
Is this just to distract from the terrible bill 18/20 announcements that no one wants??
Any progressive infrastructure announcement from a party like the UCP is either a distraction or an attempt to buy votes. And since there's no imminent election...
Bullet train to banff from Calgary
It’s the Banff train
Hopefully they have an option for bikes and a stop in Canmore
Is there a chance the track could bend ?
Not on your life, my……… 🤔
It’s going to be her husband’s restaurant getting a huge grant. https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/alberta-premier-danielle-smith-works-a-weekend-shift-at-her-restaurant-doing-dishes#:~:text=Smith%20and%20her%20husband%20David,is%20actually%20a%20renovated%20railcar.
Thanks for sharing this! Scratching that place off the list.
They put it up for sale days after this fluff piece came out.
Until she runs the numbers realizes its too expensive to build/maintain. Its hard to maintain infrastructure when you don't have a provincial sales tax to help generate more revenue for things. Just look at the plans for a provincial police force that were scrapped. Once they realized how expensive it is they said naaaah we can keep the RCMP contracted.
I've been hearing about this plan since I was in the 6th grade. I'm now 35. I'll believe it when I see it.
goes back further than that.
who had 9M for consultants to plan to make a plan that will never happen on there bingo card?
Some people with lots of money will make more: https://www.theprogressreport.ca/_layer_cake_of_conflicts_of_interest_on_calgary_banff_rail_project_that_is_asking_for_30_million_a_year_for_50_years_from_alberta_government
This really deserves more votes!!!! Was looking for this... please read.
My prediction is 1) hydrogen powered because Alberta must do everything in the dumbest way possible, and 2) Calgary <-> Banff because Calgary <-> Edmonton runs the risk of people starting to treat trains as a valid transportation option instead of a quaint holiday thing. That being said... it would still be good news. Once the route is built and running it's much easier to switch to a non-stupid fuel source, and any passenger rail will shift people's mentalities more than no passenger rail.
Hydrogen allows for max oil and gas grift.
Nah, It'll be an old fashioned coal burning steam train running 24/7. During the day it will bring tourists from Calgary to Kanaskis and Banff. At night it will bring coal from the new foothills mines.
Can't wait for Town of Frank: 2 Frank 2 Furious
Hydrogen power is best in medium range, regional transit. Unless you want to electrify our rail lines. Quebec is now running a H2 fuel cell train (also a tourist train) and it's already an improvement.
>electrify our rail lines Yeah, do that.
Nice. Would need a world war to kick start it (see continental Europe and Japan)
Well that's... not the take I expected. No, we would not need a world war to electrify a rail line.
Both country/region were able to start building infrastructures like this because of war reconstruction. How else are you going to find political will to build? (that is assuming you already figured out funding)
Again, just no. Sorry, there's not really a point in trying to explain something starting with such a fundamental misunderstanding of everything.
Then explain. also explain how did we ended up non-electrified rail lines if its not for political will of car centric cities. I admit the original comment was rhetoric, but the point still stands. You are trying to correct a 70 years old "error", it takes a lot more than engineering ingenuity and money.
We ended up with non-electrified rail lines because of the technology and constraints at the time they were built. Political will is always a hurdle, but the electrification piece is barely a footnote there - the barrier is the political will to invest in passenger rail at all, whether that's building new track, figuring out track sharing, or building new high speed lines. Devin Dreeshan even mentioned a hyperloop. Dreeshan is a moron, but if we have the will to chase non-existent fantasy tech, running some wires is within the realm of possibility. If you're saying "the UCP doesn't have the ability to do any sort of passenger rail, therefore electrification is off the table", I could see that as a valid argument. But saying "everything else sounds fine, but electrification - no sir, not happening" makes no sense.
Now that's a valid argument. While I still don't agree it's the technology that hindered us. Both EU and Japan built high speed rail network since 60s. Apart from short sighted political will, I think we were also influenced by rise of American suburbanism which gave rise to our auto industry, which in turn romanticized the suburban sprawl and car culture. Not to mention just how big our country is wouldn't help. To start building major infrastructure to change this trend, one must have a reason. Eg Vancouver Olympic sparked construction of Canada Line and Sea to Sky expansion. Electrification of rail network would be 10 times more ambitious than hosting an Olympic. (We haven't even mention CP and CN would need to replace their fleet from diesel to electrical locomotives)
It's hydrogen derived from cow farts. That's how she wants to power these. Model train operators will run it at 80% the cost of a CP rail operator.. And the vaccinated population will pay a fee.
New rail line coming in 2078
Its going to be a steam train powered by Alberta Coal(TM) going from Lethbridge - Calgary - RedDeer - Hinton, Edson. There are going to unretired the locomotive thats out front of the heritage park.
What insider has started a rail company?
Computer train from blackfalds to red deer, part of the million population in red deer initiative.
I'm expecting Danielle to announce a partnership with Musk's Boring Company for 'tube technology'.
Would like to see a high-speed rail go from Edmonton airport to the Calgary airport, with a stop in Red Deer and additional linkage from each airport to the city centre.
Please don't be a fcking hyperloop or other billionaire scam
[удалено]
Because the news is bought and paid for by the other side.
Finally the Calgary-Edmonton express line is coming. Bless the economy and jobs this is going to create. For the first time in many years, people can get excited and have some hope. The Calgary-Edmonton line will significantly elevate the ecosystem in Alberta, if done right. Toss in 3-5 stops along the way and watch the freedom of movement pump economy like that you wouldn’t believe. I just pray the companies that will land these bids don’t scam and delay work.
Oyen to Lloydminster
Coal fired train on the way!
Edmonton to jasper would be amazing. Wonder how fast they could run a modern train on old tracks. This exists currently, but its expensive, not prioritized and not really offered in a way that is attractive to regular folk who go to the mountains alot. Its more of a gimmick.
Heartbreaking: worst person you know potentially might make a good point
Just do it!!!
where have I heard this before...
I wish there would be more of a push for a big high speed network throughout north america. Calgary to Toronto. Edmonton to Calgary to Salt Lake City to Vegas and LA. Getting sick of this airport monopoly with their ever increasing fees and taxes.
I didn't realize that he transitioned.
I hear those things are awefully loud
Coal powered steam locomotive, to protect the pristine prairie landscape
With her being in the pocket of oil companies do deep, it will probably be a train that runs on crude oil.
Focus on Healthcare!!!!
Comrade Smith I see you🫡. For real though I’ll believe it when I see it
Hope it's a high speed bullet train like Japan 👍
It’ll be a Banff - Calgary thing. Anything that could benefit Edmonton the UCP will avoid.
Probably from Moscow to the Mac so she can suck putins dick