Category Archives for "Latest News"

Jan 29

Full Transparency and Public Consultation Needed on Subway Upload

By Transport Action Ontario | Latest News , Press Releases and Open Letters , Urban Transit

Transport Action Ontario has sent an open letter to Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek and Toronto Mayor John Tory calling for full transparency and public consultation on the proposed subway upload.  We believe the concept is worthy of study, as the status quo is not acceptable.  However, there are many important aspects of the upload that need to be dealt with fairly and efficiently.

Our letter can be viewed here:  TAO-SubwayUpload 2019-01

Jan 21

Intercommunity Public Transportation for Northern Ontario – New Concepts

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News , Northern Ontario , Press Releases and Open Letters

The Ontario Government intends to “review initiatives to meet Northerners’ transportation needs, including passenger rail and bus services”.  Transport Action Ontario and our affiliate, the Northeastern Ontario Rail Network, have sent a joint letter to key cabinet ministers discussing the need for a Northern Ontario intercommunity public transportation planning authority, and submitting six new concepts that need to be explored in the provincial review.

The joint letter can be viewed here:  TAO-NEORN letter 2019-01

Dec 13

VIA Rail selects New Fleet for Quebec-Windsor Corridor

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News

VIA Rail Canada announced on December 12 that Siemens Canada has been selected as the successful bidder in its fleet renewal program for the Quebec-Windsor Corridor. This is a day that Transport Action Ontario and our affiliate organizations have long campaigned for, and we welcome this federal investment in VIA Rail and environmentally responsible transportation.

The value of the contract is $989M to build 32 new bi-directional trainsets (160 passenger cars and 40 locomotives) plus a 15 year Technical Services and Spare Supply Agreement valued at $23.7M/yr. The first trains are expected to be delivered for testing in 2022, and to be phased in across the Quebec-Windsor corridor over the following two years.

The fleet will be assembled at Siemens plant in Sacramento, California, although Siemens has pledged to source 20% of the parts and services from Canadian suppliers, establishing procurement offices in Ontario and Quebec.
The fleet is based on the Siemens Viaggio design, which has been operating on Austria’s express intercity “Railjet” service across Europe since 2006. This design has also proven itself in North America on Brightline’s express rail services between Miami and West Palm Beach, which will soon be extended to Orlando and Tampa under the Virgin Trains USA brand. Similar equipment is also on order for Amtrak’s Midwestern services and to replace older equipment on California’s inter-city rail services.

The passenger cars will have fast wireless internet, bicycle spaces, quiet zones, and will surpass current universal accessibility standards. They will feature wide aisles, larger washrooms, level boarding at stations with high platforms like Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City, and automatic lifts for accessibility at other stations, helping to fulfill VIA Rail’s commitment to Canadian disability and veterans’ groups.

The trains will run at up to 160 km/h on existing routes, including tracks which VIA Rail services share with CN’s freight operations, and are capable of operating at more than 200 km/h if the federal government also approves VIA Rail’s High Frequency Rail proposal to provide dedicated passenger tracks in parts of the corridor.
The new equipment could also be used to improve service frequencies and reduce travel times in Southwestern Ontario if Ontario’s new government transforms the previous government’s exploration of High Speed Rail into a targeted investment in maximizing the utility of existing rail corridors.

VIA Rail states that it undertook a fair, open, rigorous and transparent procurement process following the best international practices in this field. However, the decision to award the contract to an international bidder has come under fire from Unifor and Quebec politicians who would prefer to have seen a Canadian supplier win. In defence, VIA claims that the Siemens bid was far superior to all other bids in schedule, quality and price. Meanwhile, Bombardier Canada has benefited from numerous orders for its highly successful bi-level commuter equipment, both from Canadian and US transit agencies, including an order for up to 999 cars for New Jersey Transit worth as much as $3.6 billion, clearly demonstrating that Canadian workers also enjoy the advantages of bilateral trade in the rail industry.

VIA Rail is also investing $154M in refurbishing its fleet of Budd-built stainless steel passenger cars for transcontinental and regional services, providing updated seating, wheelchair lifts and fully accessible bathrooms. These contracts, and a contract for refurbishing four dinning cars, have all been awarded to Canadian companies, supporting some 300 jobs in Quebec.

With the “Renaissance” fleet of British-built cars on the Ocean service to Halifax also in need of replacement, Transport Action hopes to see federal funding to refurbish more of VIA Rail’s stainless steel sleeping cars in the near future, a contract that is also likely to go to a Canadian facility.

Nov 27

Alternatives added to the Environmental Assessment for High Speed Rail

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News

Our colleagues in Southwestern Ontario, InterCity Rail, have issued a notice about the Environmental Assessment study underway for High Speed Rail.  Transport Action Ontario is very pleased with this development, as it is consistent with our own advocacy over the years.    The notice is pasted below:

InterCityRail
Improving rail transportation is a good idea. Let’s look at all the options.

Hi Everyone

We have been informed by Jeff Yurek, the Minister of Transportation, that the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) has been instructed to add alternatives to HSR to the Environmental Assessment.

MTO will now be able to consider alternative modes (possibilities may include GO Transit, VIA Rail and Regional Express Rail) instead of just 250 kph high-speed trains. MTO will also be able to consider alternative routes (possibilities may include the existing CN North and CN South corridors, Highway 401/403/407 transportation corridors, etc.) instead of just the Hydro One right of way between Baden and the southeast corner of London. Reports have stated that the impact on rural communities and farmland will now also be considered.

This does not mean that HSR is dead. What it means is that HSR, as well as other options, must be evaluated by the MTO.

We will continue to closely monitor developments and do whatever we can to provide input to the MTO so that an evidenced-based solution — one that serves the needs of all citizens, communities, and the environment — will be found for passenger rail transportation in southwestern Ontario. We will keep you posted on new developments.

Regards

Steering Committee.

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