Still no money for Chaleur line

[Tom Box [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

<http://www.graffici.ca/nouvelles/chemin-fer-quebec-reflechit-toujours-3545/>.
The management of the Gaspésie Railway met with the provincial
Transport Minister on August 6, but is still awaiting a response
to their request for money. The request has changed from $105
million over 5 years to $33 million over 2 years, and now to
$35 million without a time limit.
For $35 million, the railway aims to reestablish passenger
service as far as New Carlisle, and increase the line's load
bearing capacity to 263,000 pounds to Port Daniel (where a
cement plant is being established) and to 225,000 pounds to
Gaspé, for use by the tourist train and shipments of wind
turbine blades.

Here's a report that says the railway's request to the provincial
government has changed yet again:
<http://www.radiogaspesie.ca/radio3/?portfolio=de-107-a-70-millions>

The total amount being requested has been reduced to $70 million.
The first portion is now $42 million, for work on the Matapedia -
Chandler segment. That includes the complete replacement of four
major structures, including the two bridges over the Cascapedia
River (between Carleton and New Richmond). That work is supposed
to be finished by winter 2016.

The other $28 million would be used to upgrade the Chandler -
Gaspé segment, to be finished by winter 2017. (I hope that means
January - March, not December. "Winter 2017" is an ambiguous
phrase.)

The August report suggested that VIA service to New Carlisle
could resume once the western portion of the work was done.
Today's report seems to indicate that VIA won't come back until
the work is done all the way to Gaspé, though it isn't crystal
clear on that point.

I imagine that this latest revision will mean further delays
while the government studies the new version of the request.
There's no guarantee that the railway will get the money
requested.

Tom Box
tbox at ncf dot ca
Port Hope, ON, Canada


------------------------------------
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------------------------------------

For help, send an email to Canadian-Passenger-Rail-help-***@public.gmane.org

[Anthony Prince anthonyprince849-/[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

http://www.radiochnc.com/nouvelles/item/rail-la-patience-est-de-mise.html
Here is a news report that says, the Gaspésie Railway Society will have to be patient waiting on money!
The Gaspésie Railway Society does not expect to receive a response from Quebec before the next provincial budget. (The provincial budget is usually announced in March).
The manager of the Gaspésie Railway Society has decided to decrease its requests for money from $107M to $70M. And breaks up the application, beginning with $35 million to repair the line to Port-Daniel to eventually serve the cement plant. The second phase, also $35 million to repair the line to Gaspe. This would allow the return of VIA Rail all the way to Gaspe.
The application is currently being analyzed by the Department of Transportation, but the president, Eric Dubé, does not expect a short-term response.

<http://www.graffici.ca/nouvelles/chemin-fer-quebec-reflechit-toujours-3545/>.
The management of the Gaspésie Railway met with the provincial
Transport Minister on August 6, but is still awaiting a response
to their request for money. The request has changed from $105
million over 5 years to $33 million over 2 years, and now to
$35 million without a time limit.
For $35 million, the railway aims to reestablish passenger
service as far as New Carlisle, and increase the line's load
bearing capacity to 263,000 pounds to Port Daniel (where a
cement plant is being established) and to 225,000 pounds to
Gaspé, for use by the tourist train and shipments of wind
turbine blades.

Here's a report that says the railway's request to the provincial
government has changed yet again:
<http://www.radiogaspesie.ca/radio3/?portfolio=de-107-a-70-millions>

The total amount being requested has been reduced to $70 million.
The first portion is now $42 million, for work on the Matapedia -
Chandler segment. That includes the complete replacement of four
major structures, including the two bridges over the Cascapedia
River (between Carleton and New Richmond). That work is supposed
to be finished by winter 2016.

The other $28 million would be used to upgrade the Chandler -
Gaspé segment, to be finished by winter 2017. (I hope that means
January - March, not December. "Winter 2017" is an ambiguous
phrase.)

The August report suggested that VIA service to New Carlisle
could resume once the western portion of the work was done.
Today's report seems to indicate that VIA won't come back until
the work is done all the way to Gaspé, though it isn't crystal
clear on that point.

I imagine that this latest revision will mean further delays
while the government studies the new version of the request.
There's no guarantee that the railway will get the money
requested.

Tom Box
tbox at ncf dot ca
Port Hope, ON, Canada

[xcnken-/[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Merci pour votre reportage Anthony.


Your previous post with the traffic potential that could be generated is hopefully something both levels are looking at.


But if it takes forever ! to have the repairs accomplished Via should immediately drop schedules in their public timetables.


K. Wadden Pointe Claire Qc.

[xcnken-/[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

OPPS ! Pardon.


My fingers meant to add that both levels means our respective federal and provincial governments.


K.Wadden Pointe Claire Qc.

[xcnken-/[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Although this story is not rail passenger related it may be the beginning of a temporary solution to save what bus service still exists. The only indirect connection that has now replaced Via' s Chaleur to the Gaspe region :


( French only )


Nelson Sergerie 1 4 octobre 2014 Journal De Montreal


http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2014/10/14/la-region-cherche-une-alternative-a-orleans-express http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2014/10/14/la-region-cherche-une-alternative-a-orleans-express

Des solutions de rechange pour Orléans Express GASPÉ - Autant la Régie intermunicipale de transport de la Gaspésie (RéGÎM) que la Conférence régionale des élus Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine (CRÉGÎM) cherchent des solutions afin de palier le retrait partiel d’Orléans Express.
«Les services de transport interurbain prennent une tournure stratégique dans la région. C’est un déterminant de premier plan pour la Gaspésie», indique l’agent de concertation et de développement de la CRÉGÎM responsable de la question des transports, Benoît Bazinet. Il ajoute que le transport aérien n’est pas accessible à tous les budgets et que Via Rail ne vient plus en Gaspésie depuis un an.
______________________________________________________________________________________


K. Wadden Pointe Claire Qc.

[Anthony Prince anthonyprince849-/[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Here's another news report about the railroad.
http://www.graffici.ca/
/scfg-toujours-pas-confiance-quebe
/
The bond of trust between Québec and the Gaspésie Railway Society is still not restored, which will lead the council of administration to reshape their senior management next week to try and forge new links with the government.
The Gaspesie Railway Society needs $35M to repair the railway between Matapédia and Port-Daniel to be ready when cement McInnis will launch its activities.
For 18 months the confidence of Québec in the Gaspésie Railway Society is missing. The use of saline solution to control vegetation on the railway, in 2013, continues to haunt the company.
One has to redo our credibility. We must give the government guarantees that something like this does not happen again, says the president of the railway, Éric Dubé.
Quebec had already paid some $35M to rehabilitate the railway before this incident. The company asked $70M total for the job from Matapédia to Gaspé. Since these events, Québec has not paid a cent.


On Monday, September 29, 2014 1:02 PM, "xcnken-/***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]" <Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org> wrote:




OPPS ! Pardon.

My fingers meant to add that both levels means our respective federal and provincial governments.

K.Wadden Pointe Claire Qc.

[xcnken-/[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Merci pour l' information Anthony. Excuses on their part eh ?


Maybe " leur confiance " means " ils ne sont pas des partisants Liberaux " ?


I just hope political considerations are not fouling up the line's renovation.


Les Gaspésiens merit mieux que ca n'est pas ?


K. Wadden Pointe Claire Qc.

[[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

As much as I am rail fan,,,,,,


I know this is not a popular opinion, but the Chaleur VIA operations in my mind, should be permanently cancelled.


The Highway infrastructure is more than adequate, and the funds saved could be used to provide decent bus transportation.


Lloyd

['Mark W. Walton' [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Who will provide that bus transportation? Orléans Express has already announced their intention to gut their existing service.

Mark Walton
<mailto:mark.walton-***@public.gmane.org> mark.walton-***@public.gmane.org

From: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org [mailto:Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org]
Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2014 7:52 AM
To: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org
Subject: [CanPassRail] Re: Still no money for Chaleur line
As much as I am rail fan,,,,,,
I know this is not a popular opinion, but the Chaleur VIA operations in my mind, should be permanently cancelled.
The Highway infrastructure is more than adequate, and the funds saved could be used to provide decent bus transportation.
Lloyd
_____

Posted by: lleonard-bJEeYj9oJeDQT0dZR+***@public.gmane.org
_____

[[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Post by lleonard-bJEeYj9oJeDQT0dZR+***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
I know this is not a popular opinion,

That's OK. Looking at a variety of opinions is a good thing.

Post by lleonard-bJEeYj9oJeDQT0dZR+***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
but the Chaleur VIA operations in my mind, should be
permanently cancelled.
The Highway infrastructure is more than adequate, and the
funds saved could be used to provide decent bus transportation.

Who will provide that bus transportation? Orléans Express has
already announced their intention to gut their existing service.

Orléans Express is unsubsidized and says it's losing money, hence
their intention to reduce service. Lloyd said "the funds saved
could be used to provide decent bus transportation", so it sounds
like he's suggesting a subsidized bus service.

That wouldn't be unprecedented. I believe VIA (and Canadian
National before it) was formerly responsible for the Moncton -
Charlottetown bus service. There was also a VIA bus between
the CP station in Sudbury and the CN station in Capreol to
connect the Canadian (then on CP) with the local Capreol -
Winnipeg train, and a VIA-supported taxi connection between
Val d'Or and the train at Senneterre. All those were cut
in 1990. SMT took over Moncton - Charlottetown and the Sudbury -
Capreol bus became redundant when the Canadian was rerouted
onto CN. I don't know if anything replaced the Val d'Or taxi.
I doubt it. There is bus service between Val d'Or and Senneterre,
but it's not scheduled to give good connections to the train.

VIA had a bus connection from Fredericton to the Atlantic in
Fredericton Junction until the train was cancelled in 1994, and
even today there is a connection from Quebec City to the Ocean
at Ste-Foy (formerly at Charny).

So it's not unthinkable that there could be a bus service to
replace the Chaleur. It could make all of the Chaleur's stops
between Gaspé and Nouvelle, and be timed to make convenient
connections with the Ocean in Campbellton. It would be a daytime
trip, with the overnight part of the trip to/from Montreal by
train.

But if you decide to provide subsidized bus service on this
route, where do you draw the line? What about the many other
places across Canada where intercity bus service is being
reduced or eliminated? Are they less deserving than Gaspé,
just because there was a train to Gaspé, but not to those
other places? And who's going to pay? VIA is federal, while
bus lines are provincially-regulated, so each level of
government will say it's the other guy's responsibility.

I think government support for intercity bus service is an
idea that's worth considering, but it's a big question, not
limited to just the Gaspé region.

And where do you draw the line at cutting back train service
and replacing it with buses? The Ocean gradually empties
out as it goes east, and gradually fills up returning west.
Should we cut it back to Montreal - Moncton, and replace
the Moncton - Halifax segment with buses? That would allow
a same-day equipment turnaround in Moncton, and let you run
the 3/week service with just one set of equipment, if you
changed the days of operation in one direction. When VIA
service to Sarnia was cut back to one trip a day in 2012,
VIA began promoting a van shuttle between Sarnia and London
as an alternative, though as far as I know, VIA doesn't
subsidize the shuttles. Would the availability of shuttles
justify eliminating the remaining train to Sarnia?

Tom Box
tbox at ncf dot ca
Port Hope, ON, Canada


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['Mark W. Walton' [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Orléans et al may not be directly subsidized - but their buses run on publicly owned and maintained highways. Some studies have suggested that bus (and truck) companies are not paying their fair share of road maintenance costs, considering how much more damage their bigger, heavier vehicles cause.

Orléans is the direct descendant of Voyageur Inc. (which itself was the descendant of the former Provincial Transport Co.). In the 1970s and 80s VOY (its industry code) was one of the loudest apostles of the line that only intercity bus passengers were paying their own way without any subsidies - or so a 1975 Transport Canada study found - and that subsidized VIA was unfair competition. I have not forgotten that in those days VOY (and Eastern Ontario sister Voyageur Colonial Ltd.) was part of Power Corp. - whose head, the late Paul Desmarais, was well-connected politically, with both parties. Nor that former Liberal Transport Minister Jean-Luc Pépin was a Power director during a spell out of politics and that during his watch as Minister, TC appointed a former VOY VP, Robert Tittley, as its DG Rail Passenger Services. After the 1990 cuts, when their own market share started dropping, they more or less dropped that line.

As a matter of interest, only one publicly owned intercity bus company remains in Canada - Saskatchewan Transportation Co. Has there ever been any serious talk about privatizing STC?

Mark Walton
mark.walton-***@public.gmane.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org [mailto:Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org]
Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2014 11:45 AM
To: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org
Subject: [CanPassRail] VIA Bus?? (was Re: Still no money for Chaleur line)

<snip>

Who will provide that bus transportation? Orléans Express has already
announced their intention to gut their existing service.

Orléans Express is unsubsidized and says it's losing money, hence their intention to reduce service. Lloyd said "the funds saved could be used to provide decent bus transportation", so it sounds like he's suggesting a subsidized bus service.

That wouldn't be unprecedented. I believe VIA (and Canadian National before it) was formerly responsible for the Moncton - Charlottetown bus service. There was also a VIA bus between the CP station in Sudbury and the CN station in Capreol to connect the Canadian (then on CP) with the local Capreol - Winnipeg train, and a VIA-supported taxi connection between Val d'Or and the train at Senneterre. All those were cut in 1990. SMT took over Moncton - Charlottetown and the Sudbury - Capreol bus became redundant when the Canadian was rerouted onto CN. I don't know if anything replaced the Val d'Or taxi.
I doubt it. There is bus service between Val d'Or and Senneterre, but it's not scheduled to give good connections to the train.

VIA had a bus connection from Fredericton to the Atlantic in Fredericton Junction until the train was cancelled in 1994, and even today there is a connection from Quebec City to the Ocean at Ste-Foy (formerly at Charny).

So it's not unthinkable that there could be a bus service to replace the Chaleur. It could make all of the Chaleur's stops between Gaspé and Nouvelle, and be timed to make convenient connections with the Ocean in Campbellton. It would be a daytime trip, with the overnight part of the trip to/from Montreal by train.

But if you decide to provide subsidized bus service on this route, where do you draw the line? What about the many other places across Canada where intercity bus service is being reduced or eliminated? Are they less deserving than Gaspé, just because there was a train to Gaspé, but not to those other places? And who's going to pay? VIA is federal, while bus lines are provincially-regulated, so each level of government will say it's the other guy's responsibility.

I think government support for intercity bus service is an idea that's worth considering, but it's a big question, not limited to just the Gaspé region.

And where do you draw the line at cutting back train service and replacing it with buses? The Ocean gradually empties out as it goes east, and gradually fills up returning west.
Should we cut it back to Montreal - Moncton, and replace the Moncton - Halifax segment with buses? That would allow a same-day equipment turnaround in Moncton, and let you run the 3/week service with just one set of equipment, if you changed the days of operation in one direction. When VIA service to Sarnia was cut back to one trip a day in 2012, VIA began promoting a van shuttle between Sarnia and London as an alternative, though as far as I know, VIA doesn't subsidize the shuttles. Would the availability of shuttles justify eliminating the remaining train to Sarnia?

Tom Box
tbox at ncf dot ca
Port Hope, ON, Canada
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[Tom Box [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Post by Anthony Prince anthonyprince849-/***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
Here's another news report about the railroad.
http://www.graffici.ca/nouvelles/scfg-toujours-pas-confiance-quebec-3838/
The bond of trust between Québec and the Gaspésie Railway
Society is still not restored, ...

Thanks for passing along that item. It's not very encouraging.

Maybe "leur confiance" means "ils ne sont pas des partisants
Liberaux" ?

The story quotes the Transport Ministers from both the former
Parti québécois government and the current Liberal government
as being critical of the railway management. What's more, the
member of the legislature for Gaspé, Gaétan Lelièvre, was a
cabinet minister in the PQ government from September 2012 to
April 2014, but he wasn't able to get money for the railway when
his party was in power. So I'm not convinced that Liberal
partisanship is behind the lack of funding.

Tom Box
tbox at ncf dot ca
Port Hope, ON, Canada


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For help, send an email to Canadian-Passenger-Rail-help-***@public.gmane.org

[[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

In a message dated 10/18/2014 1:57:39 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org writes:

Lloyd said "the funds saved
could be used to provide decent bus transportation", so it sounds
like he's suggesting a subsidized bus service.
===============================================
Buses are the transport of last resort. If someone owns an automobile, has
access to someone else's automobile, or has someone who can drive them,
they're going to drive. Period.

That is certainly true of me.

I'm speaking of intercity buses. Urban transit buses can be different,
depending on the circumstances. The bus may be cheaper than driving and
parking. Some people like to read on the bus (my dad was one of these).

But intercity buses have all the drawbacks of auto travel (e.g., traffic)
with none of the advantages of train travel ( e.g. comfort)

Tom Hoffman
Pearisburg VA

[Knut [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

The main advantage of intercity buses is that they are much cheaper than the train and much much cheaper than using a car.

I have dropped off and picked up people who travelled by Megabus between Montreal and Toronto; that is a big double-decker bus, it runs every two hours during the day and that bus is pretty much complete full each time. Fares are a fraction of what Via charges and the schedule is much more frequent.
I only use a car for distances like that if I need it at the other end - who wants to drive for 6 hours if one can be driven at a fraction of the cost iof using a car?

knut

--------------------

Buses are the transport of last resort. If someone owns an automobile, has access to someone else's automobile, or has someone who can drive them, they're going to drive. Period.
That is certainly true of me.
I'm speaking of intercity buses. Urban transit buses can be different, depending on the circumstances. The bus may be cheaper than driving and parking. Some people like to read on the bus (my dad was one of these).
But intercity buses have all the drawbacks of auto travel (e.g., traffic) with none of the advantages of train travel ( e.g. comfort).

[[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Post by Knut knut-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]

Post by gopullman-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
Buses are the transport of last resort. If someone owns an
automobile, has access to someone else's automobile, or has
someone who can drive them, they're going to drive. Period.

Many people feel that way, but many feel the same way about
trains vs. automobiles. I'm sure we've all met many people
who've never been on a train, or not since they bought their
first car.

Post by Knut knut-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]

Post by gopullman-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
That is certainly true of me.

And of course you're entitled to your opinion. But not everybody
shares it. I don't go out of my way to ride buses, as I do with
trains, but neither do I actively avoid them. I took a bus from
Sept-Îles to Quebec City a couple of months ago. At the start of
the trip, there were only a few passengers, but by the time we
left Baie-St-Paul, the bus was full. As far as I could tell, the
other passengers were just ordinary people, not the collection of
psychotics, freshly paroled prisoners, non-bathers and desperately
poor people that many railfans seem to think are the only
passengers on intercity buses.

When governments plan transport policy, I don't think they should
limit their options to pander to some railfans' dislike of buses.

Post by Knut knut-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]

Post by gopullman-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
But intercity buses have all the drawbacks of auto travel
(e.g., traffic)

It's true that buses and cars can both get stuck in traffic.
But it's not true that buses have all the drawbacks of cars.
When you're on the bus, you don't have to concentrate on
driving it. Someone else does that, and you're free to read
or doze off or whatever. You don't have the stress of dealing
with bad weather conditions or the hordes of big trucks on
the road -- those are the driver's concern, not yours. When
you get to your destination, you don't have to find a parking
spot for the bus, nor pay for it. As a bus passenger, your
impact on the environment is much smaller than if you had
driven.

Trains have all those advantages over cars, too, and of course
I prefer trains. But trains don't go everywhere, and I don't
disdain buses.

Post by Knut knut-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
The main advantage of intercity buses is that they are much
cheaper than the train

Sometimes. For Montreal - Ottawa on October 29 (a date
chosen at random), Greyhound has tickets for $18.40 (after
taxes and fees), while VIA's cheapest is $45.99. For
Montreal - Toronto the same day, Megabus is $22.43 while
VIA is $79.33.

But the bus isn't always cheaper. For Montreal - Quebec
on the 29th, Orléans Express is $56.80, while VIA is $37.94.
(Orléans doesn't seem to have any sort of dynamic pricing --
no discounts for purchasing well in advance or travelling
at off-peak times -- just a flat fare. Maybe that's part
of their problem.) For Halifax - Moncton, Maritime Bus
is $60.01, VIA is $42.55.

Post by Knut knut-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
and much much cheaper than using a car.

Almost certainly true if you're travelling alone, but not if
there are several of you. The marginal cost of putting another
person in the car is tiny, while the cost of an extra bus or
train ticket is significant.

Post by Knut knut-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
the schedule is much more frequent.

Frequency is often an advantage for buses. For those same
Wednesday trips listed above:

Montreal - Ottawa: 7 VIA trains, 21 Greyhound buses (2 buses are
slow local trips that no through passenger would choose).

Montreal - Toronto: 9 VIA trains (4 of them slow trips via Ottawa
that few people would choose for a through trip), 10 Megabus buses.

Montreal - Quebec: 5 VIA trains, 20 Orléans Express buses (including
3 slow runs).

Halifax - Moncton: 3 VIA trains per WEEK, 3 Maritime Bus buses
per DAY.

And on many routes, the bus frequency is infinitely better, because
there is no train at all.

Tom Box
tbox at ncf dot ca
Port Hope, ON, Canada


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[G Burridge gburridge-/[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Post by gopullman-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
Buses are the transport of last resort. If someone owns an
automobile, has access to someone else's automobile, or has someone
who can drive them, they're going to drive. Period.
That is certainly true of me.
I'm speaking of intercity buses. Urban transit buses can be
different, depending on the circumstances. The bus may be cheaper
than driving and parking. Some people like to read on the bus (my
dad was one of these).
But intercity buses have all the drawbacks of auto travel (e.g.,
traffic) with none of the advantages of train travel ( e.g. comfort)

Except, for me at least, for when it comes to the VIA Renn
coaches. I used to look for a rationale to take the train when going
down to Quebec but that stopped because of them after a couple of
rides. On the very few occasions since that i haven't driven, I've
used Orleans Express.

Post by gopullman-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
Tom Hoffman
Pearisburg VA
._,_.___
----------
----------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trace history of Canadian Pacific Sleeping Dining & Parlor Cars:
<http://pages.globetrotter.net/burridge/CPR_SDP_HistTrace.ods>
Railways of Quebec City and South-Eastern Quebec:
<http://pages.globetrotter.net/burridge/index.htm>
Gerry Burridge - P.O. Box 152 - Pte.Claire, Que. - H9R 4N9 - CANADA
=====================================================================



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Posted by: G Burridge <gburridge-/***@public.gmane.org>
------------------------------------

For help, send an email to Canadian-Passenger-Rail-help-***@public.gmane.org

[Tom Box [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Another report:
<http://www.radiogaspesie.ca/radio3/?portfolio=incomprehension>
The Gaspésie Railway doesn't understand why the province hasn't
yet given it $1.3 million for its regular operations. This
request is separate from the $70 M requested for major repairs.
The railway had to lay off most of its employees at the end of
June, because of the lack of funds.

The president of the railway says that he will remain confident
as long as the government doesn't tell him they're pulling the
plug, and that the railway has always answered the government's
requirements when they have asked for details on the condition
of the tracks. He wants the situation settled before Christmas,
or else even a minor problem could lead to a shutdown of the
railway. The Temrex sawmill in Nouvelle, the farm co-op in
Caplan and Rail GD in New Richmond are mentioned as shippers
using the line.

Rail GD has just won a contract for several million dollars to
repair passenger cars from British Columbia. Does anybody know
whose cars they are? Rocky Mountaineer?

Tom Box
tbox at ncf dot ca
Port Hope, ON, Canada


------------------------------------
Posted by: Tom Box <tbox-***@public.gmane.org>
------------------------------------

For help, send an email to Canadian-Passenger-Rail-help-***@public.gmane.org

[xcnken-/[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Sound as if a ping pong game is about to begin Tim.


This whole thing is so crazy. Is the SCGF run by a group of rank amateurs ? Or are Liberals not makin' any moves until certain political requirements are met ? With our expose on politics here through the Charbonneau commission it makes me suspicious. Of ulterior motives.


I fail to understand why they' re i.e. SCGF not lickin' Via's chops to get the $$$ for that passenger contract.


There's more goin' on behind the scenes then we' ll ever know. For now.


Never the less thanks. I hope the whole thing pans out for everyone's benefit. Especially Les Gaspésiens.


K. Wadden Pointe Claire Qc.

[Anthony Prince anthonyprince849-/[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Tom, the contract could be for Rocky Mountaineer!This spring Rail GD in New Richmond repaired a double decker observation car for Rocky Mountaineer.
Anthony PrincePort-Daniel West, Quebec

On Tuesday, October 21, 2014 3:57 PM, "Tom Box tbox-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]" <Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org> wrote:


  Another report:
<http://www.radiogaspesie.ca/radio3/?portfolio=incomprehension>
The Gaspésie Railway doesn't understand why the province hasn't
yet given it $1.3 million for its regular operations. This
request is separate from the $70 M requested for major repairs.
The railway had to lay off most of its employees at the end of
June, because of the lack of funds.

The president of the railway says that he will remain confident
as long as the government doesn't tell him they're pulling the
plug, and that the railway has always answered the government's
requirements when they have asked for details on the condition
of the tracks. He wants the situation settled before Christmas,
or else even a minor problem could lead to a shutdown of the
railway. The Temrex sawmill in Nouvelle, the farm co-op in
Caplan and Rail GD in New Richmond are mentioned as shippers
using the line.

Rail GD has just won a contract for several million dollars to
repair passenger cars from British Columbia. Does anybody know
whose cars they are? Rocky Mountaineer?

Tom Box
tbox at ncf dot ca
Port Hope, ON, Canada
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['Justin Babcock' [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

2 more of these cars arrived on the Gaspe last week.


Justin


----- Original Message -----
From: Anthony Prince anthonyprince849-/***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
To: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2014 10:26 AM
Subject: Re: [CanPassRail] Re: Still no money for Chaleur line







Tom, the contract could be for Rocky Mountaineer!
This spring Rail GD in New Richmond repaired a
double decker observation car for Rocky Mountaineer.




Anthony Prince
Port-Daniel West, Quebec






On Tuesday, October 21, 2014 3:57 PM, "Tom Box ***@ncf.ca [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]" <Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org> wrote:









Another report:
<http://www.radiogaspesie.ca/radio3/?portfolio=incomprehension>
The Gaspésie Railway doesn't understand why the province hasn't
yet given it $1.3 million for its regular operations. This
request is separate from the $70 M requested for major repairs.
The railway had to lay off most of its employees at the end of
June, because of the lack of funds.


The president of the railway says that he will remain confident
as long as the government doesn't tell him they're pulling the
plug, and that the railway has always answered the government's
requirements when they have asked for details on the condition
of the tracks. He wants the situation settled before Christmas,
or else even a minor problem could lead to a shutdown of the
railway. The Temrex sawmill in Nouvelle, the farm co-op in
Caplan and Rail GD in New Richmond are mentioned as shippers
using the line.


Rail GD has just won a contract for several million dollars to
repair passenger cars from British Columbia. Does anybody know
whose cars they are? Rocky Mountaineer?


Tom Box
tbox at ncf dot ca
Port Hope, ON, Canada













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[brbrakemtl-FFYn/[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Hi Justin,

I wonder how these cars came to Matapedia. The first one came on a special VIA train #4.

Barry Brake

[Tom Box [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Post by xcnken-/***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
Is the SCGF run by a group of rank amateurs ?

Anthony Prince might know more, but from this distance, it seems
that way. La Société du chemin de fer de la Gaspésie (SCFG) is
owned by the four MRCs (county governments) between Matapedia and
Gaspé, and the local politicians are in charge. The current
president is Éric Dubé, the mayor of New Richmond. Before him,
it was François Roussy, who was also mayor of Gaspé at the time.
Heading the railway is a part-time job. I suppose the railway
must have some staff with some railway experience, but I don't
know how many such people they have.

Tom Box
tbox at ncf dot ca
Port Hope, ON, Canada


------------------------------------
Posted by: Tom Box <tbox-***@public.gmane.org>
------------------------------------

For help, send an email to Canadian-Passenger-Rail-help-***@public.gmane.org