jamesontheroad
OBS Chief
Another report supporting HSR in Alberta. This has been on the cards for years, I remember people talking about an earlier report when I first visited in 2002, and I'm sure there are some older threads here too.
The local oil economy has dipped somewhat lately (because oil has to be extracted from tar sands, which is messy, unenvironmental and very expensive) but the two cities of Edmonton and Calgary are perhaps the best pairing in the entire country to get a brand new link... it's a three hour drive, the geography is flat and there are a relatively few obstacles. Would also attract a lot of business when the usual Alberta winter weather makes driving or flying unreliable.
Source: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/20...l-edmonton.html
The local oil economy has dipped somewhat lately (because oil has to be extracted from tar sands, which is messy, unenvironmental and very expensive) but the two cities of Edmonton and Calgary are perhaps the best pairing in the entire country to get a brand new link... it's a three hour drive, the geography is flat and there are a relatively few obstacles. Would also attract a lot of business when the usual Alberta winter weather makes driving or flying unreliable.
Source: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/20...l-edmonton.html
High-speed rail link examined by AlbertaLast Updated: Monday, July 6, 2009 | 3:06 PM MT
A new report may put Albertans a little closer to hopping on a high-speed train between Calgary and Edmonton.
The provincial government-commissioned report released Monday concludes that a high-speed rail network would be well used, generate up to $33 billion in economic benefits and create thousands of jobs.
The report will be examined by a legislative committee in September.
Transportation Minister Luc Ouellette said Monday the Calgary-Edmonton corridor is one of the few places in Canada where a high-speed train would be faster than an airplane ride.
Depending on the type, the train could travel between 125 km/h to 300 km/h, allowing people to travel between the two cities in as little as about an hour, according to the report. It could cost anywhere between $3 billion to $20 billion to build ... (continues)
