Rail visionary, not romantic
While there may be a romantic view of railways from many of us, the idea of refurbishing the Island Rail has nothing to do with romance.
What we have here is an asset of great value. Able to serve the needs of everyone from the youngest to the oldest.
Costs are not a problem. If our governments can spend over a billion dollars per kilometre for a 5 km rail service to UBC on the lower mainland surely that same amount, $1 billion, could be spent to provide all manner of rail services on Vancouver Island. Commuter, intercity passenger, freight and tourist rail. The costs are not exorbitant in light of the fact the corridor itself exists.
On the matter of the section from Duncan to Lake Cowichan. That is unique and cannot be duplicated on the main line. There is no First Nations claim to that and the disconnect with the main line makes it work just fine as a trail for the long haul. As for the main line, the minute any rail service ends and the rail line is abandoned it will be broken up into many pieces with claims and will not be able to be turned into anything resembling a continuous trail. It will be lost.
In any case may I also point out that turning it into a trail only serves a small percentage of the population. A fully functioning railway serves 100 per cent of the population in many ways: varied passenger services, freight, and tourist rail.
It saddens me to see and hear from folks who don’t have a long term vision for Vancouver Island and the railway. The rail corridor would provide a great number of opportunities and services.
If one thinks ahead far enough.
The rail corridor was surveyed as far as Campbell River and could in the long term be extended to [that community]. Then let’s think really long term: the old Woss logging railway corridor could also be used to extend the rail corridor to Port McNeil and Port Hardy. When the ICF was formed the vision was to think 50 years or more out into the future and envision the rail opportunities available. This is not romance, this is practical visionary. Governments far too often lack vision and only think from election to election. It’s time for all governments to think and act on behalf of all of us with vision and foresight.
It should be noted that rail services the world over are being reborn, newly established and enhanced to serve the needs of everyone. The electric car isn’t going to do it.
Jack Peake
Duncan