The details are included in the Island Corridor Foundation’s service proposal to Via Rail, released to the Times Colonist on Wednesday. The Island Corridor Foundation’s proposal to restart passenger rail service includes: • Reversing the direction of previous service, so weekday trains depart from Nanaimo at 5:30a.m., get into Cowichan at 6:30 a.m., and arrive in Victoria by 8 a.m. • An 8 a.m. run from Victoria to Courtenay, arriving at noon. • A return trip from Victoria at 5 p.m. through Duncan, to Nanaimo by 8 p.m. • A five-year trial period for the service. • Ticket prices at around the same cost as in the past. • A new Victoria rail station in Vic West at Esquimalt Road and Catherine Street. • Limiting Via Rail’s annual subsidy to $1.8 million, indexed to inflation. • Taking over Via’s responsibility for stations, property taxes, train operations, scheduling, maintenance, marketing, budgeting, ticketing and safety campaigns. • $6 million from Via’s 2013 $50-million fund for rural Canadian rail service. • Moving the rail maintenance depot from the Railyards in Victoria to Nanaimo’s existing freight-rail depot, near the Gabriola ferry terminal. • Three refurbished diesel passenger cars from Via, with bike racks, galley beverage service and wireless Internet access. • No increase in the number of spots where the rail line crosses a road.
Posted on: Thu, 15 Aug 2013 18:15:39 +0000
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