Turbotrains, Jettrains and Beyond: High Speed Rail in Canada

Turbotrains, Jettrains and Beyond: High Speed Rail in Canada

Urban Forum Ottawa, will have host a presentation by High Speed Rail Canada founder Paul Langan on January 17th, 2019.

WireService.ca Media Release (01/07/2019) -  High Speed Rail Canada, as part of their mandate to educate the Canadian public,give public presentations about high speed rail as it relates to Canada.

Urban Forum Ottawa is hosting the event. They host lecture series on topics that would be of interest to professionals in their organization and the public.

Here are the details of the event.

PRESENTATION: Turbotrains, Jettrains and Beyond: High Speed Rail in Canada

DATE: Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 7:00pm

LOCATION: Champlain Room, Ottawa City Hall, Heritage Building, Second Floor,  110 Laurier Ave. West

COST: Free

WEB LINK: http://urbanforum.ca/blog/announcements/upcoming-lectures/

Paul Langan founder of High Speed Rail Canada states, “ I am excited to come to Ottawa to give an entertaining presentation and have a lively discussion with participants about high speed rail in Canada. I am grateful to Urban Forum Ottawa for hosting this event.”

Media Contact - Paul Langan, High Speed Rail Canada founder at 226-505-7605 or by using contact page on website at http://highspeedrail.ca

About URBAN FORUM

In 1997, the Ottawa chapters of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI), the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (OALA), the Ottawa Regional Society of Architects (ORSA) and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) joined forces to present Urban Forum, a lecture series for their members as well as elected officials, students and the public at large in the Ottawa area. Four times per year, internationally known speakers and local experts address topics that reflect the challenges faced by the associations’ combined membership. http://urbanforum.ca/

About HIGH SPEED RAIL CANADA

In 2008, Mr. Langan started High Speed Rail Canada to educate Canadians on high speed rail in Canada. It is acknowledged that High Speed Rail Canada is the single national resource on high speed rail information in Canada. Their website, youtube channel and social media are used extensively by the public to increase their knowledge on previous and present Canadian high speed rail studies.

Remembering Willie P. Bennett

I walked into a London Ontario folk club in the early 1970s and Willie P Bennett was playing. I always liked him from that day forward. I followed him in Fred Eaglesmith's band for years.

As I go through my cassettes from back then I have found live recordings of Willie solo. Here is a link to a couple of those songs. Enjoy the magic of Willie P. Bennett.

Reviewing former station stops on the VIA Rail Canada $4 billion abandoned rail corridor plan

Rail History Buffs Will Like VIA Rail Canada Plan

VIA Rail Canada is so desperate to get their trains off CN owned rail lines that they have spun this idea of using an abandoned CPR, former Ontario Quebec railway line.

In previous posts we have examined communities along the line that once had service or are getting service in the proposed VIA Rail Canada plan before parliament. We examined the communities of Pontypool, Sulfide, Ungava, Kaldar, Sharbot Lake and Tweed. They are all along the abandoned route which is now part of the Canada trail system.

We all know about the VIA Rail High Frequency Rail Plan ( A phrase they made up)  The plan is better known now as the VIA Rail Sharbot Express Train due to the fact VIA Rail has stated they are stopping in Sharbot Lake and will be travelling at speeds from 50 years ago, to pick up and drop off the happy campers. (bringing tents on the train will cost more!)

More updates on the proposed Sharbot Lake, Tweed Ontario stops in a future post.

We will just deal with their original plan to have their trains start in Toronto and run through Peterborough, Sharbot Lake, Tweed, Ottawa to Montreal, Quebec City . The VIA Rail Canada website,states that the trip times will be 25% faster than the timetable now.  That is a simply ridiculous to think, that the new route from Toronto  through the outback of Ontario and through Ottawa to Montreal, will be 25% faster than the  existing Toronto to Montreal service now.

Is VIA RAIL Canada using a 1892 rail map of the line to justify their business case?

The business case for this line has never been released by VIA Rail. Why? We think because the average person could assess it and see the critical flaws in it.

We at High Speed Rail Canada love history and this rail line has a lot of history. Over a 125 years ago the then Ontario & Quebec (O&Q) railway line was busy.  Here is a LINK to a map of the line in 1892 when there actually was a lot of economic vibrant  towns along the line. Maybe VIA Rail does not realize things have changed in the last century. .

Here is a few more historical updates about communities along the line for VIA Rail to adjust their dubious business plan for returning passenger rail service to it.

Ardendale Station back in the day!

Arden (Ardendale) (population 968)

 Now known for its proximity to provincial parks, camping, beautiful scenery and artisan community, Arden is not like it was in its heyday when the O&Q rail line went through it. The blacksmith shop, sawmill, grist mill, planning mill, sash and door factory are all gone. The railway station was dismantled in 1967 the same year the last train went through Arden.

On a positive note, the Legion is open and it is just up the road where the former rail line, now Canada trail, is.

Mountain Grove Ontario - former rail line and abandoned church and Mountain Grove Rowers Club

Mountain Grove (Olden) -  (population 906) 

 There are a number of residences, a library, and a monument to our war dead. However the industries of potash and lumber are long gone and there is little growth in the community.

If your in the area,  near where the former station/rail line was , on private property is an abandoned church and seemingly abandoned Mountain Grover Rowers Clubhouse!

Hungerford, Ontario building right next to former rail line, now trail.

Hungerford - (population - <10) 

Hungerford is just 4km away from Sulfide Ontario . We talked about the community of Sulfide in a previous posting. Hungerford was once home to woodworking, carving, and a coffin making factory. It also benefited from the early rush of people to the gold mine in Sulfide. This was before they mined sulfide there. The gold mine went bankrupt and eventually Hungerford faded into the past..

The correct term to describe Hungerford today is a dispersed rural community.

Hope you enjoy our continuing rail history that relates to VIA Rail’s $4 billion boondoggle plan

Paul Langan talks High Speed Rail on the AM570 Mike Farwell Radio Show

Paul Langan is interviewed by Mike Farwell about the Ford government expanding #highspeedrail study to include highway building, adding buses and possible GO or VIA rail options.

Kate Langan is the recipient of the Margaret S. McCready Memorial Scholarship

Alex Grenzeback presents scholarship to Kate Langan 

Congratulations Kate Langan for being the recipient of the Margaret S. McCready Memorial Scholarship at the University of Guelph.

The scholarship was established in memory of Margaret S. McCready, former Principal and Dean of Macdonald Institute (1949-69). The award is granted on the basis of high academic achievement as well as leadership ability as demonstrated through extracurricular involvement in the preceding two years.

Kate is currently in the Masters Program at the University of Guelph in Applied Nutrition.

Choun Kitchen in Hespeler is great!

Tasty food with a Thai twist in Downtown Hespeler

Hespeler News - After the sad closing of the The Stables restaurant at 39 Queen Street East, Unit 102 in downtown Hespeler the community was hoping a new tenant would be found and the doors would open up.

The people who ran The Stables had done so much work to turn that room into a restaurant.

A few months ago the Choun Kitchen coming soon sign was put out and the locals could not wait for it to open. I was able to go there with a friend three days after it opened this week.

The verdict is in. The Choun Kitchen has scored a hat trick. The ambience, service and food were top notch. The prices were fair.

We ordered Thai Curry (with chicken) and Lemon Chicken each were $15.00. Lunch prices were $10.00 each. The food came steaming hot and was fresh and tasty.

Although they say it is a limited menu, it did have something for everyone. Gluten free lovers  and  vegetarians can all be satisfied here. The person who still wants a burger will get one.

The only small item to be corrected is the building owner should take down The Stables two signs still on the building.

Let us support this new restaurant and the downtown.

https://www.facebook.com/chounkitchen/
http://www.chounkitchen.com