Should canada have high-speed rail?

talloola

talloola

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Nov 14, 2006
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AnnaG said:
I know of a few spots that are pretty wide open. Like this


All you see is green, blue, and very low rolling hills. And that is in BC
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yeah, I can go to many spots similar to that here on the
island, but nothing like I experienced across the prairies, really
learned how big our country really is, and that prairie country is a special
part of it.
We have a friend who has a humungous farm in alberta, he took a trip 'once' through
the rockies and down to vancouver, and he said that was it for him, he said they
can take all of those mountains and 'shove' them, he's an old fella, a true farmer, and a great guy, who cooks the best steak I ever ate. lol
 
Y

YukonJack

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Dec 26, 2008
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"Funny. It sure sounded like you were begrudging anyone else from having a decent HSR system. So why did you mention terrorism, if you weren't thinking about limiting everyone else's choices of travel modes?"

Let me repeat: I did not begrudge anyone who prefers to travel by rail, high speed or otherwise. I only said that I prefer to drive my own car and pointed out what is inevitable: the terrorists will aim at any target that is accessible and popular. With air travel being less accessible to terrorists, they will aim at rail travel. Especially if it becomes more popular.

Having one's head in the sand saying that it could never occur, because it has not yet occured will not change the fact that it could occur. I hope you are right and I am wrong.
 
TenPenny

TenPenny

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YukonJack said:
" I only said that I would prefer the freedom of travelling at my own schedule, at my own speed, at my own comfort in my own car.
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I generally prefer that, as well; I like to be more in control of my schedule. However, being able to get on a plane at 5:30 in the morning and be in Toronto before 8am has its uses.
 
Y

YukonJack

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"I generally prefer that, as well; I like to be more in control of my schedule. However, being able to get on a plane at 5:30 in the morning and be in Toronto before 8am has its uses."

Oh, I thought we were comparing rail travel to driving.
 
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AnnaG

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Jul 5, 2009
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YukonJack said:
"Funny. It sure sounded like you were begrudging anyone else from having a decent HSR system. So why did you mention terrorism, if you weren't thinking about limiting everyone else's choices of travel modes?"

Let me repeat: I did not begrudge anyone who prefers to travel by rail, high speed or otherwise. I only said that I prefer to drive my own car and pointed out what is inevitable: the terrorists will aim at any target that is accessible and popular. With air travel being less accessible to terrorists, they will aim at rail travel. Especially if it becomes more popular.
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They haven't hit the Port Mann or the Lion's Gate, or anything. I don't expect they will for quite a while if ever. Bridges are pretty popular at rush hour.

Having one's head in the sand saying that it could never occur, because it has not yet occured will not change the fact that it could occur. I hope you are right and I am wrong.
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So is my head in the sand? I never said anything about terrorism not happening. I implied it probably won't. Have people quit flying because a few planes have been terrorized? Have people quit using office towers because of 9/11??

What I was pointing out is that a few people sure seem to be down on rail travel and throw up all kinds of lame reasons why we shouldn't have it.
You want to drive in traffic jams and whatnot, you go right ahead, but quit moaning about other people wanting to go by rail.
 
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AnnaG

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I wasn't comparing anything.
"Should canada have high-speed rail?"
I think we should and I haven't seen a decent argument against it yet.
 
petros

petros

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Nov 21, 2008
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AnnaG said:
As near as I can tell if someone bombed a few bridges like the Port Mann at rush houror something it'd not only be tragic for deaths, but bloody expensive to repair.
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Do you know something the rest of us don't? Are 'they" planning a drill simulating that exact scenario?

Is there something else you'd like share with the group?
 
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AnnaG

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petros said:
Do you know something the rest of us don't? Are 'they" planning a drill simulating that exact scenario?

Is there something else you'd like share with the group?
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Nope, I just thought of that as an example of high-profile target and bridges being pretty popular before and after work hours.
YJ mentioned that airlines are high profile and popular, so high-speed rail lines would be, too.

A couple power boats loaded to the gun'lls with explosives hitting bridge supports at rush hourwould be really nasty.
 
petros

petros

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talloola said:
I loved going through the prairies by train, not what I
expected at all, it's very interesting and beautiful, and
I would do it again in a heartbeat.
I grew up on the west coast, have known mountains by the
thousands on my trips all over my province, and it is very
beautiful, but the vastness of the prairies, and the wide
open feeling, and how far one can see is amazing.

Even the boreal forest is nice, lots of water, saw deer,
and much of it is through the night, so one isn't awake through
all of it, as it does take a long time, where you can't
see far, but there are so many other things to do on the
train when you don't want to stare out the window.
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Less 15% of Sask is wide open and treeless.

The old southern line ran across the flattest easiest places the surveyors could find not the prettiest at times but at night the stars will blow your mind.
 
bobnoorduyn

bobnoorduyn

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Nov 26, 2008
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TenPenny said:
Yup, the one where the bombs were planted in Canada on the aircraft in Canadian airports. That's the one.

Brand names don't matter, you know.
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Yup, both planted in Vancouver on CP flights. Had the RCMP actually taken a real interest in the Air India flight the one was transferred to when it was in on the ground in Mirabel that disaster may have been averted. A delay at Narita averted another one, but it did cost the lives of two Japanese baggage handlers.
 
bobnoorduyn

bobnoorduyn

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AnnaG said:
Sounds fine by me. I just am scared about hours upon hours of seeing nothing but grain fields, elevators, silos, and the occasional farmhouse or 200 person town. I'm kind of spoiled scenery wise, being from BC. I like raging rivers, cascadess, forests, critters, lakes, snow=capped mountains, etc.
To me, this


beats this any day
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But you may miss this view of Cliffy's town

 
L Gilbert

L Gilbert

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TenPenny said:
Yup, the one where the bombs were planted in Canada on the aircraft in Canadian airports. That's the one.

Brand names don't matter, you know.
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I guess you missed her point, which was that she can't remember a terrorist action in Canada. I can remember one incidence of terrorism directly aimed at Canada and it was our own Canucks that did it, too: the FLQ crap.
The Air India thing was not in Canada and doesn't seem to have been directed specifically at Canucks, but over IRISH airspace (some 3000 miles away) and she did mention that and it isn't a brand name.
 
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TenPenny

TenPenny

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L Gilbert said:
I guess you missed her point, which was that she can't remember a terrorist action in Canada.
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No, I didn't miss her point.

Planting a bomb on a plane in Canada counts as an act of terrorism in Canada. It doesn't matter where the bomb exploded, it was an act of terrorism in Canada. Period.
 
L Gilbert

L Gilbert

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TenPenny said:
No, I didn't miss her point.

Planting a bomb on a plane in Canada counts as an act of terrorism in Canada. It doesn't matter where the bomb exploded, it was an act of terrorism in Canada. Period.
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You missed her point (which was that the act wasn't perpetrated upon Canadians necessarily and Canadians were only incidental victims).
Either way, she did say she didn't remember a terrorist act in Canada. So I have no idea why you are so upset about the issue.
 
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