AHC: Save Canadian radial rail?

[phx1138]

Inspired in part by this thread.

I'm not a railfan at all, so I have no clue how credible this is, hence the question. In the Depression, & presupposing a federal subsidy for doing it, was it credible to amalgamate Ontario &/or Quebec rail systems? Lower Mainland BC's?

Was it credible to link them to U.S. networks at, say, Seattle, Detroit, &/or Buffalo?

Was it credible to upgrade the rolling stock with a variety of aluminum (or steel monocoque?) tramcar? (I imagine a subsidized purchase or manufacturing, perhaps both.)

Could an amalgamated system of this kind make a profit? (I imagine routes along Lake Superior, for one, plus subsidized retracking to standardize guage, plus subsidized construction of flyover/unders as needed; the latter two would be obvious federal works projects at that time.)

Or is the Canadian market in light rail too small?

 

[phx1138]

I came across this:

Canadian National Railways did a great job of reducing their passenger losses in the 1960s and 1970s by running better systems and thinking of long-distance passenger service as an experience and not just transport from one place to another. ...a bunch of cars (namely the 'Super Dome' dome cars and 'Skytop' observation cars) that made a big impact and were among those that were loved by passengers.

It got me wondering if the same might not be done for either The Canadian (or The Dominion) on a trans-Canada route, or an Ontario radial for a Lake Superior coast tourist route. (The latter might need a deal with several U.S. interurbans, to allow a circumlacunar {Is that a word? } tour.)

I imagine the transcontinental following the 20th Century Limited model somewhat, being exclusive & powered by diesel streamliners.

 

[phx1138]

Pull a switch? Or end of track?

 

[WaterproofPotatoes]

I came across this:

It got me wondering if the same might not be done for either The Canadian (or The Dominion) on a trans-Canada route, or an Ontario radial for a Lake Superior coast tourist route. (The latter might need a deal with several U.S. interurbans, to allow a circumlacunar {Is that a word? } tour.)

I imagine the transcontinental following the 20th Century Limited model somewhat, being exclusive & powered by diesel streamliners.

The Canadian still runs (albeit on the route of the Super Continental), but it's definitely something one would do for the journey rather than the destination- the food is excellent, the scenery incomparable, and you get to ride in the original but updated 1950s cars, but it's routinely 12 hours late. A trip from Toronto to Vancouver takes about 4 days.

 

[phx1138]

The Canadian ...something one would do for the journey

Oh, no question.

My thought was, start something like it in the '30s & run "expresses" from Vancouver-Winnipeg-Toronto-Montreal-Halifax, one via Banff & one Jasper.

 

[WaterproofPotatoes]

Oh, no question.

My thought was, start something like it in the '30s & run "expresses" from Vancouver-Winnipeg-Toronto-Montreal-Halifax, one via Banff & one Jasper.

Canadian Pacific, before the Canadian, ran The Dominion from 1931 to 1966; and before that, The Imperial Limited from 1898 to 1933. Both ran from either Montréal or Toronto to Vancouver, via Banff on CP's more southerly route.

Canadian National had the Continental Limited from 1921-1955, after which the premier service became the Super Continental, and the "transcontinental local" became the Continental. These trains routed through Jasper on CN's more northerly route.

 

[phx1138]

Bump, just for George Romero.

 

[Quintuplicate]

Doesn't Cascades go to Vancouver.