Transport Pontiac-Renfrew

A steel wheel rolling on a steel rail is the most efficient way to move people or freight. If Canada is serious about reducing green house , the country must invest in railways now. Canada is falling further and further behind in rail transportation particularly in regard to passenger rail service.

It is important to save these railways and corridors. If we do not today, it will cost us billions to (re-)develop new ones for smooth comfortable, sustainable commuter rail service. Since the Oshawa/Toronto/Hamilton corridor has GO Train service, why does not the Ottawa Valley?

Rail travel is one way to encourage sustainability so let’s act now and help to save the future.

Rian Manson :We, as a community need to prevent the destruction of our rail infrastructure as it will help serve the present and future commuting needs for the communities between Pembroke and Ottawa.

The single person 2000 lb steel cocoon {electric, hybrid or otherwise} to commute to a fixed work space is patently unsustainable, requires too much expensive road infrastructure, and worst of all often requires the sacrifice of thousands of acres of arable land to sustain.
When the time comes that people can’t afford to drive to work the rail system won’t be there for them and nor will the local farms to feed them. Only the foolish believe that we can carry on this same road, and end up in a different place.
That is why European governments are investing tens of billions in rail infrastructure and providing drivers strong incentives to change over.

We must make sure that there is a rail service for this area. Automobiles cannot offer the transportation that will be needed in the future of this area. Rail will be the cheapest way to transport people and this line is perfect for this job.

Rail transportation is an essential part of our infrastructure. Supporting the use a modern rail system supports energy conservation, reduces environmental impacts and promotes safety for the roads by removing more trucks and cars from the roads. Eastern Ontario needs this rail link as a vital part of building a community which promotes better transportation and communication and makes this region a better place to live.

The city of Ottawa has been sputtering, hiring consultants to plan light rail commuter service, signing contracts for construction, cancelling and paying cancellation penalty payments in the millions!! What a shame!!! When I worked for CPR in the 50’s there was the beautiful Union Station across from the Chateau Laurier (in the heart of the shopping district) and excellent rail passenger service to and from there from every direction. Served by both CP and CN trains operated passenger trains between Ottawa and just about every community within 100 miles of the Capital .
For example, Waltham, Fort Coulonge, Shawville Quyon, Maniwaki, Blue Sea, Kazabazua, Wakefield, Thurso, Buckingham, Gatineau, Rigaud, St Eugene, Navan, Alexandria, Casselman, Prescott, Kemptville, Manotick, Osgoode, Smiths Falls, Richmond, Pembroke, Renfrew, Arnprior, Almonte, Carleton Place, Stittsville, Kinburn, Carp, Bristol, Norway Bay, Fitzroy, Harbour , Dunrobbin and points in between.
Then as history has repeated so often, although the Railroads were what opened the country to settlement with towns springing up along the rights of way and businesses thriving with the transportation provided, eventually the railroad was considered a nuisance and too noisy to be near the homes that had been built alongside. Sooo it was decided to relocate them. With reduced ridership the railway companies were forced to cut back service and some idiot decided to move Union Station to the east end of the city where people coming in to shop or commute must take taxis to their destination. Also rail lines into the city were converted to either highways or bus lines subject to gridlock or bicycle or hiking trails.
Take a look at Montreal, they at least have maintained a lot of their commuter lines and now are reinstating some which had been abandoned but at least the rails are still there.

Renfrew County can not afford to lose this rail line like Killaloe did in the 80’s , we need this line , for the possabilitys are endless for tourisim .

I am intrigued, are you saving one or several routes that go through the valley?

I to am intrigued,keep up the good work

Please save the rail lines in the Ottawa Valley area.

Its was and can be a vital link to the future local economy. This can be the future of light rail for people who want to tour the area without a car and for those who commute west of Pembroke, Renfrew and Allumette Island to Ottawa/Kanata for
work and no longer want to use cars as the means of transportation because of rising oil costs.
Maybe focus groups can be arranged with local area Members of Parliament to express the concern
of the Ottawa Valley.

Saving the rails makes sense in so many ways. In terms of freight, rail is unrivalled in efficiency in respect to fuel consumption which is a big issue these days. Even though the fuel prices are rising, the rails are disapearing. The question arises – how can TPR justify saving the rail when CN couldn’t? The difference as I see it is local involvement. We need to look at it from a collaboritive viewpoint. TPR has an advantage that CN does not in it’s ability to focus on this particular line only. CN is a huge company, therefore, its focus needs to be divided over thousands of kilometers of tracks. It cannot, unlike TPR, develop a local connection and encourage and spawn local involvement in both freight and passenger transfer. Lets rally behind TPR’s efforts and save the rail!

No one’s ever tought about contacting Mr Ackman hes the new investor in CP and want’s to shape up things including management.