VICTORIA, British Columbia — British Columbia’s provincial government is seeking a contractor to assess the condition of the former Esquimalt & Nanaimo rail line. The assessment of the 140-mile line to Courtenay, B.C., and its spur to Port Alberni, will look to determine what would be required to create commuter rail service between Victoria and Langford, about 9 miles away, and to upgrade the route for freight service.
A group of 13 area mayors sent a letter to the provincial government earlier this month, asking that rail service be restored. [See “Mayors urge funding to restore Vancouver Island rail service,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 8, 2019.] The route last saw rail service in 2011.
A 2017 assessment by the non-profit Island Corridor Foundation, owner of the route, estimated that restoring the 70 miles from line from Victoria to Nanaimo would cost $42.7 million Canadian, with another $52.4 for the rest of the route, the Times-Colonist newspaper reports.
Earl’s comment in general may be correct (I.e. the survivability of a service depends on its profitability) but in this case rail service to Victoria from mainland B.C. I understand was a condition of B.C. joining the Canadian confederation to become a part of Canada. Whatever happened to that constitutional requirement? Did I miss something?
Barry
The threat did not include the island. Just B C province. At least that is what I understand from the history I have read .May be someone will clarify this.
Earl
…regarding passenger service – if you do not use it you loose it. Islanders lost passenger service themselves and I doubt if it will be restored.
That’s Parksville, not Parkhusrt.