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The Rail for the Valley group in the Fraser Valley probably knows more than anyone about reinstating passenger rail services in the province.
Our 20-year campaign promoting what international rail professionals call a "no-brainer," reinstating a passenger service from Marpole in Vancouver to Chilliwack in the Fraser Valley, using the former BC Electric interurban route, has continually hit the wall of politcal hubris and indifference.
Rail for the Valley's Leewood Study, by Leewood Projects (UK) is unique as it is a fully independent study, done by experts who reside outside the anti-rail BC bubble, that shows that such a passenger line is doable and desirable.
There are great problems with Dr. Gord Lovegrove's plan, which seems to be lacking sound research, especially with hydrogen-powered trains, as well as running trains on public highways which would not be allowed by Transport Canada.
TramTrain mentioned in the report is a modern streetcar or tram that can operate on the railway mainline and has been very successful in operation.
The RftV Group supports regional rail in BC and a recent cost estimate for a Salmon Arm to Kelowna, light Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) service, with a maximum of three trains per hour per direction would cost around $2 billion to install. As for hydrogen-powered trains, they are still going through development and do have many expensive teething troubles and are not recommended for use in BC as of yet.
Expensive yes, but considering that the province is spending over $11 billion to extend the SkyTrain light metro system a mere 21.7 km., is quite affordable, especially that TransLink (the operating authority) is not expecting to attract much new ridership.
In the age of global warming and climate change, rail is the only transportation mode that will offer a user-friendly service that will attract the motorist from the car.