Yeah I lived in China for a year in Shenyang, they I don't think had any HS trains but I travelled to Shanghai and yeah they are fast. It would be so nice for at least a little upgrade in either price or in service, as I don't think how much you pay for the train now is what you get, and I have never even been on the train here.
PS thank you Rick for putting Belleville on the map. At least we got 2 seconds on an RMR skit on youtube, i'm so happy right now.
Just to let everyone know VIA Trains still go fast and there were VIA Rail bullet trains once apon time but they were pulled off the track because they were t dangerous
@Kenster1025: There is already a new Jet Train from Bombardier, but VIA wouldn't dare buy it because of complaints from environmentalists; besides, everybody wants electric high-speed rail anyway.
This maybe a reality soon, as the governments of Canada, Ontario & Quebec have released a final rail study on a high-speed rail service from Windsor to Quebec City. This will create jobs and hope it is completed by 2020.
I've actually been on a round trip in the high speed trains in China, about a year ago. They really do go up to 350kph in regular service, and they are supremely comfortable. However but I think that they are going to have to take the crash incident very seriously, as these trains are the pride of an entire nation at this point.
Over here in the USA...we call ours AMTRAK. Although I would admit that certain lines are getting modest upgrades such as the Cascades Line. However, we don't have the bullet train either so both our nations can console each other over the lack of technological prowess or determination.
@observer127: Uh, YOU DO have the bullet train (of a sort); it's called Acela, and it's on the old Metroliner route (NYC to DC). Yes, it doesn't cover the whole country, but it's still high-speed rail.
@observer127 Even without high speed rail, Amtrak delivers pretty good service. Now, if only Congress would just subsidize them better. Funny how Congress always complains that Amtrak isn't doing a good enough job with the money they have. Hmm...wonder why. Could it be that they need MORE MONEY to do a good job? Use your heads, Congress!
Toronto to Montreal in under 90 minutes! It's kind of sad that my mind is blown...But I could go see my parents in Windsor without spending the whole day actually getting there from Ottawa.
This is great haha this is dialogue that needs to happen in our politics yet is being ignored. I'm sure Air Canada might have a hand at ignoring this issue, or it could be just that our politicians just don't care about our nation's infrastructure altogether.
@foxh8er it takes 4 days, 18 hours to get out to vancouver from toronto with via. but with amtrak from detroit it takes only 2 days.... lol thats not so slow.
@shorerydr10 yes! i was actually looking at their prices to go out west this summer and it's about $1200 to get from toronto to vancouver and thats without a room.. meanwhile if you left from detroit and went out there it's only 200ish each way with amtrak in the states.
@katiiiemariiie If you check with enough advance notice, the prices are closer to $500. Occasionally, I've seen last minute for under $200 economy, and about $550 for a sleeper from Toronto to Vancouver, during the winter, and under $300 ecnonomy for summer, about $750 sleeper. But you've got to do the fare searches correctly. The Special fares need at least 4 day advance notice, and sell out quick.
@mdrejhon lol i've been checking for august and it's close to $1,500 thats about 3 months in advance and just checked for november and it's still over $1,000.
Oh my! I'm in Ottawa for School but I live and London and it's brutal to get home for holidays! It's an all day trip, I swear it's almost faster to drive it! We need bullet trains!
To anyone who thinks: Come on, China has one why can't we have one too?
A simple google search will tell you that China's economy is nearly 4 (3.7) times bigger than Canada's. This means they can support this type of technological innovation much more
@oakster15 It's more about population density than economy. Some parts of the economy have little to do with bullet trains since bullet trains mainly transport people rather than goods. It's just that the demand for a bullet train isn't there due to Canada's population being much smaller than China's.
I guarantee that if they put high speed rail between Toronto and Montreal that gets you there in 90 minutes, you'd be hard pressed to find an empty train.
@meowmeow2133 yeah i think the population density is there, I just don't see it fitting into any budget plans in ontario in the Windsor-Quebec corridor thats why i referred to the size of the economy. Especially after the economic downturn that was strongly felt in the manufacturing sector of southern ontario.
Also i realize this video is purely comedy and nothing seriously was meant by it. just wanted to clarify for some people :)
they couldnt do that here (not practicably anyway) you would need a raised rail the entire distance except for maybe the stops and then a separate rail for the cargo trains
@Snakebiteloo Don't talk craziness. You can get from the English Channel to the Mediterranean in France in about three hours on high speed trains and France's terrain is about as diverse as anywhere. To put highspeed rail service between Toronto and Montreal is entirely doable. They have one along the east coast in the US. Look up Acella Express. Look at China and Japan, they're the most mountainous countries in the world and they've got high speed rail.
@CptSchmidt its got nothing to do with terrain. have you ever seen how much damage a moose does to the front of a regular train? hit a moose with a bullet train and you would probably derail it
@wongavery1698 The misgivings over high-speed rail in China have nothing to do with operating speeds, and they CERTAINLY don't board at 120km/h! (Where are you getting this information??) It's more to do with the fact that cheaper, slower train services are being cut in the name of high-speed trains and many people are being priced out.
FWIW, speeds on China's high-speed trains vary between 250 and 350km/h, though the design speed for most new lines is 380km/h.
@al2cl3 Well it is becoming a reality, but not for VIA rail, it's for GO Transit, from Metrolinx, where they will electrify two rail links. The first will go from Union Station in downtown Toronto, towards the Pearson International Airport and then extending the line to Brampton. After that, they will electrify the line from Toronto to Oshawa which may take years to finish, but it will be worth it, especially for the 2015 Pam Am Games coming to Toronto.
@al2cl3 Don't forget China has a much higher population density. It takes a lot of passenger traffic to make a rail line profitable. That's not as easy to do in a sparsely populated country like Canada.
@al2cl3 Just make sure its safe... CR did have this devastating trainwreck recently when safety equipment on a train failed after it was struck by lightning along with the failure of an complete standstill on the line after the train struck by lightning was severely damaged. In fact, a train rammed into the rear of the affected train, leading to a massive trainwreck, but the thought of one would be superb, considering the travel time between major cities.
Oh god... this is actually awesome! I'm usually taking the VIA to get to Ottawa and Oshawa because of school, and I wish I could get to either place faster.
Yeah I lived in China for a year in Shenyang, they I don't think had any HS trains but I travelled to Shanghai and yeah they are fast. It would be so nice for at least a little upgrade in either price or in service, as I don't think how much you pay for the train now is what you get, and I have never even been on the train here.
PS thank you Rick for putting Belleville on the map. At least we got 2 seconds on an RMR skit on youtube, i'm so happy right now.
Cronkonium 1 week ago
@Cronkonium Wait wait, I lived in Shenyang for 3 months.
Cronkonium 1 week ago
i like travelling on via, no more than 2 hours tho
Gibson2471 3 weeks ago
Cheaper than a flight, more comfortable, sure it takes 4hours+ but it's the least stressful and cheapest way to travel between those two points.
The bullet train would take away that 4 hours of me time.
dragonhowler 3 weeks ago
yep very slow
jennifer171986 1 month ago
Okay, but we don't have the population like China, we are far more spred out.
trainfanjacob8 1 month ago
there is something new called air travel, anyone done that?
daveni2 1 month ago
@daveni2 But for those of us who aren't in a hurry, OR who don't want to be stressed out insanely, train travel is a perfectly viable option.
ckildegaard 2 weeks ago
VIA rail is so shitty and overpriced and really slow.
hobobanana6575 1 month ago
High speed rail costs something like 2 million bucks a kilometre.
The time to build was yesterday.
mccarron969 2 months ago
Just to let everyone know VIA Trains still go fast and there were VIA Rail bullet trains once apon time but they were pulled off the track because they were t dangerous
CBKNews138 2 months ago
High speed rail in Canada now!
hschan4 2 months ago
i like ragular speeds because if you want to rail fan it would be terrible if they would be high speed
sonic2487 2 months ago
Toronto to Montreal by train?!? At all?!? I lost count of how much of my life has been lost on the Calgary-Saskatoon Greyhound run.
CoryTheRaven 2 months ago
I want my VIA (CN) Turbo Train to reappear. Come on Bombardier do something.
Kenster1025 2 months ago
@Kenster1025: There is already a new Jet Train from Bombardier, but VIA wouldn't dare buy it because of complaints from environmentalists; besides, everybody wants electric high-speed rail anyway.
Neville6000 2 months ago
This maybe a reality soon, as the governments of Canada, Ontario & Quebec have released a final rail study on a high-speed rail service from Windsor to Quebec City. This will create jobs and hope it is completed by 2020.
jhuhn 3 months ago
VIA is great when you want to spend 5 hours with the guy who ya
ClassicGarth 3 months ago
LOL this is funny cause it's TRUE! I can drive from Vancouver to Jasper in 14 hours, compared to taking the train, it takes 18 hours!
DannyandPatty 3 months ago
@DannyandPatty But would you REALLY drive 14 hours stright? I highly doubt so.
NeoArashi 3 months ago
@NeoArashi If you drive early in the morning, YES.
DannyandPatty 3 months ago
Thanks Lea.... I didn't see me in that one....lol
pls123pls 5 months ago
I've actually been on a round trip in the high speed trains in China, about a year ago. They really do go up to 350kph in regular service, and they are supremely comfortable. However but I think that they are going to have to take the crash incident very seriously, as these trains are the pride of an entire nation at this point.
ssj4david 6 months ago 3
lol someone put this guy in office his sketchs are true and hiliarious
snowboarder1019 7 months ago
Took the train once. 8 hours to Winnipeg... from Brandon, MB.
Bus7777 8 months ago
90 minutes? That's how long it always gets stuck in Smiths Falls waiting for another train to clear the line!
jo4nny 8 months ago 3
Luv the train, took it once a few years back...had a week to kill.
TheDickyTrip 9 months ago 10
Over here in the USA...we call ours AMTRAK. Although I would admit that certain lines are getting modest upgrades such as the Cascades Line. However, we don't have the bullet train either so both our nations can console each other over the lack of technological prowess or determination.
observer127 9 months ago 6
@observer127 Should make one across North America, Canada USA and maybe Mexico
PcGamerPaul 9 months ago
@observer127: Uh, YOU DO have the bullet train (of a sort); it's called Acela, and it's on the old Metroliner route (NYC to DC). Yes, it doesn't cover the whole country, but it's still high-speed rail.
Neville6000 3 months ago
@observer127 Even without high speed rail, Amtrak delivers pretty good service. Now, if only Congress would just subsidize them better. Funny how Congress always complains that Amtrak isn't doing a good enough job with the money they have. Hmm...wonder why. Could it be that they need MORE MONEY to do a good job? Use your heads, Congress!
ckildegaard 2 weeks ago
Toronto to Montreal in under 90 minutes! It's kind of sad that my mind is blown...But I could go see my parents in Windsor without spending the whole day actually getting there from Ottawa.
MrWench 9 months ago
This reminds me of a Simpsons quote: "I moved here from Canada and they think I'm slow eh"
It makes so much sense in the context of this video, but I still love my Canada <3
Lightgamete 9 months ago
This is great haha this is dialogue that needs to happen in our politics yet is being ignored. I'm sure Air Canada might have a hand at ignoring this issue, or it could be just that our politicians just don't care about our nation's infrastructure altogether.
ALBGunner04 9 months ago
Amtrak: Ghetto trains, slow speeds, horrible funding...TODAY!
foxh8er 9 months ago
@foxh8er it takes 4 days, 18 hours to get out to vancouver from toronto with via. but with amtrak from detroit it takes only 2 days.... lol thats not so slow.
katiiiemariiie 9 months ago
@foxh8er hell yea ! The states with the worst travel times are Michigan & Indiana.
truerailfan01 9 months ago
@foxh8er: Ever heard of Acela?
Neville6000 3 months ago
I wish VIA rail was actually reasonable for its transcanada service, not like around 1000$ a pop
shorerydr10 10 months ago
@shorerydr10 yes! i was actually looking at their prices to go out west this summer and it's about $1200 to get from toronto to vancouver and thats without a room.. meanwhile if you left from detroit and went out there it's only 200ish each way with amtrak in the states.
katiiiemariiie 9 months ago
@katiiiemariiie If you check with enough advance notice, the prices are closer to $500. Occasionally, I've seen last minute for under $200 economy, and about $550 for a sleeper from Toronto to Vancouver, during the winter, and under $300 ecnonomy for summer, about $750 sleeper. But you've got to do the fare searches correctly. The Special fares need at least 4 day advance notice, and sell out quick.
mdrejhon 9 months ago
@mdrejhon lol i've been checking for august and it's close to $1,500 thats about 3 months in advance and just checked for november and it's still over $1,000.
katiiiemariiie 9 months ago
@shorerydr10 Click "Express Deals" at the VIArail website. Under $200 economy, under $750 sleeper
mdrejhon 9 months ago
200th like :)
mfarabcomedy 10 months ago
awww, i still love via.
Tamfict23 10 months ago
Haha rick merer you are amazing !
13liveit 10 months ago
Another thing...that actress looks familiar. I remember a show on a few years ago called "The Jane Show"...is that her?
Bencentre 10 months ago
A high speed train on the Windsor-QC corridor is totally feasible. The population density is there.
Bencentre 10 months ago 3
@Bencentre But the airline lobby groups are probably in the way.
ALBGunner04 9 months ago
Oh my! I'm in Ottawa for School but I live and London and it's brutal to get home for holidays! It's an all day trip, I swear it's almost faster to drive it! We need bullet trains!
OliviaFan29 10 months ago
LOL! love it, rick should do one for TTC!
puccaface 10 months ago
LOL! love it, rick should do it for TTC!
puccaface 10 months ago
Ha! Ha!
agoldenrelic1 10 months ago
VIA Fail
thirtythreeonethird 10 months ago 4
turn on caption an look at 0:32. trust me.
Hayeshacker0NE 10 months ago
The airline companies probably lobby the crap outtta this matter to save their business and keep rails slow.
Pada007gangster 10 months ago
@Pada007gangster no doubt. A HSR line between Toronto and Montreal would kill Porter's business.
Bojaxs 10 months ago
If any political leader proposed building a bullet train in Canada and they had a solid plan to pay for it, I would vote for them.
But instead all I hear is "coalition" and "contempt"...
sigh
gundamWWW 10 months ago
Comment removed
neib83 10 months ago
@gundamWWW Check out the Green Party of Canada's plan for high speed rail!
neib83 10 months ago 2
The speed? how about their fucking prices!?!?!
rootbeerlover445 10 months ago
To anyone who thinks: Come on, China has one why can't we have one too?
A simple google search will tell you that China's economy is nearly 4 (3.7) times bigger than Canada's. This means they can support this type of technological innovation much more
oakster15 10 months ago
@oakster15 It's more about population density than economy. Some parts of the economy have little to do with bullet trains since bullet trains mainly transport people rather than goods. It's just that the demand for a bullet train isn't there due to Canada's population being much smaller than China's.
meowmeow2133 10 months ago
@meowmeow2133
I guarantee that if they put high speed rail between Toronto and Montreal that gets you there in 90 minutes, you'd be hard pressed to find an empty train.
IamTheEditor 10 months ago
@IamTheEditor only if it's cheaper than flying, though.
Tamfict23 10 months ago
@meowmeow2133 yeah i think the population density is there, I just don't see it fitting into any budget plans in ontario in the Windsor-Quebec corridor thats why i referred to the size of the economy. Especially after the economic downturn that was strongly felt in the manufacturing sector of southern ontario.
Also i realize this video is purely comedy and nothing seriously was meant by it. just wanted to clarify for some people :)
oakster15 10 months ago
@oakster15 lol....
edward5331 10 months ago
they couldnt do that here (not practicably anyway) you would need a raised rail the entire distance except for maybe the stops and then a separate rail for the cargo trains
Snakebiteloo 10 months ago
@Snakebiteloo Don't talk craziness. You can get from the English Channel to the Mediterranean in France in about three hours on high speed trains and France's terrain is about as diverse as anywhere. To put highspeed rail service between Toronto and Montreal is entirely doable. They have one along the east coast in the US. Look up Acella Express. Look at China and Japan, they're the most mountainous countries in the world and they've got high speed rail.
CptSchmidt 10 months ago
@CptSchmidt its got nothing to do with terrain. have you ever seen how much damage a moose does to the front of a regular train? hit a moose with a bullet train and you would probably derail it
Snakebiteloo 10 months ago
@Snakebiteloo The reason we don't have one is because it would hurt Air Canada and smaller airlines.
CptSchmidt 10 months ago
@CptSchmidt ya that would do it to
Snakebiteloo 10 months ago
You would need some serious moose deflectors on a bullet train
farkus0015 10 months ago 3
This is so true! I wish Canada could have a service like this. Come on, China has one!
al2cl3 10 months ago 89
Comment removed
wongavery1698 10 months ago
@wongavery1698 The misgivings over high-speed rail in China have nothing to do with operating speeds, and they CERTAINLY don't board at 120km/h! (Where are you getting this information??) It's more to do with the fact that cheaper, slower train services are being cut in the name of high-speed trains and many people are being priced out.
FWIW, speeds on China's high-speed trains vary between 250 and 350km/h, though the design speed for most new lines is 380km/h.
jaclm 10 months ago
@al2cl3 China > canada
???
permatroll 10 months ago
@al2cl3 Well it is becoming a reality, but not for VIA rail, it's for GO Transit, from Metrolinx, where they will electrify two rail links. The first will go from Union Station in downtown Toronto, towards the Pearson International Airport and then extending the line to Brampton. After that, they will electrify the line from Toronto to Oshawa which may take years to finish, but it will be worth it, especially for the 2015 Pam Am Games coming to Toronto.
jhuhn 10 months ago
@al2cl3 Don't forget China has a much higher population density. It takes a lot of passenger traffic to make a rail line profitable. That's not as easy to do in a sparsely populated country like Canada.
studentofsmith 9 months ago
@al2cl3 Just make sure its safe... CR did have this devastating trainwreck recently when safety equipment on a train failed after it was struck by lightning along with the failure of an complete standstill on the line after the train struck by lightning was severely damaged. In fact, a train rammed into the rear of the affected train, leading to a massive trainwreck, but the thought of one would be superb, considering the travel time between major cities.
wongavery1698 6 months ago
Oh god... this is actually awesome! I'm usually taking the VIA to get to Ottawa and Oshawa because of school, and I wish I could get to either place faster.
CalvinDWalker 10 months ago 46
"I haven't even got to know the stranger beside me who has a nasal thing!"
MrCrazyCanuk 10 months ago