VIA Rail announces resumption of the Toronto–Winnipeg portion of The Canadian
VIA Rail Canada has announced that it will be returning service to the Toronto to Winnipeg portion of The Canadian route with one full round-trip per week starting in May. The Canadian’s full route links Toronto with Vancouver via Winnipeg. The leg connecting Winnipeg with Vancouver has already bee restored. The initial full trip from Vancouver to Toronto will depart May 17th. The first full return trip, from Toronto to Vancouver, will depart May 23rd. [viarail.ca]
Vegas-to-LA high-speed rail line still on track to break ground in 2021
Brightline West plans to start construction of a high-speed rail route between Las Vegas and Southern California in the second quarter, however no launch date of has been confirmed. In January, Brightline stated that, despite funding hurdles brought on by the pandemic, a revised financial plan would set a second-quarter 2021 groundbreaking. Trains serving the 170-mile route between Las Vegas and Victorville, California are expected to reach top speeds of 200 mph. Meanwhile, Amtrak has teased the possibly of a new line between LA and Vegas. [rgj.com]
France to ban domestic flights where trains are available in move to cut emissions
France is set to ban short domestic flights in favor of train services, after lawmakers approved a plan that will see several air routes discontinued to reduce emissions. The ban would suspend some trips by domestic airlines that can be made by train in less than two-and-a-half hours, as part of a wider climate bill. If the bill passes through France’s upper house, the Senate, France will join a number of European countries seeking to move away from short flights. [cnn.com]
Amtrak promotes Front Range rail as Colorado lawmakers seize on momentum
The Front Range corridor is “long past ready” for a regional passenger rail line according to top Amtrak executives. They provided new details on how a state-federal partnership might pay for and operate the line along the I-25 corridor. Eventually, the railway could stretch nearly 300 miles from Cheyenne, Wyoming, south to Pueblo or Trinidad. While a full build-out could run to $14 billion, a recent report said initial service might cost as little as $2 billion. A new state bill would create a 13-county Front Range Passenger Rail District to build and oversee the system. [denverpost.com]
