The train service that will connect Quebec to Toronto will be “much faster than many trains in Europe,” promises Martin Imbleau, president and CEO of the VIA Rail subsidiary in charge of this megaproject, in an interview with La Presse.
In office since September 8, the latter also undertakes to “try” to create sections where cars can travel at more than 200 km/h and will bury the name “high frequency train (TGF)”.
The former boss of the Montreal Port Authority does not hide it: he wishes to refocus the discourse, which, in his opinion, has “unfortunately” crystallized around the theme of frequency, which has cast doubt on the other facets of the project.
“It’s three things we need,” he explains. It has to be faster, reliable and [the train] needs to be frequent. Speed is necessary, but insufficient on its own. »
Because Canada is the only G7 country not to have a high-speed train (TGV) – which can travel up to 300 km/h – voices have been raised, particularly in Quebec, to ask the government Trudeau to consider this option. Deemed too expensive, this scenario, which could cost up to 80 billion, was ruled out by Ottawa.
What’s on the table isn’t a consolation prize, says Mr. Imbleau. He even goes so far as to say that the railway project which will connect Quebec, Montreal and Toronto will have nothing to envy of what we see on the Old Continent.
“I take these trains in Europe, and our service will be much faster than many trains in Europe,” says Mr. Imbleau. We are used to the bucolic [character] of European trains, but we don’t know it here. »
Firstly, the question of high speed will be studied. Under the “baseline” scenario, trains will run at top speeds of around 200 km/h on passenger-only rail tracks. The journey between the metropolis and the Queen City would be approximately 4 hours 10 minutes. The three selected consortia will, however, have to propose a more ambitious scenario in which it will be possible to target sections where cars can go faster.
“The mandate we have is yes, there is a four-hour scenario [between Montreal and Toronto], but also a 3:30 hour scenario,” says Mr. Imbleau. Before launching a precise figure, we will see where and how we can be faster. There is a minimum of 200 km/h, but we will try to be faster. »
An existing “good comparable” to what could emerge in Canada? The route which connects Paris (France), Brussels (Belgium) and Amsterdam (Netherlands), according to the boss of VIA TGF. On the Old Continent, trains connect Paris and Brussels in around 90 minutes, reaching speeds of around 300 km/h. Afterwards, it takes around 2 hours 15 minutes to complete the remaining 200 kilometers to Amsterdam, a journey where several stops are made.
On average, trains travel at 156 km/h across the network.
The example mentioned by Mr. Imbleau does not mean that trains will travel at 300 km/h in Canada. Rather, it reflects the cohabitation between high-speed sections and more frequent stops on other sections.
It is not only the speed of the wagons that will reduce travel times, insists the president and CEO of VIA TGF. We must also be able to enter and leave urban centers as quickly as possible.
“When you take the train today to leave Montreal, the first 15 to 20 minutes are long,” emphasizes Mr. Imbleau. For what ? You drive at low speed because getting out of Central Station takes forever. A train traveling at 250 km/h for half an hour is not the only thing that will save time. »
These answers will come in the pre-project phase which will be carried out with the private group which will be selected at the end of the call for tenders. At this stage of the process, the manager of VIA TGF does not want to make any promises or advance cost and schedule estimates. On these last two aspects, there is “100% chance of being wrong” at the moment, he says.
Calculations carried out by La Presse estimate that a “half TGV”, with high-speed segments on 60% of the route, would cost 62 billion. In the case of a TGF, the bill would range between 28 and 35 billion.
