From www.viarail.ca  — this appears to be a way to re-gain passenger loyalty due to the negative press from the Strike. If you had plans to book a VIA Rail trip anytime soon, this offer is too good to pass up:

“Until Wednesday, save 60% on travel to all Canadian destinations!

All aboard! Book your trip before July 29, 2009 and save big with VIA Rail. This exceptional offer is applicable for travel completed before December 14, 2009 in Economy, Business (VIA 1) or Touring (Totem) class.
”

For more, visit http://www.viarail.ca

The first VIA Rail strike since 1995 is set to end on Sunday. The first trains through the North Mainline will be 87 at 7 pm and 89 around 11 train 88 appears to be cancelled Sunday. Commuters are breathing a sigh of relief as the Monday commute will be business as usual

As of 12 AM today, VIA Rail Engineers went on strike, and all trains are cancelled, except for Sudbury-White River and Victoria-Courtenay. For those in Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph, your last train was #84 this morning at about 10 AM. There will be no further passenger trains until this strike is over.

What are your alternatives? GO Transit continues to operate normally, if you need train transpotation to Toronto and wish to avoid parking, drive down to Aldershot station and use the all-day GO service there. Milton or Georgetown GO Train service would be your alternate for commuters heading to downtown Toronto.

Greyhound, Canada Coach, and GO Transit busses are your only alternate means of transpotation at this time.

Ontario Northland train and bus services from Toronto to North Bay and beyond are operating normally.

GO published their final Environmental Assessment documents this week and within was some interesting information about VIA Rail’s planned improvements. After some heavy reading, the following was published in Appendix B:

VIA Rail plans to add six new trains to the North Mainline, London to Toronto via Kitchener and Guelph. Trains departing from London at 1155, 1505, 1755, and departing from Toronto at 1300, 1630, 1830. This plan would provide off-peak service during the afternoons, and seems to avoid GO “Rush Hour”.

Very interesting news, as if this comes to pass we stand to have 12 VIA Rail and 8 GO Transit departures and arrivals per day by 2011, more than double today’s passenger rail service.

- Steve

(Update: The link to the raw documents can be found here)

Thanks to David Graham, who recieved his letter this morning, which states the GO Transit EA Study for service expansion to Kitchener/Guelph/etc has been completed. The completed study can be viewed in person at the following locations

• City of Brampton – Clerks office – 2 Wellington St West, Brampton
• Town of Halton Hills – Clerk’s Office – 1 Halton Hills Drive, Georgetown
• Halton Hills Public Library – Acton Branch – 17 River Street, Acton
• Guelph City Hall – Clerk’s Office – 1 Carden Street, Guelph
• Guelph Public Library – Main Branch – 100 Norfolk Street, Guelph
• Region of Waterloo Library – Bloomingdale Branch – 860 Sawmill Road, Bloomingdale
• Kitchener Public Library – Main Branch – 85 Queen Street North, Kitchener
• Kitchener City Hall – Clerk’s Office – 200 King Street West, Kitchener
• Region of Waterloo Library – New Hamburg Branch – 145 Huron Street, New Hamburg
• Region of Waterloo Library – Baden Branch – 115 Snyder’s Road East, Baden
• Township of Wilmot – Clerk’s Office – 60 Snyder’s Road West, Baden
• Township of Woolwich – Clerk’s Office – 24 Church Street West, Elmira

More details to come, as well, watch your local newspaper for their take.  The completed study is in a public review period until September 7 2009.

” Light rail an option in city study

By Doug Hallett, Guelph Tribune
Jun 30, 2009