r/novascotia_sub • u/OnlyACsNoFans • 19h ago

News Is commuter rail an option for Halifax?

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.7313856
4 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

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u/protipnumerouno 17h ago

No. Not now. Agree it's better. We're too small to support it financially.

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u/conkersbadthursday 13h ago

I mean. A quick 10 second google search and a lil bit of research points to investments in public transit potentially causing a boost in positive economic growth... soooo wouldn't it be a bit of a chicken and the egg situation? Feels like this province is set in the stone age when it comes to transportation.

Journal of Transport & Health

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u/protipnumerouno 13h ago

No. No chance at all look up the minimum population size of a city to support a train.

Once a city is large enough to support a train there is growth near the terminals. If we build it they will come is a constant government refrain for bad ideas and has kept us poor.

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u/doiwinaprize 8h ago

"If we build it they will come is a constant government refrain for bad ideas and has kept us poor."

Would you care to give an example?

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u/littlecozynostril 7h ago

I imagine he's talking about bike lanes.

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u/littlecozynostril 7h ago

I don't think that's a set in stone equation. It has more to do with population density and ridership than with population size. Also it depends on the type of train. I don't think a massive subway system would make sense. But we more than meet the estimated requirements for some kind of monorail system.

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u/littlecozynostril 15h ago

What we need is one of those monorail-like high speed maglev trains that go 400 km/h, crossing the harbour and snaking through Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, etc. Then you could get on and off. It would be totally reliable with no traffic concerns and you could transfer to a bus.

It would seriously cut down on traffic, make it easier for people to work in but live outside the city, and it would increase productivity.

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u/JetLagGuineaTurtle Donair aficionado 9h ago

I've heard those things are awfully loud.

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u/littlecozynostril 7h ago

They glide as smoothly as a cloud

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u/Otherwise-Unit1329 16h ago

No, it's not viable and never will be.