yeggator
Active Member
After seeing the pictures of the new public space at The Switch, I've been thinking a lot about how we might be able to integrate that with a new regional rail terminus for VIA Rail/service to Jasper and regional rail to the suburbs along CN's various ROWs and came up with the map attached. Imagine the Switch being tied in with the plaza in front of the RAM (directing you towards City Hall), the Living Bridge, Mary Burlie Park and a large new plaza with a drop-off loop (perhaps with an infill LRT station connection) in front of a new terminal (main building marked in orange, but platforms could extend all the way across the yellow zone). It would be a fantastic way to welcome visitors to the station right in the heart of the city from the suburbs, Jasper, the rest of the country coming in by train and even visitors across the world coming to the station to take the train to the mountains. Certainly much better than a crappy station by a rail yard, freeway and the giant Blatchford construction zone.
This also really puts into perspective just how much land we would need for a Downtown Station. Those VIA rail trains are ridiculously long and would stretch out almost to 92nd Street while stopped at the station! You'd have to acquire land where the Bissell Centre and Canada Post are, plus some houses on 106th Ave to set up platforms that are long enough for the trains, while not infringing on the LRT tracks.
This also really puts into perspective just how much land we would need for a Downtown Station. Those VIA rail trains are ridiculously long and would stretch out almost to 92nd Street while stopped at the station! You'd have to acquire land where the Bissell Centre and Canada Post are, plus some houses on 106th Ave to set up platforms that are long enough for the trains, while not infringing on the LRT tracks.
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