OK – so I’m on a bit of a high horse right now… I blame the Sleeman’s…
Things in Canada that would benefit from an integrated and modern rail network:
- The environment – in terms of GHG emissions, ozone depletion, noise pollution, land use and unsustainable settlement patterns
- Better service to the downtown cores of communities and not just to the soul-eating outskirts.
- Economic impacts in terms of building / renewing the rail infrastructure but also the positive impact of improving the transportation corridors to smaller centres.
- Everyone and anyone who travels any distance by train immediately has a better appreciation of the beauty and vastness of this country. And who doesn’t like beauty and vastness?
- Less collective anger over weather delays and cancellations, lost luggage, surly Air Canada staff, exorbitant additional fees, cramped seats, etc., etc.
- Increased productivity since you can do actual work on a train… but this increase may be negated by the ready availability of alcohol.
- More Canadians get to see cool and interesting stuff – like this cloud for example:
Any others positive results that would comes from a better planned and integrated rail network?
Anyone? Anyone? Beuller?
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