Moving back to UK from Canada
#61
Re: Moving back to UK from Canada
Standard technique of humour to write a few sentences and suddenly throw in something different.
If it had been that line only, then you might mistake it.
In any case, if you're going to accuse someone of spouting xenophobic BS it might be worth taking a quick look at posting history to see if it's in any way justified. If you had done that, you'd have seen a similar style comment just a few minutes earlier drawing attention to the double standards sometimes shown in responses to atrocities.
Seems that way.
#62
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Joined: Feb 2013
Location: BC, Canada
Posts: 3,872
Re: Moving back to UK from Canada
In the middle? Take another look. It was the last sentence.
Standard technique of humour to write a few sentences and suddenly throw in something different.
If it had been that line only, then you might mistake it.
In any case, if you're going to accuse someone of spouting xenophobic BS it might be worth taking a quick look at posting history to see if it's in any way justified. If you had done that, you'd have seen a similar style comment just a few minutes earlier drawing attention to the double standards sometimes shown in responses to atrocities.
Seems that way.
Standard technique of humour to write a few sentences and suddenly throw in something different.
If it had been that line only, then you might mistake it.
In any case, if you're going to accuse someone of spouting xenophobic BS it might be worth taking a quick look at posting history to see if it's in any way justified. If you had done that, you'd have seen a similar style comment just a few minutes earlier drawing attention to the double standards sometimes shown in responses to atrocities.
Seems that way.
Precisely why I suggested sarcasm ............. I've gradually become aware of his way of commenting!!!
#63
Best Place on Earth- LMAO
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: BC
Posts: 571
Re: Moving back to UK from Canada
Only G7 country ..........NOPE!!
Amtrak in the US is also runs passenger trains on tracks owned by freight companies ............... but down there, there are still many freight rail companies, so travelling and keeping to time on long distance passenger trains can be just as difficult as in Canada.
Both VIA and Amtrak have disclaimers on their booking sites recommending that one does not book onward travel on the day of arrival after a long distance trip.
My only question is ......... who will pay for the dedicated VIA track in the Montreal - Ottawa - Toronto Corridor?? VIA is a government agency ............. which means thee and me will pay to fund the billions necessary.
Just as a point of interest .......
.......... we find that VIA trains in the Corridor are not often delayed by more than a few minutes. The longest delay we have had over 13 years of travelling that corridor was caused by faulty sensors on the train indicating that connections between carriages were frozen.
Amtrak in the US is also runs passenger trains on tracks owned by freight companies ............... but down there, there are still many freight rail companies, so travelling and keeping to time on long distance passenger trains can be just as difficult as in Canada.
Both VIA and Amtrak have disclaimers on their booking sites recommending that one does not book onward travel on the day of arrival after a long distance trip.
My only question is ......... who will pay for the dedicated VIA track in the Montreal - Ottawa - Toronto Corridor?? VIA is a government agency ............. which means thee and me will pay to fund the billions necessary.
Just as a point of interest .......
.......... we find that VIA trains in the Corridor are not often delayed by more than a few minutes. The longest delay we have had over 13 years of travelling that corridor was caused by faulty sensors on the train indicating that connections between carriages were frozen.
I don't mind my taxes going for an upgrade of this antiquated rail system. I think the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal line should be on a dedicated track. The average age of the rolling stock is about 40 years and nearing end of life. Delays are reported to be getting worse I've read.
#64
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Joined: Feb 2013
Location: BC, Canada
Posts: 3,872
Re: Moving back to UK from Canada
I thought I read that in an article. It was actually that Canada is the only G7 country with no high speed rail.
I don't mind my taxes going for an upgrade of this antiquated rail system. I think the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal line should be on a dedicated track. The average age of the rolling stock is about 40 years and nearing end of life. Delays are reported to be getting worse I've read.
I don't mind my taxes going for an upgrade of this antiquated rail system. I think the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal line should be on a dedicated track. The average age of the rolling stock is about 40 years and nearing end of life. Delays are reported to be getting worse I've read.
It would actually be pretty hard to put a dedicated track let alone a high speed one where it is most required ........ the cross country track from Vancouver to Toronto.
The usual "con" is that there just is not the population to make a high speed line pay, even in the Corridor.
The service onboard the trains is however superb, with friendly helpful staff .......... quite different from some of my experiences in the UK
Just as a matter of interest .......
........ I understand that the rail system in the UK basically is a company owning the tracks and another company owning the rail stock, with a number of companies involved in both areas. Not sure whether they are actually dedicated tracks or not!
That's a result of the Beeching cutbacks in the 1960s which hammered passenger traffic, followed by the privatisation of BritRail in the 1990s.
#65
Best Place on Earth- LMAO
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: BC
Posts: 571
Re: Moving back to UK from Canada
It would actually be pretty hard to put a dedicated track let alone a high speed one where it is most required ........ the cross country track from Vancouver to Toronto.
The usual "con" is that there just is not the population to make a high speed line pay, even in the Corridor.
The service onboard the trains is however superb, with friendly helpful staff .......... quite different from some of my experiences in the UK
Just as a matter of interest .......
........ I understand that the rail system in the UK basically is a company owning the tracks and another company owning the rail stock, with a number of companies involved in both areas. Not sure whether they are actually dedicated tracks or not!
That's a result of the Beeching cutbacks in the 1960s which hammered passenger traffic, followed by the privatisation of BritRail in the 1990s.
The usual "con" is that there just is not the population to make a high speed line pay, even in the Corridor.
The service onboard the trains is however superb, with friendly helpful staff .......... quite different from some of my experiences in the UK
Just as a matter of interest .......
........ I understand that the rail system in the UK basically is a company owning the tracks and another company owning the rail stock, with a number of companies involved in both areas. Not sure whether they are actually dedicated tracks or not!
That's a result of the Beeching cutbacks in the 1960s which hammered passenger traffic, followed by the privatisation of BritRail in the 1990s.
The Ontario government is planning to build a high speed train from Toronto to London by 2025 and eventually extend it to Windsor.
Hyperloop One awarded the Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto route as one of the top 10 Hyperloop routes in the world. Toronto to Montreal in 39 minutes. It seems far fetched but who knows.
#66
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Joined: Feb 2013
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Posts: 3,872
Re: Moving back to UK from Canada
There actually have been a number of suggestions for a dedicated track for VIA OR else double tracking across Canada from Vancouver to Toronto ............ but it is always pushed into the future because of the tremendous cost .......
...... and, of course, CN would be extremely unwilling to bear any part of that cost even though it would help them as their freight trains get held up on the single track sections, especially across the Canadian Shield.
I have been watching this for almost 50 years!
You would also be VERY surprised if you actually rode the trans-Canada train The Canadian, The Ocean from Montreal to Halifax, or The Skeena from Prince Rupert to Jasper ............ a lot of Canadians ride those trains regularly! All of them are, to varying extents, service trains for ordinary Joe Blow Canadian.
Tourists in the summer, yes ............. they provide lots of money to VIA, and they do not get the cheaper deals that Canadians can get.
Las Christmas we met an 81 year old man who had ridden The Canadian for 63 years from Winnipeg to Toronto to spend Christmas with his relations ....... and he is not unusual.
How does someone living on a ranch or on a reserve between PR and Jasper get to the nearest town ...... The Skeena
How do hundreds of Maritimers get home from Ontario or Quebec ........ The Skeena
How does the doctor on a rota to an Indian Reserve north of Sioux Lookout get to and from the reserve ....... by a drop off at a small road junction 200 km from Sioux
How do hunters and fishermen get to their preferred areas in northern Ontario ......... The Canadian, and a whistle stop for drop off and pick up at their favoured lake!
I'm not kidding .......... we have seen all of that and more.
Even the freezers full of fish being put into the baggage car after a successful trip. Haven't yet seen a dead moose being loaded ............ but I'm sure it happens!
...... and, of course, CN would be extremely unwilling to bear any part of that cost even though it would help them as their freight trains get held up on the single track sections, especially across the Canadian Shield.
I have been watching this for almost 50 years!
You would also be VERY surprised if you actually rode the trans-Canada train The Canadian, The Ocean from Montreal to Halifax, or The Skeena from Prince Rupert to Jasper ............ a lot of Canadians ride those trains regularly! All of them are, to varying extents, service trains for ordinary Joe Blow Canadian.
Tourists in the summer, yes ............. they provide lots of money to VIA, and they do not get the cheaper deals that Canadians can get.
Las Christmas we met an 81 year old man who had ridden The Canadian for 63 years from Winnipeg to Toronto to spend Christmas with his relations ....... and he is not unusual.
How does someone living on a ranch or on a reserve between PR and Jasper get to the nearest town ...... The Skeena
How do hundreds of Maritimers get home from Ontario or Quebec ........ The Skeena
How does the doctor on a rota to an Indian Reserve north of Sioux Lookout get to and from the reserve ....... by a drop off at a small road junction 200 km from Sioux
How do hunters and fishermen get to their preferred areas in northern Ontario ......... The Canadian, and a whistle stop for drop off and pick up at their favoured lake!
I'm not kidding .......... we have seen all of that and more.
Even the freezers full of fish being put into the baggage car after a successful trip. Haven't yet seen a dead moose being loaded ............ but I'm sure it happens!
#67
Re: Moving back to UK from Canada
Having just been to the UK on a visit, bit puzzled by the OP's comments. The traffic is absolutely appalling (okay I know it's bad in TO I lived there but to suggest it's better in the UK is laughable), it's overcast and raining all the bloody time (especially in Scotland) and as for taxes, well that depends on your personal situation but VAT for example is 20% and HST in Ontario is 13%. You might get dinged a bit more on income tax in Ontario depending on how much you earn but it's got to be a lot to make up for the VAT/HST difference.
Is there that big of a difference living near the coast in the UK and living next to Lake Ontario?
The one thing (among many) that totally puts me off moving to the UK is customer service, which is way better here. Everyone in the UK seems hell bent on trying to get out of doing their job by being awkward.
#68
Re: Moving back to UK from Canada
Of course it depends where. Quaint like Sidmouth; Rugged; London-on-Sea (Brighton); Tacky: Pebble beach or sandy.
Looking at it the other way, is there anywhere on Lake Ontario like Bowness-on-Windermere or other places in the Lake District? Serious question.
As nice as Oakville looks in pictures it doesn't look "nice on a lake"