Banff Alberta - I worked for Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) at the station in Field, for six years, from 1980 to 1986.
 
I believe that experience, listening to radio conversations between the Rail Traffic Controllers (RTC) in Calgary and the train crews, and talking with track maintainers, and signal maintainers, gives me an insight into the functioning and thought processes of CP that most people do not possess.
 
I am tired of reading and hearing that a passenger train service will resolve many of our traffic congestion/parking issues within the town of Banff.
 
It is highly unlikely that this pie-in-the-sky daydream will be constructed during our lifetimes.
 
Having written that, I would love to be proved wrong.
 
Please consider the following:
 
1. At best, this would be a summer-only service, similar to Rocky Mountain Railtour. There is not sufficient potential passengers during the winter months, and certainly not during the shoulder months of November and April.
 
2. CP does the vast majority of track maintenance during the daylight hours of the summer months. They sometimes allow their high-revenue trains (404, 403, etc.) to highball through during track maintenance periods, but all other trains are either yarded, put in the hole (sidings), or held on the mainline until the track is re-opened. Would CP let a commuter train through during track maintenance periods?
 
3. You should speak to anyone who works locally about how frequently the Rocky Mountain Railtour is late due to CP prioritizing its own trains before the Railtour is allowed to proceed.
 
4. Reasons 2 and 3 above should make it clear that it would be very difficult for a commuter train to run according to schedule.
 
5. I have heard, but not verified, that the return fare for an adult to travel between Edmonton and Jasper is approximately $200. I guesstimate that a child's fare might be $100. Mom and pop and three kids might, then, be as much as $700 (maybe there is a reduced family fare). Calgary to Banff is approximately half the distance as Edmonton to Jasper, so let's guess the return fare between Calgary and Banff would be half the fare between Edmonton and Jasper. Half of $700 (again, maybe there would be a family fare) would be $350 for that same family of five. Perhaps my guesstimates are too high, perhaps the provincial or federal governments would provide subsidies to reduce the cost. Perhaps a better comparison of possible fares would be the Greyhound return fare between Calgary and Banff. I phoned Greyhound and was told that a return ticket from Calgary to Banff for an adult was approximately $70 + GST. Children 12 and under get a 25 percent discount. Therefore two adults = $140. Three children under the age of 12 = 3 x $70 x 75 percent = $157.50. Total therefore for two adults and three children under the age of 12 is almost $300 + GST.
 
6. Anyone arriving at YYC would have to hire a taxi or take a shuttle to the CP train station.
 
7. After arriving in Banff the passengers would have to arrange, and pay for, the transfer of their bodies and luggage to their hotel. An inconvenience and an additional expense. Most people do not like the additional inconvenience and expense that arriving in a car, or bus, would eliminate. And granted, there is a fee to park a vehicle at many hotels so that fee should be added to the cost of driving either a personal vehicle or renting a car.
 
8. The CP owns the land on which its tracks cut through Banff National Park. They do not lease that land and can refuse access to their tracks to anyone. Just ask any pedestrian who has been fined by a CP policeman for trespassing for crossing the CP tracks.
 
9. Some will suggest that another rail line could be built parallel, or close to the CP rail line. I guesstimate that the cost of building a new and separate line between Calgary and Banff could easily exceed $100,000,000. The fact the CP would love to have someone else build, and pay for, a parallel line to which the CP would negotiate access to might reduce building costs.
 
10. It is highly unlikely that Parks Canada would allow additional Parks land outside of the CP right-of-way leasehold to be utilized for the purpose of building a commuter train-dedicated rail line.
 
So, anyone flogging this dead horse, please start advocating for intercept lots and improved regional bus service.
 
And don't get me started on that equally foolish gondola to the gondola pipe dream.
 
Jon Whelan.