TRANSPORT. The optimism of the aspiring operator of the tourist train linking Montreal, Sherbrooke and Boston, Nikolai Ray, went up a notch following the presentation of this project in Coaticook last Thursday (September 1).
Mr. Ray is a Magogois businessman who owns real estate in Sherbrooke. He leads a group of partners who are in the process of buying the Orford Express tourist train. The transaction is not yet final, as a few conditions remain to be met.
In an interview, he reiterates his interest in operating a passenger tourist train linking Montreal to Boston, via Magog, Sherbrooke, Coaticook and Old Orchard Beach. “It bodes well, because we already have exclusive rights to use Canadian Pacific rails north of the border,” he explains. There are still negotiations to be done on the American side, but the interest seems to be mutual.
American elected officials and business people also attended the September 1 information session. They were among the assistance totaling regarding fifty people. These presences delighted François Rebello, the spokesperson for the Night Trains Foundation, the organization promoting the idea. “We are mobilizing because the American companies concerned are ready to receive our proposal, he adds. The negotiations might last a year, but we expect to start the train in two years.”
Mr. Ray hesitates before specifying a deadline. He prefers to talk regarding great chances of success and optimism to get the train out of the station. Its goal is to run a low-speed tourist train between Sherbrooke and Boston, probably within five years. A higher speed is however essential between Sherbrooke and Montreal for a question of profitability and efficiency.
The route between Montreal and Boston would take 14 hours at night, including a three-hour trip between Montreal and Sherbrooke. Mr. Rebello believes it is feasible to first set up a 14-hour route, but that it will be necessary to improve the condition of the rails between Sherbrooke and Montreal to eventually complete this route between 60 and 90 minutes.
This investment represents a stumbling block in carrying out the project, especially since the total bill might reach $115 million. This sum would be assumed by the private sector and the governments.
However, Messrs. Rebello and Ray specify that the Canadian Pacific has already been modernizing its railway for a few years, which bodes well in their eyes. These two promoters are convinced that the train represents a mode of transport of the future, combining economy and the environment.
As for the cars of the Orford Express, which are currently sleeping at Merry Point in Magog, they might return to the road depending on the type of route. We might therefore see it back on track, but it is quite possible that Mr. Ray will make other acquisitions in the future.
In the short term, the Orford Express might well come back to life within two years for trips between Sherbrooke and Saint-Jean. This first step would pave the way for a faster route to Montreal and an option to Boston.
REACTIONS
The Mayor of Coaticook, Simon Madore, attended the September 1 meeting. He still supports this initiative, even if he sees little economic impact for his region. “Passengers will surely not stop at the Coaticook station, because it will be a night train, he warns. We nevertheless hope that this transport will be used by our citizens to go to Maine or by visitors to come and see us.”
As for the Estrie Montérégie Rail Corridor Alliance (ACFEM), it welcomes any initiative aimed at developing new passenger and freight rail transportation services. The elected officials of the municipalities that make up this group are also aiming for better rail safety as well as a fast and user-friendly mode of transportation. They also want to take advantage of the rail potential to use it as an economic lever.