Will any of the railway options happen?
Are the proposed options viable? Probably not due to the financial and political issues. Therefore, the most beneficial option at present is nothing.
The future of this rail line is transportation. At the present, a glance at traffic between Vernon and Kelowna in peak hours is bumper to bumper. As it increases in the future, the rail line will be a viable option.
A rough professional estimate has indicated an approximate cost of about $1 million per kilometre to rebuild the line to accommodate a high-speed commuter train.
Compare this to the cost of $78 million which was spent to rebuild the stretch of highway between Vernon and Winfield.
Thoughts of this nature to political representatives at various levels have not resulted in any enthusiasm.
In future years, this option might be gladly welcomed and very feasible. In the past, any thoughts of future planning have been non-existent. Let’s keep this option open.
G.G. Nose
Vernon
