The sentiment to revive the E&N Railway service from Victoria to Courtenay is a “Bad penny that won’t go away” (from a letter in the The NEWS, March 26).
Those who keep returning this “bad penny” into circulation cite a need to provide reliable and reasonably priced daily passenger service from Victoria to Courtenay (or even better, Campbell River) and back. On that, I cannot disagree.
But is it not a no-brainer to provide this service with a mid-sized van or two? The schedule of this service could be such that one could spend several hours in Victoria or Campbell River (or any community along the route) and return home the same day. Provision could be made for a connecting service from Port Alberni to Qualicum Beach, allowing the Port Alberni residents to take advantage of the service.
Even better would be to have two vans. One could begin its route in Victoria in the morning, and a second van could do the same, except beginning in Campbell River. One could have a full day in Victoria — or Campbell River — with only a single night’s stay over (E&N’s schedule required two over-nighters to spend one day in Victoria).
Surely the substitution of vans for the railroad cannot be a new idea. Why is it not being promoted?
Warren BaileyQualicum Beach
