#islandrail — Public Fediverse posts

I try to be positive whenever there is news that government is showing an interest in the railway on Vancouver Island, but there have been so many feasibility studies over the past 20 years, it’s hard to be excited for another one.

But... I will be excited nonetheless!

YAY! Island Rail!
#IslandRail #VancouverIsland #CanPoli #CdnPoli #BCPoli #Transportation #Victoria
https://www.canada.ca/en/pacific-economic-development/news/2026/09/pacifican-invests-in-passenger-rail-opportunities-connecting-victoria-west-and-langford.html

🚂 It brings a tear to this old engine's boiler to see such strong support from First Nations in the Alberni Valley. Wawmeesh Ken Watts said “I think everybody in the Valley would love to see this train go all the way at least to Cameron Lake”

And I would love to take them there on their Island Railway!

Choo Choo Chuu Wawmeesh! 🚂 :TseshahtFN: :hupacasath: :portalberni: :acrd:

https://digital.albernivalleynews.com/Albernivalley-News-05132026/1/

#IslandRail #Railway #Tourism #PublicTransportation #Transportation #Steam

Well bust my boiler, this looks positive!

https://albernivalleynews.com/2025/12/11/historic-coalition-formed-to-study-victoria-langford-rail-potential/

#FirstNations #IslandRail #Passenger #Victoria #YYJ #Langford #CRD #rail #Transportation

Chooo: The latest telegrams say one of the trestles on the Alberni Subdivision at Cameron Lake has burned. The picture here might even show it.

Edit: New telegram says maybe the trestles are ok!? Wheels crossed!

In 114 years of the Alberni sub there have been fires, but nothing like this. My wooden trestles are strong. They are meant to be replaced as timbers age, gradually, over decades. It would be hard to replace the whole thing.

Thank you firefighters!
Choo.
#IslandRail #BCWildfire

What every citizen of BC should know about the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act is that at the end, it has a section that essentially argues that *any* and *all* government information *must* be disclosed if it is in the public interest.

“Division 4 -- Public Interest Paramount”

It has just one Section:

*Information must be disclosed if in the public interest*

25 (1)Whether or not a request for access is made, the head of a public body must, without delay, disclose to the public, to an affected group of people or to an applicant, information

(a)about a risk of significant harm to the environment or to the health or safety of the public or a group of people, or

(b)the disclosure of which is, for any other reason, clearly in the public interest.

(2)Subsection (1) applies despite any other provision of this Act.
———

https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96165_02#section25

#BCPoli #BCGov #IslandRail #FOIPPA #FOI

Just sent a truly epic email to the Freedom of Information office at the BC Ministry requesting that they release a bunch of information that they refused/redacted in my 2000 page Island Railway related information disclosure.

It was 1160 words with 11 attachments. 😂

Feeling my citizen-power rn

Though i don't envy the FOI analyst opening that up just before lunch on a Friday in June. 😇

(blog post about the FOI request: (https://chrisalemany.ca/2025/06/16/2-years-later-my-freedom-of-information-request-shows-a-snapshot-of-government-ignoring-vancouver-islanders-for-20-years/)
#BCPoli #BCGov #IslandRail #FOIPPA #FOI

#Elxn45 #PleaseBoost My last spike was driven here by Prime Minister John A Macdonald on August 13th 1886 on his only visit to BC.

A rich industrialist built me on stolen land but I want to be part of a better future.

In this election, does any party care about lessening the burden on our highways, reducing CO2, or providing vital service to visitors, business, and residents?

I am not sure, but I hope you don't forget about me.

Choo.
#CdnPoli #CanPoli #Rail #Transportation #IslandRail

This can still be my future.
#PortAlberni #Parksville #IslandRail
https://stefanbohacek.online/@trains/113493476925114824

David Arbour is stepping down from ICF. Every scrap of news I hear out of the ICF continues to suggest: #IslandRail is not coming back. :(

Glad to be on the bus again. I have had to drive all the way in every day this week and it's exhausting. I just wish they would make a proper commuter bus from Qualicum/Parksville so I only had to drive for 30min instead of 45-60. Better yet, how about that train line so we can dump the 2nd car completely? 🚆
#bus #commuting #buslife #Nanaimo #PortAlberni #Oceanside #endCarCulture #IslandRail

People still choo choo choose me. ❤️ 🚂 ❤️
#rail #train #vancouverIsland #islandrail #bcPoli #cdnpoli
https://www.victoriabuzz.com/2024/01/over-7500-people-sign-federal-petition-to-bring-train-back-to-vancouver-island/

Have I ever told you one of my favourite political-actions is to file Freedom of Information/Access To Information requests and then riff on the results? It's good times.

I just got notification that my most recent FOI will be proceeding. It was hung up as the Office determined whether I was worthy of having the fees (~$100) waved. It looks like they might wave them. I'll know shortly and should have a response to my request, or more likely, a request to extend their search time, in the next 30 days.
#bcPoli #Rail #VancouverIsland #Transportation #IslandRail #FOI #ATI #CanPoli

There was a point in time where the plan was to actually have rail all the way to Victoria... as in, you could hop on a train in Victoria and ride the rails all the way to Montreal. With both the upstart Hullo and BC Ferries having a string of sailing cancellations, part of me wishes this existed. #VancouverIsland #IslandRail #VictoriaBC #YYJ

Global News BC: B.C. sets aside $18 million for Island Rail future as consultations continue https://globalnews.ca/news/9551959/island-rail-future/ #globalnews #britishcolumbia #news #transportationvancouverisland #islandrailwaysystem #vancouverislandbc #islandrailfuture #VancouverIsland #islandrail #Courtenay #Victoria #Traffic #Canada

Maybe the situation is unprecedented, but with only 3 days left to save #IslandRail, is there really any chance of it being saved? Seems like if the province were going to act, they would have done it already. Waiting until the very last possible moment seems strange.

Here is a reason to diversify public transit modes away from reliance on highways. There is an unused railway less than 1km away from all of these photos. I have taken that particular bus many times in the past. Trains are not bothered by snow like highways, cars, and buses are. This is one huge reason why I made a “bus schedule” for the trains. You just can’t build more highway to solve this.
@josie_osborne
https://chrisalemany.ca/2023/02/22/island-transit-on-rails/
#bcpoli #publictransit #islandrail #transportation

@chrisale What are you thoughts on the possible breakup of #IslandRail corridor?

I'm concerned about losing it altogether, but I also understand that First Nations are demanding the return of land that was appropriated for a railroad that no longer exists.

There is a serious dearth of Island Rail news. Maybe no news is good news, but I wanna know all the details... #IslandRail #VancouverIsland