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Why Canadians don’t ride trains anymore

Tristin Hopper: Riding trains is no different than a lot of folksy, charming things we used to do, only to stop doing it the moment we could afford not to

Railroads were foundational to Canada’s early growth and prosperity. Up until the 1950s, practically all mid-sized towns were connected to a rail network. But as Tristin Hopper explains, trains may be vulnerable to the same fate as the horses it replaced.

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Why Canadians don’t ride trains anymore Back to video

If you spend any time with a transportation engineer or urban planner, they’ll inevitably tell you that Canada needs a lot more trains.

Intercity rail is more efficient than freeways or air travel. Urban cores are better served by streetcars and light-rail than by streets clogged with idling cars.

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