Confidence in the campaign to resume Island passenger rail service took a hit this week, with word that the service will terminate in Nanaimo weekdays and news that track restoration costs have skyrocketed.
Should the Island Corridor Foundation reach a rail agreement with Via Rail to resume passenger service, Budd cars would only roll north of Nanaimo on weekends.
New estimates to repair bridges and track on the 289-kilometre line now put the price tag as high as $160 million, up from $103 million.
Parksville and Qualicum Beach received the news this week from council appointees who attended a recent meeting with Frank Butzelaar, president of Southern Railway, which operates trains on Vancouver Island, and Graham Bruce, who heads the ICF.
The nonprofit ICF owns the track. Its members are local governments and First Nations through which the railway passes.
"I no longer have confidence in the ICF," Parksville Mayor Chris Burger said.
Qualicum Beach Coun. Dave Willie told his council Southern Rail will only conduct track repairs as needed, with the expectation owner communities would contribute to the costs.
So if Raven coal mine opened in Courtenay, Southern would upgrade that section of track only, and only if local governments share costs.
A federal-provincial pot contains $15 million for track repairs, with another $3.2 million for bridge repairs from local government. That includes $945,000 from Regional District of Nanaimo taxpayers.
"I think we're at a crossroads where Via has to establish it as a service or call it a day," said Nanaimo Mayor John Ruttan. "If Via won't make a commitment, I think rail will be finished."
RDN board chairman Joe Stanhope, who remembers a time when Vancouver Islanders counted on trains to bring the mail, is also losing confidence.
"I understand there's an infrastructure deficit and to fix it, it's well over $120 million," Stanhope said. "And the worst of course, is between Parksville and. .. Courtenay."
Stanhope wants to hear from transportation safety officials on what repairs are needed, but given the fact Via won't commit money for passenger service until the tracks are repaired, and the repairs won't be done until Via agrees to fund service, "we're in a Mexican standoff," Stanhope said.
"It's time to fish or cut bait." Almost two years ago Coun. Ted Greves made a plea to the regional board in favour of putting $945,000 toward rail bridge repairs.
His enthusiasm has waned some since then.
"I must admit the board is frustrated we haven't got a deal with Via," Greves said.
If no service agreement is reached, the board will "have to re-assess the whole thing."
One possible use that has growing interest in the region is to build trails on the rail corridor, which would preserve the land for future growth should a public rail system be needed in future.
"The real decision will have to be made by the board," Greves said. "Look at (Victoria's) Galloping Goose trail. The RDN has just spent $2.1 million on trails. There's a lot of people pushing trails, so who knows?" To ease taxpayers' burden, money earmarked for the project was split between 2013 and 2014 budget years.
ICF executive director Graham Bruce declined comment.
