To the Editor,
This is my personal opinion and to leave no doubt, I am not in favour of the Alto Train proposal as it was presented at the recent presentation by Alto in Perth on March 4, 2026.
Poor design: Ground level, totally fenced in, creates many problems. First of all, it will cut through many properties preventing the owner from accessing the remainder of his or her land. It will dead-end many side roads, recreational trails etc. This is a safety issue, because emergency vehicles won’t be able to get to rural properties as quickly. Farmers will lose their livelihood and possibly their farm, because they need the existing acreage for the farm to work. Wild animals such as deer, bear, moose, fox, etc. won’t be able to travel from one side to the other. Many overpasses and under passes would need to be built which adds to the expense.
Electric overhead wires: Using overhead electric wires (overhead Catenary system) to provide power is 100-year-old streetcar technology. To see how that works, all you need to do is look at how the Ottawa O train is working. It was shut down this past week due to about ½ inch of ice during a minor ice storm. A train having its own electric generator such as diesel electric or other fuel to run the generator would be much more reliable. It could also have its own battery system for use in tunnels in the cities. The diesel engine could be shut off in the tunnels. Diesel electric is a proven technology and used in most existing passenger and freight trains.
Possible solution: If the government and Alto are determined to build this train system then the only way it would be more acceptable to me would be if the entire system was elevated above ground with a minimum clearance of about 20 feet (6 metres). I asked one of the Alto Representatives at the Perth meeting if this has been costed out. The answer was no, and that it would be expensive. It is already very expensive with the existing design. An elevated track would not need to be fenced, overpasses and under passes would not be required, which both would save a lot of money. The route from Ottawa to Toronto goes through very rough and rocky country which would be very expensive to build a ground level straight track. The elevated track might end up being less expensive. I would like to see the comparison. An elevated track would solve a lot of the existing design problems stated above.
Conclusion: If the federal government has 90 plus billion dollars to spend on a train which will only serve some people in the major cities, I believe the money could be better spent elsewhere. For example, upgrade the existing Via system to double tracks. I have travelled on Via from Ottawa to Toronto, and the train has to stop on a siding for an oncoming train to pass. This could save a lot of travel time, which is one of their main reasons for building a high-speed train. Upgrade Highway 7 to 4 lanes from Peterborough to Carleton Place. It is a dangerous highway that has had many fatalities.
John Miller
Perth Ontario
