CEO of high-frequency rail project says hurdles abound and express trains may be solution

From his offices on the 34th floor of 1 Place Ville Marie, Martin Imbleau has a nearly panoramic view of Montreal. Clearly in view are Central Station and Victoria Bridge, which are both essential to passenger and freight traffic through the city. Less evident is the route to be traced by Via Rail's planned high-frequency rail (HFR) line from Toronto to Quebec City, a project headed by Imbleau to build a new set of dedicated tracks slated for completion in the mid-2030s. Simply entering and exiting big cities quickly will be one of the thorniest challenges, Imbleau said.