Johnny “We have the meats” Renton
@johnnyrenton.bsky.social
Just here working at the posting factory. Meeting my 30% CanCon quota. A mix of being angry at the current state of affairs, transit, urbanism, design and shitposting. Anti-fascist (not affiliated with any organizations)
https://johnnyrenton.substack.com
https://johnnyrenton.substack.com
(And this isn’t a new phenomenon. Literally every failed HSR proposal and major proponent of the past was ready to shutter all but 7 or 8 stations in the corridor to make it happen. Once you start doing that the public is going to turn, stop supporting funding, and it’s game over time to reset)
December 14, 2025 at 8:17 PM
(And this isn’t a new phenomenon. Literally every failed HSR proposal and major proponent of the past was ready to shutter all but 7 or 8 stations in the corridor to make it happen. Once you start doing that the public is going to turn, stop supporting funding, and it’s game over time to reset)
Dealing with the urban centres (TO & Mtl in particular) is going to be expensive no matter what. It can’t be avoided. There is no budget way of doing it that doesn’t make the whole project pointless. Sadly some people just want ‘neato fast trains’ so much they’ll throw away common sense to get it
December 14, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Dealing with the urban centres (TO & Mtl in particular) is going to be expensive no matter what. It can’t be avoided. There is no budget way of doing it that doesn’t make the whole project pointless. Sadly some people just want ‘neato fast trains’ so much they’ll throw away common sense to get it
And of course there is the issue that a midtown station would have one subway line serving it versus Union which is the literal heart of the city and it’s public transit network. It’s just not even close how superior Union is. (Same is true of ‘alternatives’ in MTL)
December 14, 2025 at 8:17 PM
And of course there is the issue that a midtown station would have one subway line serving it versus Union which is the literal heart of the city and it’s public transit network. It’s just not even close how superior Union is. (Same is true of ‘alternatives’ in MTL)
This is one of (many) big problems with a Midtown station. It only works if the missing link is built. And even once that was done you still have to spend *a lot* of money to modernize and upgrade the corridor for passenger service. Once you factor both those in, it’s not a cheap alternative
December 14, 2025 at 8:17 PM
This is one of (many) big problems with a Midtown station. It only works if the missing link is built. And even once that was done you still have to spend *a lot* of money to modernize and upgrade the corridor for passenger service. Once you factor both those in, it’s not a cheap alternative
That route made sense if they were going to use the existing corridor. Now that they aren’t, it’s a very questionable choice for an HSR line (borderline stupid tbh)
December 14, 2025 at 8:04 PM
That route made sense if they were going to use the existing corridor. Now that they aren’t, it’s a very questionable choice for an HSR line (borderline stupid tbh)
But 300km/h means that 90-95% of the corridor from the Toronto urban limits to roughly Perth would have to be in a new alignment. And especially from P’Boro to Perth that’s going to mean hacking through a lot of granite and dicey terrain (it’s not super hilly but enough to be challenging)
December 14, 2025 at 8:04 PM
But 300km/h means that 90-95% of the corridor from the Toronto urban limits to roughly Perth would have to be in a new alignment. And especially from P’Boro to Perth that’s going to mean hacking through a lot of granite and dicey terrain (it’s not super hilly but enough to be challenging)
If the line were being built for mid-speed trains like the original HFR plan (160kmh…200 in grade separated stretches) it would be fine. You could use most of the existing corridor with only minimal widening or realignment of some 130kmh sections (of which there are a few between Toronto and P’Boro)
December 14, 2025 at 8:04 PM
If the line were being built for mid-speed trains like the original HFR plan (160kmh…200 in grade separated stretches) it would be fine. You could use most of the existing corridor with only minimal widening or realignment of some 130kmh sections (of which there are a few between Toronto and P’Boro)
I really don’t care for heritage liveries. They usually look pretty jank and off on modern equipment. And the first 3 on that diagram fit that bill for me (I never liked them in their original form either) But I dunno. That streetcar livery, which was always a banger, looks really really good.
December 13, 2025 at 12:35 PM
I really don’t care for heritage liveries. They usually look pretty jank and off on modern equipment. And the first 3 on that diagram fit that bill for me (I never liked them in their original form either) But I dunno. That streetcar livery, which was always a banger, looks really really good.
It would probably be cheaper than the Havekock-Perth section of the HFR route since that would need an all new right of way through nearly continuous granite. Once they abandoned the mid-speed HFR concept, it never made sense to keep sticking with the original route
December 12, 2025 at 11:41 PM
It would probably be cheaper than the Havekock-Perth section of the HFR route since that would need an all new right of way through nearly continuous granite. Once they abandoned the mid-speed HFR concept, it never made sense to keep sticking with the original route
A lakeshore route isn’t as out of the question as it might seem. Once you get past Oshawa you can use the 401/A20 corridor 80% of it (they have wide ROW’s and there is still a lot of government owned land next to the 401 from farms they expropriated in the 60’s that they just let get overgrown)
December 12, 2025 at 11:41 PM
A lakeshore route isn’t as out of the question as it might seem. Once you get past Oshawa you can use the 401/A20 corridor 80% of it (they have wide ROW’s and there is still a lot of government owned land next to the 401 from farms they expropriated in the 60’s that they just let get overgrown)
The problem becomes working your way back south after Peterborough. There really isn’t a way to do it that wouldnt require massive private property expropriation the whole way back to the (roughly) existing route. It would probably take a decade just to assemble the land
December 12, 2025 at 11:41 PM
The problem becomes working your way back south after Peterborough. There really isn’t a way to do it that wouldnt require massive private property expropriation the whole way back to the (roughly) existing route. It would probably take a decade just to assemble the land
…the proper way to do the line is a mix of the 401/A20 corridor and existing CN corridor with upgraded tracks from Brockville for service to Ottawa (and a dedicated line through Smiths Falls). If they aren’t doing the lower cost HFR plan, the P’Boro/Perth route should be abandoned
December 12, 2025 at 11:15 PM
…the proper way to do the line is a mix of the 401/A20 corridor and existing CN corridor with upgraded tracks from Brockville for service to Ottawa (and a dedicated line through Smiths Falls). If they aren’t doing the lower cost HFR plan, the P’Boro/Perth route should be abandoned
At this point the only reason to stick with the HFR route is to not upset Peterborough. But I’d be willing to bet as long as P’Boro got a decent train service to Toronto (a mix of VIA and the much cheaper GO) they probably wouldn’t be overly pissed about losing a train to Ottawa…
December 12, 2025 at 11:15 PM
At this point the only reason to stick with the HFR route is to not upset Peterborough. But I’d be willing to bet as long as P’Boro got a decent train service to Toronto (a mix of VIA and the much cheaper GO) they probably wouldn’t be overly pissed about losing a train to Ottawa…
And even the Coteau to Montreal CS isn’t that difficult. If you want dedicated passenger tracks you do have to shift some of the freight and hydro lines. But that corridor is super wide with room for 8 tracks from St-Anne to a few km west of downtown. It’s time consuming but not that complicated
December 12, 2025 at 11:07 PM
And even the Coteau to Montreal CS isn’t that difficult. If you want dedicated passenger tracks you do have to shift some of the freight and hydro lines. But that corridor is super wide with room for 8 tracks from St-Anne to a few km west of downtown. It’s time consuming but not that complicated
It would be crazy not to build a decent connection at Dorval. Even with just existing shitty VIA service air travel is slowly dying in that corridor. You could easily tank it completely. But if it does end at Dorval that would be the stupidest decision, so it’s also quite possible.
December 12, 2025 at 11:07 PM
It would be crazy not to build a decent connection at Dorval. Even with just existing shitty VIA service air travel is slowly dying in that corridor. You could easily tank it completely. But if it does end at Dorval that would be the stupidest decision, so it’s also quite possible.
Smiths Falls to Ottawa to Coteau has basically been locked in route wise since VIA HFR was first announced in 2015. They could have been doing grade separation and right of way widening for the past 7 to 8 years and had a huge head start on that segment. But of course they didn’t…
December 12, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Smiths Falls to Ottawa to Coteau has basically been locked in route wise since VIA HFR was first announced in 2015. They could have been doing grade separation and right of way widening for the past 7 to 8 years and had a huge head start on that segment. But of course they didn’t…
Reposted by Johnny “We have the meats” Renton
Tile designs by Ralph and Jane Bonnell for Mosaic Tile Company (1960)
December 10, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Tile designs by Ralph and Jane Bonnell for Mosaic Tile Company (1960)
I’m glad Nebula has tried something different, though in terms of being a platform to get ‘ideas’ in to the mainstream I don’t know if it’s a model that will do that. And if it helps video artists make decent, meaningful money then great. But as a normie dumb guy, it’s just not for me.
December 8, 2025 at 9:36 PM
I’m glad Nebula has tried something different, though in terms of being a platform to get ‘ideas’ in to the mainstream I don’t know if it’s a model that will do that. And if it helps video artists make decent, meaningful money then great. But as a normie dumb guy, it’s just not for me.
…but at the same having so many videos with a political bent, even if it’s basically one I agree with, just kind of gets exhausting (this is true of YouTube as well). Sometimes I just want dumb guy shit like car crash videos or trivial speedrunner drama news.
December 8, 2025 at 9:36 PM
…but at the same having so many videos with a political bent, even if it’s basically one I agree with, just kind of gets exhausting (this is true of YouTube as well). Sometimes I just want dumb guy shit like car crash videos or trivial speedrunner drama news.
The lack of algorithm is fine (I spent hours going through channels one by one). And in fairness I used it over a year ago so maybe the selection has changed. My biggest issue is that everything felt serious for lack of a better word. And it’s good that they try to attract progressives…
December 8, 2025 at 9:36 PM
The lack of algorithm is fine (I spent hours going through channels one by one). And in fairness I used it over a year ago so maybe the selection has changed. My biggest issue is that everything felt serious for lack of a better word. And it’s good that they try to attract progressives…
I’m trying to stay away from transit news. But I will say it’s kind of comforting to see people have the same blinding rage over Finch that I’ve had with transit since the (still on going) Ottawa LRT disaster.
It should be an ejection issue and I hope this anger leads to some changes
It should be an ejection issue and I hope this anger leads to some changes
December 8, 2025 at 3:54 PM
I’m trying to stay away from transit news. But I will say it’s kind of comforting to see people have the same blinding rage over Finch that I’ve had with transit since the (still on going) Ottawa LRT disaster.
It should be an ejection issue and I hope this anger leads to some changes
It should be an ejection issue and I hope this anger leads to some changes
Of the dozen or so irl people I know who left Twitter only one or two replaced it with a different social media site. The rest just use social media less. And to be honest, that’s the best outcome. Bluesky is fine. But it’s still run by SV techno-fascists. I could leave Bluesky and be quite alright
December 8, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Of the dozen or so irl people I know who left Twitter only one or two replaced it with a different social media site. The rest just use social media less. And to be honest, that’s the best outcome. Bluesky is fine. But it’s still run by SV techno-fascists. I could leave Bluesky and be quite alright
I’m in favour of any attempts to chip away at YouTube. And if by chance there were half a dozen video artists that you liked who were on Nebula it could be worth it. It just seems to lack…something. I can’t put my finger on it. Maybe it’s just the fact that sometimes you want to watch silly nonsense
December 8, 2025 at 2:15 PM
I’m in favour of any attempts to chip away at YouTube. And if by chance there were half a dozen video artists that you liked who were on Nebula it could be worth it. It just seems to lack…something. I can’t put my finger on it. Maybe it’s just the fact that sometimes you want to watch silly nonsense
But I will do everything possible to avoid giving Google a single dime. I do wish there was a better platform than YouTube (I tried Nebula and that’s not going to be it). But ousting them from the top spot won’t be easy for anyone, or cheap.
December 8, 2025 at 1:40 PM
But I will do everything possible to avoid giving Google a single dime. I do wish there was a better platform than YouTube (I tried Nebula and that’s not going to be it). But ousting them from the top spot won’t be easy for anyone, or cheap.
I use YouTube downloaders for most of the videos I watch. I’ll support the odd patreon for a bit if I think someone is making worthwhile content and not just grifting and churning out slop (there are far too many so-called progressives/lefties who’ve gone down that route).
December 8, 2025 at 1:40 PM
I use YouTube downloaders for most of the videos I watch. I’ll support the odd patreon for a bit if I think someone is making worthwhile content and not just grifting and churning out slop (there are far too many so-called progressives/lefties who’ve gone down that route).