THE SAVERAIL COALITION
BC Railway Historical Association; Capital Area Regional Rail Initiative Group (CARRIG); Commuter Rail and Short Line Action Group; E&N Round House Society; Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition; BC Railway Historical Society; Canadian Railway Historical Association - E&N Division; City Green, Victoria; Commuter Rail & Shortline Action Group; Diocese of BC Environmental Commission; Discovery Economic Consultants, Victoria; Fairfield Community Association; Go Green Victoria; Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition; Island Transit Alliance; Point Hope Shipyard, Victoria Rockland Community Association; Sierra Club of Victoria; St. George's Social Concerns Committee; Transport 2000; Vancouver Island Railway Society; Victoria Kairos Interfaith Committee; M.S. Society of Canada (Capital Region Chapter); The Action Committee of People with Disabilities

BACKGROUND
SaveRail believes that the Esquimalt & Nanaimo railway (E&N) should not only be saved from closure in mid-March, but also revitalized. The railway has significant potential as an alternative, environmentally sound transportation mode on Vancouver Island, where it links together communities that make up a majority of the total and growing island population.

E&N passenger and freight trains will take traffic off our roads and won't generate nearly the same amount of pollution as motor vehicles. By attracting more people and goods to rail, we can avoid costly and environmentally destructive major new and widened highways (especially through scenic and sensitive areas).

The E&N is already a major contributor to Vancouver Island's economy as a visitor attraction and transporter. The railway has tremendous potential to help develop it further. But the E&N has suffered from underinvestment and poor marketing over the last decades.

COALITION OBJECTIVES
To fully achieve the E&N's potential, SaveRailwants Vancouver Islanders to ask all levels of governments to:

• Prevent the abandonment of the E&N rights of way.
• Continue the existing VIA operation for 1 year.
• Revive freight and passenger service.

OUR INVITATION
SaveRail invites business, tourist, aboriginal, environmental, community, union & other organizations to join and support the Coalition. For further information, your contacts are (click on names):

Although our primary aim is to expand our organizational membership, a contribution of $10 for a Supporting Membership and $100 for a Sustaining Membership would be appreciated. Cheques should be made payable to "E&N Division of the CRHA". On the memo line, please write, "SaveRail Membership."