GO uses a different HEP standard than VIA. They are not compatible with each other. Depends on how bad it is. If it needs to be replaced immediately, they may hold the train out-of-service until they could once again access the TMC. Or if time was of the essence, they could operate an...

GO (and VIA, EXO and WCE) have been lobbying to the Federal Government and Transport Canada for many years for changes to many rules and regulations that they feel are really only applicable to the freight railways and so hinder their operations - the only thing that I can think about that...

Because one (or both) of the drivers are running late and thus out of position in terms of where they are supposed to be during their shift. This is done to get them back close to on-time, and to allow them to take their breaks or end their shifts at the right time - and to prevent the need for...

Precisely. It's not something that you want to do on a normal basis, and even less so on a system where there are no more wayside devices protecting the preceding and following trains. The good thing is that the signal system does seem to have a fair amount of flexibility built in to it, and...

It doesn't matter who is driving the train if the signal system loses track of where the train is. Dan

As I understand it, the TTC is still working with Alstom. This is hardly a closed file. But to claim that there was "no due dilligence" isn't correct, either. This was done as a stop-gap to prevent a bad issue from getting worse and causing more delays. The other option was to leave things as...

That GSM-R has been not made to be a requirement anymore is a good thing. A friend of mine works in the industry, and while he has had very little experience with ETCS and ERTMS, his understanding was that the use of GSM-R was a requirement - perhaps that was an earlier iteration of the system...

It's not necessarily 30km/h, but there is a policy in place to limit speeds on most of the open-cut areas - it is an operational policy on the BD, and a physical one on the YUS as it is enforced by the signal system. This is to reduce flatspots as braking distances are greatly increased when wet...

Then you must also be aware then that it uses an antiquated radio frequency spectrum that can not be used in North America and who's existence in Europe is tied solely to its use as part of the ETCS standards, and for which there is a rush to try and design and register a replacement as its end...

A full-blown CBTC such as what is used on the Toronto subway. Which was one of the options that was bandied about, but tossed out as requiring too much infrastructure installation for the corridor partners. Dan

I disagree. If what you suggest was the case for line 5, then it would be going into revenue service in the January board period. Which it most certainly is not. Sure, staffing is an issue - they discovered that pretty quickly due to the short turnarounds at the ends of the Finch Line (and...

Can I point out one thing about ETCS..... It was the best system 10 years ago. It may not be the best system tomorrow. Let's not focus on one sole technology for technology's sake. They reason why they are going to test on the Richmond Hill Line is because it is isolated, and will help guide...

But if that was the problem, why wouldn't they have opened the underground part of the line already? After all, the yard is connected to the tunneled section, not the open-air section. And it doesn't account for the crews that still seem to be at work at the various stations. It doesn't seem...

GO is not a logical place, not compared to TRE or Amtrak or any number of different US properties. The equipment would have to be rewired to match's GO's standard. There are no such mods needed for any of the American agencies. Dan

Sure. When ETCS / whatever trackside signalling system they use ends up being installed. And assuming that Transport Canada okays it all, too. We're 10 or more years away from that, however. And in the meantime, they have to operate within the constraints and regulations that are required to...