[mdrejhon]

Wonder if he realizes how much the Bypass costs for CN Rail.

The RER project is $21.3bn. Just remind Doug Ford that.... "We're upgrading GO to a surface subway!" (That's really the truth because 15-min-or-better 2-way all-day electric trains in their own corridors -- becomes a bona-fide metro) and we're golden.

Of course, we're not out of the woods, but... it's not an LRT

 

[Allandale25]

^ Just for clarification, I assume @Reecemartin means the Bramalea to Kitchener portion of the Kitchener Line? My understanding is that the UP Express Spur to Union portion of the Kitchener Line will also be as "ease" to get to RER standards as the other lines cited, and similarly easy (other than the 401/409 tunnel) for the Bramalea to UP Express spur.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Wonder if he realizes how much the Bypass costs for CN Rail.

2 day all way, or RER?

I believe he said 2 way all day, but he did also say he supported the "current projects."

 

[innsertnamehere]

"current projects" would all but confirm it then. Phew. Looks like RER will survive..

 

[raptor]

RFP-2017-CBA-064 - RFP-2017-CBA-064: Design Build Construction of Barrie Rail Corridor

Request For Proposal# RFP-2017-CBA-064
DESIGN BUILD CONSTRUCTION OF BARRIE RAIL CORRIDOR DOUBLE TRACKING ENABLING WORKS FROM MILE 1.9 TO MILE 12.60

Metrolinx is accepting bids (“Requests”) for RFP-2017-CBA-064, which Work relates to the design and construction of the Barrick Rail Corridor Double Tracking Enabling Works from Mile 1.9 to Mile 12.60, as more particularly described in the RFP Document.

Can someone enlighten me what does "enabling works" mean? So this is not for the actual double tracking, but just for grading?
Also, does a knowledgeable person know where mile 12.60 is on the Barrie line?
The original RFQ called for double tracking all the way to Aurora GO. Original RFQ announcement here

 

[innsertnamehere]

by my measurement that should be somewhere just north of Langstaff.

My guess this is for the section from north of the Davenport Diamond to the double track portion that was just completed.

 

[crs1026]

MP12.60 is at York University Station. MP1.9 is Strachan Ave.

How this lines up with the RFQ which concluded earlier this year, I don't know. Not gonna pay to see the docs.

- Paul

 

[smallspy]

RFP-2017-CBA-064 - RFP-2017-CBA-064: Design Build Construction of Barrie Rail Corridor



Can someone enlighten me what does "enabling works" mean? So this is not for the actual double tracking, but just for grading?
Also, does a knowledgeable person know where mile 12.60 is on the Barrie line?
The original RFQ called for double tracking all the way to Aurora GO. Original RFQ announcement here

"Enabling works" is all of the work that's necessary to get to the actual work. That may not even include grading, depending on how the contract was written, but will certainly cover other things like building/extending culverts, moving fibre optic cables, moving codeline, plumbing, temporary works, etc.

While the limited distance covered under this contract is interesting - they are only doing the section south of the plant at Steeles, where they just upgraded it and installed a full set of crossovers - what's really telling is that the work proceeds all of the way down to mile 1.9. The current end of the Newmarket Sub is mile 3 - Parkdale. Mile 1.9 is the north end of the plant at Strachan, and the end of the USRC.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[crs1026]

"Enabling works" is all of the work that's necessary to get to the actual work. That may not even include grading, depending on how the contract was written, but will certainly cover other things like building/extending culverts, moving fibre optic cables, moving codeline, plumbing, temporary works, etc.

While the limited distance covered under this contract is interesting - they are only doing the section south of the plant at Steeles, where they just upgraded it and installed a full set of crossovers - what's really telling is that the work proceeds all of the way down to mile 1.9. The current end of the Newmarket Sub is mile 3 - Parkdale. Mile 1.9 is the north end of the plant at Strachan, and the end of the USRC.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

I'm presuming that the point of going to Strachan is to give the Barrie line its own double track from Parkdale to Strachan, rather than branching off from the Weston Sub at Parkdale as is the case at present. That stretch of ROW is mostly graded already, and even has bits of track here and there from various diversions during GTS.

It will be interesting to see what gets done under this RFP. The line needs a good defoliation. On the Stouffville line, sound walls were a preparatory step rather than a finishing step as had been the case with GTS, so that may happen here also. Codeline is gone - it's replaced by ATCS (radio) but ML may want fiber installed. A good amount of this portion had service tracks so the basic grading and culverts are there, but there are gaps. I bet there are lots and lots of old bured and forgotten utilities and cables - some dating back to Alexander Graham Bell perhaps - to relocate before they can surface and lay track. And remove old pole lines, etc etc.

Makes sense to make this a separate work package. North of Rutherford, the embankments have only ever been one track wide and there isn't the same legacy of old railway and urban utilities along the route. So the enabling work up there may be more easily bundled as just civil works for the project.

Interesting that these dribs and drabs are trickling out ahead of the mother of all RFP's. I wonder if GO appreciates how much that procurement has slowed the process, and may be too big to swallow in the long run. So these "little" RFP's get priority things moving, and protect against later cuts to RER.

All this just spitballing. I'm glad to see anything that moves this work along.

- Paul

 

[dowlingm]

If Barrie Line had its own double track as far as the USRC, wouldn't that have implications for platform placement at Liberty Village? (and which services could stop)

 

[Leo_Chan]

An updated video on Oriole GO status. Vertical video for larger area captured.

 

[crs1026]

If Barrie Line had its own double track as far as the USRC, wouldn't that have implications for platform placement at Liberty Village? (and which services could stop)

Yes,and I believe the plan from the recent PIC spoke to that - although as has been discussed before, every time the plan gets tinkered with, these kind of details end up as disconnects and more things get fiddled with. No assurance that all the ducks stay in a row.

- Paul

 

[Leo_Chan]

Over the announcement on my Richmond Hill Train this afternoon, it said that Oriole GO’s platform extension “is now complete” and will be opening on Monday, May 7th in addition to the station building closing and new washrooms and ticket booth will open.

All doors will be opening and no more announcements!

Edit: The extension has not opened as of Monday, May 14th, 2018. I'm starting to think the Customer Service Ambassador on my train wasn't suppose to make this announcement.

 

[mdrejhon]

Regarding Lewis Yard:

It already has 4 tracks. I wonder if that's to upgrade it to 8 tracks?

The Google Satellite map shows the Lewis Yard is the current layover for the two morning West Harbour GO trains. (this is presumably a weekend satellite photograph)

There seems to be lots of room for many more tracks (long term expansion shows 8 sidings), but the expansion could also be the eastwards continuing tracks -- grading work was already done for that, but is not connected on the east side.

Hopefully the CN negotiations will include some good service ramp-up plans for this corridor to more properly and fully utilize West Harbour GO and/or potential inclusion in Niagara GO service.

 

[mdrejhon]

Confederation GO station construction site.