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I'm curious as to how they are going to electrify the service over the next few years.

Are they going to concentrate on a couple key lines or try doing them all at the same time and basically opening them all at once? I hope they don't do the latter. Yes, they can work on other sections but I think it's key to get a couple {ie Lakeshore} lines electrified as soon as possible.

For the last decade Torontonians have been told how wonderful electrification is but have yet to see an electric train and all the benefits that come with it. I think it's important for Torontonians to finally see an end result as they have waited long enough and all they have gotten is endless construction. I think it's also going to be imperative when Montreal's REM opens as Torontonians naturally compare themselves to Montreal being such good "frenemies". REM would have started construction much later but will have full service before GO electrification if they decide to do all the lines at once as opposed to getting one or two up and running.
 
When I first saw it, it reminded me of the UAC Turbo Train and odd looking in Amsterdam.

more like the JR 287 and 683 Series. it looks almost exactly alike

1651955436620.png


1651955513564.png
 
It's 80mph now. When the work was completed, it was limited to 90mph, and the alignment of the corridor - save for the several PSOs - can in theory still allow for it.

Dan
That's pretty interesting, I wasn't aware that they lifted it. Just so I'm not confused they could potentially go up to 90 mph ?
 
OK, so in Zurich they are just electric locomotive trains which is common. UP Express is DMUs so simply sticking an electric locomotive on those trains would mean all sorts of extra weight and rolling resistance that is completely inefficient. That is what I am calling out as ridiculous... like having a Tesla Semis tow a diesel busses that are put in neutral as a means to electrify the TTC bus fleet.
Nobody suggested towing the UP Trains with locos, you'd modify the stations to be compatible with low floor coaches - bilevels are very similar length wise to the UP DMU cars
 
Nobody suggested towing the UP Trains with locos, you'd modify the stations to be compatible with low floor coaches - bilevels are very similar length wise to the UP DMU cars
At most stations that would simply mean using the existing low platform, but it would mean a complete rebuild of Pearson station and either not using the UP Express station at Union or completely rebuilding that one as well. I would hazard a guess that the cost of rebuilding the two stations would be more expensive than buying off the shelf EMUs. Any bi-level option using the cars currently in North America have accessibility issues and this route has many people rolling their luggage so a second deck would be useless for many.
 
I’m honestly not at all convinced that hauling the DMUs is all that bad a short term option. Demotoring RDCs for use as coaches was most definitely a thing, and there’s nothing terribly wrong with the layout of the units we’ve got.
 
At most stations that would simply mean using the existing low platform, but it would mean a complete rebuild of Pearson station and either not using the UP Express station at Union or completely rebuilding that one as well. I would hazard a guess that the cost of rebuilding the two stations would be more expensive than buying off the shelf EMUs. Any bi-level option using the cars currently in North America have accessibility issues and this route has many people rolling their luggage so a second deck would be useless for many.
In the mid-to-long term, both of those stations are probably going away anyway. Pearson wants its transit hub, which would functionally replace the current UPX station, and Metrolinx has previously spoken moving UPX directly into Union, or replacing UPX with some sort of GO service.
 
In the mid-to-long term, both of those stations are probably going away anyway. Pearson wants its transit hub, which would functionally replace the current UPX station, and Metrolinx has previously spoken moving UPX directly into Union, or replacing UPX with some sort of GO service.
Pure speculation but the blog post for USEP kickoff included an image with a 2-level platform for the southern-most platform at Union:
1652459831481.png
 
It's probably the accessible platform
Yeah, and given GO's plans for level boarding, that's the part the rest of the platform will be raised up to whenever they get around to upgrading the passenger cars for level boarding.

IMO, it's far more likely UPX is abolished than we see a dedicated electrified UPX service between the current terminal stations.
 
Any answers about my question as to whether ML will begin an overall electrification of RER or will focus on one major route at a time to get at least one route electrified much quicker?

As far as overall electrification, as long as the RER & UPX are electrified by 2026, I don't really see the problem.
 
^ Haven't seen anything publicly. I'm sure it would have been posted here if it was public, and this'll be one of the first places the update update would be posted. Could be two years starting from April 2022 when ONexpress was officially selected. I think I read somewhere there would be two years of detailed design work. So set your calendar event for April 1, 2024.
 

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