[TOareaFan]

They will probably put bi-mode diesel electric locos on that corridor then. I'm not sure if theres any bi-mode MUs in the N/A market currently, so an opportunity perhaps missed...

Doesn't every line have a proposed cut off point beyond which it is not electrified? I may have it wrong but I thought they did.....so any "solution" would fit all lines.

I always thought that what was going to happen was that beyond the electrifcation cut off station....diesel trains would run....they would stop at 1 or 2 early electrified stations and then run express to Union from there.

 

[M II A II R II K]

Or they could electrify the whole thing at once.

 

[cbrown2009]

This is the link from Metrolinx concerning that area.

http://www.metrolinx.com/en/regionalplanning/rer/rer_lsw.aspx

In a nutshell from what I understand, there would be 15 minute two way all day electrified Union-Aldershot. All service beyond that of varying frequencies throughout the day to Hamilton Go Centre & West Harbour (and beyond) would be diesel. Generally those trains would blend in to the 15 minute schedule from Aldershot with some peak period express service similar to what's in place today.

 

[rbt]

I'm expecting a much larger surplus than initially projected for election year, which gives room to fund some of the big ticket items the Liberals have already announced.

Again, this budget view DOES NOT include capital items or revenue from asset sales. It includes interest payments on debt but not debt accumulation itself for asset purchases.

It's not unlike the city accounting practices. Taking on debt to rebuild Gardiner did not impact "balanced" operations budget for 2017/2018

Obviously running an operations surplus helps (by creating additional borrowing space) but not nearly as much as you might think since the province is running up against it's maximum borrowing space. Increasing revenue will keep the spending spree alive. A budget surplus during a 2019 recession would still force the province to pause many capital spending programs OR risk a downgrade.

 

[crs1026]

Obviously running an operations surplus helps (by creating additional borrowing space) but not nearly as much as you might think since the province is running up against it's maximum borrowing space. Increasing revenue will keep the spending spree alive. A budget surplus during a 2019 recession would still force the province to pause many capital spending programs OR risk a downgrade.

There's the damning statement. Wynne has run out of room to borrow. The accounting nuances don't really matter. Quite possibly some other ministry has argued that their need for the money is greater, and DD lost the argument.

- Paul

 

[dowlingm]

They will probably put bi-mode diesel electric locos on that corridor then. I'm not sure if theres any bi-mode MUs in the N/A market currently, so an opportunity perhaps missed...

When NJT ran the ACES trains to Atlantic City they put an ALP46 on one end and a diesel (P40DC?) on the other, multilevels in between. On the other hand, AMT could well have ALP-45s for sale by the time this issue needs to be addressed, assuming NJT don't make a better offer to expand their own fleet.

 

[ssiguy2]

I don't think the Tories will stop RER or electrification. This is not the 1990s and RER still helps more people outside the core than in it. If anything will be delayed it's the DRL............the Tories won't get any votes in the City but will battle it out in the suburbs and cancelling their transit will hurt them big time.

As far as GO & RER, I think what you will find after RER is rolled out is that GO will be a 905 to downtown service and RER more of an urban connector. GO will become an express service thru the city and anyone stopping within the city {except subway connecting stations} will get off and transfer at the last 905 stop ie GO to Port Credit and then Union express after that or Kitchener GO to Malton and then Union express after that.

 

[innsertnamehere]

you do realize that RER is GO right? they are the same thing?

 

[ssiguy2]

I know that. I am simplifying the issue as opposed to saying GO RER and GO Commuter Rail. Metrolinx has gone out of it's way to separate the new RER name from standard GO rail commuter service.

 

[ssiguy2]

I know that. I am simplifying the issue as opposed to saying GO RER and GO Commuter Rail. Metrolinx has gone out of it's way to separate the new RER name from standard GO rail commuter service.

 

[innsertnamehere]

not really - the RER has been more of an infrastructure delivery program than an actual service brand.

 

[crs1026]

not really - the RER has been more of an infrastructure delivery program than an actual service brand.

That's because until they have the infrastructure, there is no service to deliver.

Certainly RER has driven a different design philosophy and scope to discussions of GO expansion. RER as a brand label has given an identity to the business case that is driving all the funding. Without that kind of conceptual branding, the decisionmaking would be a lot more difficult and there would be more politics in the way of approving the money. No money, no forward movement.

I hope that when RER actually arrives, it will all just be "GO Transit". We don't need two classes or brands of service to confuse users. But the brand label has facilitated the launch of the whole package. And, it has been a relatively austere brand initiative that hasn't generated the kind of excess spending and expensive branding design consulting that, say, UPE pissed away needlessly.

- Paul

 

[TOareaFan]

Somewhat buried in the hoopla created by ML blaming BBD for the delays on Finch was the news that the procurement of an operator for the ReR service has been (or is being) ammended and BBD will no longer be excluded.

In a separate development, a different legal battle between Metrolinx and Bombardier was quietly resolved last week.

In August, Bombardier filed an application for a judicial review of Metrolinx’s decision to lock the company out of a bid to operate the agency’s passenger service.

Bombardier currently holds contracts to operate GO Transit and the Union Pearson Express, both of which are overseen by Metrolinx. But the agency plans to issue another contract in 2023, by which time it hopes to have dramatically increased GO Transit service under its regional express rail expansion plan.

Metrolinx initially said Bombardier couldn’t bid on the new deal because it would involve reviewing its existing passenger operations, which the agency claimed would pose a conflict of interest.

However, Metrolinx said this week that after consulting with the industry it decided to package the procurement for rail operations with the bid for the design and construction of express rail infrastructure.

That should allow Bombardier to take part in the procurement as part of consortium bidding to design, build, and operate the express network. Bombardier’s litigation was adjourned on Sept. 13.

Lefebvre, the Bombardier spokesperson, said that the company “acknowledges and welcomes” Metrolinx’s intention to amend the procurement.

 

[raptor]

I wonder if companies would want to team up with BBD. Clearly ML won't select a team having BBD as the operator.

 

[cplchanb]

I wonder if companies would want to team up with BBD. Clearly ML won't select a team having BBD as the operator.

im not too keen on that. whether bbr is right or wrong in this their legal and financial troubles have caused a huge load of undesirable baggage on them. I dont think
competitors would want to inherit that.