[crs1026]

I certainly concur that dedicated passing tracks are not coming to every GO station in the system, or even most, in the near to medium term. But I think its reasonable enough to imagine that can come to more stations, and strategic choices may be deliverable and inordinately beneficial, indeed for reasons other than passenger safety as well.

Interestingly, some stations on the Barrie line appear to have been built with room for a third (expressish) track in the center.

The problem is partly the narrowness of the row, and the many places where thing have been squeezed to fit. In so many places it would take land acquiition and a major civil project to widen things out. That's not a good reason to do nothing, but one has to be realistic about where and how often that will be affordable.

But the bigger problem is that it would be very constraining to insist that non-stopping trains never, ever be scheduled or routed over platform tracks. A simpler but very constraining patch would be to impose speed restrictions on every non stopping train at platforms.... but that would wreak havoc on scheduling and dispatching.

I broadly agree, but I think that's just a bit too fatalistic.

I hope I wsn't sounding indifferent. I was simply taking the risk profile of an unprotected platform, multiplied by frequency of trains, multiplied by time. If the probability of an incident at a platform is non-zero, even if it is very small.....something will happen eventually.

Let me offer a few things I think are practical.

1) Platform edge lights, embedded, which light up when a train is approaching. The utility here is that many people wear headphones/earbuds and may not hear a fast moving train approaching in a timely way, and they may, if walking away from it, not see it either. But lights up/down the platform edge would be highly visible and an indicator of warning/pay attention. This is perfectly feasible, though only cost-effective during platform reconstruction.

A very good idea. I wonder if there are other technologies as well. My imagination wonders how one might transmit an energy field that raises a shiver as trains approach. Flashing light definitely would be a start and could convey direction of approach too.

Finally, I think when it comes to education, I'd like to see a full sized screen (the kind for ads) that can be used for PSAs at at least one spot along a platform at most stations overtime. Then the key to the PSA being effective is to realistically reenact accidents (not in a gory way), but in a way that is scary and shows people why proximity to the edge is dangerous, including due to loose clothing or backpacks that may project out from one's body more than the wearer knows.

I'm wondering how many people will actually watch.... a bit like safety demonstrations on airliners.....but they can't hurt. One ML practice I would offer is the on-platform ambassadors, who I am noticing more and more often actually engaging passengers helpfully on the platform. Some are wooden, and nobody responds well to being corrected, but some are real people people.....and as someone who spends their Saturdays (as a volunteer) asking people to stand behind a yellow line, there is nothing like a smile and a personal connection to get someone's attention.

- Paul