[Bamako]

Oh, snap!

That would've been really useful for me a few weekends ago trying to get to YorkU.

 

[nhui06]

I use the Stouffville line every day, and there is absolutely space for it's entire length for 2 tracks, even when it runs parallel to the RT. the current rails run right down the middle of the ROW, so they would require reconstruction. The exception is through the underpass under 14th ave, where it is double tracked already.

I guess my next question will be how will they be able to build a 2nd track because yes, it is currently running down the middle of the ROW. Will they have to shut down the line for a few months to do this?

I am definitely excited about the possibility of an all-day GO train set (someone who lives in Markham) Make my commute down town a lot easier.

 

[Forgotten]

Other than that, the current double track section which extends for little more than a mile, would have to be extended by around 10 miles to at least to a point close to where the line connects to the Kingston sub at Scarborough GO station. They would probably want to consider grade separations for at least Steeles, Finch & Danforth. The narrowest part of the right of way I've seen is a little over 40 feet from a building east of the track to the SRT fence on the west. Still, two tracks can easily fit withing 30 feet so there are no issues.

Of course this line won't suddenly just get half hour service(not for probably a decade). For hourly service they don't have to make any improves north of Unionville to accommodate it, even to Mount Joy. There's more than enough time for trains to get in there, turn around and get back.

How frequent does service have to be between Markham and downtown before they would have to consider closing off all of the dozen level crossings along this line?

 

[innsertnamehere]

probably more than 30 mins. most of the crossings would be gone for 30 minute service, but the smaller residential roads would likely remain unseparated.

 

[ShonTron]

How frequent does service have to be between Markham and downtown before they would have to consider closing off all of the dozen level crossings along this line?

It would have to be more than 30 minute service, all day, every day. The Lakeshore West and East both have a bunch of grade crossings, some across relatively major streets such as Ogden in Mississauga and Morningside in Scarborough (which both have important bus routes). Plus the Lakeshore corridors have express trains and VIA as well.

The Edmonton and Calgary LRTs have many grade crossings, using standard railway crossbucks, lights, bells and gates (outside of 7th Avenue in Calgary at least). During rush hours, those trains are as frequent as every 3-4 minutes in Calgary, every 5 in Edmonton.

 

[ssiguy2]

I'm curious............within the City of Toronto itself, are there any level crossings left?

 

[datamouse]

I'm curious............within the City of Toronto itself, are there any level crossings left?

Old Toronto or Megacity? The Stouffville line definitely has some in Scarborough.

 

[bielawski]

There are still a couple in the old city. North Toronto sub at Osler Street and Bartlett Avenue, Galt-MacTier wye at Old Weston Road, Newmarket at Wallace Avenue. Might have missed some. The Redpath spur also has quite a few, but barely anything runs there.

 

[k10ery]

+ Richmond Hill at Pottery Rd

 

[drum118]

There are still a couple in the old city. North Toronto sub at Osler Street and Bartlett Avenue, Galt-MacTier wye at Old Weston Road, Newmarket at Wallace Avenue. Might have missed some. The Redpath spur also has quite a few, but barely anything runs there.

Redpath spur has been gone about 2 years+ now.

John St, but will disappear in 2014, Church St & King St will still be grade crossing for CP, Old Weston Rd for CP, York U BRT, Cherry St, Commissioner St, Lake Shore E, Don Way.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Drum, he meant pre-amalgamation Toronto. The York U BRT is in north York.

The only remaining at grade crossing as far as I know that aren't being eliminated are the ones serving industry in the portlands that cross over lakeshore, and several streets in the portlands.

 

[ShonTron]

Here's the definitive list of all GO grade crossings in the City of Toronto:

Toronto
Oakville Subdivision (Lakeshore West): 0

Galt Subdivision (Milton): 1 (soon to be 0)
- Strachan Avenue (for now)

Weston Subdivision (Georgetown/Kitchener): 5 for now, soon to be 0
- Church Street
- King Street (currently closed to auto traffic but will reopen before the tunnel is complete)
- Denison Road (pedestrian only, soon to be separated)
- Old Weston Road (currently closed, will reopen temporarily in the fall before WTD work is complete)
- Strachan Avenue (for now)
- recently permanently closed/separated: Carlingview/Woodbine, Weston GCC cart crossing, John Street

Newmarket Sub (Barrie): 4
- Wallace Avenue
- Castlefield Avenue
- Carl Hall Road
- York University Busway/Finch Corridor Trail

Bala Subdivision (Richmond Hill): 1
- Pottery Road

Uxbridge Subdivision (Stouffville) - 11
- Danforth Road
- Pedestrian crossing at Corvette Avenue
- Progress Avenue
- Pedestrian Crossing at Marilyn Avenue/Agincourt GO
- Havendale Road
- Huntingwood Drive
- Finch Avenue
- Finch Corridor Bike Trail [new!]
- McNicoll Avenue
- Passmore Avenue
- Steeles Avenue

Kingston Subdivision (Lakeshore East) - 6
- Scarborough Golf Club Road
- Galloway Road
- Poplar Road
- Morningside Avenue
- Manse Road
- Beechgrove Drive

Of the remaining mainline track (not counting spurs such as in the Portlands):
CP North Toronto Sub crosses at Osler, Bartlett, Wicksteed;
CP MacTier at Junction Road (crossing temporarily closed, CP will continue to cross at grade), Denison Road (pedestrian only, soon to be separated), John Street (crossing temporarily closed, CP will continue to cross at grade), King Street (crossing temporarily closed, CP will continue to cross at grade), Church Street, Oak Street;
CP Belleville Sub at Reesor Road, Beare Road and Scarborough-Pickering Townline;
CP Havelock Sub at Tapscott, McNicoll, Passmore and Steeles;
CN York Sub at Sewells Road and Reesor Road.


GO/CN Newmarket at Wallace and CN/GO Bala at Pottery and the CP crossings at Osler and Bartlett are the only mainline railway crossings that will exist in the old City of Toronto within two years.

 

[ssiguy2]

Thanks for the info.

When I said Toronto I meant today's Toronto bounded by Steeles and not just the Old City.

So correct me if I'm wrong but when the Weston mess and UPX is done, will the entire East/West Lakeshore and UPX/Kitchener lines with the city itself be totally grade separated? If so GO could run a CityRail system in the city of Toronto and automate the lines potentially.

 

[drum118]

Thanks for the info.

When I said Toronto I meant today's Toronto bounded by Steeles and not just the Old City.

So correct me if I'm wrong but when the Weston mess and UPX is done, will the entire East/West Lakeshore and UPX/Kitchener lines with the city itself be totally grade separated? If so GO could run a CityRail system in the city of Toronto and automate the lines potentially.

Only the Lakeshore W, Milton Line, UPX/Kitchener will be 100% grade separated in Toronto only once Strachan Avenue is done this year. The rest needs to be grade separated and far down the road with no date.

You are looking at about $20m plus per grade separation and over a year of work.

Don't count on any lines being automated in your life time.

There is a big thing as to what Old Toronto you are referring too since Toronto came into existent. You need a time frame, since the noted crossing were not in the original City limit with the exception of one or 2 on the list currently after 1850.

 

[vegeta_skyline]

So correct me if I'm wrong but when the Weston mess and UPX is done, will the entire East/West Lakeshore and UPX/Kitchener lines with the city itself be totally grade separated?

In the city, on the lines you mention, you still have;
Kingston Subdivision/Lakeshore East line
-Scarborough Golf Club Road
-Galloway Road
-Poplar Road
-Morningside Avenue
-Manse Road
-Beechgrove Drive.

And of course these lines just don't end once you reach the city limits.
Just outside(within 4.4km) of the cities limits you have;
In Pickering;
Kingston Subdivision/Lakeshore East line
-Rodd Ave.

In Mississauga;
Weston Subdivision/Kitchener line
-Scarboro St.
-Torbram Rd.

Oakville Subdivision/Lakeshore West line
-Haig Blvd.
-Ogden Ave.
-Alexandra Ave.
-Revus Ave.
And a little further down(3.5 to 10 km);
-Stavebank Rd. N
-Lorne Park Rd.
-Clarkson Rd. N

Like Drum mention, there is no funding or even plans for the grade separation or closing of any of the above crossing.

If so GO could run a CityRail system in the city of Toronto and automate the lines potentially.

Obviously before you can run any type of hybrid metro service along those lines you will need electrification and new equipment. And never mind automation - which cannot happen so long as these grade crossing remain and with CN retaining track usage rights indefinitely. So like Drum said, probably not in your life time(depending on how old you are that is )

In the meantime, there's not going to be any sort of Toronto only service on regional rail lines. That is the TTC responsibility and don't hold your breath expecting the province to upload that service to Metrolinx. You can argue about the usefulness of the UPE service and time will tell us whether or not it will be a viable entity. But you cannot argue that there is a continuing need in the near future to use these corridors to serve as a relief for those who travel long distances as the regional highways in the GTA can only accommodate minimal future growth.