[ehlow]

Not sure if it's been linked before, but Metrolinx has a new page on the Regional Express Rail project. One interesting detail:

Good first step. I'd like to see more public awareness of this plan, what it is and it's potential, explained in a simple way to everyone.

The more people know what's possible and what was promised, hopefully the more pressure to keep moving forward with it.

 

[EnviroTO]

Not sure if it's been linked before, but Metrolinx has a new page on the Regional Express Rail project. One interesting detail:

I wouldn't get too exited. The lead up to the June meeting indicated there would be detail. During that meeting there was talk about how it would be a busy summer for many at Metrolinx to prepare information for the September meeting, and now more information for the December meeting. I wouldn't expect the real details until next June. Until then it will be a slowly increasing clarity.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Still not quite what I was hoping for, but this will give you an idea of what the new GO cab cars with CEM will look like.

 

[muller877]

I believe that's referring to the Brantford - Cambridge transportation corridor project.

With multiple campuses of both Waterloo and Laurier, I hope they decide on something for this corridor. The LRT & BRT in Waterloo is connecting the U of Waterloo campuses together. By adding Brantford, the 3000+ Laurier students there can be connected to their main campus.

the problem here is how to connect these locations. Ideally they will extend the BRT from Cambridge with limited stops and some limited priority lanes all the way to downtown Brantford.

But the bigger (and more interesting) issue is reserving a ROW to ensure a potential rail solution. There is a very successful rail to trail conversion between downtown Cambridge and downtown Brantford. It also goes through Paris. Will the province recommend converting this back to a transit route? Or will they propose an expensive expropriation process? How will the environmentalists react to a proposal that gives them transit but takes away a trail?

 

[Markster]

But the bigger (and more interesting) issue is reserving a ROW to ensure a potential rail solution. There is a very successful rail to trail conversion between downtown Cambridge and downtown Brantford. It also goes through Paris. Will the province recommend converting this back to a transit route? Or will they propose an expensive expropriation process? How will the environmentalists react to a proposal that gives them transit but takes away a trail?

I don't see "Environmentalists" as a group reacting to this.
I see transit advocates invoking "environmentalism" to support their position.
I see trail advocates invoking "environmentalism" to support their position.

 

[gweed123]

I don't see "Environmentalists" as a group reacting to this.
I see transit advocates invoking "environmentalism" to support their position.
I see trail advocates invoking "environmentalism" to support their position.

This could potentially be an interesting test case for trail to rail re-conversions. In the 90s and 2000s, there were quite a few unused rail lines that were converted into trails. There may come a time when these corridors are once again needed for rail transportation. It will be interesting to see if the re-conversion is supported, or if they opt for a more expensive new ROW option instead in order to maintain the trails.

The two others that immediately come to mind are the line around the west side of the Don Mills neighbourhood, and the rail line that used to run from Bells Corners to Stittsville and Carleton Place, both of whom could potentially be valuable transit links in the not-too-distant future.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Where can I find the GO RER study which shows that double track on the Stouffville line through Toronto is possible? I'm aware it is a recent report.

 

[ehlow]

Where can I find the GO RER study which shows that double track on the Stouffville line through Toronto is possible? I'm aware it is a recent report.

Found these by Googling:
http://www.gotransit.ca/public/en/i...idor_Rail_Service_Expansion_ESR-Main_Body.pdf
http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/improve/Stouffville_Rail_Expansion_PIC_2_EN.pdf

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Thanks.

 

[rbt]

Found these by Googling:
http://www.gotransit.ca/public/en/i...idor_Rail_Service_Expansion_ESR-Main_Body.pdf
http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/improve/Stouffville_Rail_Expansion_PIC_2_EN.pdf

Any idea when construction might start? I assume there will be a 6 to 12 month detailed engineering phase coming, similar to what the Barrie line is tendering now.

 

[innsertnamehere]

I presume we will learn that in December with the RER presentation at the board meeting.

 

[smallspy]

Any idea when construction might start? I assume there will be a 6 to 12 month detailed engineering phase coming, similar to what the Barrie line is tendering now.

And yet, the EA for the Barrie Line has never been publicized....

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[rbt]

And yet, the EA for the Barrie Line has never been publicized....

It was done as several different EA's wasn't it? I believe the rail-rail grade separation was one in itself.

You are very correct that Metrolinx isn't very good at making them easily found. Nor does the Ministry of the Environment, except for the most recently submitted.

I know the secret link for transit project EAs but doing a sub-search on that result set seems tricky and some GO EAs were approved years and years ago.

https://www.ontario.ca/environment-and-energy/environmental-assessment-transit-projects

 

[smallspy]

It was done as several different EA's wasn't it? I believe the rail-rail grade separation was one in itself.

Nope. That was the original plan circa 2006 or so, but then they cancelled the grade separation EA in favour of a large EA covering the whole line. Which they then never got around to tendering, much as they did with several other EAs, like the Milton Line, triple-tracking the Lakeshore East and grade separating the Doncaster Diamond. The only one of the group of EAs planned was the one that was just completed for the Stouffville Line.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[rbt]

Nope. That was the original plan circa 2006 or so, but then they cancelled the grade separation EA in favour of a large EA covering the whole line. Which they then never got around to tendering, much as they did with several other EAs, like the Milton Line, triple-tracking the Lakeshore East and grade separating the Doncaster Diamond. The only one of the group of EAs planned was the one that was just completed for the Stouffville Line.

Bah.

/shakes fist at Metrolinx