News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 02, 2020
A Message to Our Readers
 8.9K     0 
News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 01, 2020
EarthCam Time-Lapse Documents Rafael Viñoly-Designed New Stanford Hospital Construction
 40K     0 
News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 01, 2020
Resort Town
 5.1K     0 

They made a little boo-boo on Table 7 Niagara Falls. They accidentally put Zone 84 for St Catharines and Zone 83 as Niagara Falls, but if you click on the PDF it's Zone 83 St Catharines and Zone 84 Niagara Falls (as stated on the Niagara Falls-specific page).

Nice to see the 7th train added. It's about time!
 
2) Are we on-track (pun intended) for the full-day service on the Stouffville and Barrie lines by year end?
Click to expand...

No track work has started, it'll be years unless they only plan on only running 1 train at a time, maybe 2.

Edit: Clearly I had some bad info on this one as track work on a passing track has indeed started, with likely 2 trains running on the line at once to start.

3) How close are we to seeing the forever promised 30-min off-peak service in the Lakeshore corridor?
Click to expand...

Once the 3rd track is finished, hopeflly by winter 2010.
But once the service is in place I expect there to be many delays. (see here:http://www.urbantoronto.ca/showpost.php?p=284534&postcount=1243)

While I'm at it..............does anyone know if they've started work on the Barrie-Allendale extension?
Click to expand...

Again no track work has commenced yet.
 
Last edited:
vegeta_skyline said:
No track work has started, it'll be years unless they only plan on only running 1 train at a time, maybe 2. But has I posted here:http://www.urbantoronto.ca/showpost.php?p=263175&postcount=24 it wouldn't be worthwhile.



Once the 3rd track is finished, hopeflly by winter 2010.
But once the service is in place I expect there to be many delays. (see here:http://www.urbantoronto.ca/showpost.php?p=284534&postcount=1243)



Again no track work has commenced yet.
Click to expand...

The 3rd track for the Lake Shore will not, I repeat NOT be in place by year end. Some, Again Some section will see 3 tracks, but will they be used this year?

The 3rd track over 16 mile creek could had gone in last fall with a cut in at the station west end. Rail is laying on the bridge, but no ties. The crossing gates have to be move at Kerr St. Still can happen this year.

There is no work taking place in Oakville yard to move the current 2 mainline as well add the 3rd one. Could be on hold to allow putting in the 4th track.

Track work on other lines are behind schedule also.
 
It's a shame that we're just going to hand over all of these track improvements to CN and CP, potentially increasing the value of the corridors and the cost of acquisition if governments finally decide to buy them in the future.
 
Thanks Vegeta & Drum

Thanks Vegeta & Drum for the updates.

Reading both your posts, as well as the older ones Vegeta linked to left me wondering how far short GO is of having the infrastructure it NEEDS to operate approved service levels.

In other words, beyond completing approved construction projects (Lakeshore triple track, passing tracks for Barrie/Stouffville lines, and various grade separations) what is GO missing that it really should have, to operate the already approved service enhancements in those corridors?

I thought you two might have some thoughts on that. (any others with insights, feel free to chip in!)

Try to keep the lists vaguely realistic though, I'm thinking that a small set of projects that won't break the bank is something members of this forum could get on the public agenda, the way Darkstar has done for the DRL).

So what do we need most?

1) More Rail to Rail Grade separations? (Stouffville - Lakeshore?, CN Bala/CN York?)

2) More Rail to Road Grade separations? ( Lakeshore East near Guildwood?, Stouffville - Finch?)

3) More track? ( 4-track Toronto Union - Scarborough Junction?, 3-track Scarborough Junction to Pickering Junction?)

Just curious to see what our UT experts have to say! :D
 
Northern Light said:
So what do we need most?
Click to expand...

I'd say first is more track/owning the track that they use, as MTown said. That way, they can run trains basically whenever they want without disruption due to alternate schedules.

Second most important is Rail-to-Rail separation. After all day service is in at maybe hourly frequencies, the odd time a freight train crosses a route will cause some pretty big disruptions I imagine.

Third most important is Rail-to-road separation. Once frequencies get relatively high (I'd say under 30 minutes,) I imagine people will start complaining about the disruptions. Then the trains will also be able to run anytime they want without disruptions.
 
I agree, MTown, though it would likely be impossible to buy the whole Milton corridor.

I think the most important thing is for GO to have a dedicated set of tracks--at least a pair--along all of its inner routes. There's not much freight or intercity traffic on Stouffville or Newmarket, so two tracks would likely be sufficient. On Milton and Georgetown, GO should consider the same approach they took with the GO Sub between Pickering and Oshawa.

While it would be nice to have grade separation at all road crossings, when trains are sufficiently frequent and smaller than the 10-car monsters, a grade crossing really isn't any more disruptive than a traffic light. The train will clear the crossing in under 10 seconds.
 
As for grade speration on the Lake Shore W, Kerr, Appleby and King roads need to happen. There are 5 other crossing that see light traffic and not worth the money to seperate them at this time. Kerr is to see one in the next few years. There was supposed to be an EA for King some years ago, but never happen.

On the Milton Line, Thomas, Mississauga/Main, Erindale, Wolfdale roads need seperation with 4 others not. Mississauga/Main have some real issues without distroying the area.

If you want to spend the money to do the non seperation, you will need to tear down a large number of homes as well close off streets in Mississauga.

Most of Lake Shore E is grade seperated.

Georgetown Line has a few grade crossing and will cost $ to not cut the community apart to put in the speration. Brampton station is one of those roads as well John St.

Until we get service down to 10-15 minutes and having speed over 150km, the current grade crossing can handle current service.

I have said for the last 6 years to GO, "you need to put in 2 tracks, not the 1 as we will be back here doing these EA's all over again in the next 15 years for that other track as well reducing the cost and construction mess". This would allow GO to operate without interfering with CP=CN=VIA other than at stations.

I know some of the other lines have grade crossing and cannot speak on them since I have not seen some of them in the first place. There are a few that I can.
 
Last edited:
I have said for the last 6 years to GO, "you need to put in 2 tracks, not the 1 as we will be back here doing these EA's all over again in the next 15 years for that other track as well reducing the cost and construction mess". This would allow GO to operate without interfering with CP=CN=VIA other than at stations.
Click to expand...

You're absolutely right, drum. Seeing how long this EA process is taking, it's infuriating that they may have to start this all over ten years down the line. We should be going through a comprehensive EA process for transforming all GO inner 905 routes into full regional rail services with electrification.
 
2) Are we on-track (pun intended) for the full-day service on the Stouffville and Barrie lines by year end?

-No track work has started, it'll be years unless they only plan on only running 1 train at a time, maybe 2.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if you were only referring to the Barrie line, but work is definitely underway on the Stouffville line. Workers are widening the area for the track under the 407 bridge (well, the sections on both sides between the two separate 407 bridges) and running gas (and power?) just south of the bridge, which I assume will be for the switches for the passing track? I'm no expert, so if the work underway is something else, someone please correct me.
 
I hope so, yeah. Seems a waste to do all that track work for a few trains a day. It makes me slightly nervous that they're going to have to deal with CP to serve Oshawa, though. Right now they have a pretty sweet setup with the GO sub. It's been over a decade now that CP has been blocking all-day service to Hamilton.
 
unimaginative2 said:
I hope so, yeah. Seems a waste to do all that track work for a few trains a day. It makes me slightly nervous that they're going to have to deal with CP to serve Oshawa, though. Right now they have a pretty sweet setup with the GO sub. It's been over a decade now that CP has been blocking all-day service to Hamilton.
Click to expand...

and on Milton! Grrrr CP
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top