[vegeta_skyline]

Yes that's possible, but only if you have 3 trains dedicated to run on the line. However, not sure GO would like having each train dwell in Union station for 52 minutes. It would be difficult to make use of the train on another line as its not much time for it to go anywhere. Unless its an express run, perhaps to Clarkson(21 minute travel time going west, 8 minutes change ends, 21 minutes travel time going east) and back. Not many other options though...

Actually even that wouldn't be possible, that leaves 2 minutes to load and unload passengers twice. Maybe a port credit express? Now i'm reaching.
It'll all come down to what kind of demand there is for the service.

Official word has been "by the end of 2010" but I'm certainly curious to find out what vetega_skyline has heard.

I've heard much the same, its dependant upon the completion of the 3rd track between Port Credit & Kerr st. as well as station & signal upgrades along that stretch.

 

[Twisted Son of Gumby]

There are currently no rails between Washago, Orillia and Barrie. The Northlander goes by the other side of Lake Simcoe, through Beaverton. I would support re-laying those tracks through.

I find it intruiging that so many people would like to see the Oro-Medonte rail
trail refitted with track and ballast in order to extend the Barrie GO line to
Orillia, when Orillia has never even had GO bus service (insofar as I know).

The next best thing might be to: a) legislate a freeze of any and all development on the right of way, b) sell the right of way to GO Transit, and c) gradually reacquire/expropriate any segments of the former rail spur that may have been absorbed by current property.

Other similarly potential right of way resurrections, e.g. the old CN Uxbridge right of way between Uxbridge and Lindsay, come to mind as well.

 

[CDL.TO]

The next best thing might be to: a) legislate a freeze of any and all development on the right of way, b) sell the right of way to GO Transit, and c) gradually reacquire/expropriate any segments of the former rail spur that may have been absorbed by current property.

The former line runs right through downtown Barrie. I'm pretty sure that condos have already been built on the route, and even if they haven't there's no way the City of Barrie would allow the line to be reconstructed.

Which is too bad, because it makes a lot more sense for passenger services than the line through Beaverton.

Orillia isn't that big of a place. Under the current GO Transit model, I don't even think rail service would make much sense.

 

[RedRocket191]

I find it intruiging that so many people would like to see the Oro-Medonte rail
trail refitted with track and ballast in order to extend the Barrie GO line to
Orillia, when Orillia has never even had GO bus service (insofar as I know).

If you look at my Rail Ontario vision you'll see that I call for a trust to be setup to replace every metre of re-activated trail with new trail in the same corridor. I like trains but I also like trails

 

[unimaginative2]

I think that northern rail line has enormous potential as a fast commuter service. If we could get that line speed up to 200km/h, or at least 160km/h, I think you'd see a flood of commuters. Imagine being able to live full time at the cottage and commute downtown in less than an hour.

 

[EnviroTO]

With the addition of a few switches just east of Etobicoke station they could have a meet point in the already double tracked area under the 401 and Islington bridges to do this schedule I would think:

------------- T1-DN T2-UP T3-DN T4-UP T2-DN T1-UP T4-DN T3-UP
------------- SOUTH NORTH SOUTH NORTH SOUTH NORTH SOUTH NORTH
BRAMPTON..... 09:13 10:55 10:13 11:55 11:13 12:55 12:13 13:55
BRAMALEA..... 09:21 10:47 10:21 11:47 11:21 12:47 12:21 13:47
MALTON....... 09:27 10:41 10:27 11:41 11:27 12:41 12:27 13:41
ETOBICOKE.... 09:33 10:35 10:33 11:35 11:33 12:35 12:33 13:35
WESTON....... 09:38 10:30 10:38 11:30 11:38 12:30 12:38 13:30
BLOOR........ 09:46 10:22 10:46 11:22 11:46 12:22 12:46 13:22
UNION........ 09:55 10:13 10:55 11:13 11:55 12:13 12:55 13:13
------------- NORTH SOUTH NORTH SOUTH NORTH SOUTH NORTH SOUTH
UNION........ 10:00 10:08 11:00 11:08 12:00 12:08 13:00 13:08
KENNEDY...... 10:17 09:51 11:17 10:51 12:17 11:51 13:17 12:51
AGINCOURT.... 10:24 09:44 11:24 10:44 12:24 11:44 13:24 12:44
MILLIKEN..... 10:30 09:38 11:30 10:38 12:30 11:38 13:30 12:38
UNIONVILLE... 10:36 09:32 11:36 10:32 12:36 11:32 13:36 12:32
CENTENNIAL... 10:42 09:26 11:42 10:26 12:42 11:26 13:42 12:26
MAKRHAM...... 10:47 09:21 11:47 10:21 12:47 11:21 13:47 12:21
MOUNT JOY.... 10:51 09:16 11:51 10:16 12:51 11:16 13:51 12:16

It would make scheduling anything else on the Georgetown line difficult but maybe now that GO owns it they could make it happen.

 

[canarob]

I would think that there would be no problem allocating three trains to this line during off-peak -- I can't imagine that they would all be allocated to other lines.

 

[Second_in_pie]

If you look at my Rail Ontario vision you'll see that I call for a trust to be setup to replace every metre of re-activated trail with new trail in the same corridor. I like trains but I also like trails

With your Rail Ontario, I would have a "regional" line from Downsview, up through Barrie and Orillia all the way to Parry Sound, as well as "local" lines starting at Newmarket, going all the way up to Parry Sound as well. Commuter rush hour service could be provided by go up to Orillia by Go.

The only comment I have is that if you add a meter of trail for every meter of track you rebuild, you might end up running out of room to put all of them Maybe "trails" could also include bike paths in major cities?

 

[vegeta_skyline]

With the addition of a few switches just east of Etobicoke station they could have a meet point in the already double tracked area under the 401 and Islington bridges to do this schedule I would think:

Unfortunately that second track you see there is not a mainline track. Its only a service track with speeds restricted to a 15mph maximum. The track would need to be completely replaced. Much in the same way the 3rd track on the Oakville sub by CN's Oakville yard is going to completely replace a yard track.

I would think that there would be no problem allocating three trains to this line during off-peak -- I can't imagine that they would all be allocated to other lines.

Off peak yes, allocating 3 trains to the line that wouldn't be a problem. Its the reverse peak period thats the problem. Thats where we run into problems by dedicating more trains to one line. GO also wants to begin all-day service to Barrie as well as 1/2hr service on the Lakeshore and possibly weekday service to St. Catherines/Niagara. Off-peak, GO can facilitate all those demands but if some of the schedules start to enter the reverse-peak time thats were there’ll be equipment limitations. Aside from that, I can tell you right now that there’ll be personnel limitations.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m by no means arguing against the service or anything to that effect, quite the opposite. Just being realistic about what kind of service they can provide "off the bat" due to track, equipment and personal limitations. Significant service increases shall no doubt be implemented with time.

Also, with 3 trains you could provide service as frequent as 45 minutes(even less is possible, but I've given allowances for crew rest time) on the Stouffville line.

______________	North 1	South 1	North 2	South 2	North 3	South 3	North 4	South 4
________________________to N3		to N4	 	to N5		
Arrive Union	 	11:07		11:52		12:37		13:22
Depart Union	10:00	 	10:45		11:30		12:15	 
Kennedy_	10:17	10:51	11:02	11:36	11:47	12:21	12:32	13:06
Agincourt	10:24	10:44	11:09	11:29	11:54	12:14	12:39	12:59
Milliken	10:30	10:38	11:15	11:23	12:00	12:08	12:45	12:53
passing tracks	10:34	10:34	11:19	11:19	12:04	12:04	12:49	12:49
Unionville	10:36	10:32	11:21	11:17	12:06	12:02	12:51	12:47
Centennial	10:42	10:26	11:27	11:11	12:12	11:56	12:57	12:41
Markham_	10:47	10:21	11:32	11:06	12:17	11:51	13:03	12:36
Depart MJ		10:16		11:01		11:46		12:31
Arrive MJ	10:51		11:36		12:21		13:07	
________________to S2		to S3	 	to S4

Unfortunately, the Stouffville line is notorious for delays (due primarily to communication problems between trains because of the "OCS" i.e. non-signaled, train system). One train being delayed will effect the other train that it meets at the passing track just as bad. Thats why this line needs to eventually be double-tracked and upgraded to CTC.

 

[ShonTron]

The new schedules are up.

What I see so far:
- New 7 day/week Peterborough bus service from Oshawa Station (though no service to downtown Oshawa or anywhere transit-friendly) to Peterborough, with stops at Cavan Road (Peterborough Cty Rd 10, near Millbrook), Peterborough South (Crawford and Harper, off the Parkway and next to the CP line - that suburban GO station site?), downtown Peterborough, and Trent University. 10 weekday round trips, 6 weekend round trips.

- Niagara Falls bus trips, from Burlington GO, stops at Grimsby (where some buses terminate/originate from), St. Catharines (Fairview Mall, not downtown terminal), 420 and Stanley and Downtown Niagara Falls. 12 Weekday trips a day to NF, a few extra just to Grimsby, 6 on Sundays.

- A few additional buses from Downtown Brampton to Union Station, leaving at 14:35, 19:35, 20:35 to complement the recent departures that left at 16:35 and 17:35 and old departures at 15:35 and 18:35; giving hourly bus service after the limited midday trains end (the last train-meet leaves DT Brampton at 13:10) to 21:35. - Brampton finally gets the level of service it deserves vs. other corridors.

I'm sure there's other added trips and schedule changes, but that's what I saw so far.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

If memory serves me correctly, a friend of the family might be driving GO buses on the new Niagara route...I'll inquire about ridership and travel patterns and the like after the service settles in.

 

[CDL.TO]

- Niagara Falls bus trips, from Burlington GO, stops at Grimsby (where some buses terminate/originate from), St. Catharines (Fairview Mall, not downtown terminal), 420 and Stanley and Downtown Niagara Falls. 12 Weekday trips a day to NF, a few extra just to Grimsby, 6 on Sundays.

Not serving the actual tourist area of Niagara Falls seems like a major mistake.

St. Catharines is spelled wrong on the schedule. Common error.

With the travel times to Niagara Region and Peterborough, I can see a lot of people sticking with Greyhound or Trentway, myself included. The fares are pretty comparable.

 

[EnviroTO]

The rush hour busses from Peterborough take 2h15min from the bus terminal, and GO takes 2h. I would expect greater reliability on GO considering the 401 and DVP. The prices are better for adults on GO but cheaper for students on Greyhound. The schedules seem better timed on GO.

They really aren't serving St. Catharines very well. I would have expected service to go to Downtown and Brock University via 406 and to Niagara via 58 and Thorold Stone Rd where it could take QEW and 420 to its planned route.

 

[kettal]

From our friend Ed Drass:

GO expansion reckless, irresponsible

 

[EnviroTO]

Considering that GO is running the services half the distance other bus companies are and then dumping the passengers onto existing trains while charging amount not too far from the fares other companies charge, I would expect GO to be very cost effective and not much of a burden on the tax payer. Sending buses to connect to large bi-level passenger trains should be not only more cost effective but more environmentally friendly as well. I would like to see GO and VIA work together a bit more though. Why Ontario can't use the subsidy it pays to run Ontario Northland passenger service to create a VIA branded and marketed connection to North Bay and Cochrane is beyond me. Also, GO should be working with VIA to ensure the number of trains to Niagara does not fall. Lastly, there should be a way to go to the VIA website and buy tickets from a GO service only station to a VIA station. Not working together isn't helping anyone.