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50MPH for freight does not mean 50MPH for passenger trains.

They have different speed limits based upon track class

Track ClassificationFreightPassengerSection
Excepted Track10 mphNot Allowed49 CFR § 213.4
Class 1 Track10 mph15 mph49 CFR § 213.9
Class 2 Track25 mph30 mph49 CFR § 213.9
Class 3 Track40 mph60 mph49 CFR § 213.9
Class 4 Track60 mph80 mph49 CFR § 213.9
Class 5 Track80 mph90 mph49 CFR § 213.9
Class 6 Track110 mph110 mph49 CFR § 213.307
Class 7 Track125 mph125 mph49 CFR § 213.307
Class 8 Track160 mph160 mph49 CFR § 213.307
Class 9 Track200 mph200 mph49 CFR § 213.307

This is for the FRA, but TC follows it closely.

Btw 200MPH freight for class 9. Id love to see what that looks like haha.
Which now I'm curious why they changed the Weston to be 80 passenger and 25 freight? Is it the amount of intermediate signals? The UP Platforms? Or the grades on the weston and west toronto tunnel?
 
Which now I'm curious why they changed the Weston to be 80 passenger and 25 freight? Is it the amount of intermediate signals? The UP Platforms? Or the grades on the weston and west toronto tunnel?

Likely all of the above, and more.

Freight is mostly shuffling roadswitchers that travel short distances, and one transfer a day to CP which follows a single routing through the Weston tunnel and takes a slow path onto CP . No need for freight to travel faster, and why add to maintenance costs.

- Paul
 
Likely all of the above, and more.

Freight is mostly shuffling roadswitchers that travel short distances, and one transfer a day to CP which follows a single routing through the Weston tunnel and takes a slow path onto CP . No need for freight to travel faster, and why add to maintenance costs.

- Paul
Yeah, would probably save us 5 minutes at the most for the CP transfer only to be blocked at CN Humber by higher priority 1xx and 3xx trains... I've waited 3 hours there before 😉
 
Which now I'm curious why they changed the Weston to be 80 passenger and 25 freight? Is it the amount of intermediate signals? The UP Platforms? Or the grades on the weston and west toronto tunnel?
A small part of it is the signal progression and sighting.

But a large part of it is that Metrolinx is afraid that the big, bad freight trains will damage their track. Seriously.

Dan
 
But a large part of it is that Metrolinx is afraid that the big, bad freight trains will damage their track. Seriously.
90% of the time to the CP transfer we use the lighter low horsepower engines plus usually its not more than 50 cars we are sending over or bringing back... logically just speed restrict heavy axle loads. But it's their track so they call the shots.

I seriously hope they don't do the same on the Guelph...
 
So I have noticed something occurring, trains no longer seem to be following old route patterns.

For example, the 5:08 train to Allandale used to become the 8:03 to Union the following day. Which in turn would turn into the 12:34 to Kitchener (before the April 8 cuts it used to go to Mount Joy and then Kitchener). And it would then return back to Union to become the 4:38 to Allandale.

But now, the 8:03 to Union then goes out of service and an entirely new consist is brought out for the 12:34 to Kitchener and then 4:38 to Allandale run.
 
So I have noticed something occurring, trains no longer seem to be following old route patterns.

For example, the 5:08 train to Allandale used to become the 8:03 to Union the following day. Which in turn would turn into the 12:34 to Kitchener (before the April 8 cuts it used to go to Mount Joy and then Kitchener). And it would then return back to Union to become the 4:38 to Allandale.

But now, the 8:03 to Union then goes out of service and an entirely new consist is brought out for the 12:34 to Kitchener and then 4:38 to Allandale run.
Would you mind the using 24h clock? I had to reread this several times before I figured out what the pattern is you're describing.
 
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Would you mind the using 24h clock? I had to reread this several times before I figured out what the pattern is you're describing.
The 5:08 to Allandale shown in his post is 17:08
The 4:38 to Allandale shown in his post is 16:38. (the following day)

The other times are unchanged.
 
The 5:48 Barrie train this morning had an operational issue past Downsview and was almost 2 hours late delaying every train behind it as well. Some passengers onboard that train are saying on Twitter that it was announced that a crew change was needed - anyone know why this would happen? Haven't heard that one before.
 
The 5:48 Barrie train this morning had an operational issue past Downsview and was almost 2 hours late delaying every train behind it as well. Some passengers onboard that train are saying on Twitter that it was announced that a crew change was needed - anyone know why this would happen? Haven't heard that one before.

Crews are relieved under at least two scenarios - one being, a crew member is not able to continue working (health, injury, or traumatic event) and the other being, a formal investigation is foreseen and the crew is placed “out of service” pending statements, investigator activity, etc.
Also, when trains face delay, crews may “time out” on their limit to hours at work before the service can resume.
In either case it may take two hours to call a replacement crew.
I won’t speculate on this event, but yes having to replace the crew after an incident is quite common.

- Paul
 
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The 5:48 Barrie train this morning had an operational issue past Downsview and was almost 2 hours late delaying every train behind it as well. Some passengers onboard that train are saying on Twitter that it was announced that a crew change was needed - anyone know why this would happen? Haven't heard that one before.
The crew ran through a rule 42/work block, and needed to be relieved from service.

Dan
 
Not much of a service aspect to that decision when they are less than 20 km (?) from Union.

Have you ever had to drive home after being involved in an auto collision? Or even pulled over for a ticket?
If a crew has just had an experience that is unsettling and has potential for repercussions, they should not be continuing in service as there will be too many things on their minds.
Not to mention the legalities of letting them continue when there may be allegations hanging in the air.
The constraint is a single track line with no ability to line other trains past the stopped train.

- Paul
 
For the railway challenged among us (me), what exactly happened? I don't know what rule 42 is. Did the crew fail to slow for a workzone?
 

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