[nfitz]

That's certainly not the case of the Spadina and, in particular, Yonge extensions, however. So the answer to your question is pretty simple -- the S-Bahn or commuter rail network is not the solution to the problems that the Yonge and Spadina extensions are responding to.

Certainly not! In reality you need both.

 

[kEiThZ]

I see the need for the Yonge extension to provide local service along Yonge. Likewise the Spadina extension will provide much needed connectivity for York U.

However, I look at S-Bahn type services as a necessity to improve the speed of travel and an overall reliever of the subway system. And it's not just S-bahn type rail service. We need to re-orient our feeder bus system as well so that commuters are fed into the GO stations. It's ridiculous that somebody would spend 45 mins travelling from Kennedy to Union and making a transfer along the way when we have a GO train that could do it in half the time without a transfer. Only in Toronto, would we build our transfer network around the slower option. We need electrified, frequent and persistent GO train service with integrated fares, yesterday. Indeed, if the Lakeshore East and Stoufville lines had electrified lines capable of providing all day service with 10-15 min headway with integrated fares, we probably would not need to relieve Yonge-Bloor at all.

 

[Dan416]

Vienna has very excellent public transit and it's sad that we don't have what they have here. Maybe some day. GO is going in the right direction, at least.

 

[salvius]

I see the need for the Yonge extension to provide local service along Yonge. Likewise the Spadina extension will provide much needed connectivity for York U.

However, I look at S-Bahn type services as a necessity to improve the speed of travel and an overall reliever of the subway system. And it's not just S-bahn type rail service. We need to re-orient our feeder bus system as well so that commuters are fed into the GO stations. It's ridiculous that somebody would spend 45 mins travelling from Kennedy to Union and making a transfer along the way when we have a GO train that could do it in half the time without a transfer. Only in Toronto, would we build our transfer network around the slower option. We need electrified, frequent and persistent GO train service with integrated fares, yesterday. Indeed, if the Lakeshore East and Stoufville lines had electrified lines capable of providing all day service with 10-15 min headway with integrated fares, we probably would not need to relieve Yonge-Bloor at all.

Yes, I agree with every line here.

 

[kettal]

With a bike path set to be built on the abandoned Leaside tracks (federal and provincial funding has been approved), it looks like re-routing Richmond Hill GO onto this much straighter and shorter route is no longer possible.

 

[Second_in_pie]

A bike path can always be torn up. I'd say it's even worth the investment to build a new bridge to run rails on. This straighter section of track would make a much easier connection with Eglinton and the Midtown line. It'd probably also take off a good 5 or 10 minutes off the trip, which is hugely important for the Richmond Hill line to become the express N-S route for the city.

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

A bike path can always be torn up. I'd say it's even worth the investment to build a new bridge to run rails on. This straighter section of track would make a much easier connection with Eglinton and the Midtown line. It'd probably also take off a good 5 or 10 minutes off the trip, which is hugely important for the Richmond Hill line to become the express N-S route for the city.

If what we've seen in Weston with the Georgetown line. I think it would be very difficult to convert a bike path back over to rail, if at all.

 

[MisterF]

I see the need for the Yonge extension to provide local service along Yonge. Likewise the Spadina extension will provide much needed connectivity for York U.

However, I look at S-Bahn type services as a necessity to improve the speed of travel and an overall reliever of the subway system. And it's not just S-bahn type rail service. We need to re-orient our feeder bus system as well so that commuters are fed into the GO stations. It's ridiculous that somebody would spend 45 mins travelling from Kennedy to Union and making a transfer along the way when we have a GO train that could do it in half the time without a transfer. Only in Toronto, would we build our transfer network around the slower option. We need electrified, frequent and persistent GO train service with integrated fares, yesterday. Indeed, if the Lakeshore East and Stoufville lines had electrified lines capable of providing all day service with 10-15 min headway with integrated fares, we probably would not need to relieve Yonge-Bloor at all.

I agree, but even if Yonge-Bloor didn't need to be relieved, all the central neighbourhoods without rapid transit still warrant a downtown east-west subway line. If not two. A Queen subway from the Beaches to the Queensway would fill a huge need.

 

[unimaginative2]

All-electric GO train system studied
Community concerned about pollution pressuring officials to electrify expanding Georgetown line
Tess Kalinowski Transportation Reporter
Toronto Star
Published On Wed Oct 21 2009

Metrolinx will mount an unprecedented study of electrifying the entire GO train system, including the controversial Georgetown line.

Expected to cost more than $2 million, the study is the most comprehensive in GO's history, say transit officials, who are under pressure from the community concerned about diesel pollution to electrify the Georgetown line, due for a $1 billion expansion. The expansion is necessary for GO to offer two-way, all-day service to Brampton and Georgetown and to run a rail link between Union Station and Pearson airport.

This will be the first broad look at the health and community impacts, as well as the economics of electrification, Metrolinx officials said Tuesday at a board meeting. Earlier studies examined electrifying the Lakeshore line only and focused on the cost of electric versus diesel.

This latest study will also consider alternative rail technologies.

But whether electric trains or clean diesel locomotives run up the expanded Georgetown corridor, it will be years before commuters in Brampton and Georgetown see all-day, two-way service, said Gary McNeil, managing director of GO, which has merged with Metrolinx.

Despite a Metrolinx report projecting 59 GO trains running up the corridor to Georgetown in 2015 when the expansion opens, McNeil said only 10 additional trains might be added to the existing 19.

About 460 trains are expected to use the lower ends of the corridor when expansion is complete, including about 140 that will provide a rail link between Union Station and Pearson, and those that branch off to Bolton, Barrie and Milton.

The study, to be finished next December, is critical for GO to make the business case for electrification in the future, which transit officials have been looking at for 30 years on the Lakeshore line, said McNeil.

Many Toronto residents living along the Georgetown line tracks say the study is a waste of time and money. A 2009 GO analysis showed it would cost about $1 billion to electrify the Lakeshore line.

But that outlay would be offset by $100 million in annual operational savings, said Keith Brooks of the Clean Train Coalition, which opposes diesel trains on the Georgetown line.

"That study clearly indicated this is the best economic case, not to mention all the environmental and health impacts," he said.

Electrification of the GO network was already studied back in the 90s. You can even find a digitized version online if you go to the MTO archive on their website. I hope this project happens now and not later. Once the diesel rolling stock has been acquired, electrification won't happen in my working lifetime.

I'm also not too thrilled about McNeil's comments.

 

[Long Island Mike]

Toronto Star - 10/22 GO Electrification study...

UNI2: Look here at the Clean Train Campaign's site:
www.cleantrain.ca/ for more information about this pro-electrification group.
I'm surprised the link was not mentioned...LI MIKE

 

[kEiThZ]

UNI2: Look here at the Clean Train Campaign's site:
www.cleantrain.ca/ for more information about this pro-electrification group.
I'm surprised the link was not mentioned...LI MIKE

It's the Westonites. We've known about them for a while. And their names comes up in news articles about electrification quite often.

 

[Twisted Son of Gumby]

If what we've seen in Weston with the Georgetown line. I think it would be very difficult to convert a bike path back over to rail, if at all.

If ridership on a RH REx line is large enough, an underground alignment between York Mills Rd and the CP Belleville sub should be considered.

 

[kettal]

Metrolinx will mount an unprecedented study of electrifying the entire GO train system, including the controversial Georgetown line.

Yeah, totally unprecedented. Commuter rail systems have only been electrified around the world for the past 100 years or so...

 

[RedRocket191]

While we're studying electrification, can we please start laying some tracks?

Doing this now does not prevent us from doing the other later.

 

[DavidH]

Yeah, totally unprecedented. Commuter rail systems have only been electrified around the world for the past 100 years or so...

That's why it's unprecedented. Those other systems electrified themselves. Metrolinx is merely studying it.