I find it strange, that many forum members couldnt care less if our rail system is "Electrified"
Trains could GO electric
Posted By RAYMOND BOWE
GO trains could go from diesel-powered to electric.
Metrolinx, which merged with GO Transit earlier this month, says it will study the possibility of electrifying the entire GO Transit rail network, as a future alternative to the diesel trains currently in service.
"Electrification of rail services means more than just running trains by electricity," the Crown agency says. "It means upgrading the infrastructure and service offered to increase the frequency, speed and reliability of train service."
GO Transit has seven rail lines throughout southern Ontario, fanning out like spider legs in all directions from Union Station in downtown Toronto. The GO system spans 390 kilometres and includes 59 stations. It operates 53 diesel locomotives and 470 double-decker passenger cars.
Erich Jacoby-Hawkins, a Barrie environmentalist and former Green Party candidate, called the decision to even investigate electric trains "courageous."
"That is absolutely the No. 1 priority they should have," he said, adding electric commuter rail is used in other countries, but has never really taken off in Canada.
"The current model is a 1950s update on early 1900s technology," he said. "That means it take a long time to speed up and a long time to slow down."
A diesel train takes between five and 10 minutes to reach full speed, he said.
"Before they get to full speed, they're already slowing down for the next stop," Jacoby-Hawkins said.
GO Transit service returned to Barrie in December 2007, after a 14-year absence. A second GO platform will also be added at the former Allandale station when the property is redeveloped.
An electric train could potentially make it to downtown Toronto in under an hour while making all the stops, Jacoby-Hawkins said. Quicker train trips into and out of Toronto would likely mean more vehicles wouldn't be using the highway.
"The benefits (of electric) are immense. One of the biggest ones is speed," he said. "If electric trains are that fast, people would take the GO. That takes a large number of cars off the road. Speed means convenience."
Electric trains have better acceleration, Jacoby-Hawkins said, because each axle is essentially its own motor. He used Toronto subways as an example, where riders are pushed back into their seats as the trains depart the station.
Diesel engines also have to warm up, particularly in the winter, so Jacoby-Hawkins said emissions would be eliminated with electric trains.
"With electric, you don't have those issues," he said. "There are no issues with idling or warming up."
Metrolinx, a transportation organization focusing on the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas, says it wants to make mass public transit faster, while also easing congestion and creating jobs in this troubled economy.
There would be significant costs associated with upgrading the tracks and adding the infrastructure needed to run accommodate electric trains, but Jacoby-Hawkins believes it would be worth it.
He said it could also be a good move for the economy because Bombardier manufacturers electric trains right here in Canada.
"It could be a huge uptake of jobs," he said, especially with many people in the automotive industry being laid off.
An advisory committee made up of community representatives, including riders and technical experts, will be established to advise Metrolinx on the terms of reference for the study.
"This committee's advice will be important as we move forward in designing the study to guide us in converting GO Transit's urban rail network from diesel to electric," said Rob Prichard, president and CEO of Metrolinx.
The study could address performance improvements, power supply and distribution, Union Station capacity, rail corridor ownership, urban planning issues, vehicle technology options and availability, physical constraints, property impacts, and the possible effects on GO capital and operating costs.
The study could commence as early as this summer and be completed by the winter of 2010.
The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area Transit Implementation Act 2009 passed third reading at Queen's Park, May 12. Transit planning and building will be combined into one organization, under the name Metrolinx.