micheal_can
Senior Member
So, how would one get to Union Station if Toronto is not your final destination?
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- Thread starter jaybe
- Start date
So, how would one get to Union Station if Toronto is not your final destination?
mdrejhon
Senior Member
Just transfer to one of the two subways.
Remember that most people are transferring to TTC anyway after you arrive to Union. Like a doctor on Bloor, or business on Sheppard/StClair, or a hospital on University Avenue.
Now, if you transfer at Richmond Hill or Langstaff (which would be a sort of a Union Station North in this perspective), you would still have the same number of transfers. You'd be simply transferring at a northern interchange station (Richmond Hill interchange station), rather than double-backing via TTC at a southern interchange station (aka today's Union station)
Meaning, Northlander (or whatever future merged Richmond Hill + Northlander modern diesel replacement trains) would be connected to two subways routes that provides many stopping choices!
If you look at Google Maps, the Richmond Hill Line (Northlander Line) almost touches Yonge at Langstaff.
Imagine two subways converging there.
- Yonge Extension reaching the Richmond Hill Line (Northlander Line)
- DRL using the Richmond Hill Line
Now add a major transfer station where all three meets simultaneously
-- Northlander/"RH-GO-North" (south terminus)
-- Yonge Subway (north terminus)
-- Relief Line Subway (north terminus)
All of them meeting at one point. Easy transfer!
Imagine Northlander reaching the terminus of two different subway routes going in two different directions, providing many choices of transfers to the rest of GTA.
Most people have to transfer to TTC at Toronto Union Station anyway after arriving at Union Station. So why not have people transfer here, at a kind of miniature "Union Station North"? Saves time, saves double-backing, win-win?
Eventually, both Northlander and RH-GO needs to replace their old diesel trains. What if they pair up and use the same new diesel trains (when the time is right -- i.e. 25-year masterplanning) to this new mini "Union Station North" interchange terminal?
If we're losing Don Valley, isn't this the best alternative? Doesn't increase transfers because people have to transfer at the original Union Station anyway.
And still cheaper than flood-meditating Don Valley.
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mdrejhon
Senior Member
micheal_can
Senior Member
Great idea for Toronto. Bad idea for the rest of the province.
mdrejhon
Senior Member
Another alternative could also be to terminate at Langstaff (and extend the diesels southwards there).
The napkin math says it is better for the rest of the province than for Toronto.
- It would decrease number of transfers for Northlander passengers.
- It would make it more economically viable to upgrade & expand Northlander service
- Everyone on the Northlander can reach more of GTHA area faster
Are there other side-effects I am currently unaware of? I genuinely want to know.
- If it's easier to build a bigger station at Langstaff instead
- Bus Terminal for 407 GO Buses (or future 407 LRT of ~2051)
- Buttonville Airport densification opportunity
But mathematically, why, sir?
The napkin math says it is better for the rest of the province than for Toronto.
- It would decrease number of transfers for Northlander passengers.
- It would make it more economically viable to upgrade & expand Northlander service
- Everyone on the Northlander can reach more of GTHA area faster
Are there other side-effects I am currently unaware of? I genuinely want to know.
micheal_can
Senior Member
Lets say that the Pickering Airport was built. Lets say the government decided that Pearson would be only for national flights. The new Pickering Airport would only be for international flights.
You sitting in your downtown Toronto condo would think that is great.
- less security on national flights
- more economical due to the fact that airlines can run more planes at both.
- Everyone on national or international flights can get to the GTA easier......
But...
- You now have to leave security
- you no have to go back through security
- longer transfers for people flying from other places that are not both in and out of the country, ie, Windsor to Paris. or even Calgary to London England.
The only good it serves is the people of the GTA.
mdrejhon
Senior Member
For the record, I don't support the Pickering airport.
I own a detached house in Hamilton.
I work in Toronto.
I support my own tax payer dollars to improve transit Ontario-wide.
That's not what it would be. It would mean less distance for baggage wheeling during transfers because it's a much more compact interchange station than Downtown Union station. Think of one of those well-integrated satellite transfer stations you see in Europe, where it's so much less of a pain than.
There is no security involved, and the transfer distance is much shorter than it is between Union platform & Union taxi stands (or Union TTC). There are many, many satellite transfer stations like this when I visit Europe. Let's have one of these quick-transfer stations here at Richmond Hill. They exist. They are real.
micheal_can
Senior Member
Show me where in the world you have a intercity to subway to intercity transfer?
mdrejhon
Senior Member
Are you talking about things like needing to get to Ottawa or Windsor or Kingston or Montreal?
In that case, yes, you are right it will require 1 extra transfer.
You'd still have to indeed go to Toronto Union Station.
Most Northlander passengers back in the day, needed to go to cities much closer to Toronto.
Whether Mississauga or Toronto or Pearson or Scarborough.
Most Northlanders weren't going Kingston or Windsor or Montreal.
You still had to catch a taxi to get to Mississauga or Pearson or Scarborough.
Those places are actually faster to get to via a taxi from Richmond Hill area.
The Don Valley railroad tracks were always very slow, and the new Yonge Subway would be equally as fast or faster in many cases because it's electric & because it's a straight line.
The time savings for everybody in Northlander route outweigh the time losses of the few who needs to go elsewhere.
The amount of lugging luggage will go down on average.
(luggage-distance reductions outweighs luggage-distance increases).
For all passengers, grand totalled.
micheal_can
Senior Member
Look up the challenges with North Station and South Station in Boston.... and they are only a mile or so away from each other.....
micheal_can
Senior Member
Via does not.
Canadian Chocho
Active Member
I think it does when it arrives.
Fritter
Active Member
Vancouver bound, the Canadian travels up the Newmarket sub (GO's Barrie Line), then across the York sub to the Bala Sub (GO's Richmond Hill line) then North to Vancouver. Toronto bound it goes down the Bala Sub (Richmond Hill Line)all the way to Union.
micheal_can
Senior Member
RH line is not the Bala Sub. Friend o mine drives freight for CN.