[the lemur]

What I found strange is that the announcements on the UPX was telling people not to forget to to tap off. I suppose these are pre-recorded announcements but should that have been running this free weekend? What if people did tap off or tap on?

The Presto readers at Bloor were out of service, for one thing. Maybe that was deliberate.

 

[the lemur]

While waiting for the UP at Bloor, I started thinking about Smart Track - the practical details of it. Am I right in thinking that there are two main issues with running a new service on this corridor:

1. frequency, i.e., trying to fit subway-type service headways on a track already in use with GO
2. choice of rolling stock: anything lighter than GO/UP units, such as LRV or subway-type trainsets, has to be physically separated from them?

There isn't really the space to put in new tracks either, right?

 

[Palma]

Those are 2 big issues and actually riding the UPX this weekend and looking at those tracks gave me a better understanding of the issues involved.

Also the train I got on had 3 cars attached it seems. Is that the way the trains usually run with paying fares (before this free weekend) and I heard in the news that the train holds 350 standing room so what would the proposed LRT trains on Crosstown hold? Could an LRT run on the tracks (forgetting about the other issues).

Another thing, is there no room to lay tracks just for SmartTrack or possible to buy track that is not frequently used (if that exists). How many tracks along that whole corridor anyways? I assume CP, CN, Via and GO all use various tracks. Are they all the same size?

 

[the lemur]

Another thing, is there no room to lay tracks just for SmartTrack or possible to buy track that is not frequently used (if that exists). How many tracks along that whole corridor anyways? I assume CP, CN, Via and GO all use various tracks. Are they all the same size?

It looks to me like there's 2 sets of 2 along the whole of that subdivision, with an additional track now and then that curves off, such as at the Davenport diamond. I would assume they're all standard gauge - but even if it's not frequently used, it still means fitting into the GO schedule. I don't think there's any track going spare and it doesn't look like there's room along the entire length of the sub to put in more track.

 

[salsa]

Today is the first of a series of public meetings this month to discuss transit. This one is in Scarborough.

 

[salsa]

Will all of the public meetings discuss the same transit projects (RER, DRL, ST, Scarborough transit), or will each of them focus on a particular transit project depending on where the meeting is hosted?

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Another thing, is there no room to lay tracks just for SmartTrack or possible to buy track that is not frequently used (if that exists). How many tracks along that whole corridor anyways? I assume CP, CN, Via and GO all use various tracks. Are they all the same size?

It looks to me like there's 2 sets of 2 along the whole of that subdivision, with an additional track now and then that curves off, such as at the Davenport diamond. I would assume they're all standard gauge - but even if it's not frequently used, it still means fitting into the GO schedule. I don't think there's any track going spare and it doesn't look like there's room along the entire length of the sub to put in more track.

Upon full buildout, there is supposed to be anywhere from 4 to 8 tracks along the Kitchener corridor, between Bathurst (the start if the Union Station Rail Corridor, where all trains come together) and Highway 427 (where the UPX spur splits off to the airport). There are at least four that are shared for the Kitchener line and the UPX along the entire length. You have more in the following areas:

• Two for the Barrie line, between Bathurst and Parkdale (Lansdowne)
• Two for the Milton Line, between Bathurst and West Toronto (Dupont)
• One or two for Canadian Pacific's mainline to northern Ontario (MacTier sub), between West Toronto and east of the Weston Road overpass
• One or two for Canadian National's industrial spurs, between Etobicoke North GO and Carlingview Drive

You will not see all of this first hand today, because it has not been fully built out. But it leaves little room for SmartTrack, to be sure, and it is why I have generally dismissed it from day 1. Note that we haven't seen cost estimates for SmartTrack yet, and the price will be significant for any property requirements, as it will be beyond the existing corridor (there's no Metrolinx-owned space left).

 

[kEiThZ]

So if I read that Star article correctly, the intention is to roll Smart Track into RER. I still think this is the likely outcome. Particularly is tracks are the concern.....

 

[the lemur]

Upon full buildout, there is supposed to be anywhere from 4 to 8 tracks along the Kitchener corridor, between Bathurst (the start if the Union Station Rail Corridor, where all trains come together) and Highway 427 (where the UPX spur splits off to the airport). There are at least four that are shared for the Kitchener line and the UPX along the entire length. You have more in the following areas:

• Two for the Barrie line, between Bathurst and Parkdale (Lansdowne)
• Two for the Milton Line, between Bathurst and West Toronto (Dupont)
• One or two for Canadian Pacific's mainline to northern Ontario (MacTier sub), between West Toronto and east of the Weston Road overpass
• One or two for Canadian National's industrial spurs, between Etobicoke North GO and Carlingview Drive

You will not see all of this first hand today, because it has not been fully built out. But it leaves little room for SmartTrack, to be sure, and it is why I have generally dismissed it from day 1. Note that we haven't seen cost estimates for SmartTrack yet, and the price will be significant for any property requirements, as it will be beyond the existing corridor (there's no Metrolinx-owned space left).

So basically Smart Track can't share any of the tracks to be built and won't get a track of its own?

 

[the lemur]

So if I read that Star article correctly, the intention is to roll Smart Track into RER. I still think this is the likely outcome. Particularly is tracks are the concern.....

That sounds about right, if RER (and electrification) is happening anyway. It certainly fits with my impression that Tory is adjusting the definition of Smart Track in order to be able to stick the Smart Track label on something that actually gets built.

 

[kEiThZ]

That sounds about right, if RER (and electrification) is happening anyway. It certainly fits with my impression that Tory is adjusting the definition of Smart Track in order to be able to stick the Smart Track label on something that actually gets built.

I've always suspected that there might have been some backdoor discussions with somebody at Metrolinx before he dropped that on his campaign. Could be wrong. But that's my suspicion. Will be interesting to see what Metrolinx comes up with in June.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

So basically Smart Track can't share any of the tracks to be built and won't get a track of its own?

Well that's up in the air, mostly because we don't even know what SmartTrack is (despite all the speculation and baseless assertions in this thread).

If SmartTrack uses separate heavy rail trains that are compatible to be mixed in with GO/VIA/UPX/CN traffic according to federal regulations, then theoretically it could share tracks. But that would be at the expense of space for GO/UPX trains, would Metrolinx be willing to do that?

If SmartTrack needs separate tracks according to regulations, then there are the property issues I talked about.

If SmartTrack is (what I would argue) really just a branding exercise for Crosstown West and GO RER, then this is a moot discussion. It's not a real thing.

 

[44 North]

While waiting for the UP at Bloor, I started thinking about Smart Track - the practical details of it. Am I right in thinking that there are two main issues with running a new service on this corridor:

1. frequency, i.e., trying to fit subway-type service headways on a track already in use with GO
2. choice of rolling stock: anything lighter than GO/UP units, such as LRV or subway-type trainsets, has to be physically separated from them?

That'd be pretty cool if we could use Light Rail rolling stock for ST. Make it a tram-train of sorts, that could branch off its mainline and act as an in-median LRT for certain areas in the future. And plus, if you rearrange the letters in "Smart Track" you get "Tram Tracks"...maybe it's a hidden clue about Tory's plan?

 

[TheTigerMaster]

From the public meeting: SmartTrack won't have comparable frequencies to the SSE. The SSE will have half the frequency of Line 2.

SSE: 5 min
Line 2: 2.5 min
SmartTrack: Not comparable to either

 

[crs1026]

More fuel for the concept of extending ST a little further up the Weston Sub. Or would we rather have the Finch LRT come over here?

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/201...-with-developer-for-major-revitalization.html

- Paul