It would be good if people could take the assurances provided by government agencies as being honest, no? And even they have not been in the past, that they could start?

*sigh* This image is so old it's almost a heritage moment to share it.

- Paul

Dalton.jpg
 
I know we had that big debate about a third track, but I had forgotten about there being a pedestrian connection over CPKC's tracks. Does anyone recall if this was built or roughed in?

Davenport - North Toronto overpass.png
 
I know we had that big debate about a third track, but I had forgotten about there being a pedestrian connection over CPKC's tracks. Does anyone recall if this was built or roughed in?

View attachment 612309
All the landscape work is separate from the main contract for the guideway and approach ramps. The path is intended to go where the former trackbed was (just east of the structure) and that ROW has been protected. So yes and no: yes, in the fullness of time this is intended to happen, but no, no work on it has yet started.
 
Noticed this afternoon that they've started putting up what I assume is a noise barrier wall along the Wiltshire hydro corridor South of St. Clair.
@vic Seems like we're neighbours.

This sound barrier is totally gonna ruin the view from my office. This is a photo today:
468601114_10162134836287370_2491941583864709668_n.jpg


A lot of neighbours are sad, we actually love seeing the trains. But even yesterday I saw kids playing on the tracks, people walking their dog etc. So a barrier is needed for sure. Hopefully it won't be high enough to block them out of view completely. But as a rail fan I'm sad, losing the view of the 512 and GO trains in one shot. But happy to see progress.

468736863_10162135148142370_5215259102931806004_n.jpg

468736863_10162135148142370_5215259102931806004_n.jpg

barriego-map_zwde1y.jpg


According to Metrolinx the Barrie Line Double Track Enabling Project will wrap up work in Zone 2 by January 17, 2025. Working is ongoing overnight. It seems that the entire project will wrap up in Early 2025. I wonder how long it'll take them to fully install the second track up to Aurora. IIRC all the at grade crossings North of Toronto are already Double Tracked. I wonder what the internal schedule is for 2WAD service to Aurora. 2026-27?
More information: https://www.metrolinx.com/en/projec...sion/get-involved/barrie-double-track-project
 
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@vic Seems like we're neighbours.

This sound barrier is totally gonna ruin the view from my office.

468828407_10162134836412370_6238859236318481891_n.jpg



This is a photo today:
468601114_10162134836287370_2491941583864709668_n.jpg


A lot of neighbours are sad, we actually love seeing the trains. But even yesterday I saw kids playing on the tracks, people walking their dog etc. So a barrier is needed for sure. Hopefully it won't be high enough to block them out of view completely. But as a rail fan I'm sad, losing the view of the 512 and GO trains in one shot. But happy to see progress.

468736863_10162135148142370_5215259102931806004_n.jpg

barriego-map_zwde1y.jpg


According to Metrolinx the Barrie Line Double Track Enabling Project will wrap up work in Zone 2 by January 17, 2025. Working is ongoing overnight. It seems that the entire project will wrap up in Early 2025. I wonder how long it'll take them to fully install the second track up to Aurora. IIRC all the at grade crossings North of Toronto are already Double Tracked. I wonder what the internal schedule is for 2WAD service to Aurora. 2026-27?
More information: https://www.metrolinx.com/en/projec...sion/get-involved/barrie-double-track-project
Based on my trip along the Barrie line about a week ago, it looks like there is still a ton of work to do to get the double track up to Aurora. I drove under a lot of the bridges in the Vaughan/ York region for this line and it looks like work hasn't even started on them, or has just started. There also seems to be no effort to grade separate the existing crossings. Mcnaughton rd., directly north of Maple GO is getting a second track laid across the road.
 
Based on my trip along the Barrie line about a week ago, it looks like there is still a ton of work to do to get the double track up to Aurora. I drove under a lot of the bridges in the Vaughan/ York region for this line and it looks like work hasn't even started on them, or has just started. There also seems to be no effort to grade separate the existing crossings. Mcnaughton rd., directly north of Maple GO is getting a second track laid across the road.
There is certainly an intention. Possibly just a lack of funding, or a decision that other projects are soaking up the capacity of companies which might bid on it
 
There is certainly an intention. Possibly just a lack of funding, or a decision that other projects are soaking up the capacity of companies which might bid on it

Per this recent comment thread on Reddit, Metrolinx has no updates on the McNaughton grade separation, but they're hosting a town hall in the new year.
 
Based on my trip along the Barrie line about a week ago, it looks like there is still a ton of work to do to get the double track up to Aurora. I drove under a lot of the bridges in the Vaughan/ York region for this line and it looks like work hasn't even started on them, or has just started. There also seems to be no effort to grade separate the existing crossings. Mcnaughton rd., directly north of Maple GO is getting a second track laid across the road.
Are those bridges already wide enough for a second track?
Based on my trip along the Barrie line about a week ago, it looks like there is still a ton of work to do to get the double track up to Aurora. I drove under a lot of the bridges in the Vaughan/ York region for this line and it looks like work hasn't even started on them, or has just started. There also seems to be no effort to grade separate the existing crossings. Mcnaughton rd., directly north of Maple GO is getting a second track laid across the road.
It seems like they've dialled back converting the at grade crossings north of the city. They'll probably just plow 2WAD service through and upgrade incrementally over the long term.

After the Barrie Line Double Track Enabling Project is done in Summer 2025 we should see some kind of update. Perhaps they'll just Double track all the way up to Aurora in one contract and finally get around to building Caledonia and Bloor-Landowne, etc.

Interestingly, we received notices that the hydro corridor that runs along the west side the Barrie Rail line between Davenport and just North of Eglinton will be relocated at the request of Metrolinx.

468960320_10162183199892370_5097356837602902328_n.jpg


According to Hydro One:

"The majority of the proposed tunnel would run underneath Caledonia Road at a depth of between 10 to 40 metres underground and would connect into new junction stations located at each end of the tunnel. A junction station facilitates the transition from overhead to underground lines. These sites would also serve as tunnel shafts for construction and access points for ongoing maintenance and operational needs."


This also frees up a lot of the land needed to build the proposed Earlscourt Station that was shifted to their 2035+ plan.
 
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Interesting, I'd not before heard of this project. It's just under 3.5km from here to here (red):

1733160813174.png


Wondering how that tunnel integrates with the Fairbank Silverthorn storm sewer work going on now too, especially the east-west Kitchener Avenue branch:

1733160883805.png
 
Are those bridges already wide enough for a second track?

It seems like they've dialled back converting the at grade crossings north of the city. They'll probably just plow 2WAD service through and upgrade incrementally over the long term.

After the Barrie Line Double Track Enabling Project is done in Summer 2025 we should see some kind of update. Perhaps they'll just Double track all the way up to Aurora in one contract and finally get around to building Caledonia and Bloor-Landowne, etc.

Interestingly, we received notices that the hydro corridor that runs along the west side the Barrie Rail line between Davenport and just North of St Clair will be relocated at the request of Metrolinx.

468960320_10162183199892370_5097356837602902328_n.jpg


According to Hydro One:

"The majority of the proposed tunnel would run underneath Caledonia Road at a depth of between 10 to 40 metres underground and would connect into new junction stations located at each end of the tunnel. A junction station facilitates the transition from overhead to underground lines. These sites would also serve as tunnel shafts for construction and access points for ongoing maintenance and operational needs."

This also frees up a lot of the land needed to build the proposed Earlscourt Station that was shifted to their 2035+ plan.

Interesting, I'd not before heard of this project. It's just under 3.5km from here to here (red):

View attachment 616464

Wondering how that tunnel integrates with the Fairbank Silverthorn storm sewer work going on now too, especially the east-west Kitchener Avenue branch:

View attachment 616465
The towers are tight to the corridor and it was going to take a bit to shoehorn the second track in there. Some photos from my Beltline walk:

2019-06-02_4.jpg

2019-06-02_3.jpg

2019-06-02_10.jpg
 

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