[JoeParez]

I hope you never fly to Heathrow then.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

Or to Rome.
The "Leonardo Express" train that runs from Fiumicino Airport to Rome's Central Station Termini, costs 14 Euro (or $22 CAD) for a 30 minute train ride with limited seating.
Last summer I took this train -- that had no A.C. -- and was delayed by about oh.. 25 minutes. I made it to Termini just in time to make my connecting train to Bologna.

 

[gweed123]

It does seem that the fly under would help with that, but the track layout leading into the Union corridor could change once everything is expanded, and general congestion in the area of union station would likely be an issue regardless.

Doesn't the Oxford redevelopment of the MTCC North potentially relieve some of that congestion though? They seem quite intent on building over the tracks, so adding a track or two on the north side shouldn't be a huge deal, assuming it's being accommodated for.

 

[dowlingm]

Presumably standing room might be restricted if the baggage storage would be full. Having suitcases held one handed by a standing traveller getting away and smacking a fellow passenger doesn't exactly scream premium service.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

The latest GTS newsletter is out. Summary:

* 4th track being laid in the north tunnel at Strachan
* Rail relocations between King and Queen
* May 26: Trains will start operating in the tunnel at West Toronto
* Another bridge slide is scheduled for this June at West Toronto
* Full re-opening of Ray Avenue expected this summer
* Pedestrian walkway at Denison Avenue will open this summer
* Church Street is now open, and John Street will permanently close tomorrow
* New bridge spans at Weston Road will be installed in June

 

[Platform 27]

The latest GTS newsletter is out. Summary:

* 4th track being laid in the north tunnel at Strachan
* Rail relocations between King and Queen
* May 26: Trains will start operating in the tunnel at West Toronto
* Another bridge slide is scheduled for this June at West Toronto
* Full re-opening of Ray Avenue expected this summer
* Pedestrian walkway at Denison Avenue will open this summer
* Church Street is now open, and John Street will permanently close tomorrow
* New bridge spans at Weston Road will be installed in June

Finally!


Some pics I just found on the official twitter account:

Tracks are being installed in the east tunnel at the #WestTorontoDiamond. Milestone ahead! http://ow.ly/i/5pGhd

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Finally!

Yeah, I remember them saying Spring 2014 but not seeing any hard dates as the days ticked by...I guess they're golden unless we hit June 21.

 

[TOareaFan]

Yeah, I remember them saying Spring 2014 but not seeing any hard dates as the days ticked by...I guess they're golden unless we hit June 21.

In all honesty....given the size and complexity of this project combined with the resistance to extended work days from neighbours....they have managed to keep the thing remarkably near schedule.

 

[W. K. Lis]

In all honesty....given the size and complexity of this project combined with the resistance to extended work days from neighbours....they have managed to keep the thing remarkably near schedule.

As well as weather delays, flooding, low temperatures, etc., it is expected.

 

[TOareaFan]

In case you were planning to attend the meeting tonight or the other dates this and next week you should be aware that:

Upcoming GTS Project Meetings (May 6, 8, 13) are Postponed
With the provincial election underway, communications from the Ontario government will be quieter, but we’re still ready to answer your questions. Please do not hesitate to contact our GTS Project community offices.

From now through June 12, communications will be limited to:
• Emergencies
• Statutory requirements
• Public health advisories
• Time-sensitive matters

As a result, we regret to inform you that the upcoming GTS Project update meetings (May 6, 8, 13) to be held this week and next have been postponed until further notice. We will let you know when the new dates are rescheduled.

We apologize for the short notice and any confusion that this may cause. If you have any questions or issues to discuss, our community relations staff are available during regular office hours

I guess any guise of Metrolinx being independent of provincial government is removed.

 

[ksun]

Completely different market; the airport business traveller who expensed their $250+ airline ticket and will be expensing the train ticket too, has plenty of alternatives for getting downtown. The overseas tourist who dropped $1200 on their airline tickets and will be spending another $5000 on hotels for 2 weeks isn't going to notice an extra $15 either. If it buys another train to run 10 minute service, then so be it.

That said, if city hall is persistently unwilling to increase property taxes necessary to cover capital and operating subsidy then we ought to consider selectively raising fares to cover the gap. I would much prefer to pay a $1 subway congestion fee (peak period/direction south of Bloor) than to take the London approach which is to close the station doors to prevent additional passengers from entering the system.

For political reasons you might implement this kind of this at the same time as a downtown parking surcharge is put into place.

I don't buy your logic there.

If business travelers don't care about the extra $15 on UPS, why do you think they care about another $15 by just taking a taxi? A taxi takes you to the doorstep of the hotel with zero hassle, not some train station where you need to climb up and down, and may end up hailing a taxi to your final destination downtown anywhere. Not every business travel stays at the Fairmont hotel, you expect them to lug their way to Front/Simcoe, Bay and Queen or even Avenue/Bloor?

Additionally, if there are two business men travelling together, all the benefits of taking the UPS vanishes instantly.

I think if the one way fare goes beyond $25, it will be a completely failure. Also, no airport link serves exclusively business travelers.

 

[rbt]

I don't buy your logic there.

If business travelers don't care about the extra $15 on UPS, why do you think they care about another $15 by just taking a taxi?

No business traveller has a problem with the price of a taxi. Highway congestion is the problem with the taxi. A tolled taxi-only lane on the highways would also be perfectly acceptable.

 

[junior43]

I don't buy your logic there.

If business travelers don't care about the extra $15 on UPS, why do you think they care about another $15 by just taking a taxi? A taxi takes you to the doorstep of the hotel with zero hassle, not some train station where you need to climb up and down, and may end up hailing a taxi to your final destination downtown anywhere. Not every business travel stays at the Fairmont hotel, you expect them to lug their way to Front/Simcoe, Bay and Queen or even Avenue/Bloor?

Additionally, if there are two business men travelling together, all the benefits of taking the UPS vanishes instantly.

I think if the one way fare goes beyond $25, it will be a completely failure. Also, no airport link serves exclusively business travelers.

Same could be said for the overseas tourist. If they've dropped $1200 on each ticket, and paying $5000 for a hotel for two weeks (in rbt's example), who gives a crap about (2x$25 assuming it's a couple) versus $70 for a taxi to the door of your hotel.

IMO the UPX was only built for the Pan Am games. It serves very little purpose beyond that. If I go anywhere with my girlfriend, assuming the cost is 2x$25(UPX) + 2x$5(GO)= $60. Airport taxi is the same cost, and picks you up and drops you off where you need to be - and I don't have to lug suitcases onto and off of a bunch of trains. Even if UPX was 10 or even 20 bucks cheaper in my comparison, I wouldn't waste my time.

 

[TOareaFan]

It's a price/convenience matrix.

I travel a bit for business and in most cities don't think twice about taking cabs in from their airport. Montreal, as an example, has a decent service where the cost and convenience of the transit mode has me making a "time of day" judgement. If I arrive at a peak rush time the 747 can get me to the metro sometimes faster than I can make it through the horrendous cab line.....so I will often jump on that and get to my hotel faster than a cab could do it.....the unintended offset is that I save my company a decent amount of cash.

The magic for UPE will be setting the fares at a level that combined with the certainty of travel time make the train an attractive option for a decent percentage of travelers.

As you note, cost is not the only factor...it might not even be the driving factor. Even when there is more than one person on the trip I can see the train being a very attractive option on the outbound part of a trip.....knowing you can get to Pearson in "X" minutes (X being the 25 minutes on the train + time to Union) rather than having to budget/guess on road travel time that could be the same or 2 or 3 times as long may lead to one more call/conversation in the office before heading out.

 

[TOareaFan]

Same could be said for the overseas tourist. If they've dropped $1200 on each ticket, and paying $5000 for a hotel for two weeks (in rbt's example), who gives a crap about (2x$25 assuming it's a couple) versus $70 for a taxi to the door of your hotel.

IMO the UPX was only built for the Pan Am games. It serves very little purpose beyond that. If I go anywhere with my girlfriend, assuming the cost is 2x$25(UPX) + 2x$5(GO)= $60. Airport taxi is the same cost, and picks you up and drops you off where you need to be - and I don't have to lug suitcases onto and off of a bunch of trains. Even if UPX was 10 or even 20 bucks cheaper in my comparison, I wouldn't waste my time.

Aside from the fact the RFP for this rail line was issued in 2001 and the PanAms were awarded to Toronto in 2009 (The province took over this project from SNC Lavalin in 2008 and had their EA completed months before Toronto was even awarded the games).....why would Pan Am visitors care more about a train than you or the other visitors you mention?

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

I guess any guise of Metrolinx being independent of provincial government is removed.

A lot of their projects are funded because of political commitments. Until they are given control of revenue tools, another political decision, it will remain that way. They are inevitably able of detonating political bombs at this time.

Besides, look at it this way: if I worked for Metrolinx, I wouldn't want a project I'm working on to be turned into some political hoopla just because its an election. Scheduled public meetings like this would be easy targets for the politically motivated.