[rbt]

ridership update

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/tra...ss-ridership-spikes-after-fare-reduction.html

"Some critics say the prices are still too high. Former Weston NDP MP Mike Sullivan says the publicly funded train that was built for $456 million and priced for business travellers, should cost the same as a TTC fare."

I agree completely; a TTC fare should be $5 too. Downtown subway should be pricing away congestion on the line and using the extra cash to pay for currently unfunded upgrades.

 

[W. K. Lis]

With the TTC's farebox ratio of 73% (one of the highest in North America, NYC is at 51.2%), that means the $2.90 token or PRESTO fare would actually be $3.00. NYC's $2.75 USD would work out to $5.00 USD.

 

[Palma]

this was supposed to be above

View attachment 70162

yes I know as I looked at google myself and only saw houses on Edna 1 street north of the subway station

 

[drum118]

I was at UPX Union Station today and counted 18 getting off a 2 car train and 22 getting on. 20% of them had luggage with them. A 3 car departed before this train, but on the GO Platform.

 

[Kitsune]

I was on a two car UPX train at 3:15pm yesterday. The car was near full... I could not seeing any open seats in my car. Interestingly, I got through check in and security in 19 minutes.

For comparison, I was on Sydney's airport train today. It was built to serve both the airport and the suburbs, and runs primarliy underground. The flaw is they use almost a clone of GO cars, with an area of 5 seats on eithier side in a row at ground, and the rest car bi-level. Leads to very crowded ends of the car. Interestingly, it costs 14 aussie dollars with or without a fare card (called Opal) and a report a few weeks ago said the government makes a million on it every two weeks and people are calling for the price to be droppped.

 

[dowlingm]

I was at UPX Union Station today and counted 18 getting off a 2 car train and 22 getting on. 20% of them had luggage with them. A 3 car departed before this train, but on the GO Platform.

How does that work for accessibility? Are there ramps to get to door height? My understanding was that UPX trains don't have traps

 

[Napoleon]

Homeowners?

I was under the impression this would connect through the shopping concourse of The Crossways apartment towers, and they simply declined to allow it. There are zero houses there.

I think that was exactly the plan. I can't imagine the Crossways would not want anything to bring a few more shoppers into that super sad mall at the base of it. It also seems like it increases the value of an apartment to have an underground direct connection to both GO/UPX and TTC. It's never been apparent to me at all why they're fighting this.

I just did this transfer a couple times this week. As it is, it's mildly annoying when the weather is OK. If the weather is bad though, it's a rather annoying outdoors transfer that one will have to make.

 

[dowlingm]

I think that was exactly the plan. I can't imagine the Crossways would not want anything to bring a few more shoppers into that super sad mall at the base of it. It also seems like it increases the value of an apartment to have an underground direct connection to both GO/UPX and TTC. It's never been apparent to me at all why they're fighting this.

I guess they want the shoppers and a big bag of cash too? Construction is going to impact their business so it's not all win for them, just mostly.

 

[TOareaFan]

I guess they want the shoppers and a big bag of cash too? Construction is going to impact their business so it's not all win for them, just mostly.

i thought I read somewhere their beef was about some impairment to their underground garage...ie a loss of parking spots....not sure where I saw that but that might make some sense.....certainly flowing people through their retail is a positive to them.

 

[Megaton327]

The UPX twitter account just posted: "Bicycles are permitted on UP Express during non-rush hour times. No Bicycles between 6-10am and 3-7pm, Monday to Friday."

Last time I checked, UPX completely prohibited bicycles at all times (except, I think, folding bicycles). I guess this was one of the unannounced side-effects of the recent change to make their service more GO-like/commuter-friendly? Hadn't heard it mentioned before.

Edit: a google search revealed an archived UPX document that stated "Bicycles are not permitted on UP Express unless they are dismantled and packaged similar to airline requirements. Note that foldable-style bicycles, once folded up, are allowed on all UP Express trains." So yes, it seems that this was a recent change. I would naturally assume that dismantled+packaged, or folded, bicycles are still allowed during peak hours/in luggage.

 

[steveintoronto]

i thought I read somewhere their beef was about some impairment to their underground garage...ie a loss of parking spots....not sure where I saw that but that might make some sense.....certainly flowing people through their retail is a positive to them.

Indeed, I live in the building, not as bad as I first thought, best deal in the area, albeit high-rise is not my idea of normal living, but I'm four minutes walk away from work. No TTC, no GO. Huge blessing. I don't have a vehicle, but for those who do, parking is limited, and expensive. That's the case for most of Toronto. Far too many cars. It's a habit hard to break for Torontonians, albeit it is slowly happening.

Expropriation almost always revolves around "like for like" when a judgement is granted. So if Metrolinx would cede adjacent land for parking as needs to be expropriated, there wouldn't be much of an issue. I've got to point out though that the proposed entrance from Bloor station, once passing through a concourse, in the building basement, goes down to the platforms of Dundas West station, not to the concourse of Dundas West. There will be no 'pass through' traffic in the Crossways. As it is, the shopping concourse is locked to tenants as well as the public at 11:00 PM. From the plans I've seen, there is no planned access to the Crossways.

See: http://stevemunro.ca/2009/12/31/history-of-the-dundas-west-go-connection/

 

[steveintoronto]

The UPX twitter account just posted: "Bicycles are permitted on UP Express during non-rush hour times. No Bicycles between 6-10am and 3-7pm, Monday to Friday."

Last time I checked, UPX completely prohibited bicycles at all times (except, I think, folding bicycles). I guess this was one of the unannounced side-effects of the recent change to make their service more GO-like/commuter-friendly? Hadn't heard it mentioned before.

Edit: a google search revealed an archived UPX document that stated "Bicycles are not permitted on UP Express unless they are dismantled and packaged similar to airline requirements. Note that foldable-style bicycles, once folded up, are allowed on all UP Express trains." So yes, it seems that this was a recent change. I would naturally assume that dismantled+packaged, or folded, bicycles are still allowed during peak hours/in luggage.

[unless they are dismantled and packaged similar to airline requirements.] Now that's vague and almost unenforceable to begin with, since some airlines accept bikes partially disassembled (quick release wheels detached, quick release seat lowered, pedals might have to be unscrewed) in a carry bag, as required on TGV trains. UPX must have presumed all carriers required them in boxes.

This is an interesting announcement for a number of reasons, not least that inbound Mt Pleasant trains stop mid-afternoon, and also run express early afternoon such that they don't stop between Malton and Union, so this might be a clever ploy to appeal to those avid cyclists (as per moi) who want to get downtown from the NW of Toronto and then cycle on to their destination from the arriving station.

Very interesting Mega. From the wording, it appears taking a bike to the airport outside of rush-hour is also permitted.

Btw! I'm in Guelph for two weeks, live at The Crossways, I'm able to bring my bike on the later of two trains headed to K/W since it departs from Bloor @ 6PM (how handy is that?). But returning by train is not possible since they run in the morning rush-hour. My only choice is to take the 33 bus to Mt Pleasant to catch a connecting train no later than about noon, as the afternoon trains go express between Malton and Union. Looks like I'll be taking the 29 bus via 401 to Square One, Mi-Way Express to Islington, and then subway (after rush hour) to Dundas West. With back-pack, bag and bike. Sigh...so the nuances of your post ostensibly point to a more civilized regime for the future. I'm braced to see that being rescinded though if the UPX trains start to fill. A dedicated space for bikes/luggage would be a sensible idea, as is done in many other jurisdictions, both in the US and Europe.

 

[chriskayTO]

I sat at the Union UPX station yesterday and watched a train arrive and depart three times, around 2pm. The trains were all quite busy, lots of luggage. Anecdotally it was primarily airport travellers.

They also seemed to have done away with the full time person watching the platform doors. Though on one departure they did have issues and had to open and close them three times before the train could depart.

One run used the full three-car train set.

 

[mdrejhon]

Observation:
New travellers are just going to see a highly successful airport express -- if they haven't paid attention to news before.
Little do they know!

 

[mdrejhon]

This is an interesting announcement for a number of reasons, not least that inbound Mt Pleasant trains stop mid-afternoon,

Beginning May, the strong rumour is that Mt. Pleasant begins hourly all day two way service going all the way well into the evening. Watch for the twice annual timetable change.