unimaginative2
Senior Member
This is great, or at least has the potential to be. If it gets them to move a little faster on electrification, this is a big win. Go NIMBYs!
Yes, you do, it's a question of degree. You don't need a study to show that drinking a cup of coffee is bad for you ... the increased cancer rate for coffee consumption is well documented. Heck the increased cancer rate for brocolli consumption is well documented. It's like one-in-a-trillion or something, but it's there. The study is there to quantify the degree, and put it in perspective.is it really necessary to wait for a study to tell you that increased diesel emissions from 400+ trains a day through densely populated areas is probably not good?
That assumes an infinite amount of money. And if that was true, no problem. But it isn't true. A more expensive project, will mean that this project will be delayed, or another one won't happen. And I think that the end result is that you will have more people killed from increased vehicle pollution, and car accidents, than you will from the increased diesel emissions.there will also be benefits of faster trains. what's the problem?
But at the expense of what other projects? Does electrification of the Lakeshore corridor get pushed aside?
Also keep in mind that this will not totally eliminate diesel trains in the area. Freight trains will continue to run on diesel, as will (pending the repor on how far the electrification should go. To Malton/Airport or further) Go trains serving the outer areas of the region that will have to still run on diesel or diesel electric hybrids.
Ah, there's that mythical pool of money. It might well hasten electrification on Lakeshore, Richmond Hill, and Milton. But at the same time delay service increases.It doesn't work that way. If the government feels there is a need to electrify this route, they'll do it. It will also set a precedent that all routes with frequent service must be electrified. If anything, this could hasten electrification on Lakeshore, Richmond Hill, and maybe even Milton.
More likley it will come from the same sector. Say cancel the Bolton GO train ...Or it might delay a road widening, or a tax cut, or government office renovation, or a harbour dredging...or it might just force the government to borrow slightly more.
Ah, there's that mythical pool of money. It might well hasten electrification on Lakeshore, Richmond Hill, and Milton. But at the same time delay service increases.
Yes, you do, it's a question of degree. You don't need a study to show that drinking a cup of coffee is bad for you ... the increased cancer rate for coffee consumption is well documented. Heck the increased cancer rate for brocolli consumption is well documented. It's like one-in-a-trillion or something, but it's there. The study is there to quantify the degree, and put it in perspective.
How many deaths a year are expected from this increased emission? Is it 50 deaths a year? Bad. 1 death per year? Not good. How about one death every hundred years ... at that point, you are looking at less deaths, than you are from the reduced accident frequency of taking the cars off the road for the 5-year delay in implementing the more expensive project.
if money is such a big concern, why build the thing in the first place?That assumes an infinite amount of money. And if that was true, no problem. But it isn't true. A more expensive project, will mean that this project will be delayed, or another one won't happen. And I think that the end result is that you will have more people killed from increased vehicle pollution, and car accidents, than you will from the increased diesel emissions.
Look at this from a different angle. Is this finding going to to delay the planned frequency increase in the Lakeshore line that was supposed to occur this year?
More likley it will come from the same sector. Say cancel the Bolton GO train ...
It doesn't work that way. If the government feels there is a need to electrify this route, they'll do it. It will also set a precedent that all routes with frequent service must be electrified. If anything, this could hasten electrification on Lakeshore, Richmond Hill, and maybe even Milton.
That said, I'm concerned that they'll try for yet another cheapo "solution" by only electrifying to the end of Weston and then buying cumbersome and unreliable dual-mode locomotives. That would be a huge and short-sighted mistake. If they're going to electrify, do it to the end of the GO service.
More to the point, will the upcoming service frequencies on the Lakeshore line be delayed.The money is there, don't be fooled.