drum118 said:
If you look at the west end of the Union Station inside before the Path walkway, they have built what looks to me a check-in area for the UPX and a fair walking distance to the platform itself. The old Porter area is being lease as office space and was been shown when I pass it a few days ago.
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I heard that space was a Tourism Toronto office.
 
TOareaFan said:
GTS Project ‏@GTS_Project 1h
#WestTorontoDiamond bridge slide is complete early! Great work by the crew.
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3.5 hours early and could have been 4.5-5 if the excavators didn't have issues with the north-west concrete work for the temporary bridge support.

CP Crews started to cut track 2/south track at 2:30 and we were allow on site at 2:45 after the site meeting that started 45 minutes late.

All the tracks between the 2 signal bridges were remove with new snap track to replace them after the bridge is turn over to CP.

South diamond was removed at about 3:52 am.

CP turn the whole diamond over at 4:00 am with the last diamond removed at about 4:26 am.

Wakeup call went out to the neighborhood at 5:04 when jackhammering started to break the concrete for the south-east bridge support.

Ways things looked at 11 am, the slide could start at 1:00 pm.

A 10 foot move test took place at 1:40 pm and continue to move.

Because of the excavator and a possibility of a "Houston, we have a problem", the bridge moved the slowest of the 3 moves and only using the single jack for the move. In a few places, the clearance between this bridge and the one moved last Labour day for 3 locations where places stood out more than the rest of the 2 bridges, speed was very slow for passing of them to the point you didn't know if the bridge was moving at all.

About 3:30 pm, the bridge was in position and only took 110 minutes to move it. It could have been done in less time up to under an hour if there were no issues to deal with. Crews were in the process of backfilling the west side so 4 slabs could be added to the new bridge and be a base for the new tracks between the bridge and removal of the existing support base for them.

The temperature had to be in 90's as it was bitching hot and you need to drink a lot of water. The contractor keep a huge supple of bottle of water on site for everyone.

All the big boys related to this project were on site for the move.

There was supposed to be a group from Boston Transportation up here for this move, but never show up. They were thinking of doing the same thing for 2 bridges that they are looking at doing and wanted to see how it work first hand. They only have until July 25-28 to see the last bridge being move into position. Conflicting time frame as to when the move is going to take place considering the bridge will be ready to move July 18-20, but CP calling the shot for the following week.

The remaining existing Weston Sub track north of Old Weston Rd where being removed this weekend as they were being used as a base to build the west retaining wall. Since they are now ready for the final pour, the track can be remove so excavation can start after the pour.

Metrolinx has created a new division for Track and Switches Maintenance that all the work for it will be sub contract out. I know the person who will be running this division staring July 7. As things start to wrap up for end of the year for this project, some key personal are being move to other projects including the Rapid LRT lines.

As for Union Station, that make more sense as having a check-in that far for th UPX made no sense, but need to asked the question regardless.

I left the site at 6:30 pm and crash on getting home after being up 50 hours. Now to go some more sleep.

No idea when photos and videos will be on line as I a lot of work to do first in removing dirt marks caused by the camera that needs cleaning and adjustment. It goes in on Monday as I needed it the last 3 weeks, other wised it would had already been done by now.

With the diamonds now gone after 131 years, we can't call the area the West Toronto Diamond anymore and have to call it the Junction now.

The local area will for the first time will not hear that clicky-clack, thump de thump sound as CP travel though the area.

Well done by all and need a pat on the back for all the work done to date.

The floor slab rebar was being place at the south end and will be about 3' thick. Crews were working on the rebar framing for the retaining wall for the old Weston Rd bridge.

More to follow
 
All the videos are up on site for the bridge move. Still have to stitch them as one and create a fast short move.

I should had started to record the last CP train earlier as the engineer lay on the horn lot longer than he should just before 4 am of all times compare to the short one for the others.

You can see the Old Weston Rd bridge in a couple of videos I shot of CP trains

Track 1 and last diamond being remove.
http://youtu.be/N-qd7Pft2Y8

Supposed to be a 10 foot test move, but just keep on going at 1:40 pm
[video=youtube_share;XZJvzsXP3v0]http://youtu.be/XZJvzsXP3v0[/video]
 
I finally finishing editing over 2,000 photos of their dirt spots and up to date now

Just up loaded most the last few days as well the 300 for the bridge move. I also have photos of the UPX Station at Union as well long with headhouse.

Last CP Train over the diamond on Track 1 about 3:55 am
14582364584_b28646c517_b.jpg


Track 2 diamond ready to be remove after the last train
14582365874_b60d84334e_b.jpg


After 131 years it is now part of histroy
14397602789_885d5782a9_b.jpg


4:31 am its history
14561236156_1e66e9f178_b.jpg


Next to go at the end of July for Old Weston Rd
14580944341_695eba486c_b.jpg


Old Weston Rd Bridge
14580945601_44c2d6bd61_b.jpg


Bridge in position
14584402045_19185e9f1a_b.jpg


Last of the Old Weston Sub tracks being remove so digging can get underway this week.
14581077391_99a4aec499_b.jpg
 
The junction track is gone, but it's still the busiest junction in all of Canada--now grade separated. Some people have talked about this project like it's the end of West Toronto Diamond, when it's really just a new chapter.
 
It is the end of the West Toronto Diamond. It is no change to the junction. The diamond is the crossing of two lines at grade. The junction is the connections of lines. There were 3 connections (2CP to CP Mactier, and 1GO to CP) before and after. If CP Mactier was abandoned and GO's connection to Milton ripped up then there would be no junction or diamond no matter how busy GO Georgetown and CP lines are.
 
Junction sounds like any intersection, even if grade separated. I always thought that the interchange tracks which form a diamond shape when seen from above are the diamond. The level intersection tracks have more of a box structure than a diamond. With the interchange tracks intact, we can still call it West Toronto Diamond even if some railway purists disagree.
 
Forgive my elementary questions on this construction. (Newbie)

These new tracks are for the UP express?


Also to the right I see 2 more Lines maybe a third? What are these lines for?
 
Ravager said:
Forgive my elementary questions on this construction. (Newbie)

These new tracks are for the UP express?


Also to the right I see 2 more Lines maybe a third? What are these lines for?
Click to expand...

There are to be 6 tracks in this area, but only 5 will be laid with track 1 missing.

2 will be for the Milton Line to the left going under upgrading. The 2 to the right will be part of 4 tracks for the UPX and Kitchener Line, though only 3 will be place once the corridor is rebuilt.

Those 2 tracks are for the Milton & Kitchener Lines to bypass the current construction for the new Bloor Station and rehabilitation of the bridges over Bloor St.
 
drum118 said:
There are to be 6 tracks in this area, but only 5 will be laid with track 1 missing.

2 will be for the Milton Line to the left going under upgrading. The 2 to the right will be part of 4 tracks for the UPX and Kitchener Line, though only 3 will be place once the corridor is rebuilt.

Those 2 tracks are for the Milton & Kitchener Lines to bypass the current construction for the new Bloor Station and rehabilitation of the bridges over Bloor St.
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How many tracks will be needed once the Kitchener, Milton and Barrie line all go to AD2W service in the future?
 
there will be 8 tracks under the strachan underpass, south of the barrie line joining up, once AD2W is complete. In a year when the project is finished however there will be just 5.
 
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