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GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

Thanks for the detailed response Drum118 - helpful back information. I didn't realize there was a rule about not painting bridges.
 
Thanks for the detailed response Drum118 - helpful back information. I didn't realize there was a rule about not painting bridges.

I am not sure exactly what the requirements are, but painting is still allowed and done, on occassion.

For new bridges, Weathering steel is generally used. This is basically rust coloured, but it is a thin layer of surface rust (patina) which prevent further corrossion. This is cheaper than painting regular steel, but painting is still done if painting would better blend into the surroundings.

Older bridges were generally painted with lead based paints and repainting requires sandblasting in a negative pressure enclosure to capture all the sand and paint flakes for treatment before disposal (can't allow it to fall into river or atmosphere). If the existing paint is not peeling very much, it is possible to encapsulate the old lead paint with a new coating, which is a bit cheaper but generally does not last as long.
 
I am not sure exactly what the requirements are, but painting is still allowed and done, on occassion.

For new bridges, Weathering steel is generally used. This is basically rust coloured, but it is a thin layer of surface rust (patina) which prevent further corrossion. This is cheaper than painting regular steel, but painting is still done if painting would better blend into the surroundings.

Older bridges were generally painted with lead based paints and repainting requires sandblasting in a negative pressure enclosure to capture all the sand and paint flakes for treatment before disposal (can't allow it to fall into river or atmosphere). If the existing paint is not peeling very much, it is possible to encapsulate the old lead paint with a new coating, which is a bit cheaper but generally does not last as long.

All existing bridges can be painted, but not with lead and very careful, so the existing paint does not fall in the water. Same for sandblasting.

All ballast must be removed if not protected from falling into the water.

All new steel bridges must have a steel floor to hold the ballast in place with weathering material prefer.
 
Dec 25;
The new Etobicoke North Station lands are being clear on the east side of Islington Ave at 401, next to MOE.

A traffic circle is in place for the new road system for the parking lot. Its on the north side of the new 4 tracks. Nice traffic backup for getting into and out of the lot that will 2-3 times larger than the current lots.

Etobicoke River Bridge.
[video=youtube;BWTcNgN8jUU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWTcNgN8jUU[/video]
[video=youtube;7OWobihOlUg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OWobihOlUg[/video]
 
The work east of Islington is for the rail corridor expansion and I think the bridge in the pictures above is Humber River.

The traffic circle work on Resources Rd. and the additional construction work seen north of the rail corridor is not for a new Etobicoke North Station, but being done by Lowe's for a new store.
 
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What's the projected opening date for service to the Barrie Allandale station? Sometime in 2012 I assume?
 
Just Wondering?

Can anyone tell me why the GO train platforms are so low? I have been at quite a few train stations in Europe from large cities to small stops and most have platforms at the same height as the carriages' floor. From what I've seen most of the stops that are low height are in the process of being rebuilt higher. My only GO construction observation is at the Malton station that was recently expanded and I was a little surprised that the platform level wasn't changed. Will Union have the same low platform height after the reconstruction? What's the deal?
 
North American loading gauges rule out platforms at carriage height without a significant gap where freight traffic isn't blocked. In addition the doors on the GO bi-levels are lower than the standard height so if platforms were built to standard height like Montreal or Quebec City they would need to get new coaches.
 
Ok fair enough. So because freight carriages are using the same rails then the platforms have to be sacrificed. I'll buy that reason for the suburban stations where we would see freight traffic, even though I've seen freight trains pass through stations at speed in Europe... but their carriages are smaller and their tracks are in better shape, etc.
What about Union Station? There is no freight traffic there anymore, is the current hieght just a carry-over from the time that Union was built?
As for the GO cars, that was a design choice from the early '80s that i guess we're stuck with for eternity. However could the platform not be brought up to the height of the last step in the carriage, the one at the door bottom height and not the "flip out" one, its only about 20-30cm higher than current. I know that there is always money issues but I'm wondering if there was a real good technical reason why now that we are in a system expansion phase that it's not being considered.
 
They still permit freight in the Union rail corridor. They do bring the platform up to the same height as the GO floor on the accessible car but they need to have someone put out a ramp to cross the gap. On occasion you will still see a CN locomotive go through the shed although I have yet to see freight not use the southern most tracks outside the shed. Still, if they were to prohibit freight in the shed completely, they would still have a large gap due to the stair that exists on all the cars to allow access to other suburban platforms needing remedy. What ever is implemented needs to be implemented in all cars and all stops. Every station serving the airport rail train will require a high platform no exceptions and presumably they have something in place to close the gap.
 
Freight trains are not permitted under the shed unless they get the approvals from the highest officials at USRC / TTR. The circumstances that would trigger this would probably never happen.
 
The new Etobicoke North Station lands are being clear on the east side of Islington Ave at 401, next to MOE.

Everything I have read suggests the Etobicoke North Station is moving slightly west of its current location so that it is almost wholly on the west side of Kipling. I haven't read anything to suggest a completely new location east of its current one.
 
Freight trains are not permitted under the shed unless they get the approvals from the highest officials at USRC / TTR. The circumstances that would trigger this would probably never happen.

It actually happens not completely infrequently, such as when work is being done on parts of the rail corridor that require closing the "High Line".

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
 
North American loading gauges rule out platforms at carriage height without a significant gap where freight traffic isn't blocked.

I'm not sure I understand this. Is the idea that the envelope which freight trains are permitted to take up includes space which a high platform would occupy?
 

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