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GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

No bragging about ignoring people please.

I'm not sure how it's bragging when pretty much no one on the transportation board knows who I'm even talking about, but in any case you could of just erased the name and not the rest of the paragraph which was about how the system works. Heavy handed moderating like that just makes me less incline to visit this site and share my knowledge then I already am.
 
I'm not sure how it's bragging when pretty much no one on the transportation board knows who I'm even talking about, but in any case you could of just erased the name and not the rest of the paragraph which was about how the system works. Heavy handed moderating like that just makes me less incline to visit this site and share my knowledge then I already am.
Please don't stop coming, I come here because of people like you!

(AFAIK..... For readers who are confused about this sidetrack -- Certain individuals just blocked a few (e.g. TOAreaFan has blocked both me and steveintoronto) which means he sometimes sees people "replying to thin air" because they cannot see the original context. This leads to confusion. For those who don't understand what was going on, and why he was told by moderator to stopbragging about ignoring people. At least, this is the sequence of events, what I think happened.)
 
I'm not sure how it's bragging when pretty much no one on the transportation board knows who I'm even talking about, but in any case you could of just erased the name and not the rest of the paragraph which was about how the system works. Heavy handed moderating like that just makes me less incline to visit this site and share my knowledge then I already am.
Vegeta: It's a misunderstanding. If you follow the reference back
denfromoakvillemilton said:
That was for steve.

To which there was this reply
nah...I think I am (continually) being fooled by how the "ignore" feature works here.....I am sure I will get the hang of it.
To which Alvin replied:
No bragging about ignoring people please.

MoD
It was a snarky comment by AreaFan, one of a number including calling another poster a "jerk". And yet I was banned for a week for the following in another forum (Lower Don Lands Redevelopment) for expressing an opinion to which I received no less than two "ad hominem" replies, both of which misquoted what I had stated, to which I answered "you can't read" and produced exactly what I had stated in a quote and reference.
You have been banned for the following reason: Ad hominem, even if preceded by "Sir". Two people have blocked you (at least reported, because they get it: no ad hominem attacks! Your ban will be lifted on Nov 1, 2016.
So evidently it's OK to repeatedly call someone a "troll" and "jerk", but to use the term "Sir" (which btw, was the first reason given for banning me) is grounds to be banned.

Whatever, I can vouch for Alvin that he was not the one to invoke the ban, in fact he was participating in a very scholarly level with discussing my points, so I feel duty bound to come to his defence in this instance, as he was being gentlemanly to me by making the remark he did.

I have respect for Alvin and most of the moderators. That respect does not pertain to those who did the knee-jerk reaction without also reading back to see the "ad-hominem" remarks against me.

There's more to it than that, it's become a highly entertaining discussion amongst some Architect Prof friends and interns, but I second Rejohn's post on your being an extremely valuable and *unique* source of information for this string.
 
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It was a snarky comment by AreaFan, one of a number including calling another poster a "jerk". And yet I was banned for a week for the following in another forum (Lower Don Lands Redevelopment) for expressing an opinion to which I received no less than two "ad hominem" replies, both of which misquoted what I had stated, to which I answered "you can't read" and produced exactly what I had stated in a quote and reference.

One of the ways I was going to handle the problem caused by having a blocked list and it not being clear who was responding to me and who might be responding to someone I had blocked was to come in and unblock and start fresh....and this is the first thing I see. I may sometimes come across as snarky (sometimes I am not as funny/witty as I think I am....but I don't think that makes me unique).......but I never name call. Show me where I called you a name....if I did I must have slipped into some sort of "posting coma" while typying...if it exists, I will apologize profusely (name calling is something I try to avoid) and donate $100 to a charity of your choice.

So evidently it's OK to repeatedly call someone a "troll" and "jerk", but to use the term "Sir" (which btw, was the first reason given for banning me) is grounds to be banned.

Now you are upping the ante by saying my name calling was "repeated" and that I called you two different names on multiple occasions? Really need evidence now.

I will unblock you for a week to, either, receive the evidence (followed swiftly by my apology) or your apology for the above statements if you can't back them up.
 
(There is the Help forum to continue such discussions)

Steering back on topic, I see lots of 2017 completions for a lot of Metrolinx sub-projects and service increases. Possibly politically timed -- both in construction and in service expansions.

Hamilton, with its substantially complete West Harbour GO station, now needs its Steven Del Duca podium & Kodak moment by early 2017, and the rumored 2017+ service expansions.

And I keep hearing stuff about Bramalea, and other lines.
 
Steering back on topic, I see lots of 2017 completions for a lot of Metrolinx sub-projects and service increases. Possibly politically timed -- both in construction and in service expansions.

Hamilton, with its substantially complete West Harbour GO station, now needs its Steven Del Duca podium & Kodak moment by early 2017, and the rumored 2017+ service expansions.

And I keep hearing stuff about Bramalea, and other lines.
Headline just up at Star (albeit the Globe had featured a piece on Morneau's "investment bank" last day or so, a discussion in itself, esp apt for the VIA and Missing Link forums) but also germane here: (I'll quote it to allow it to remain full length)
By Bruce Campion-SmithOttawa Bureau
Alex BoutilierOttawa Bureau Reporter
Tues., Nov. 1, 2016
OTTAWA—The federal government is promising a big boost to infrastructure spending over the coming decade and will step up efforts to woo global investment and talent to help Canada weather the low economic growth predicted for years ahead.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau unveiled the Liberals’ fall economic statement Tuesday afternoon, saying the infrastructure spending and strategy to attract foreign and private sector investment are what’s needed to help spur growth.

“Today is about the long term,” Morneau told reporters at a press conference Tuesday.

“We’re really talking about how we can a long term impact on middle class Canadians, about how we can make a real difference for people.”

The Liberals now hope to push $95 billion in new infrastructure money out the door over the next 12 years.

The Liberals said their maiden budget in the spring was “phase one” of their infrastructure plan, committing just $11.9 billion over five years to priority projects. Tuesday’s update gave the broad strokes of “phase two” and the Liberals’ long-term plans for a significant public investment in things such as transit, “green” infrastructure and social infrastructure.

Total spending on new and existing infrastructure projects is expected to rise from $13 billion in 2016-17 to $17.5 billion in 2019-20, the end of the Liberals’ first mandate. Over the 11 year timeframe provided by Morneau on Tuesday, total infrastructure spending is expected to reach $186.7 billion.

The Liberals are framing their double-down on infrastructure spending against the backdrop of a sluggish national economy and uncertain international growth.

Since the March budget, private sector forecasters have downgraded their expectations for their Canadian economy, predicting it to grow by 1.2 per cent in 2016-17, down from 1.4 per cent, and just 1 per cent in 2018-19, down from 2 per cent.

Sluggish growth is taking its toll on federal revenues with the budget deficit now expected to be $30.7 billion in the current fiscal year, up from 29.4 billion predicted in the spring. But, in the economic update, the government reveals that it will tap $6 billion in contingency funds in each of the coming five years to reduce the deficit. That will bring the current year deficit down to $24.7 billion.

Morneau was making no promises Tuesday as to when the federal government will balance the budget, saying only the spending is “fiscally prudent.”

But, at the same time, private sector estimates expect the key metric of federal debt-to-GDP ratio to remain relatively stable over that period.

On the infrastructure front, the government is now promising, over 11 years, $23 billion for public transit; $21.9 billion for green projects, such as water and waste water facilities, and $21.9 billion for so-called social infrastructure, such as affordable housing, cultural and recreational facilities.

That spending is up from the spring budget, which committed $3.4 billion over three years for public transit; $5 billion over five years for green projects and $3.4 billion over five years for social infrastructure.

The statement adds two new categories for infrastructure funding: $10.1 billion for projects that assist trade, and $2 billion for rural and northern communities.

The government will create an infrastructure bank, with $35 billion available to help unlock capital investments by pension funds and institutional investors, for example. Some of the funding for the bank will come from the cash previously earmarked for infrastructure projects.

The statement lays out a new economic strategy for Canada on the world stage.

The government will create a hub called “Invest in Canada,” backed by $218 million in funding over five years, to establish a “high-impact sales force” to sell Canada around the globe.

The government intends to make it easier for Canadian and global firms to get foreign workers into the country, promising a two-week turnaround to process visas and work permits for “low-risk, high-skill talent.”

Ottawa will introduce a new work permit exemption for work terms of short duration, applying to periods of less than 30 days in a year or brief academic stays.
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada...reign-investors-as-tonic-for-slow-growth.html

My first thought when reading the headline (as it just stated "Liberals") was 'But Ontario is tapped!' And indeed they are. It's good to see the Feds looking to multiply their instigated projects, but as to how much of that happens in Ontario remains to be seen.

I just wish our VIA insider who posts here only in the most distanced of ways of late can add some comment on that in the VIA forum. We might have to do the projecting, and allow him to 'like' it or not.

I still say the best bang for the buck in Ontario and nationally is to invest in the Missing Link. Do it, and much of the other projects are suddenly vastly simpler and more affordable, and since it will impact nationally (in efficiency of moving goods trans-Canada alone) then the Feds won't appear to be favouring Ont.
 
(There is the Help forum to continue such discussions)

Steering back on topic, I see lots of 2017 completions for a lot of Metrolinx sub-projects and service increases. Possibly politically timed -- both in construction and in service expansions.

Hamilton, with its substantially complete West Harbour GO station, now needs its Steven Del Duca podium & Kodak moment by early 2017, and the rumored 2017+ service expansions.

And I keep hearing stuff about Bramalea, and other lines.

Don't you mean at least 5 more Del Duca podiums/announcements? He'll be confused announcing something is actually complete. :)

Or will he delay the actual opening to get a 6th podium in there
 
Nov 5
Hamilton:
Was planning on do a video of the West Harbour Station, but the west end parking area and underground not open, but 99% complete. Still have to put the retaining wall fencing up and grading done for the west end.

Only a small section of track in place in the station with a stack of track and switches in the yard.

The new 3rd track bridge should be in place by Dec, as they still have one pier to pour. The CP Signal Bridge is being remove and replace by 3 mast ones.

Had a look at the Lewis Yard and it has all kinds of room for expansion. The Lewis entrance has a gate and turnstile to get access to the yard with key pads for them. You are a fair distance from the tracks off Lewis. McNeily is a different story. You can get a better look from the road that has 3 tracks where the yard track connects to the main line to the east. No gate for the track entrance at this time.

Burlington
I told you so is the best I can say. With luck, the bus terminal should be open come Jan, as they will have the rest of the east driveway pour next week. Same goes for the customer new service area that should be open now. Elevators still not ready for service at this time and could be in Dec. The east parking area needs concrete sidewalk pour and parking area pave. The east entrance will not be open until Spring 2017 as the roof is still not 100% built let alone seal or having the roofing material on it.

Oakville
The floor slab of the new control building could be done by year end. Its possible 3 levels of steel framing could start at the east end before the year end.
 
Burlington GO is the biggest joke of a construction project I have ever seen in my life. To put it into perspective, West Harbour GO (a station created from scratch) was built and completed faster than this reconstruction.
 
In all my years in construction, I have never run across a project like Burlington Station.

Since this station work started, a 14s apartment was built along with a 21s condo near where I had monthly meetings in Burlington. Over 50 other projects that started around the GTA after this one started are completed.

I use Paradigm Condo right next door as my example of poor production for Burlington when it only started to be built in Jan this year

I am over a month behind in doing photos and these are out of order and not fix
Nov 5
Georgetown-Kitchener Corridor Expansion: John Street Pedestrian Bridge
30891043275_7ee62e2512_h.jpg


Metrolinx Oakville New Dispatching Centre For Trains And Buses
30589598550_18c8241d10_h.jpg


Burlington New GO Station & Bus Terminal
30255202803_9857b4c46b_h.jpg


Paradigm (2089-2095 Fairview St W, Molinaro Group, 5x 20s, Graziani & Corazza Architects Inc)
30802555871_3c736b8ff0_h.jpg


Hamilton New Desjardins Channel 3rd Track Bridge For GO Transit Being Built (Metrolinx, CN Rail)
30891065515_2b62baa3cc_h.jpg
 
I seems Barrie line double tracking may lead to actual service improvements even without Davenport Diamond bridge.

"Metrolinx is completing design work ahead of construction of a rail bridge for the Davenport Diamond train crossing which, along with electrification of the line, promises to significantly boost GO Transit service. While those changes are still several years away, GO traffic along the corridor will increase service starting summer 2017 following the completion of a double-track running adjacent to the Barrie corridor between York University and Rutherford GO station in Vaughan.​

... The new track however will immediately boost rail traffic along the corridor from 14 to 36 diesel trains per day, rising to 180 electric trains following electrification. CP freight trains also run along the corridor independent of GO operations."​

http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-s...ng-to-barrie-line-starting-in-2017-metrolinx/
 
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Nov 5
Had a look at the Lewis Yard and it has all kinds of room for expansion. The Lewis entrance has a gate and turnstile to get access to the yard with key pads for them. You are a fair distance from the tracks off Lewis. McNeily is a different story. You can get a better look from the road that has 3 tracks where the yard track connects to the main line to the east. No gate for the track entrance at this time.
Were you allowed to enter the Lewis Yard? It is much more secure now and has full time security, so need permission to enter as media photographer.

Long term, the Lewis yard can be expanded to 8 tracks. 4 are currently installed.
 
Were you allowed to enter the Lewis Yard? It is much more secure now and has full time security, so need permission to enter as media photographer.

Long term, the Lewis yard can be expanded to 8 tracks. 4 are currently installed.
Looked and shot from the road only.

The main entrance is secure and was lock. Never try getting in.

They can also expand the track to hold longer trains as well.
 

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