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GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

Don Yard Expansion Will Support More GO Train Trips Across the Region
Ontario is improving the busy Union Station GO rail corridor to better manage congestion, increase service, and support the growing number of commuters across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).

The improvements include an upgrade and expansion of the Don Yard facility to provide additional train storage and train servicing capabilities close to Union Station. This will allow Metrolinx to better meet future growth and demand for GO and UP Express service, while reducing fuel consumption and costs.

This project supports Ontario's GO Regional Express Rail (RER) plan. GO RER represents a historic investment in GO Transit that will bring faster, more frequent and more convenient transit service to communities across the GTHA by 2025. It will increase the number of weekly trips across the network from about 1,500 to nearly 6,000 over 10 years.

Ontario is making the largest infrastructure investment in hospitals, schools, public transit, roads and bridges in the province's history. To learn more about what's happening in your community, go to Ontario.ca/BuildON.

Improving regional transit infrastructure is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.


QUICK FACTS
  • Ontario is investing to upgrade and expand the Don Yard. The cost estimate is $17.1 million.
  • The project includes modifying existing tracks and creating three new storage tracks, 300 meters of new concrete retaining walls, a substation upgrade, and compressed air systems that will reduce train noise and allow trains to shut down during layover periods.
  • In three years these new tracks will become mainline tracks as part of the RER expansion. They are designed to meet mainline standards.
  • Since 2013, Ontario and Metrolinx have built three new GO stations, renovated 10 existing GO stations, and added a total of 7,000 new GO station parking spots. They have also purchased 220 new GO buses, 69 new GO train coaches, and 10 new GO train locomotives.
  • As of September 2016, GO Transit’s fleet included 75 new fuel efficient locomotives, 656 bi-level passenger coaches and around 500 buses.
 
Edward Skira said:
Don Yard Expansion Will Support More GO Train Trips Across the Region
Ontario is improving the busy Union Station GO rail corridor to better manage congestion, increase service, and support the growing number of commuters across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).

The improvements include an upgrade and expansion of the Don Yard facility to provide additional train storage and train servicing capabilities close to Union Station. This will allow Metrolinx to better meet future growth and demand for GO and UP Express service, while reducing fuel consumption and costs.

This project supports Ontario's GO Regional Express Rail (RER) plan. GO RER represents a historic investment in GO Transit that will bring faster, more frequent and more convenient transit service to communities across the GTHA by 2025. It will increase the number of weekly trips across the network from about 1,500 to nearly 6,000 over 10 years.

Ontario is making the largest infrastructure investment in hospitals, schools, public transit, roads and bridges in the province's history. To learn more about what's happening in your community, go to Ontario.ca/BuildON.

Improving regional transit infrastructure is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.


QUICK FACTS
  • Ontario is investing to upgrade and expand the Don Yard. The cost estimate is $17.1 million.
  • The project includes modifying existing tracks and creating three new storage tracks, 300 meters of new concrete retaining walls, a substation upgrade, and compressed air systems that will reduce train noise and allow trains to shut down during layover periods.
  • In three years these new tracks will become mainline tracks as part of the RER expansion. They are designed to meet mainline standards.
  • Since 2013, Ontario and Metrolinx have built three new GO stations, renovated 10 existing GO stations, and added a total of 7,000 new GO station parking spots. They have also purchased 220 new GO buses, 69 new GO train coaches, and 10 new GO train locomotives.
  • As of September 2016, GO Transit’s fleet included 75 new fuel efficient locomotives, 656 bi-level passenger coaches and around 500 buses.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I know upgrades to the Don Yard have been on the books since at least 2012, but those plans included fueling. These plans are quite different.

I'm curious about the 3 new tracks becoming mainline tracks. Tieing them into the USRC is easy to get your head around. The existing bridge at the Don River only has space for 2 more tracks, I guess it would be a ladder step into the third.
 
Gormley GO enters service Monday, December 5th. Details: http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/news/gormley/default.aspx - I'll be posting over in the Service thread now that it's finished construction.

I hope more GO projects proceed like Gormley in the future! The actual construction work went very well, and was on-schedule (earlier environmental concerns notwithstanding).

After this, I believe Bloomington GO is scheduled for 2018--construction has already started.
 
Last edited:
DonValleyRainbow said:
I'm curious about the 3 new tracks becoming mainline tracks. Tieing them into the USRC is easy to get your head around. The existing bridge at the Don River only has space for 2 more tracks, I guess it would be a ladder step into the third.
Click to expand...

The RER Business Case Analysis document has a map showing the planned changes to the track layout for all of the USRC. I'm guessing the official announcement is consistent with, or a variation of, that drawig. The plan shows the fourth track aded to the Kingston Sub, and a couple tracks on the south side between the depot and Don Yard. Trains terminating at Union have to be able to leave the depot promptly to make room for the next arrivals - and do so without conflicting with other arriving/departing trains. The congestion at Union is considerable already - what GO's people do to operate on a daily basis is an unsung bit of heroism. It will get even more challenging as RER is added.

- Paul
 
I meant to add, this is the kind of unsexy nuts-and-bolts investment that has to be made in order to expand GO and deliver RER. I'm actually in favour of this kind of 'granular' project approval, as opposed to bundling everything into a megaproject which leads to public sticker shock and political footdragging. There is no doubt this work is needed, so I'm happy to see it officially launched.

The Sun is reporting that the Province is asking ML for more project reporting. If there is indeed more transparency, perhaps the overall integration and coordination of these small projects will improve.

If Del Duca can wring some kind of personal self-aggrandisement from such an unsexy announcement, I guess we should leave him alone, so long as it's an actual new launch and not just a rehash of old promises. It is getting stuff done.

- Paul
 
DonValleyRainbow said:
Interesting. I know upgrades to the Don Yard have been on the books since at least 2012, but those plans included fueling. These plans are quite different.

I'm curious about the 3 new tracks becoming mainline tracks. Tieing them into the USRC is easy to get your head around. The existing bridge at the Don River only has space for 2 more tracks, I guess it would be a ladder step into the third.
Click to expand...

I was curious about that as well, especially in light of the comment about "...300 meters of retaining wall" in the presser, which they won't need anywhere near the mainline. So I was thinking that maybe they might rebuild Wilson Yard, except that I don't think that there's enough length there to store L10 consists.

....Unless....

These three storage locations will be on the east side of the Don River, rather than on the west. Right where the future station will go.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
 
smallspy said:
I was curious about that as well, especially in light of the comment about "...300 meters of retaining wall" in the presser, which they won't need anywhere near the mainline. So I was thinking that maybe they might rebuild Wilson Yard, except that I don't think that there's enough length there to store L10 consists.

....Unless....

These three storage locations will be on the east side of the Don River, rather than on the west. Right where the future station will go.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
Click to expand...

Wilson Yard? I assume you mean those three tracks south of the Don Yard access road? I don't know that they would be eager to take those over, I think TTR still owns them, and they still act as storage for TTR ballast cars that are doing contract work for GO/Mx.

I don't see how making them east of the yard ties into the substation upgrade and compressed air systems allowing trains to shut down during layover.

I would think the retaining wall is to protect crews walking around in the yard, actively working on laidover consists.
 
Granted I didn't read the presser, but what is happening here. Is Don Yd being expanded, Wilson Yd being lengthened, or are we now going to store trains at Keating Yd? I know I've seen work trains in Keating Yd recently, and it's more than long enough to hold a 12-car GO train. If they're to move out of the yard in the early hours it shouldn't interrupt DVP/Don Rdwy traffic too much.
*nvm, I read it.
 
Last edited:
DonValleyRainbow said:
Wilson Yard? I assume you mean those three tracks south of the Don Yard access road? I don't know that they would be eager to take those over, I think TTR still owns them, and they still act as storage for TTR ballast cars that are doing contract work for GO/Mx.
Click to expand...

That three (formerly five) track yard to the south of Don Yard is Wilson Yard, yes. And it is owned by Metrolinx as part of the purchase of the whole USRC.

DonValleyRainbow said:
I don't see how making them east of the yard ties into the substation upgrade and compressed air systems allowing trains to shut down during layover.
Click to expand...

The trains that park there already shut down during layover. The substation upgrade would be needed to handle the additional trainsets to be parked there. I wouldn't think that they needed to upgrade the compressed air systems, but if

DonValleyRainbow said:
I would think the retaining wall is to protect crews walking around in the yard, actively working on laidover consists.
Click to expand...

There is no need to build a retaining wall anywhere near the existing facility, as there is already one on the south side in good shape. The mainline is at the same grade as the yard, so one isn't needed between the two there. On the east side of the river, however, there is simply a slope to guard the embankment. If they plan to widen the embankment to build some additional tracks to allow for train storage, than a retaining wall would be needed - likely on the south side.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
 
So this is about reducing the capacity at Spadina-Bathurst yard to accommodate Barrie platforms, right? I wonder whether when the actual design is released/leaked we are going to find that this is going to make life even more interesting ($$$$$$) for Gardiner East hybrid engineering work than yesterday's almost 50% estimate increase.
 
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