GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[Allandale25]

^ Here's on the press conference where 12 coach trains are mentioned: https://www.bramptonguardian.com/ne...unces-expanded-go-train-service-for-brampton/

It's also referenced on the list of changes to the Bramalea GO Station on GO's website.

 

[robmausser]

Wasn't sure if article this should be in the GO Construction thread or this one, but I found this article interesting - and current - on the issue of adding more GO train service to the Milton Line and CP Rail's position. Might be relevant for other lines where GO doesn't own the tracks, how municipalities react, advice for senior political leaders. Headline only below.

This is such a blame deferment. There is nothing stopping Metrolinx from adding more tracks in the Milton corridor, exclusively for GO Trains. I'm pretty sure there is even an EA or at least a preliminary plan floating around to do it.

I mean, all the projects for expansion on other corridors are for more tracks, but even the outset of the creation of the Milton line in the 1970's required extra tracks and sidetracks to be built.

 

[TOareaFan]

It's also referenced on the list of changes to the Bramalea GO Station on GO's website.

Does that suggest that between the Del Ducca appearance at Bramalea in May of 2015 and April 2017 (the consultations beginning on the changes to Bramalea) nothing was done to advance the 12 car promise that was supposed to be ready by the end of 2017?

 

[reaperexpress]

any word on when 12 car trains come to the KW line? In one of his series of "Platform Press Conferences", the Minister of Transportation announced in May 2015 (at the Bramalea GO station) that 12 car trains would come to this line by the end of 2017.

Anyone know if this is happening or is Brampton about to see a year where two major Ontario Gov't GO transit promises were broken in the same year?

How about instead of turning 10-car trains into even-slower 12-car trains, they improve the service?

At the moment the Kitchener line has a half-hour gap in the peak of rush hour, likely due to the Stratford-Toronto VIA commuter service that was supposed to start in 'early 2016' but is still nowhere to be found.

If GO could get VIA to admit that the Stratford commuter train is off the table, GO they could use the slot for a second express trip between Kitchener and Toronto, which would also attract new ridership from Bramalea and beyond:

 

[cbrown2009]

Does that suggest that between the Del Ducca appearance at Bramalea in May of 2015 and April 2017 (the consultations beginning on the changes to Bramalea) nothing was done to advance the 12 car promise that was supposed to be ready by the end of 2017?

Unfortunately it looks more and more like we aren’t going to be seeing any more tangible service improvements until (unless) the Missing Link is built.

 

[TOareaFan]

How about instead of turning 10-car trains into even-slower 12-car trains, they improve the service?

At the moment the Kitchener line has a half-hour gap in the peak of rush hour, likely due to the Stratford-Toronto VIA commuter service that was supposed to start in 'early 2016' but is still nowhere to be found.
View attachment 126094

If GO could get VIA to admit that the Stratford commuter train is off the table, GO they could use the slot for a second express trip between Kitchener and Toronto, which would also attract new ridership from Bramalea and beyond:
View attachment 126095

I would love far more frequent and, even, shorter trains....but it is clear that this is not happening soon (estimates for when the bypass is ready on this site seem to range from 2030 to 2050).....so if more frequent trains can't happen, then longer trains that can actually carry more people during the slots they have do.

I don't ride the train anywhere near as much as I used to (essentially, I have abandoned/given up on the service)....but a year or so ago the standing on inbound trains used to happen at Etobicoke North and sometimes even not until Weston. Last couple of times I have used the service (couple of weeks ago) there were people standing in the car I was on after Bramalea......so if there can't be more trains, at least raise the size of the trains to the same size on most of the other lines.

a 12 car train carries, what, 20% more people than an 10 car train.

 

[reaperexpress]

I would love far more frequent and, even, shorter trains....but it is clear that this is not happening soon (estimates for when the bypass is ready on this site seem to range from 2030 to 2050).....so if more frequent trains can't happen, then longer trains that can actually carry more people during the slots they have do.

I don't ride the train anywhere near as much as I used to (essentially, I have abandoned/given up on the service)....but a year or so ago the standing on inbound trains used to happen at Etobicoke North and sometimes even not until Weston. Last couple of times I have used the service (couple of weeks ago) there were people standing in the car I was on after Bramalea......so if there can't be more trains, at least raise the size of the trains to the same size on most of the other lines.

a 12 car train carries, what, 20% more people than an 10 car train.

GO has full control over the tracks as far as Bramalea (or at least they would with some minor rail reconfiguration just east of Bramalea station). Nothing is stopping them from running more Bramalea-Toronto trips allowing the adjacent Kitchener/Georgetown-Toronto trips to operate non-stop from Bramalea to Union.

 

[TOareaFan]

GO has full control over the tracks as far as Bramalea (or at least they would with some minor rail reconfiguration just east of Bramalea station). Nothing is stopping them from running more Bramalea-Toronto trips allowing the adjacent Kitchener/Georgetown-Toronto trips to operate non-stop from Bramalea to Union.

Something is stopping them from doing it....because they are not doing it.

 

[steveintoronto]

IIRC, VIA's option on that slot was being denied by GEXR. Now that ML own the line to K/W, the Brampton segment notwithstanding, and GEXR's lease has expired, I wonder just what the complication is on this?

Perhaps it is a VIA issue, so I'll tag @Urban Sky to see if he has any info on this.

 

[reaperexpress]

Something is stopping them from doing it....because they are not doing it.

Yes obviously, but it may be relatively small/short-term solution within their control (track configuration at Bramalea, completion of platform construction at Bramalea). But of course it is easier PR to say 'CN is stopping us from adding new service' than 'Endless delays in Metrolinx construction are preventing us from adding new service'.

 

[rbt]

Something is stopping them from doing it....because they are not doing it.

It's Metrolinx; they may simply not have considered it.

 

[Urban Sky]

Perhaps it is a VIA issue, so I'll tag @Urban Sky to see if he has any info on this.

I really can't say anything specific regarding any particular VIA service, but any additional train (or shift of an existing train) requires the approval of all ROW and station owners involved, as well as of the government agencies providing the required additional operational funding. Maybe this provides you with a little hint as to how many different actors are involved in such decisions and how challenging it can be to find a schedule which works with all of them. Nevertheless, the new schedule with the introduction of trains 53 and 54 as the tenth Toronto-Ottawa frequency and the shift of train 650 to a later (early evening) departure time demonstrate what can happen when the stars align...

 

[LNahid2000]

There was a trip running from Bramalea to Union at rush hour as recently as a couple of years ago.

 

[johntauren]

Yes obviously, but it may be relatively small/short-term solution within their control (track configuration at Bramalea, completion of platform construction at Bramalea). But of course it is easier PR to say 'CN is stopping us from adding new service' than 'Endless delays in Metrolinx construction are preventing us from adding new service'.

They haven't touched Bramalea platform 4 in at least a year, if not two years now.
It's been ready to be paved for that long and just left to sit there.

 

[cbrown2009]

They haven't touched Bramalea platform 4 in at least a year, if not two years now.
It's been ready to be paved for that long and just left to sit there.

Agreed. I can only speculate that they stopped work because Bramalea may be undergoing a redesign a la some of the Barrie Line stations with regard to future RER/densification. But why not finish it as is and put it into service with an eye towards getting evenings/weekend hourly trains at least that far is totally beyond me.

Also read the article concerning the Milton Line linked earlier. Noticed that casual observation noted the same thing there that I note on the Kitchener Line. Freight trains do pass periodically throughout the day but certainly not enough to claim the tracks are even close to capacity, yet CN/CP say they can’t/won’t accommodate any more Go trains.