SmartTrack (Proposed)

[W. K. Lis]

Seems to me that SmartTrack is the modern day (2017-) version of the old two loop Belt Line Railway (1892–1894). Maybe we should call it Belt Line version 2.0.

See link.

See link.

 

[Palma]

In my high school typing classes, we were taught to type two spaces after the period, exclamation point, colon, or question mark. These days, most people now use a single space after all punctuation marks.

But you left 2 spaces before the question mark

 

[Palma]

Seems to me that SmartTrack is the modern day (2017-) version of the old two loop Belt Line Railway (1892–1894). Maybe we should call it Belt Line version 2.0.

See link.

See link.

everything thats old is new again

 

[1overcosc]

You actually believe that bunk? Hydro rates were scheduled to increase substantially in the coming decade. That's the reason the Liberals sold Hdyro. Not because they want to pay for transit. But because they needed a "fall guy" to take the blame. Nothing better than to blame some "private" operator and say that their hands are tied. Far less of an impact for the Liberals than actually raising the rates themselves.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toron...o-cost-another-137-for-most-in-2016-1.3010441

http://www.cbc.ca/news2/canada/features/power-switch/calculators/calculator-interactive.html

But that's exactly my point. Privatization won't cause any increases beyond what would have happened anyway if it had remained 100% public.

And blaming a private operator for rate hikes will never work. For one, Hydro One isn't really even private. The government still retains a 40% stake in the company and with the corporate charter requiring two-thirds majority in all shareholder votes, the government still runs the show.

 

[1overcosc]

The private utilities will ask the regulators for price increases and they will be granted them, as in the past.

The OEB denies rate hikes all the time. Hydro Ottawa--which despite being Ottawa-owned is run with a heavy profit motive as the city is constantly trying to squeeze dividend money out of it to pay for other city priorities without property tax--recently applied for a big hike to local transmission rates and got it turned down completely.

 

[rbt]

The OEB denies rate hikes all the time. Hydro Ottawa--which despite being Ottawa-owned is run with a heavy profit motive as the city is constantly trying to squeeze dividend money out of it to pay for other city priorities without property tax--recently applied for a big hike to local transmission rates and got it turned down completely.

Toronto Hydro also gets rate increases rejected frequently (and trimmed back when granted). They're not even trying to squeeze out profits, they want to hire additional maintenance crews.

 

[crs1026]

The OEB has the teeth to make independent decisions. See http://business.financialpost.com/n...ower-generation-rate-hike-bid?__lsa=e90c-dbe9

The Ontaro Government treats Hydro revenue as an income stream, just as it treats LCBO revenue. So the premise of whether the Hydro system is "for profit" or (as Adam Beck conceived it) "for the people" is badly muddied. Privatisation of Hydro One was a good thing from the perspective that going forward any "profit" to government will be in the form of dividends paid in like manner as to other shareholders, where in the past it was hidden in the financial statements.

Labour arbitrators in particular have seen through the smokescreen, and have awarded Hydro unions increases that defy logic from a "public service" viewpoint - their premise being that Hydro "profit" is no different than private sector profit - so Hydro workers deserve a share of these just as say GM workers might deserve a share of GM's profit. Hence the OEB's tougher stance.

- Paul

 

[salsa]

The RER/SmartTrack slides to be presented in the Metrolinx board meeting are now posted.

http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pd...oardMtg_RER_and_SmartTrack_Integration_EN.pdf

 

[salsa]

Oliver Moore expects them to pick option D.

 

[crs1026]

Trying to decypher the four options......

A - More frequent trains, but retaining the RER model with only a few added stops - City picks up the cost of added trains
B - The "Full Monty" option of RER limited-stopping trains and ST frequent-stopping trains - likely the highest cost
C - Vanilla RER plan, modified to add all the stops that the City wants - at the cost of longer trip time
D- Vanilla RER plan

I wonder what the "trades" will be..... Province provides relief for the LRT extension in exchange for City agreeing to a more vanilla version of RER?

- Paul

 

[nfitz]

Oliver Moore expects them to pick option D.

Which seems to preclude a station on Lawrence, which was the basis of being able to remove the more expensive subway station there.

 

[dunkalunk]

I wonder how long it'll take for UPX to be rolled into this...

Remember that GO is also planning for express peak-direction trains from Oakville, Bramalea, and Pickering.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Frequencies:
At and north of Kennedy Station: 8.6 min frequencies
West of Scarborough Station (St. Clair East): 5.5 min
West of Union: 10 min
15 min off peak frequencies

New Stations:
St. Clair West
King
Unilever
Gerrard (presumably connecting to the RL)
No new Scarborough Stations.

This is exactly as described in the previous article by Moore: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...onto-getting-smaller-cheaper/article28208774/

 

[gweed123]

Interesting options. Personally, I'd like to see the RER make all station stops, all day, at least until it's extended further out (to Mt. Pleasant and to Mt. Joy). Unionville and Bramalea are far enough inwards that running two service types wouldn't really make that much of a difference. If people really want express, have the "traditional" GO services stop at key stations within the RER service area to provide that express option.

Lakeshore may be the exception to this, since it's getting basically it's entire current AD2W service electrified. In that case, I'd run local from Aldershot to Oakville and from Oshawa to Pickering, and then semi-express from there. A 2nd route would just run from Oakville to Pickering, making all station stops, including the added ones.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Frequencies:
At and north of Kennedy Station: 8.6 min frequencies
West of Scarborough Station (St. Clair East): 5.5 min
West of Union: 10 min

New Stations:
St. Clair West
King
Unilever
Gerrard (presumably connecting to the RL)
No new Scarborough Stations.

This is exactly as described in the previous article by Moore: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...onto-getting-smaller-cheaper/article28208774/

Preliminary ridership for this option, with GO fare, was 12,000 per day, as per Moore's Jan article. TTC fare would boost this to 24,000 to 36,000.