Toronto Union Pearson Express | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx | MMM Group Limited

EnviroTO said:
This press release doesn't make much sense to me. Currently there are bridges current / capable of supporting the same or more at Bloor (4/5), Brock (5/7), Dufferin (under construction already for 7), Dupont (4/5), Queen (under construction already for 7), Lansdowne (5/6). Even more complicated that the EA called for Bloor (6), Brock (8), Dufferin (8), Dupont (6), Queen (8), and Lansdowne (8). I also question whether or not they will "widen" steel bridges or simply lay another box next to the existing ones. As it stands I have no idea whether or not this means there will be 6 tracks through the area (2 old CP + 4 old CN), or 4 total. Also, what does this announcement have to do with Queen and Dufferin?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what they are referring to. Maybe it is to strengthen or upgrade those bridges?
 
Justin10000 said:
Not entirely true. Some of the original Hawker Siddely single level coaches were self-propelled.

Transit Toronto has an good article about the coaches.

http://transit.toronto.on.ca/gotransit/2508.shtml

Here is a picture of the coaches running without locos:

http://transit.toronto.on.ca/images/gotransit-2508-04.jpg
Click to expand...

Well, damn. Admittedly, they had very few DMUs and ran them for a very short period of time, but ran them they did.

Based on that article, though, saiho's claim that "1st gen GO trans were DMUs then they realized that loco hauled push pull trains are cheaper to run and maintain" has no basis. The article states that the vehicles were underpowered for GO's need and had insufficient capacity, and says nothing about the cost.
 
EnviroTO said:
This press release doesn't make much sense to me. Currently there are bridges current / capable of supporting the same or more at Bloor (4/5), Brock (5/7), Dufferin (under construction already for 7), Dupont (4/5), Queen (under construction already for 7), Lansdowne (5/6). Even more complicated that the EA called for Bloor (6), Brock (8), Dufferin (8), Dupont (6), Queen (8), and Lansdowne (8). I also question whether or not they will "widen" steel bridges or simply lay another box next to the existing ones. As it stands I have no idea whether or not this means there will be 6 tracks through the area (2 old CP + 4 old CN), or 4 total. Also, what does this announcement have to do with Queen and Dufferin?
Click to expand...

The 'fourth track' refers to having two deticated CN tracks and two deticated GO tracks (VIA using either). They are ignoring all other existing tracks.

'Widening' on an existing bridge refers to the building of an adjacent span, if there is in sufficient deck space.

Queen will most likely have a second round of construction. Dufferin should have been negotiated between the City and Metrolinx.

The ESR recommendations of bridges
 
Study: Caltrain's survival may hinge on electrification

Friday, April 23, 2010

Terry McSweeney

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (KGO) -- A new report suggests that Caltrain needs to trade in its fleet of diesel trains and link its future to high speed rail in order to survive.

The forecast claims that if Caltrain can share tracks with the high speed rail system it can expand commute time service, collect about 50 percent more money and keep expenses roughly flat. If it sticks with diesel trains, Caltrain could lose $61 million by 2019.

Caltrain electrification would cost about $1.3 billion and it would be a possibility by 2015. The California High Speed Rail Authority would have to provide about 40 percent of that money.

(Copyright ©2010 KGO-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
 
i wish they would kill this toy train and just build a proper regional train from Toronto to Brampton with a stop at Pearson and a few key stops in between like on Weston, Eglinton and Bloor
 
lead82 said:
i wish they would kill this toy train and just build a proper regional train from Toronto to Brampton with a stop at Pearson and a few key stops in between like on Weston, Eglinton and Bloor
Click to expand...
The railway infrastructure that is planned should do both.
 
Just to give people an idea of how microscopic the infrastructure projects we build actually are, Austria built a rail bypass of Innsbruck to reduce traffic through the city centre. It will include a 12.5 km long tunnel. All for a city of 117,000--about the size of Guelph or Barrie. As an aside, that 12.5 km tunnel cost 150 million euros in the 90s. Or check out the Stuttgart 21 project, a $6 billion project to bury the tracks into the central station, transform it from a terminal to a through-track station, and increase speeds across the city. It's also a significantly smaller city than Toronto. This is just one of hundreds of similar examples. So when you hear "We can't afford that!" think of these and many similar examples.
 
Nice to see the construction schedule for the next 18 months posted on the GO Transit website. Strachan, Denison, and the Weston grade separation get under way in November. By next year the Humber River and Black Creek bridges will also get underway meaning the bulk of the project will be in full swing within a year. I imagine that this might reduce east-west road capacity by a few lanes during construction. I am still very curious what modifications to the Queen-Dufferin bridge will be made so soon after the initial project completes this summer.
 
unimaginative2 said:
Just to give people an idea of how microscopic the infrastructure projects we build actually are, Austria built a rail bypass of Innsbruck to reduce traffic through the city centre. It will include a 12.5 km long tunnel. All for a city of 117,000--about the size of Guelph or Barrie. As an aside, that 12.5 km tunnel cost 150 million euros in the 90s. Or check out the Stuttgart 21 project, a $6 billion project to bury the tracks into the central station, transform it from a terminal to a through-track station, and increase speeds across the city. It's also a significantly smaller city than Toronto. This is just one of hundreds of similar examples. So when you hear "We can't afford that!" think of these and many similar examples.
Click to expand...

In Canada if you were to substitute 'rail infrastructure' with 'highway infrastructure' there would also be far less opposition and questioning of a project. It is part of the reason why rail projects do have to chosen carefully, or done in small (read unnoticed) increments. At least until public perceptions change or there is better marketing of large scale projects done. If the whole rail link project had been pitched as upgrades to the Georgetown corridor which would increase GO capacity as well as allow for an airport only link there would have been far less opposition.
 
AnarchoSocialist said:
In Canada if you were to substitute 'rail infrastructure' with 'highway infrastructure' there would also be far less opposition and questioning of a project. It is part of the reason why rail projects do have to chosen carefully, or done in small (read unnoticed) increments. At least until public perceptions change or there is better marketing of large scale projects done. If the whole rail link project had been pitched as upgrades to the Georgetown corridor which would increase GO capacity as well as allow for an airport only link there would have been far less opposition.
Click to expand...

Actually I disagree. It is not the ARL trains that WCC and others along the corridor opposed, rather they opposed any and all increases in rail traffic along the corridor be it GO, freight, VIA or otherwise.
 
Woodbridge_Heights said:
Actually I disagree. It is not the ARL trains that WCC and others along the corridor opposed, rather they opposed any and all increases in rail traffic along the corridor be it GO, freight, VIA or otherwise.
Click to expand...
\

The WCC is not opposed to rail expansion. It's the technology that they oppose. They want electrification, and cnsidering the number of trains Metrolinx is claiming will run in the corridor, electrification does make sense.
 
They think they want electrification until they see the land acquisition requirements for it. When the system electrification study comes in December, it put a real price tag and real neighbourhood effect on these idealistic pipe dreams. There will be freight expansion on the corridor, which is and will continue to be the dominant source of Air/Noise/Vibration pollution. Electric passenger trains won't stop that.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top