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Union Station Rail Corridor Improvements

DSC said:
This project is presumably dependent on the completion of the earlier GO and Metrolinx projects that have been carried out over the last 4 or 5 years. The 2014 schedule for this project is at http://www.slna.ca/slna-news-pdfs/USRC_Brochure_2014-EN.pdf It appears that the earlier phase is drawing to a close and the new one is about to start. (The 2013 schedule is at: http://www.slna.ca/slna-news-pdfs/USRC Brochure 2013_EN_Final.pdf )
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It's not.

This project was originally tendered in 2007 or so, and given to Siemens, with an eye to completion in 2014. And who promptly and completely cocked it up. To the point where they were kicked off of it late in 2012.

AnsaldoSTS had been brought in as the second-place tenderer at that point, but they apparently weren't performing at a satisfactory level either (although markedly better than Siemens), and thus why it was re-tendered and has now been given to Alstom.

salsa said:
I totally agree, however the news release did mention "increase train speeds". :)
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Part of the resignalling project was the realignment of the tracks and installation of new switches throughout the USRC. This part of the job has been largely completed, but as the current signalling system doesn't have provisions to allow for the higher speeds, the same speed limits have remained in force. As the new signalling system takes over section-by-section, the speed limits will be improved. And there will be a huge improvement in speed over what is the case today.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
 
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smallspy said:
It's not.

This project was originally tendered in 2007 or so, and given to Siemens, with an eye to completion in 2014. And who promptly and completely cocked it up. To the point where they were kicked off of it late in 2012.

AnsaldoSTS had been brought in as the second-place tenderer at that point, but they apparently weren't performing at a satisfactory level either (although markedly better than Siemens), and thus why it was re-tendered and has now been given to Alstom.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
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Interesting - so this is the OLD project from 2007 but 5 years late. Are they starting from scratch?
 
smallspy said:
This project was originally tendered in 2007 or so, and given to Siemens, with an eye to completion in 2014. And who promptly and completely cocked it up. To the point where they were kicked off of it late in 2012.
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Wow... Any idea what happened and why this hasn't been more widely publicized? Did we lose any money on it?
 
smallspy said:
It's not.

This project was originally tendered in 2007 or so, and given to Siemens, with an eye to completion in 2014. And who promptly and completely cocked it up. To the point where they were kicked off of it late in 2012.

AnsaldoSTS had been brought in as the second-place tenderer at that point, but they apparently weren't performing at a satisfactory level either (although markedly better than Siemens), and thus why it was re-tendered and has now been given to Alstom.
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Thanks Dan. When I saw the News Release my first thought was "I thought that had been underway for several years already?". It really is another case of the government re-announcing things which had previously been announced.

Fingers crossed that the French company can accomplish what the German and Italian companies failed to do.

I know these upgrades are needed today, but with the move towards ATP (and cab signalling, IIRC) in the US, I hope there won't be a need to overhaul the system again in just a few years.
 
It appears another phase of this is being tendered.

http://www.metrolinx.merx.com/public/solicitations/202868161/abstract
This RFP is for the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of a fully integrated, vital-microprocessor based new railway signalling system and related Communications system and electrical system including all subsystems there of, to provide rail operations throughout the west approach to the USRC, replacing the existing Bathurst and Fort York Inter-lockings.
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Does USRC begin at Spadina?
 
Anyone tempted to pay the $40 MERX document download fee to get the several PDF files in this procurement to learn more about the project?

Whatever happens with USRC resignalling will be the grandaddy of bottlenecks for Union. How many trains per hour might be possible in the GO RER era -- whether today's estimates are conservative or aggressive. It could be a major determinator of how fast you can cram trains through Union.
 
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rbt said:
It appears another phase of this is being tendered.

http://www.metrolinx.merx.com/public/solicitations/202868161/abstract


Does USRC begin at Spadina?
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Closer to Bathurst for the Oakville Sub, but almost all of the way to Strachan on the Galt and Weston Subs.

Which is interesting, as it almost looks like they're going to roll the Fort York plant into the USRC. And why are they including the Bathurst plant when it's already supposed to be included in the USRC re-signalling?

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
 

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This might be a thread established for track-related improvements, but hoping it can be flexible for general discussion about access under/over the USRC too.

Anyway, just wanted to share an interesting Twotter thread from THRA today:

TorontoRailwayMuseum‏@TORailwayMuseum

Aug 20, 1930: the Yonge Street subway (underpass) opens to traffic beneath the new railway viaduct. 1/6

DHsjgqtXoAAK-AO.jpg




Before the TTC rapid transit system opened in 1954, underpasses were called subways in Toronto—they often still are elsewhere in Canada. 2/6

Yonge St. was one of nine subways built, along with York, Bay, Jarvis, Sherbourne, Parliament, Cherry and Queen Streets and Eastern Ave. 3/6


The number of subways was one of several contentious issues causing delays to the construction of the railway viaduct after World War I. 4/6


The city naturally wanted every major street to have a subway, while the railways balked at the cost of building so many. 5/6

When agreement was finally reached in 1924, proposed subways at Scott, Church, George, Frederick, Princess and Trinity St. went unbuilt. 6/6
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Boy, that would have allowed much more access if we had the foresight.
 
Interesting stuff. Would've been great to have more of those underpasses (subways). Church, Trinity, and a second Cherry being the best contenders. Also like the wording of "viaduct" for USRC. Many wouldn't consider it as such or recognize the public works that went into building a honking elevated embankment/viaduct across the south end of the city. A few years back I stumbled on detailed maps and diagrams of the project. Recently tried to find it but came up short.

And re: the current enhancement project, I really hope they consider the unique urban fabric and don't use bland standards. E.g using more heritage red brick, incorporating wrought iron, maybe public murals, retaining some of the canopy it has now, etc. Also like some ideas in the DRP about adding things like skylights to the underpasses.

Edit a month later. Looking through my harddrive stumbled on that USRC Viaduct blueprint which predates its construction. Forget the origin, found it somewhere online years back. Notice the amount of underpasses planned/unbuilt. It's interesting to look in the old TO photo threads and see before its construction. Everyone had to cross level tracks, the city would grind to a halt with each train passing, and fatalities were probably be a weekly occurrence. Need to dl it to see the finer details for some reason.

map_viaduct.jpg
 

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