SaugeenJunction
Senior Member
Data driven. I like that. I have high hopes for this.
It mentioned non transit revenue...We need more service, not more marketing.
I need more frequent and affordable services on Stouffville LineAny project you are particularly excited for? (For me it would be Barrie Line, Eglinton and Go Station Improvements)
Say what you will about transit in the GTHA but I think in 2025 we will probably have the best regional transportation in North America short of New York (possibly) and certainly the most improved system by a wide wide margin
Not quite. In 2025 we will have a ragtag collection of projects that will have reached completion, and we will have some things that didn't get done and other things that are just poking along.
What are the three top most urgent things that need to be addressed today, that are holding stuff up and putting 2025 in jeopardy?
1) The design for the flyover at Scarboro Jct. (It should be apparent by now that a "flat" junction at SJ would be hugely constraining on capacity. You won't see current VIA service, plus planned GO LSE service, plus planned GO/ST service to Unionville.) No EA in the works, no sensitization of the neighbourhood that a Davenport-style overpass or some major tunnelling are coming. No sign ML has even reached a preferred solution.
This is an interesting point. I've never thought about Scarb Junction needing grade-separation, nor heard about it being needed. I guess I don't really get why it would require grade-separation. If Stouff RER/ST is using the northernmost tracks, seems like LSE and VIA would be unaffected from a stop/proceed perspective. Granted I don't know how many tracks are envisioned at full buildout, nor how close these things can run.
If a separation is needed through there, which I can guess it is, it would likely be combined with a road/rail grade-separation @ Danforth Rd. This would be like a +1000m guideway or tunnel. Big bucks, many pitchforks, and seemingly quite complicated (since Stouff is somewhat narrow, the curvature, and all lines are active). Clearly politically unpalatable so maybe that's a reason Mlinx hasn't divulged much about it.
A flat junction creates all sorts of problems even if it isn't fouling other traffic, not least the required slow speed to negotiate. The major determining factor must be the cost of the fly-over/under v. the interval of use expected. I would have to wonder on where to build it though, and whether building it further west would allow it to do double duty with another cut-off. The downside of that would be running another track the distance between points.(I'm sure @steve will instruct us about the high-tech solutions used elsewhere, and frankly many old style signal box operations manage this, but my point is, why design the system with constraining features in the first place and then try to work around with electronics?)
There is enough land west of the junction to have 6 tracks and this will allow Stouffville 2 tracks to remain on the north side as it is today as a single track. Scarborough Station will have to be rebuilt for centre platform and most likely relocate the station itself. The current tunnel would have to be rebuilt to deal with centre platforms as well add elevators.
If you want to connect only to track #4 on the south side, you can build a single to double track flyover using less land for Scarborough Station area, but at a higher cost.
What is south Stouffville grade separation?I was bored an realized that Metrolinx has their 2018/2019 procurement plan posted online, in other words projects that they intend to put to tender. Really interesting read, and some nice little nuggets of info. Link here. Found via this page.
Of note are (posted as listed in doc):
- Weston Tunnel 3rd Platform
- Freight By-pass
- Customer Wi-Fi Solution
- Electric Bus Tender
- Smart Train Solution
- PRESTO Voucher Pilot
- Union Station Master Plan
- Durham-Scarborough Preliminary Design and Preliminary Design Business Case
- Eglinton West LRT Planning and Design
- Dundas BRT Preliminary Design and Preliminary Design Business Case
- Barrie Double Track - Contract 2, Barrie Double Track - Contract 3
- Heritage Rd Layover facility
- Georgetown Station and Layover
- 3rd Track (Carlingview to Halton Sub)
- 4th Track Construction - Strachan to Nickle
- South Stouffville Grade Separation
- (Various RER packages)
- Guelph Sub Track and Signal Maintenance
- Concrete Tie Replacement Program - Newmarket
- Bala Subdivision Flood Mitigations
- Concrete Tie Replacement Program - Exhibition
- Guelph Sub Capital Improvements
- Canpa Plant Rehabilitation
- Niagara Expansion
- Light Geometry Inspection Vehicle
- Pre-qualification for Locomotive refurb
- Pre-qualification for Bi-level refurb
It would be interesting to see a cost comparison of doing a flyover v more running tracks. It's always been my impression travelling west that there's capacity for at least one more track in the corridor. Your observation of two more is very interesting.If you wanted to do it right from day one and look to the future, LS Lines should be 4 track 100% and you need X crossing on all track every X distance as high speed ones.
Its been years since I have looked at the area, but the corridor itself will support 4 tracks easy.
There is enough land west of the junction to have 6 tracks and this will allow Stouffville 2 tracks to remain on the north side as it is today as a single track. Scarborough Station will have to be rebuilt for centre platform and most likely relocate the station itself. The current tunnel would have to be rebuilt to deal with centre platforms as well add elevators.
If you want to connect only to track #4 on the south side, you can build a single to double track flyover using less land for Scarborough Station area, but at a higher cost.
Its possible a building or 2 may have to go for what I am proposing.
I may be wrong, but I believe it might be the grade separation of the tracks from Hoover Park Dr. in the south end of Stouffville.What is south Stouffville grade separation?