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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

Because VIA 84 is changing schedules on Monday to be about 2 hours later, this allows for the earliest counter peak train to be in Kitchener at 10:28 AM. This might make it possible for a counter-peak train to London arriving at 12:40 PM. The Go Train would meet the VIA 84 at Stratford where there are multiple tracks but currently no extra platform. The only possible places right now to have meets are at Stratford or at Kellys which is west of St. Marys. In the future a meet at Guelph and Georgetown will be possible. At the current moment The only issue i see with this is a potential meet at Georgetown. One way to get around this is have the counter-peak train skip Georgetown and go directly to the main line track.

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Because VIA 84 is changing schedules on Monday to be about 2 hours later, this allows for the earliest counter peak train to be in Kitchener at 10:28 AM. This might make it possible for a counter-peak train to London arriving at 12:40 PM. The Go Train would meet the VIA 84 at Stratford where there are multiple tracks but currently no extra platform. The only possible places right now to have meets are at Stratford or at Kellys which is west of St. Marys. In the future a meet at Guelph and Georgetown will be possible. At the current moment The only issue i see with this is a potential meet at Georgetown. One way to get around this is have the counter-peak train skip Georgetown and go directly to the main line track.

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First, how do you envision a meet at Stratford, which respects the requirements imposed by Rule 107 of the Canadian Rail Operating Rules and doesn't cause massive delays on either train (or even: both trains)?

107. RESTRICTIONS AT PASSENGER TRAIN STOPS

Unless otherwise directed by special instructions, a movement must operate with extreme care when passing along side a train carrying passengers that is discharging or receiving traffic. It must not pass between such train and the station or platform, unless the movement is properly protected. Passengers shall be allowed to entrain and detrain only after positive protection has been provided against movements approaching on any main track they must cross when moving between the station and the train.

Second, what do you think is the chance of the return trip to actually clear Silver Junction on-time (i.e. at 16:30-ish) rather than delaying the GO train due to depart Georgetown at 16:35, especially in the context of the OTP we've seen with GO and VIA West of Kitchener?
 
First, how do you envision a meet at Stratford, which respects the requirements imposed by Rule 107 of the Canadian Rail Operating Rules and doesn't cause massive delays on either train (or even: both trains)?



Second, what do you think is the chance of the return trip to actually clear Silver Junction on-time (i.e. at 16:30-ish) rather than delaying the GO train due to depart Georgetown at 16:35, especially in the context of the OTP we've seen with GO and VIA West of Kitchener?
Probably highly unlikely until there are massive infrastructure improvements. Expecially at Georgetown.

Perhaps it could be possible to time a meet at Kelly's with 84 and then have a return trip after 87 leaves London? This would make a round trip to London.

But given the current infrastructure, its unlikely any of this could happen
 
First, how do you envision a meet at Stratford, which respects the requirements imposed by Rule 107 of the Canadian Rail Operating Rules and doesn't cause massive delays on either train (or even: both trains)?



Second, what do you think is the chance of the return trip to actually clear Silver Junction on-time (i.e. at 16:30-ish) rather than delaying the GO train due to depart Georgetown at 16:35, especially in the context of the OTP we've seen with GO and VIA West of Kitchener?
They literally stated that the lack of second platform at Stratford is a problem with meets there. There's no need to deride what is clearly just a musing about options for future service - not a proposal for a train to start running tomorrow.

What's up with your attitude recently? Is it just because you no longer need to be diplomatic because you no longer work for Via? Or are you getting a lot if stupid comments from other people and then taking out your frustrations on us?
 
They literally stated that the lack of second platform at Stratford is a problem with meets there. There's no need to deride what is clearly just a musing about options for future service - not a proposal for a train to start running tomorrow.

What's up with your attitude recently? Is it just because you no longer need to be diplomatic because you no longer work for Via? Or are you getting a lot if stupid comments from other people and then taking out your frustrations on us?
For the records, the post to which I responded stated: "The only possible places right now to have meets are at Stratford or at Kellys which is west of St. Marys" and "At the current moment The only issue i see with this is a potential meet at Georgetown" (with a proposed work-around suggesting that the tight meet at Georgetown is merely a conflicting-move issue).

I neither thought nor intended to imply that this was a stupid or ridiculous idea, but anyone who has been following the discussions in this thread about GO/VIA rail service West of Kitchener lately or been on any such train in the last few years, could have become aware of how operationally unstable and impractical having a buffer of less than 30 (better: 45) minutes between an eastbound train arriving and a westbound train departing in Georgetown currently is. We are all impatiently waiting for this situation to change in the future, but with the current OTP issues, meets are only realistically possible at very long double-tracked sections which can currently not be found anywhere West of Silver Junction...
 
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They literally stated that the lack of second platform at Stratford is a problem with meets there. There's no need to deride what is clearly just a musing about options for future service - not a proposal for a train to start running tomorrow.

What's up with your attitude recently? Is it just because you no longer need to be diplomatic because you no longer work for Via? Or are you getting a lot if stupid comments from other people and then taking out your frustrations on us?
Statford is only possible if there is a second platform added on the south side. But given how short the extra track is. It would inevitable one train would have to wait for another.


Georgetown needs quite a bit of double tracking west of Silver

Personally, I don't see this happening until 5+ years from now
 
Statford is only possible if there is a second platform added on the south side. But given how short the extra track is. It would inevitable one train would have to wait for another.


Georgetown needs quite a bit of double tracking west of Silver

Personally, I don't see this happening until 5+ years from now
It will eventually happen (though a second platform track is even more pressing in Kitchener and Guelph) and it really shouldn't take much longer than 5 years, but with the skeleton infrastructure currently in place, the current schedule is unfortunately already the maximum you can operate without risking cascading delays paralyzing the entire corridor...
 
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Since I had to go to London to bring someone back and their car next week, decided to try the London GO service.

Took me an hour by bus to Brampton compare to 40 minutes to Port Credit and then taking the train to Oakville to catch an VIA train.

The train before mine started to depart, it had to stop for an on car emergency, 5 minutes later it was on the move.

As my train was departing, emergency call was made that stop the train. Again, about 5 minute delay, the train was on the move. Are riders still using the emergency strip as a stop request??

Issue one was none of the fair machine's are setup to issue a ticket to London.

Issue 2 was there is no Presto machine to tap off in London nor see anything for buying fair from London.

Is you love hearing train horn, you well hear a lot of on the trip outside London, Guelph and Kitchener.

Love a rough ride and swaying, you will love the trip,

Speed was all over the place and never got high speed over 50 mph if it hit that speed.

Number of riders got on in Guelph and got off in Kitchener that got on my car level

Over 12 riders on my level after Kitchener. Could not tell how many off at Stratford, but lots of cars with highlights on as well off at the stmerancyation. 4 got off at St May. Over 35 on my car as we hit London and say over 50 got off from the front 2 cars due platform issues.

Train arrived 13 minute late.

Train was the standard 6 cars train with cab car on the front and MPI pushing.

Cheaper to take the GO train to London if the time frame meets your needs. Never will take from London as it departs 10 minutes before bus service start other than have someone drive me there or take a $15 cab ride.

As the first GO Train was arriving, a 3 power westbound CN Train was passing and counted 30 cars until the GO train block my view. Counted another 30 after the GO train departed. I counted 200 cars as we pass it that was stop, but could be more or less due to the darkest. It pass us at Georgetown
 
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Since I had to go to London to bring someone back and their car next week, decided to try the London GO service.

Took me an hour by bus to Brampton compare to 40 minutes to Port Credit and then taking the train to Oakville to catch an VIA train.

The train before mine started to depart, it had to stop for an on car emergency, 5 minutes later it was on the move.

As my train was departing, emergency call was made that stop the train. Again, about 5 minute delay, the train was on the move. Are riders still using the emergency strip as a stop request??

Issue one was none of the fair machine's are setup to issue a ticket to London.

Issue 2 was there is no Presto machine to tap off in London nor see anything for buying fair from London.

Is you love hearing train horn, you well hear a lot of on the trip outside London, Guelph and Kitchener.

Love a rough ride and swaying, you will love the trip,

Speed was all over the place and never got high speed over 50 mph if it hit that speed.

Number of riders got on in Guelph and got off in Kitchener that got on my car level

Over 12 riders on my level after Kitchener. Could not tell how many off at Stratford, but lots of cars with highlights on as well off at the stmerancyation. 4 got off at St May. Over 35 on my car as we hit London and say over 50 got off from the front 2 cars due platform issues.

Train arrived 13 minute late.

Train was the standard 6 cars train with cab car on the front and MPI pushing.

Cheaper to take the GO train to London if the time frame meets your needs. Never will take from London as it departs 10 minutes before bus service start other than have someone drive me there or take a $15 cab ride.

As the first GO Train was arriving, a 3 power westbound CN Train was passing and counted 30 cars until the GO train block my view. Counted another 30 after the GO train departed. I counted 200 cars as we pass it that was stop, but could be more or less due to the darkest. It pass us at Georgetown
So they can use MP40'S on that route, contrary to what others said.
 
So they can use MP40'S on that route, contrary to what others said.
If this was Friday's trip, it used F59 557 and 563 with cab car 348. I took a day trip to Bloor that day so I saw it pass by.

Drum118 did note he saw the train before which I believe used 6 cars and MPI 610, so he might have gotten it confused.
 
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Because VIA 84 is changing schedules on Monday to be about 2 hours later, this allows for the earliest counter peak train to be in Kitchener at 10:28 AM. This might make it possible for a counter-peak train to London arriving at 12:40 PM. The Go Train would meet the VIA 84 at Stratford where there are multiple tracks but currently no extra platform. The only possible places right now to have meets are at Stratford or at Kellys which is west of St. Marys. In the future a meet at Guelph and Georgetown will be possible. At the current moment The only issue i see with this is a potential meet at Georgetown. One way to get around this is have the counter-peak train skip Georgetown and go directly to the main line track.

View attachment 362561View attachment 362562
There would be the issue of what train would run the 9:22am to Union (and wherever that trainset was headed next).
 
If this was Friday's trip, it used F59 557 and 563 with cab car 348. I took a day trip to Bloor that day so I saw it pass by.

Drum118 did note he saw the train before which I believe used 6 cars and MPI 610, so he might have gotten it confused.
I was expecting an FP59 on point of the London train, but a cab car was on point and assume an MP40 pushing. Went tp check the rear in London, but got side track.

Went to check the train the next day, but it was gone and no where to be seen in yards.

If 2 F59 are on the rear, why can't an MP40 do it??
 
I was expecting an FP59 on point of the London train, but a cab car was on point and assume an MP40 pushing. Went tp check the rear in London, but got side track.

Went to check the train the next day, but it was gone and no where to be seen in yards.

If 2 F59 are on the rear, why can't an MP40 do it??
They deadhead back to Kitchener on weekends, I watched them go back on ATCS some time after VIA 87 got to London.

I think @smallspy knows why they are using 2 F59s?

I have video of them passing Bloor on Friday and there is this railfanner in Stratford that takes video of them everyday and even talks to the crew occasionally. Apparently the engineer is Chris Fox from Rapido.

Below is the vehicle history from Transsee

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Screenshot_20211114-203553_Chrome.jpg
 

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