GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[Richard White]

Ok, so I note that we are all collectively running a tad off topic for the GO service thread. That said, I can't resist sneaking in something for the younger set.

Until 1995, the TTC didn't have a door chime............conductors blew a whistle. Here's a video from the last train where that happened:

Train Conductor Blows Whistle - Film & Video Stock

A TTC conductor blows a whistle to signal the closing of train doors, followed by a report that chimes will now replace whistles on the subway cars. PLEASE NOTE: News anchor and reporter image and audio, along with any commercial production excerpts, are for reference purposes only and are not...

www.efootage.com

TTC Staff still have whistles in the event the chimes fail. Quite ironic actually as if the chimes fail chances are the train will be taken OOS.

 

[Urban Sky]

The rule is being implemented for two reasons, one overt and the other more subtle.

The overt - at busy stations such as Union, it can take a full minute (or more) for the CSA to close the doors on a train, especially if it is crowded and both sides are open. Closing the doors "early" - in the sense that they start the door closing procedure one minute prior to scheduled departure - is a means to help the trains get out of the station on time.

The subtle - this is also a means to get passengers aware that they need to get to the stations earlier, so that they are not rushing the doors as they close. This is why GO's messaging on this has been fairly quiet and with few clarifications. If they can get people thinking that they need to be at their home station - regardless of whether it is actually affected by the rule - earlier in order to make sure that they get on before the doors close, then all of the "bad press" has done its job.

It should also be noted that most systems around the planet have some similar rule already in place. Intercity systems will have such a rule at all stations, or at least the major ones, while commuter systems will do it only at the point of origin for a specific trip. The amount of time varies somewhat based on their operating practices and cultural details.

Dan

I don‘t think that anyone questions the benefit of scheduling a small buffer between the events „doors are getting closed“ rather than the strange insistence that passengers somehow care about the timing of the latter event more than about that of the one which actually determines whether they will catch the train in time or miss it. If I may quote myself:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1612545454528696320

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

 

[Bordercollie]

The bag was caught on a grab iron as the train was pulling into the station, didn’t have anything to do with the doors. That’s why the grab irons on all coaches were removed a few years ago:

View attachment 449475View attachment 449474

So now they can't ride in trains that are being shunted in the yard?

The person was past the yellow line when they got caught.

 

[WB62]

So now they can't ride in trains that are being shunted in the yard?

The person was past the yellow line when they got caught.

Clearly not being able to ride trains around in the yard wasn’t an issue to GO or it’s crews or they wouldn’t have removed them.

 

[smallspy]

TTC Staff still have whistles in the event the chimes fail. Quite ironic actually as if the chimes fail chances are the train will be taken OOS.

The train will be taken out of service to get the fault repaired, but not immediately. It is not considered a safety-critical issue. The crew is expected to complete their run first - thus the whistles.

Dan

 

[Allandale25]

References the Bowmanville Extension.

What to know as study kicks off on area around future Central Oshawa GO Station

Members of the public can provide feedback until Feb. 16.

www.durhamregion.com

 

[Allandale25]

Realize this might be more on the fantasy or Metrolinx General or General Railways theme, but nevertheless interesting post and interactive map by @Reecemartin :

A transit proposal for Toronto: The Don Line

A new transit line using the Richmond Hill Line as a base could have massive potential ridership. We just need to plan for it.

torontoverse.com

 

[Northern Light]

Realize this might be more on the fantasy or Metrolinx General or General Railways theme, but nevertheless interesting post and interactive map by @Reecemartin :

A transit proposal for Toronto: The Don Line

A new transit line using the Richmond Hill Line as a base could have massive potential ridership. We just need to plan for it.

torontoverse.com

Definitely over in the fantasy thread.

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

How about GO Train services servicing other cities around Ontario, not just Toronto?

How about Kitchener and/or Hamilton?

From link.

There are 4 ways to get from Hamilton to Kitchener GO by bus, train (VIA), taxi or car​

Or London, Ontario for that matter. (Using VIA.)

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

Wonder if they could extend the Waterloo ION light rail line past Cambridge to Hamilton, as a "tram train"?

 

[kalis0490]

Wonder if they could extend the Waterloo ION light rail line past Cambridge to Hamilton, as a "tram train"?

Legally, Waterloo ion is a tram train already as it travels partly on mainline track. Depending on how much funding there is, the "Cambridge GO line" could likely be a tram. I think a tram train to st Jacobs would be cool (Waterloo owns the track currently)

 

[anb]

Wonder if they could extend the Waterloo ION light rail line past Cambridge to Hamilton, as a "tram train"?

In a perfect world, this happens along with the Milton line fully being all day frequent service and extended to Cambridge. Maybe while we're at it, OBRY gets bought by ML and Orangeville line exists with all day frequent service, giving a more convenient regional connection with it and Cambridge, and the rest of the ION/Waterloo region as well.

 

[Urban Sky]

In a perfect world, this happens along with the Milton line fully being all day frequent service and extended to Cambridge. Maybe while we're at it, OBRY gets bought by ML and Orangeville line exists with all day frequent service, giving a more convenient regional connection with it and Cambridge, and the rest of the ION/Waterloo region as well.

With the Galt Sub being part of CP‘s Toronto-Chicago spine, it would be terribly expensive to extend the Milton line to Cambridge, with basically no major settlement en-route. Much better to build a branch from the Kitchener Corridor by reactivating the Fergus Sub from Guelph, which allows separate stops at Hespeler, Preston and near Cambridges bus terminal…

 

[Krypto98]

With the Galt Sub being part of CP‘s Toronto-Chicago spine, it would be terribly expensive to extend the Milton line to Cambridge, with basically no major settlement en-route. Much better to build a branch from the Kitchener Corridor by reactivating the Fergus Sub from Guelph, which allows separate stops at Hespeler, Preston and near Cambridges bus terminal…

Are you sure about that? Major upgrades would need to be done to the Fergus spur... at the current moment it's single track R105 territory with 10/15 mph maximum speed. And per some old ETTs the maximum speed was 20-30 mph with OCS (dark territory mainline)

At the current moment the Galt sub from Guelph Junction westward is single track ABS which is OCS with intermediate block signals.

It probably depends more on which option has more long term benefits than short term.