GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[reaperexpress]

Metrolinx has uploaded a slide deck going over Danforth GO Early Works

https://assets.metrolinx.com/raw/upload/Images/Metrolinx/Toronto%20East/MX-LSE_Early_Works_PresentationBoards_Danforth_8.25.2025_restoration_edits.pptx

Starting in Spring 2026:
New south platform (is this for the fourth track?)
New building
Extension of pedestrian tunnel

Most of the cost and complexity of the Danforth Station reconstruction is due to the cancellation of the Scarborough Junction grade separation. If Stouffville and Lakeshore had a combined corridor with express and local tracks, they could just put the fourth track where the island platform currently is, avoiding the need to change the south side of the pedestrian tunnel.

 

[Northern Light]

Metrolinx has uploaded a slide deck going over Danforth GO Early Works

https://assets.metrolinx.com/raw/upload/Images/Metrolinx/Toronto%20East/MX-LSE_Early_Works_PresentationBoards_Danforth_8.25.2025_restoration_edits.pptx

Starting in Spring 2026:
New south platform (is this for the fourth track?)
New building
Extension of pedestrian tunnel

From the above:

I don't think you will like the below @giantorangehead

 

[crs1026]

^The interesting words in that document are "continuous work zone". That translates to jersey barriers (to keep construction separated from track operations). I wonder whether there is enough width to fit that in without taking Track 3 out of service east of Danforth interlocking.

- Paul .

 

[Sauga89]

A similar construction notice has also been issued for Oshawa GO.

 

[JJTheJetPln]

Was driving down Heritage Road the other day and noticed a whole section that appeared to have been carved out for the Heritage Road layover. Went back for some photos. Here are some for your viewing pleasure.

 

[Voltz]

Some signs of life at Aurora Station.

 

[kvvoyage]

Most of the cost and complexity of the Danforth Station reconstruction is due to the cancellation of the Scarborough Junction grade separation. If Stouffville and Lakeshore had a combined corridor with express and local tracks, they could just put the fourth track where the island platform currently is, avoiding the need to change the south side of the pedestrian tunnel.

View attachment 680943
View attachment 680945

Apologies for my incompetence but where was it announced that the grade separation had been cancelled? I thought it had just been deferred to a later date.

 

[generalcanada]

Apologies for my incompetence but where was it announced that the grade separation had been cancelled? I thought it had just been deferred to a later date.

whats the difference?
The last we heard of that project was like in 2021 or something. Crazy verster leaked it on an RMtransit video

 

[dowlingm]

seems counter-intuitive that they are using wood for the ties when all of their recent trackwork used concrete ties.

Another of those things someone brings up every few months and for which there really needs to be an FAQ for people to read.

Wood ties on turnouts (which is what is pictured) is *not* unusual even in systems who otherwise use concrete. There is also mention of building #8 turnouts, which I infer the pictured one also is, which have a 10mph speed rating so presumably that was a factor in deciding what was needed as well as ease of working with those ties.

 

[reaperexpress]

Apologies for my incompetence but where was it announced that the grade separation had been cancelled? I thought it had just been deferred to a later date.

It was never announced officially, but like @generalcanada said, Phil Verster said it was cancelled in 2021 in his interview with @Reecemartin and we haven't heard anything from the project since. The USRC track configurations publicly revealed via the City of Toronto development application portal also support the theory that the line is planned to act as two 2-track railways (Stouffville and Lakeshore) rather than one 4-track railway with separate local and express tracks

 

[emphurent]

Progress on Kitchener line work packages since January,: nil.

- Paul

I'm not even sure what's awarded anymore or if none of it has been. I was seeing some corridor work over the week into the weekend that involved some digging near where the Guelph platform track needs to connect back to the mainline.

for reference this was the area they were digging.

 

[kvvoyage]

It was never announced officially, but like @generalcanada said, Phil Verster said it was cancelled in 2021 in his interview with @Reecemartin and we haven't heard anything from the project since. The USRC track configurations publicly revealed via the City of Toronto development application portal also support the theory that the line is planned to act as two 2-track railways (Stouffville and Lakeshore) rather than one 4-track railway with separate local and express tracks

Thanks for the detailed explanation!

 

[Metroscapes]

I'm not even sure what's awarded anymore or if none of it has been. I was seeing some corridor work over the week into the weekend that involved some digging near where the Guelph platform track needs to connect back to the mainline.

View attachment 681341

for reference this was the area they were digging.

View attachment 681344

After not seeing anything since they dumped off track assemblies, I noticed the disturbance too on Friday night. The orange (I'm presuming conduit) tubes are new, and there's a bunch of locates on the ground that seem relatively fresh. The vegetation in the corridor seems freshly sprayed with pesticide as well.

For comparison:

Finally got around to capturing the state of work along the future second track west of Guelph Central. I believe detailed design is getting close to complete.

View attachment 666426View attachment 666427View attachment 666428View attachment 666429

 

[Suburbandad]

Does anyone have a history of the exhibition go and the tunnels/bridges that went along with it? I read somewhere that they added a temporary bridge after the initial plans. Trying to find details.

 

[smallspy]

Does anyone have a history of the exhibition go and the tunnels/bridges that went along with it? I read somewhere that they added a temporary bridge after the initial plans. Trying to find details.

The original location of Exhibition GO was west of Dufferin St. and was built for the Grand Trunk Railroad, the original railway owner. There was no bridge or tunnel, but there were stairways leading directly from the east end of the platforms to Dufferin. This was used only during the CNE and other special events at the Ex grounds for the first two years.

The station was opened in its current location in November 1968 - they used a pair of recycled Bailey Bridges and bleacher stairs to build a bridge to allow access between the two platforms.

Regular daily service to Exhibition didn't start until 1971, but it was just hourly service at all times. Rush hour trains didn't properly service the station until 2011.

I can't find when the the tunnel was opened, but I seem to recall that it was around 1999. The current, temporary bridge was opened on or around October 18 of last year.

Dan