407 Rail Freight Bypass/The Missing Link

[mdrejhon]

Fantastic stuff, but -- all this by 2024?

More like 2031 at the earliest, if federal funding & provincial funding remains intact.

The Rail Bypass *and* electrification of the original corridor makes this quite the phasing megaproject. I'm very interested to see how quickly this proceeds, but 2024 is only 7 years away!

 

[Allandale25]

It is indeed ambitious and expensive. I wonder if the federal government will use some of the trade gateway funding? KW and Brampton are pretty competitive places for all parties so I wonder if that will help to drive the project forward. I haven't had time to count the number of roads and compare it to the number cited in the presentation, 35. I think theoretically it could be built to meet the date cited but it will take a lot of things falling into place: the legal deal with CN and getting the money flowing quickly.

Fantastic stuff, but -- all this by 2024?

More like 2031 at the earliest, if federal funding & provincial funding remains intact.

The Rail Bypass *and* electrification of the original corridor makes this quite the phasing megaproject. I'm very interested to see how quickly this proceeds, but 2024 is only 7 years away!

 

[cbrown2009]

In the meantime, no mention of evening or weekend hourly trains coming anytime soon.

 

[muller877]

It is indeed ambitious and expensive. I wonder if the federal government will use some of the trade gateway funding? KW and Brampton are pretty competitive places for all parties so I wonder if that will help to drive the project forward. I haven't had time to count the number of roads and compare it to the number cited in the presentation, 35. I think theoretically it could be built to meet the date cited but it will take a lot of things falling into place: the legal deal with CN and getting the money flowing quickly.

...i just thought the trade gateway funding was just changing a name so that the Liberals can take credit for the Windsor bridge. But maybe not since it will actually get built (and not just a series of announcements)

 

[Allandale25]

...i just thought the trade gateway funding was just changing a name so that the Liberals can take credit for the Windsor bridge. But maybe not since it will actually get built (and not just a series of announcements)

I'd assume the bridge funding was already in place and this funding was new? Maybe not. It's a hard thing to track unless the media covers it.

 

[Allandale25]

This Star article notes the deadline, September 5th, for applications for "infrastructure spending directed at ports, waterways, airports, roads, bridges, border crossings and rail networks".

I wonder if anyone applied for funding to help with the cost of the freight bypass between Bramalea and Milton?

 

[crs1026]

Back when the first phase of federal infrastructure programs was announced - the announcements began a year ago today, coincidentally - the announcement specified that $750M of that funding was earmarked for the Kitchener corridor. I wonder if the province can ask for more money on top of that. Haven't heard a lot of that first chunk of money getting spent just yet.

- Paul

 

[steveintoronto]

Back when the first phase of federal infrastructure programs was announced - the announcements began a year ago today, coincidentally - the announcement specified that $750M of that funding was earmarked for the Kitchener corridor. I wonder if the province can ask for more money on top of that. Haven't heard a lot of that first chunk of money getting spent just yet.

- Paul

You'd hope that the Missing Link would be being closely looked at by someone with deep pockets. It is crucial to reducing freight transit time through Toronto substantially. Which then begs the question, mentioned by Allandale, if the media doesn't cover it, would we know?

I might dig on that later to see if the Gov't publishes info on who has applied.

 

[steveintoronto]

Fantastic stuff, but -- all this by 2024?

More like 2031 at the earliest, if federal funding & provincial funding remains intact.

The Rail Bypass *and* electrification of the original corridor makes this quite the phasing megaproject. I'm very interested to see how quickly this proceeds, but 2024 is only 7 years away!

From the article linked:

[...]
A fourth track needs to be constructed between Union Station and the Mount Pleasant GO station in Brampton, while a second 52 kilometre-long track is required between Georgetown and Kitchener. A new tunnel under Highway 401 will be built, and signalling and communication systems need to be upgraded

There's also the matter of building a new 30-kilometre rail bypass between Bramalea and Milton to shift freight trains off a corridor that's currently shared with GO trains.

That project in itself could require up to 35 new bridges, the relocation or modification of up to 17 hydro towers and relocating up to 3.4 kilometres of major gas lines. A total of 60 kilometres of new track would be laid (two tracks at 30 kilometres each), a new signal system is required and a new grade separation would be built where the new bypass meets the existing rail corridor.

Which pretty much covers a good chunk of the cost of the Missing Link, as mentioned by IBI in their report on same. For hourly service, I have to question the need for a second track to K/W. A single with passing loops should more than suffice with modern signalling and control techniques.

I also question this:
"A fourth track needs to be constructed between Union Station and the Mount Pleasant GO station in Brampton". It can be done with two, and three is more than suffice, unless, of course, you're using yesterday's track/train control and signalling.

While an agreement in principle with CN Rail for the bypass has been reached, a formal agreement is still needed.

"Agreement in Principle" meant little then, it means little now.

 

[drum118]

Back when the first phase of federal infrastructure programs was announced - the announcements began a year ago today, coincidentally - the announcement specified that $750M of that funding was earmarked for the Kitchener corridor. I wonder if the province can ask for more money on top of that. Haven't heard a lot of that first chunk of money getting spent just yet.

- Paul

Don't forget that a new yard is to be built in Kitchener along with doubling track at various location and the extension. Then Georgetown yard needs to be fix. Not sure what is being plan for the pinch point in Guelph, but it needs to be fix to provide faster service.

Until all the i's and t's are sign with CN as well giving them what they want free to them, this thing is going no where for sometime. I wouldn't look at 2024, but more 2030 plus for this bypass being in service. You are going to have to add that 4th track to the Halton Sub as well the flyunder until the bypass gets built.

Then, you need to go back to the Wynne platform of 2014 to get the Milton Line built as 4 tracks to meet CP demands since they will not be using this bypass anytime soon.

June 2018 will be a do or die time frame for this bypass to get off the ground.

 

[drum118]

From the article linked:

Which pretty much covers a good chunk of the cost of the Missing Link, as mentioned by IBI in their report on same. For hourly service, I have to question the need for a second track to K/W. A single with passing loops should more than suffice with modern signalling and control techniques.

I also question this:
"A fourth track needs to be constructed between Union Station and the Mount Pleasant GO station in Brampton". It can be done with two, and three is more than suffice, unless, of course, you're using yesterday's track/train control and signalling.
"Agreement in Principle" meant little then, it means little now.

As it stands today, the corridor from Union to the Halton sub is built for 4 tracks with crossover blocks already 4 tracks. Work is about to get underway for the 401 missing track(s) since there is currently 3 there now.

Brampton Main Street/Station is the pinch point to get 3 tracks in, let alone trying for 4. The rest of the corridor can handle 4 track with no problems, other than building it.

If you are going to do the line right from Georgetown to KW, forget passing siding and duel track it.

 

[steveintoronto]

If you are going to do the line right from Georgetown to KW, forget passing siding and duel track it.

If you want 15 minute headways, sure. But hourly headways? Single track will do. The only complication I can see is overhead freight, and GEXR's lease is up shortly. It can be moved off-peak. They only do two full runs a day anyway IIRC, with local freight servicing twice a week in Guelph and K/W.

Two tracks are nice, but not necessary for hourly passenger service. Loops can be built at stopping stations.

 

[crs1026]

The service pattern is likely to be hourly off-peak but 15 minutes at peak, in one direction at least. That's beyond the capability of a single track line with sidings. So the added track is needed.

The thing is, it's all moot until ML and CN have an agreement on something to allow more trains for the stretch from Bramalea to Georgetown. The Bypass isn't the only option, but something has to be worked out, or all the other pinch points won't have any trains to pinch. Critical path is through the negotiation with CN.

- Paul

 

[steveintoronto]

The service pattern is likely to be hourly off-peak but 15 minutes at peak, in one direction at least. That's beyond the capability of a single track line with sidings. So the added track is needed.

lol...Only in Canada you say? Pity. Because it's done over an equivalent stretch in a number of nations, even high-speed. But I forgot this is Canada...and to apply the fifty years lagging factor.

 

[steveintoronto]

Here's what I'm seeing being promised:

[...]
Speed

• With new electric trains that accelerate faster, your journey times will be cut by up to 20%, so you’ll spend less time getting there and more time being there
• Morning trips from Kitchener will run express from Bramalea to Union Station, and afternoon trips from Union Station will run express to Bramalea

[...]
http://www.metrolinx.com/en/regionalplanning/rer/rer_kitchener.aspx

That can be done with a single track between Mt Pleasant, perhaps Bramalea, and Kitchener, with passing loops at stopping stations. RER is touted to be using CBTC, and ostensibly, in the five years (at least) it would take for RER to be reality, one would only hope with the most up-to-date CBTC.

But then again, it is Metrolinx, and it is Canada, so "up-to-date" is an oxymoron expressed in the Cdn context.

Make no mistake, I'm a massive supporter of the Missing Link. It is one of the most pressing rail issues in the nation, not just Ontario, but to link twinning track for passenger west of Bramalea with the Missing Link is a very weak case. It can be single before and after the Missing Link is built, if ever. There's more pressing issues for Metrolinx to deal with as per increasing track capacity elsewhere than that segment.

And to add to that, I rode the last (15:52) train in from Mt Pleasant today, it's almost always my route back into TO from distance cycling that part of the world, albeit usually, if not running late from the north, I head to Georgetown to avoid the ugly roads and ugly sprawl and take the 15:12 33D bus east to catch the aforementioned train, it's very civilized....but the train invariably runs almost empty. A few people per coach, at least until Brampton. The demand for "all day service to K/W" is a bit flaky, to be honest.

Maybe it's a case of "build it and they will come"...