^ It's unlikely that GO would implement a one-train service on any route. The cost of buying land and building a station would make this uneconomic on a per seat basis, and it would be an enormously unattractive service to market.
Signalling the existing trackage without a plan for what happens if the service succeeds and more trains are needed is shortsighted. Besides, signalling is not cheap.
The problem I described with Puslinch is just that we've assumed (for want of any real data) that the Highway 6 underpass is only one track wide and would need to be replaced. We may be wrong on that, it's a hard one to access from public property to look. Certainly, an eastwards extension of the Puslinch siding would enable use of Puslinch for long freights - in fact it is the only place between Guelph Jct and Galt where a max-length train could be held for a meet.
I don't have a preferred location for the Galt station, but the studies that have been put forward so far have not favoured that location. Killean siding has a level crossing in the middle that can't be blocked, which is why it is no longer a viable location for a siding. Certainly, one could design a double track segment running westwards from the old east siding switch location, but one could not park a long freight west of that point without blocking crossings either. The key is to have local transit well integrated with the train, and Killean would be a very poor choice in that regard IMHO.
- Paul
I disagree, a huge amount of money does not have to be spent to run a test. Testing with limited infrastructure has been done in other areas on CP in the past, RegioSprinter Calgary being one example in 1996.
A station need not be built, just a platform, electrical plug in connection for the train and parking lot. Metrolinx seems to have tons of money to waste as evidenced by their repeated re positioning of train layover locations on both the Milton & Kitchener routes.
There's no reason to think that Cambridge commuters are any less willing to try out an unattractive initial version of a service, than Kitchener commuters who boarded trains for 2+ hr trips to Toronto and only had 2 trains to begin with.
I have not suggested that a test be undertaken without a plan if the service succeeds. If signals are upgraded for a test, and the test is unsuccessful, those signals will still benefit the freight operation. The pitch to CP would include a plan to add trackage as soon as possible after testing IF the test is successful.
Signalling the line from Guelph Jct to Galt would actually be relatively inexpensive. Puslinch has auto normal switches and most if not all signals have been replaced already CTC capable, not a huge deal to change ABS to CTC. I should add that signal changes to south wye at Guelph jct will improve the flow of trains headed south from Toronto and from the single track portion of the Galt Sub to the west. This effectively increases capacity slightly.
The reality is that the need to meet at Puslinch would be minimal. You mentioned longer trains, but there aren't as many of them. Pacing is already in place as an alternative to meets because there are only a few sidings where two long trains can meet. Pacing will avoid the crossing issue so long as trains don't stop. You are correct that there is a time limit blocking crossings, but that applies to being stopped, not in continuous motion.
I agree with you that the Killean location would not be the best in terms of integrating with local transit, however most Cambridge commuters use cars to access either the GO bus service to Milton or they drive there to board the train, and ease of road access at that spot is better than further west. Killean's use a siding may not be practical, but I'm only making the suggestion for GO train access if the east switch is re-installed. That location has been touted in studies for at least 17 years. Local transit can connect by bus to a station at any location.
There is no reason Puslinch couldn't be extended westward, and that would ultimately form part of future double track anyway.
Nonetheless, the existing ABS setup & existing Puslinch siding could be used for a test.
The sad fact is that Metrolinx has a vision for 2 way all day on the Kitchener route, which they feel is more important than basic Cambridge service, and Provincial & Regional politicians are quite happy to ignore Cambridge. The province has the authority to direct Metrolinx under the Metrolinx act, but choose to give them free reign to pursue their 'build it and they will come' approach instead of addressing an existing market.
