Airports pitch sites as all-purpose transport hubs

[AnarchoSocialist]

For clarification, I was only referring to the rail spur from Pearson to Woodbine. Regardless, $40 million 'wasted' for lack of a better word is still $40 million wasted ($50 on the high end).

Personally, I don't see it as wasted. Putting in a Union-Pearson direct service is something that is absolutely needed (even if it is the less than perfect Blue 22). And in a way this is no different then when highway construction, or other construction projects, require temporary roadways or bridges or what have you. Granted this is a bit more long term but really its not a large investment when you consider how much will be spent on the GO network over the next 10 or 15 years.

Nfitz: Your right. A direct to Pearson GO line would be a challenge, and not particularly cheap. But once HSR begins to be developed and constructed the value of such a line for that service, as well as GO and other agencies, becomes immense. Sort of like the idea of burying the tracks at Union to increase capacity....seems a little out there in todays context, but 5 or 10 or 15 years from now...it could be a much different situation.

 

[rbt]

Personally, I don't see it as wasted. Putting in a Union-Pearson direct service is something that is absolutely needed (even if it is the less than perfect Blue 22).

Even if GO went direct to the airport, a business class train to downtown would still be useful.

 

[AnarchoSocialist]

Even if GO went direct to the airport, a business class train to downtown would still be useful.

I agree. I don't have a problem with that service existing, and haven't suggested it should go away if there is GO direct service (any plans or ideas I had about a direct connection always included that sort of service). I just think its unfortunate that Blue 22 had to come before GO, but I understand why and I am certainly not crying over spilt milk.

 

[Second_in_pie]

Oddly enough, I don't agree. If you have a Go train going to the airport, that's going to be enough. A business class train running on electrified tracks (if you're routing Go under the airport, it's going to be electrified,) would shave all of 5 minutes off your trip.

 

[AnarchoSocialist]

Oddly enough, I don't agree. If you have a Go train going to the airport, that's going to be enough. A business class train running on electrified tracks (if you're routing Go under the airport, it's going to be electrified,) would shave all of 5 minutes off your trip.

I think a lot of it depends on how many passengers would use GO/VIA/an airport link to get to Pearson...and what the split between those services would be. By the time such a station would be in place Pearson will probably have 40 million passengers a year (some projections put it as high as 55 million by 2020). If even just 10% arrive by rail....that is 4 - 5.5 million passengers by that mode. For the same reason people fly business class....a business class rail service would attract some people.

Whether it would attract enough....who knows. It might not attract enough passengers and fail on its accord. But I think it should be allowed that chance (and my own guess is that it would attract enough people to remain profitable and useful).

 

[M II A II R II K]

They could split it between express to Union and more local stations along that corridor, but would be better if the fare was integrated with the TTC though and would attract more riders. Better yet, make it a TTC line.