GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[SaugeenJunction]

Heard you guys like trains, so did a little sunrise trainspotting at everyone's favourite maintenance facility.

Go Trains. New VIA Trains and some old Budd Cars thrown in for good measure.

Awesome shots! Love that you got the RDCs too. Just as an FYI, we’ve even got a train spotting thread here!

 

[hawc]

We’ve even got a train spotting thread here!

 

[Bibi L]

LRC Locomotive!

 

[Dan416]

How come of the GO coaches have the number on top and others don't? Shouldn't it be consistent? Whenever I see numbers on top of buses I think of the movie Speed lol.

 

[bpbpbpbp]

Hey all, have any new words or whispers come out in regards to the Kitchener Line work west of Mount Pleasant? It's been a while since we've heard anything substantial. Is work still being done on the sidings? Breslau? Any word on Acton? Guelph platform track connections? Would love to hear more. It's great seeing that Hamilton is getting the work that's kind of been in the air and ready to be started for years at West Harbour. Hoping for the same on the Kitchener Corridor.

Also say all of the work west of Mount Pleasant was done, minus the flyover. Metrolinx wouldn't increase service, right?

 

[Bibi L]

How come of the GO coaches have the number on top and others don't? Shouldn't it be consistent? Whenever I see numbers on top of buses I think of the movie Speed lol.

They all do, the coaches with the older paint has the numbers on both sides, but are much smaller. There are also two logos on the top with the old scheme. The coaches with the new scheme just have one number and logo, and much larger, in the centre of the coach.

Whenever I see a GM New Look Bus (Fishbowl) I also think of Speed!

 

[emphurent]

Hey all, have any new words or whispers come out in regards to the Kitchener Line work west of Mount Pleasant? It's been a while since we've heard anything substantial. Is work still being done on the sidings? Breslau? Any word on Acton? Guelph platform track connections? Would love to hear more. It's great seeing that Hamilton is getting the work that's kind of been in the air and ready to be started for years at West Harbour. Hoping for the same on the Kitchener Corridor.

Also say all of the work west of Mount Pleasant was done, minus the flyover. Metrolinx wouldn't increase service, right?

Not sure on where they got this information from, but according to this user, the Breslau passing track might go into service November 3rd. I have seen crews working on signals again recently, so at least signals may be up and running soon...

Service increases just from that section would be very limited if at all, but it could improve reliability (as I was stranded by a cancelled Kitchener train, the topic of that reddit post I got that info from.)

Real increases could be seen (with CN's cooperation) with the completion of Guelph Subdivision Construction Packages 2 and 4, which include the tie-in at Guelph, lay-by in Rockwood, and Acton passing track. I will note I have seen contractors doing surveying around that section of track in Guelph (Kent St). Other preliminary work before they could begin this package included the removal of an unused powerline around Rockwood.

Edit: Just to source the latest available dates. Note there is also a Package 3, which I'm not really sure where it specifically fits, it's encouraging to see a bunch of Kitchener Sub projects getting lined up, so work is incoming, so long as it's not pushed back again!

 

[hawc]

They all do, the coaches with the older paint has the numbers on both sides, but are much smaller. There are also two logos on the top with the old scheme. The coaches with the new scheme just have one number and logo, and much larger, in the centre of the coach.

Is the objective to eventually repaint all the cars with the new paint scheme? When do they hope to have this done by?

 

[bpbpbpbp]

Not sure on where they got this information from, but according to this user, the Breslau passing track might go into service November 3rd. I have seen crews working on signals again recently, so at least signals may be up and running soon...

Service increases just from that section would be very limited if at all, but it could improve reliability (as I was stranded by a cancelled Kitchener train, the topic of that reddit post I got that info from.)

Real increases could be seen (with CN's cooperation) with the completion of Guelph Subdivision Construction Packages 2 and 4, which include the tie-in at Guelph, lay-by in Rockwood, and Acton passing track. I will note I have seen contractors doing surveying around that section of track in Guelph (Kent St). Other preliminary work before they could begin this package included the removal of an unused powerline around Rockwood.

Edit: Just to source the latest available dates. Note there is also a Package 3, which I'm not really sure where it specifically fits, it's encouraging to see a bunch of Kitchener Sub projects getting lined up, so work is incoming, so long as it's not pushed back again!

View attachment 607747

View attachment 607746

Definitely encouraging to see. It does hurt that quite a lot of the work is in the RFP stage and it will be a while before shovels are in the ground. I wonder what the timeline would be on projects such as Acton and Guelph. I do not understand why MX doesn't try to combine more contracts, Breslau, Guelph and Acton's tie ins cold have been done at once. That said, I am not entirely aware of how this contract awarding process works, so perhaps this wasn't possible or there are other reasons.

 

[picard102]

 

[Bibi L]

Is the objective to eventually repaint all the cars with the new paint scheme? When do they hope to have this done by?

They’ll repaint them all once they are all refurbished. There are 10 different BiLevel series. The first ones, Series I, manufactured by Hawker Siddeley in 1976-78, were first refurbished in 1998. But have all been refurbished again and repainted in 2015 with the new livery. Series II, also by HS in 1983-84, were only refurbished in 2002-2004, before the new scheme, so they are still in the old paint. Series III, manufactured by Can-Car Rail this time after the acquisition, in 1988-89. Only refurbished in 2005-2011. Before the new paint scheme. Series IV, also by Can-Car Rail, in 1989-90. Also refurbished 2005-2011. Again, old paint. Series V, Can-Car Rail, 1989-90. They were refurbished in 2012, however, multiple (but not all) coaches were repainted in 2016 with the new livery. Series VI, built by Bombardier this time, after another acquisition, in 2002. Refurbishments began 2019. Not all coaches are in the new paint, but most are. I think these are not complete? Series VII, by Bombardier, in 2003-2008. No refurbishments. Series VIII, by Bombardier in 2008-2015. No refurbishments, however, towards the end of the delivery of these coaches, they started to be delivered in the new paint, around 2014. One older coach was repainted in 2017. Series X, by Bombardier, in 2015-2020. These were the first series to have CEM cab cars. (Crash Energy Management) All coaches are in the new paint. The series X cab cars have a much different design compared to the older ones without CEM.

 

[Willybru21]

Series II, also by HS in 1983-84, were only refurbished in 2002-2004

Series 2 coaches are all under refurbishment right now which includes being repainted into the new livery, the only series 2 coach currently operating on the entire system is the single coach returned from North Bay.
Alongside that, all of the series 7 coaches are planned to or are under active refurbishment right now at Thunder Bay, which also includes being repainted into the new livery.

 

[nfitz]

Is the objective to eventually repaint all the cars with the new paint scheme? When do they hope to have this done by?

My money is not before they start with yet another colour scheme.

 

[Chris R.]

On the topic of crossings east of West Harbour, over the past year or so CN has been upgrading many of them (assume MX paid?). This has included replacing crossing gates with the more substantial crossing systems with the overhead boom thingy (sorry I don’t know what they’re called).

Here is the in-progress work from December 30th 2023.
View attachment 607655

Hopefully this means some of the crossings asphalt will be upgraded. I've had to walk over the crossings when cycling to places like the Cotton Factory.

 

[crs1026]

Is the objective to eventually repaint all the cars with the new paint scheme? When do they hope to have this done by?

This is one promise Metrolinx has kept - ie to not repaint to the new scheme faster than required by refurbishment and wear and tear. When the new scheme was rolled out in 2014, ML stated that it would take 18 years to repaint the entire fleet.

GO train makeover will offer a plusher, greener commute

GO Transit’s trains and buses will slowly be refurbished with cushier ergonomic seats, softer lighting and a new green colour scheme.

www.thestar.com

- Paul