crs1026
Senior Member
As anticipated, there was a work block this weekend to rearrange the trackage at Hamilton Jct. This finally ties in the new GO track between this location and West Harbour. While it is clearly an interim move, it gives a lot more flexibility to GO and CN to run more frequent trains between Aldershot and Hamilton (and beyond). GO now has its own dedicated track from here to West Harbour, and (in connection with activation of crossovers that went in at Bayview) it's possible to have two GO trains pass between Hamilton Jct and Bayview, or between Hamilton Jct and West Harbour. It's also now possible for CN to have a freight occupy one mainline (aka "the Hot Track") without blocking GO trans' path.
Next steps are a) a short bit of ballasting and surfacting and b) the signals crew need to go to work. Note that the signals are either pointed away from the main line, and/or bagged so that they can't give an unintentional indication to trains. The signals testing is quite involved, as every possible combination of indications must be verified. Since there are other interlockings at each end, and the signalling gives advance indications right through these, it means a lot of field work with many permutations and combinations. However, at long last there is something to hook up and test.
Tying in this connection was done at the expense of the south connecting track to CP. In the short term, that's not a big deal. Once GO started storing trains at Hunter St, service is down to one direction at a time on this segment. From the number and placement of the new signals, which are not yet in service, it does appear that the second main will be tied back in eventually.
It's a small and less than substantially complete step, but it's a sign that more service may indeed be coming to West Harbour.
- Paul
Next steps are a) a short bit of ballasting and surfacting and b) the signals crew need to go to work. Note that the signals are either pointed away from the main line, and/or bagged so that they can't give an unintentional indication to trains. The signals testing is quite involved, as every possible combination of indications must be verified. Since there are other interlockings at each end, and the signalling gives advance indications right through these, it means a lot of field work with many permutations and combinations. However, at long last there is something to hook up and test.
Tying in this connection was done at the expense of the south connecting track to CP. In the short term, that's not a big deal. Once GO started storing trains at Hunter St, service is down to one direction at a time on this segment. From the number and placement of the new signals, which are not yet in service, it does appear that the second main will be tied back in eventually.
It's a small and less than substantially complete step, but it's a sign that more service may indeed be coming to West Harbour.
- Paul
