GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[drum118]

Sept 30
Looks like they have built a new structure at the north end of platform 1 at Weston or enlarge it. They finally dug the south end stair well and elevator area and forming for the north end nearing grade.

 

[drum118]

Sept 30
Cross post since it part of 2 different projects

Most of the crash wall in place on the east side of CP tracks

Most of the north side is now back fill and could see the new west platform for Mount Dennis place across Eglinton in Nov/Dec as well on the north side.

 

[KevinT]

Thanks drum! That last Mount Dennis shot with the old GO locomotive in it really speaks to the weird year that 2020 has been.

Any idea what the gizmo clipped to the track in your Weston shots was for? @crs1026 or @smallspy ? My first thought was a magnet to signal something to the train, but I can't imagine there'd by a device on the train that responds to a magnet below flange depth.

 

[smallspy]

Any idea what the gizmo clipped to the track in your Weston shots was for? @crs1026 or @smallspy ? My first thought was a magnet to signal something to the train, but I can't imagine there'd by a device on the train that responds to a magnet below flange depth.

Whatever it is, it's not a specific railway item.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say it looks like a survey target to measure structure settlement.

Dan

 

[KevinT]

Whatever it is, it's not a specific railway item.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say it looks like a survey target to measure structure settlement.

That would make sense. A clip on piece wouldn't give you an absolute reference, but it would certainly give you a relative one over time. Thanks!

 

[Allandale25]

Lakeshore East Rail Expansion Citizens Coalition | The Community Advisory Committee response to Metrolinx' announcement regarding the use of the parking lot next to Wildwood Park. | Facebook

The Community Advisory Committee response to Metrolinx' announcement regarding the use of the parking lot next to Wildwood Park.

www.facebook.com

Some kind of update on the 4th track? cc @crs1026

 

[smallspy]

Lakeshore East Rail Expansion Citizens Coalition | The Community Advisory Committee response to Metrolinx' announcement regarding the use of the parking lot next to Wildwood Park. | Facebook

The Community Advisory Committee response to Metrolinx' announcement regarding the use of the parking lot next to Wildwood Park.

www.facebook.com

Some kind of update on the 4th track? cc @crs1026

More like an overreaction.

Moving utilities does not equate to the construction of a 4th track. It needs to be done in advance of it, sure. But the level of work required is not the same.

Dan

 

[Allandale25]

^ Thanks, Dan. Always helpful to have perspective.

 

[SOS_Urbanist]

Great photos @drum118! It still infuriates me that we are trying our hands from the start by are only doing 3 platforms serving 3 tracks here when a 4 platform via two islands was possible and would have served all 4 tracks. They're putting in the 4th platform at Weston now! Bloor is about to get its 4th track done.

Why wouldn't a major transfer station have the ability to serve all 4 tracks? Boggles the mind.

 

[smallspy]

Great photos @drum118! It still infuriates me that we are trying our hands from the start by are only doing 3 platforms serving 3 tracks here when a 4 platform via two islands was possible and would have served all 4 tracks. They're putting in the 4th platform at Weston now! Bloor is about to get its 4th track done.

Why wouldn't a major transfer station have the ability to serve all 4 tracks? Boggles the mind.

The long and the short of it? Budget cuts and timing.

It was realized fairly early in the process that in order to meet the timelines that were expected, that something was going to have to give. They could throw more money at it to do the full build-out immediately, or they could build the corridor to an 80% completion point with the existing budget envelope and worry about the remaining 20% at a later date. There was simply no middle ground to be had.

It should also be pointed out that the corridor as it was built is also far more capable from a capacity standpoint than the service that is now using it, or even projected to use it in the near-to-medium term. The capacity restrictions that exist - and that require the fourth mainline track - are due solely to how Metrolinx wishes to operate the various services, and for no reasons due to the physical plant.

Dan

 

[Allandale25]

Any sense on why they would be doing this? Is this confirmed? @smallspy

 

[crs1026]

^ Just some mundane (but necessary) track replacement. Nothing earthshattering.

- Paul

 

[SaugeenJunction]

Any sense on why they would be doing this? Is this confirmed? @smallspy

View attachment 275346

In the comments, someone claims that the reason for doubling the track connection is that CP Rail will be running a local train to the Oakville Ford Plant. If this is true, it would be pretty cool to see CP locals on the Lakeshore West Line (even if it’s only at night).

 

[drum118]

In the comments, someone claims that the reason for doubling the track connection is that CP Rail will be running a local train to the Oakville Ford Plant. If this is true, it would be pretty cool to see CP locals on the Lakeshore West Line (even if it’s only at night).

Will be a decade or 2 that a CP train has run on the Lakeshore Line off the Canpa Sub. Can't recall when CP used to do switching at Oakville yard and the Ford plant before turning the switching over to CN.

 

[crs1026]

^The rumour that CP is courting the Ford auto business turns up every so often, and it's quite possible that CP would take the business back ..... if they could get it. I haven't heard anything definite. With the plant being retooled for e-cars, perhaps CP is taking another shot at wooing Ford. We will see.

Even if it were true.... and that's a big if..... there's no reason to believe that it would result in changes to the Canpa Sub or the Canpa interlocking. One track connection is quite enough. If anything were creating a desire for changes at Canpa, it would be to improve equipment flow in and out of Willowbrook Yard. Again, I'm not aware of any problem in that regard.

- Paul