GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[drum118]

Okay, that's just awful. Does anyone know if it's temporary due to elevators at the new east platform just not being ready yet, or is it going to be this ridiculous for the different abled forever and ever?

I will say the west elevator will be out of service for what every taking place for that platform. Unless you are going to TTC Kennedy Station, that east elevator has no effect on accessibility riders using

GO. Going to/from TTC is a different story until they get the tunnel elevator back in service when every that will be,

That a lot of work to be done in 2 weeks to get that platform ready for service and will not be fully done on opening day.

Updated: No GO Train Service at Kennedy Station for Track Shift Works - November 26 to 28, 2022 | Crosstown

www.thecrosstown.ca

Dan

Thanks

Couldn't remember where I saw the notice for the change nor where it came from since I don't follow blogs in the first place.

 

[EnviroTO]

When does the RT shut down? Until then they can't extend the west side platform and put in the stairs direct to Line 2 and 5 that avoid unsheltered walking across the parking lot.

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

When does the RT shut down? Until then they can't extend the west side platform and put in the stairs direct to Line 2 and 5 that avoid unsheltered walking across the parking lot.

Sometime next year probably the fall is what seems to be floating around. Don't forget the TTC has to have a lot of things organized before they can shut it down. One of the main things is they are doing work on the old go bus platforms at Scarborough Town Centre station to be able to handle more articulated buses and more buses. Plus they also still have work to do at Kennedy station to get it ready for more bus routes as well.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Hi,

Can I get some updates on
-Stouffville
-Niagara Falls extension
-Barrie Line
-Bowmanville Extension
-Kitchener Extension

Thanks!

 

[Allandale25]

Hi,

Can I get some updates on
-Stouffville
-Niagara Falls extension
-Barrie Line
-Bowmanville Extension
-Kitchener Extension

Thanks!

Bowmanville Extension

https://twitter.com/x/status/1592567517393944577

https://twitter.com/x/status/1572624779483709441

 

[drum118]

Nov 15
Noticed a retailing wall is being built for the westbound platform for a short section and don't see a need for it other than the whole platform is to see this.

Hording and heating the underside of the Norfolk Street bridge for work on it. Wilson Street Bridge in place with the street close off on weekdays.

Most of the retaining wall for the eastbound platform in place as well the foundation for the shelters as well the roof columns. Not a great day for shooting.

Some photos unedited and non tag

 

[crs1026]

Metrolinx has opened its Virtual Open House on the Barrie line. Presentation is here.

Lots of good detail about what work is going on. The essence is - the various project segments that will lead to double tracking are all being worked on.

The two longest lead time segments between Union and the existing double track (which ends south of Steeles) are Davenport to St Clair and Sheppard to York University. They will be ready for track laying.... in 2025

The presentation states that work within the Eglinton to Sheppard segment will conclude this year and St Clair to Eglinton will conclude next year.

What this gives is said to be a right of way that is ready for track laying (cleared, graded, and fenced). But - no tracks yet. The timetable for tracklaying signalling etc is TBD.

This connects directly to the discussion in the Davenport Flyover thread about its progress. Until some of this track gets laid, only a single track over the CP will be required. Davenport is proceeding well and will no doubt be ready when it's needed but increased service is still several years away.... no passing tracks, no improved headways.

- Paul

 

[Northern Light]

Metrolinx has opened its Virtual Open House on the Barrie line. Presentation is here.

Lots of good detail about what work is going on. The essence is - the various project segments that will lead to double tracking are all being worked on.

The two longest lead time segments between Union and the existing double track (which ends south of Steeles) are Davenport to St Clair and Sheppard to York University. They will be ready for track laying.... in 2025

The presentation states that work within the Eglinton to Sheppard segment will conclude this year and St Clair to Eglinton will conclude next year.

What this gives is said to be a right of way that is ready for track laying (cleared, graded, and fenced). But - no tracks yet. The timetable for tracklaying signalling etc is TBD.

This connects directly to the discussion in the Davenport Flyover thread about its progress. Until some of this track gets laid, only a single track over the CP will be required. Davenport is proceeding well and will no doubt be ready when it's needed but increased service is still several years away.... no passing tracks, no improved headways.

- Paul

Paul provided an excellent summation above, on which I cannot improve; but I will drop a few of the presentation slides here:

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Metrolinx has opened its Virtual Open House on the Barrie line. Presentation is here.

Lots of good detail about what work is going on. The essence is - the various project segments that will lead to double tracking are all being worked on.

The two longest lead time segments between Union and the existing double track (which ends south of Steeles) are Davenport to St Clair and Sheppard to York University. They will be ready for track laying.... in 2025

The presentation states that work within the Eglinton to Sheppard segment will conclude this year and St Clair to Eglinton will conclude next year.

What this gives is said to be a right of way that is ready for track laying (cleared, graded, and fenced). But - no tracks yet. The timetable for tracklaying signalling etc is TBD.

This connects directly to the discussion in the Davenport Flyover thread about its progress. Until some of this track gets laid, only a single track over the CP will be required. Davenport is proceeding well and will no doubt be ready when it's needed but increased service is still several years away.... no passing tracks, no improved headways.

- Paul

So probably 2029 before any double track is laid smh.

 

[Voltz]

Metrolinx has opened its Virtual Open House on the Barrie line. Presentation is here.

Lots of good detail about what work is going on. The essence is - the various project segments that will lead to double tracking are all being worked on.

The two longest lead time segments between Union and the existing double track (which ends south of Steeles) are Davenport to St Clair and Sheppard to York University. They will be ready for track laying.... in 2025

The presentation states that work within the Eglinton to Sheppard segment will conclude this year and St Clair to Eglinton will conclude next year.

What this gives is said to be a right of way that is ready for track laying (cleared, graded, and fenced). But - no tracks yet. The timetable for tracklaying signalling etc is TBD.

This connects directly to the discussion in the Davenport Flyover thread about its progress. Until some of this track gets laid, only a single track over the CP will be required. Davenport is proceeding well and will no doubt be ready when it's needed but increased service is still several years away.... no passing tracks, no improved headways.

- Paul

I'm sure I've seen city plans for a multi use trail along the Barrie Go line in Toronto, I'm wondering if there is any timeline now for such a trail with plans for railway work being made.

 

[reaperexpress]

So probably 2029 before any double track is laid smh.

Strongly disagree. Metrolinx's strategy up to today has been to incrementally add double track in places which enables them to act as passing tracks for a regular service.

On the Kitchener line tracks of the Weston subdivision, they are currently building a passing track at Weston Station exactly 15 minutes east of the existing Malton passing location, to enable bidirectional service to increase from hourly to half-hourly without using the UPX tracks.
On the Stouffville line, they have just completed a new double-track segment between Kennedy and Agincourt, exactly 15 minutes south of the existing Unionville passing track, which will enable bidirectional service to increase from hourly to half-hourly.
On the Kitchener line west of Georgetown they are currently building passing tracks every 15 minutes along the line, to enable half-hourly peak and hourly off-peak service.

So my guess is that we will see a double-tracked segment exactly 15 minutes south of the existing passing location near highway 7, which would place it somewhere in "Zone 1" whose enabling works were already completed in 2021 according to that schedule. That would enable service to operate every 30 minutes rather than every 60. Although GO has committed to limit the number of diesel trains along the corridor, there are some existing deadhead movements which could become in-service runs if there were a separate track slot for them.

Remember that double track is not a yes/no condition, it is a sliding scale between 0% and 100%. For the record, we are currently sitting at 29% south of Aurora, including the Weston sub and USRC. The Stouffville line is at 68% south of Unionville, and will reach 91% when the Highland Creek bridge is completed.

 

[wopchop]

I know this is slightly off topic , but perhaps linked. I was killing time at the Oakville GO station this aft and looking north and realized the landscape has changed. The buildings located at the corner of Trafalgar and Cross Avenue are gone, and so far I have not linked that to a development application , others may be able to do so. Bit certainly a site for densification.

And then, the east side of Trafalgar at the corner of the South Service Road, the old Chevy dealer (547 Trafalgar) is gone and the property fenced. I would have liked to have been around when that building came down as I think to the rear, behind the later facade, there was an older, turn of the century, Oakville industrial building. And I do not see a linkage to a development application for this site either? But part of the site was, or is still, GO parking and I hope that’s not the fate for the balance. If it is, add that to the entire package of GO properties on the north side of the Lakeshore line ( the GO / VIA station, parking and bus loops) that would be ripe for some inventive redevelopment. Which could add to the applications to the north of Cross Avenue and along Cornwall, and across the river, along Kerr.

I believe that a lot of these demolitions have to do with the Cross Avenue realignment.

 

[drum118]

Strongly disagree. Metrolinx's strategy up to today has been to incrementally add double track in places which enables them to act as passing tracks for a regular service.

On the Kitchener line tracks of the Weston subdivision, they are currently building a passing track at Weston Station exactly 15 minutes east of the existing Malton passing location, to enable bidirectional service to increase from hourly to half-hourly without using the UPX tracks.
On the Stouffville line, they have just completed a new double-track segment between Kennedy and Agincourt, exactly 15 minutes south of the existing Unionville passing track, which will enable bidirectional service to increase from hourly to half-hourly.
On the Kitchener line west of Georgetown they are currently building passing tracks every 15 minutes along the line, to enable half-hourly peak and hourly off-peak service.

So my guess is that we will see a double-tracked segment exactly 15 minutes south of the existing passing location near highway 7, which would place it somewhere in "Zone 1" whose enabling works were already completed in 2021 according to that schedule. That would enable service to operate every 30 minutes rather than every 60. Although GO has committed to limit the number of diesel trains along the corridor, there are some existing deadhead movements which could become in-service runs if there were a separate track slot for them.

Remember that double track is not a yes/no condition, it is a sliding scale between 0% and 100%. For the record, we are currently sitting at 29% south of Aurora, including the Weston sub and USRC. The Stouffville line is at 68% south of Unionville, and will reach 91% when the Highland Creek bridge is completed.

What passing siding at Weston Station??

I must be seeing things as track 1 has been in the plans since day when the grade separation was built as well the completion of track 1 platform at Weston today. There has been 4 tracks at the blocks on the Weston Sub since they were first built. Track 1 has been in place on each side of Weston Station close to 2 years and fully connected today. Haven't look at Malton in a few years and stand to be corrected, but it should be 4 tracks now. This leaves Bloor and Mount Dennis areas to be 4 track for the corridor to be fully 4 tracks from Lansdowne to Bramalea.

It takes time and money to upgrade corridors from 1 to X and being done in stages. Blocks will be built first to allow trains to pass as well use the 2 tracks that are in service when 1 track exist. Maybe wrong on the Barrie line

Without a timetable from Metrolinx, it becomes a guessing game as to when X will be at Y or will be completed. Those close to the Barrie line know far better than me where things lays for the corridor, but what I have seen, long ways to go. The Davenport grade separation will be completed in 2023 from Lansdowne to north of Dupont, but still got to build the St Clair Station and the Caledonia Station as well double track the corridor from Dupont to CN corridor. You got station being built to the north that will be double track and no idea where the trackwork is between then. Downsview still need track 2 from what I saw the last time I was there.

Given the timeframe for stations to be built and the ones still need to be built, 2029 date will not be far off for the corridor to being fully double track.

 

[reaperexpress]

What passing siding at Weston Station??

Track 1 (future track 2) is currently used in both directions by the Kitchener line to provide an hourly service off-peak with trains passing at Malton station. As you have extensively documented, they are currently installing the 4th track (new track 1) between Mount Dennis and Hwy 401, so that the single-track operation on track 1 (future track 2) can be twice as frequent, with trains passing at Malton station and Weston station.

I must be seeing things as track 1 has been in the plans since day when the grade separation was built as well the completion of track 1 platform at Weston today. There has been 4 tracks at the blocks on the Weston Sub since they were first built. Track 1 has been in place on each side of Weston Station close to 2 years and fully connected today. Haven't look at Malton in a few years and stand to be corrected, but it should be 4 tracks now. This leaves Bloor and Mount Dennis areas to be 4 track for the corridor to be fully 4 tracks from Lansdowne to Bramalea.

What does this have to do with anything? I never claimed that the tracks being built for use as passing tracks are new additions to the plan. To the contrary, my entire point was that they are simply strategically selected portions of the already-planned double track (or in this case quad track) which allow a regular service pattern to be operated at a given frequency in the interim until the full double- or quad-track is completed.

It takes time and money to upgrade corridors from 1 to X and being done in stages. Blocks will be built first to allow trains to pass as well use the 2 tracks that are in service when 1 track exist.

Yes, this is literally the entire point of my post.

Without a timetable from Metrolinx, it becomes a guessing game as to when X will be at Y or will be completed. Those close to the Barrie line know far better than me where things lays for the corridor, but what I have seen, long ways to go. The Davenport grade separation will be completed in 2023 from Lansdowne to north of Dupont, but still got to build the St Clair Station and the Caledonia Station as well double track the corridor from Dupont to CN corridor. You got station being built to the north that will be double track and no idea where the trackwork is between then. Downsview still need track 2 from what I saw the last time I was there.

What St Clair Station?? St. Clair - Old Weston station is on the Kitchener line, not the Barrie line.

Anyway, yes this is basically what we are saying. We are guessing when X or Y will be completed based on past observations of GO projects and the timelines for enabling works they provided in the above presentation.

Given the timeframe for stations to be built and the ones still need to be built, 2029 date will not be far off for the corridor to being fully double track.

The assertion was not that it would take until 2029 for the line to be fully double tracked. The assertion was:

So probably 2029 before any double track is laid smh.

emphasis added

 

[crs1026]

^I took that comment as semi sarcastic as opposed to a serious dateline, and I have to say that as a cheap shot it’s not undeserved.

ML is secretive and noncommittal around tcd’s. While I wouldn’t expect them to lay out the detail of track construction timing just to entertain us schedule nerds, they ought to be able to articulate when they will be in a position to make that next step in the service plan.

I’m not impressed with the pace of progress on the Stouffville and Kitchener lines. The site clearing and grading on the Barrie line is going much faster - it just started fairly recently, (perhaps because there was no rush to get started so long as Davenport wasn’t ready). The Kitchener sidings could have been done long ago, but without the Bramalea-Silver stretch getting resolved and upgraded, they won’t see many trains. (Although surely by now CN could have allowed a single early morning counter flow train out of Toronto to carry Kitchener bound commuters, a big potential market)

There are logistical realities that make some of this work long lead time propositions. ML is following a political game by creating a narrative that everything is falling neatly into place (and already has, supposedly). I would much prefer a more honest narrative that sets realistic expectations about when everything will be ready. But maybe the voters just don’t care. ML is most certainly attempting the fill-in-gaps strategy that @reaperexpress explained…. but we can’t tell if it is on track or falling behind badly.

- Paul