GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[ARG1]

A month later, not much (visible) progress, though there was a small crew doing some work east of the Mary Street bridge.

Last update I’ve seen is a ‘late 2024 completion’, anyone know if that’s been updated?

I’m hoping it will be done for the fall schedule release.

(facing east toward Mary Street)
View attachment 552776

(facing west toward West Harbour GO Stn)
View attachment 552774

View attachment 552773

I was under the impression that the current plan for Confederation GO based on recent diagrams would have the train joining the existing mainline immediately after West Harbour rather than extending the tracks all the way to Confederation. But I guess that's no longer the plan?

 

[SaugeenJunction]

I was under the impression that the current plan for Confederation GO based on recent diagrams would have the train joining the existing mainline immediately after West Harbour rather than extending the tracks all the way to Confederation. But I guess that's no longer the plan?

The current plan has the West Harbour tracks tying back into the CN mainline around the Mary Street pedestrian bridge IIRC.

 

[innsertnamehere]

That's my understanding as well.

Tracks definitely aren't being extended to Confederation GO, which was the original plan under the Liberals before the PCs reconfigured the project to cut costs.

 

[smallspy]

What is the work happening at the Warden and Danforth bridge? Its not on the Ontario line, so are they just adding another track on the north side for bypass purposes?

Yes. There will be 4 mainline tracks from the Don River to Scarborough Station, where the Stouffville Line branches off.

Dan

 

[Voltz]

What is the work happening at the Warden and Danforth bridge? Its not on the Ontario line, so are they just adding another track on the north side for bypass purposes?

There will be four tracks until the Stouffville line splits off, so the work must be for adding another track.

 

[drum118]

Well the good news is that it looks track-ready. What might slow it down is 1) the date CN has in mind for cutting it into their mainline and 2) the signalling commissioning date. I would assume that both those events are already scheduled and even if track laying happens tomorrow, those dates would not change. That’s just how the Class 1s operate!

It may look track ready, but far from it as of March 28, New track mast, signal boxes and installing the cables for them was underway when I shot it. Until that is completed and working, tracks and switches cannot be install, It look like there still other work to be done as well.

Photos will be up this week

 

[nfitz]

There will be four tracks until the Stouffville line splits off, so the work must be for adding another track.

Exactly. Warden also had a span added a few years ago, for the 3rd track that was needed to support Lakeshore all-day both-ways every 15 minutes.

Woodbine has already been done, and done quite quickly - looks as though it was always designed for 4 tracks, and they simply had to knock out some bits to do it.

Victoria Park, and Coxwell eastwards were already built for 4 tracks (or more). Though many east of Pape are now being expanded to handle 6 tracks (two for Ontario).

 

[Voltz]

Exactly. Warden also had a span added a few years ago, for the 3rd track that was needed to support Lakeshore all-day both-ways every 15 minutes.

Woodbine has already been done, and done quite quickly - looks as though it was always designed for 4 tracks, and they simply had to knock out some bits to do it.

Victoria Park, and Coxwell eastwards were already built for 4 tracks (or more). Though many east of Pape are now being expanded to handle 6 tracks (two for Ontario).

Someone should remind them they had rebuilt Guildwood Station with room for a fourth track a few years ago, and then seemed to just forget.

 

[dowlingm]

Someone should remind them they had rebuilt Guildwood Station with room for a fourth track a few years ago, and then seemed to just forget.

Will GO and VIA be able to push enough service through there to bother, without a grade sep at Scarborough Junction?

 

[generalcanada]

Will GO and VIA be able to push enough service through there to bother, without a grade sep at Scarborough Junction?

we heard a few years ago that the scarborough junction isnt needed because of how they are going to aligh the tracks with service patterns. instead of having the express trains for both lines be on the inside 2 tracks and all stops being on the outside 2 tracks.

Theyre configuring the service to be stouville only trains on the first 2 tracks and all lse trains on the south 2 tracks

 

[smallspy]

Theyre configuring the service to be stouville only trains on the first 2 tracks and all lse trains on the south 2 tracks

There is zero need to have the services segregated like that. And in fact, it would be detrimental to the overall capacity of the system to operate the trains like that.

Dan

 

[crs1026]

Will GO and VIA be able to push enough service through there to bother, without a grade sep at Scarborough Junction?

There will be some theoretical reduction in capacity attributable to a "flat" junction as opposed to one with flyover/unders, but ML seems to feel that it's manageable. It may mean that more trains face restrictive signals as there will inevitably be more routing conflicts. But it may be years before the line gets that busy, and changes to the signalling will likely help. Many trains will only be moving at turnout speed anyways eg if they have stops at Scarborough GO, or if they are coming around the curves to/from the Uxbridge Sub, so routing them through crossovers does not impose a speed penalty.

Wice on the Kitchener line is a comparable junction, and it functions reasonably well.

- Paul

 

[Voltz]

Will GO and VIA be able to push enough service through there to bother, without a grade sep at Scarborough Junction?

Their design for the grade separation at Scarborough Junction only had three tracks continuing east on Lakeshore, with no apparent room for more, and there have been GO expansion plans in the past with four or more tracks, hence that it seems they forgot about work and plans they have already done.

 

[nfitz]

Their design for the grade separation at Scarborough Junction only had three tracks continuing east on Lakeshore, with no apparent room for more, and there have been GO expansion plans in the past with four or more tracks, hence that it seems they forgot about work and plans they have already done.

Grade separation where? Midland (+ Brimley and McCowan) already has 4 tracks (though one looks like it hasn't seen service forever), and seems to be built for 5.

 

[Northern Light]

Grade separation where?

Scarborough Junction - Where the Stouffville and Lakeshore East Lines meet. (Rail to Rail Separation, not Rail to Road)

The idea was for their to be a fly under.

Midland (+ Brimley and McCowan) already has 4 tracks (though one looks like it hasn't seen service forever), and seems to be built for 5.

Work is currently underway with an eye to 4 tracks from the USRC to Scarborough Junction. There are currently 3 mainline tracks in this section.

There were plans for additional track to be added beyond the Junction out to Guildwood area.

This is the west side of Midland, and you can see here there is no operational 4th track:

That fragment of track is not connected to anything at either end.

Below is the LSE just west of Scarborough GO:

3 tracks are in operation here today, but ROW prep (grading etc.) is underway for additional track.

The 4-track segment is only on approach to and through Scarborough GO.