GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[Mr Finish Line]

Not often I ask for updates..........but I'm curious to know if anyone has seen the state of the Highland Creek culvert area work for the Stouffville line.

I'm pretty sure a new signal tower went up north of the bridge a month or 2 ago. Around that time we were discussing there being some construction activity over a weekend and I think after that I noticed the signal tower. I've been meaning to do my yearly flyover but haven't had the time yet.

 

[Mr Finish Line]

 

[reaperexpress]

Lakeshore East express in August.

They haven't put any of the new spans in along the Ontario subway corridor for them to run on yet.

They don't need to. The existing express track between Danforth and Guildwood is long enough for an express train to overtake a local already.

 

[nfitz]

They don't need to. The existing express track between Danforth and Guildwood is long enough for an express train to overtake a local already.

Perhaps I'm wrong, and there will be express Lakeshore East trains in August (or September). Time will tell - but I doubt there will be.

 

[crs1026]

Perhaps I'm wrong, and there will be express Lakeshore East trains in August (or September). Time will tell - but I doubt there will be.

Time is very fluid in such a big project, and from the sidewalk it sure looks like much has yet to be done......but because shifting the GO tracks out of their current alignment is mission critical to making progress on the Ontario Line, I have confidence that GO will be back to three tracks sooner than later.

- Paul

 

[reaperexpress]

Grading work for the second track has been completed in the vicinity of Downsview Park station, but it is positioned in a way that makes it unusable.

The station is designed for 3 tracks with two side platforms, so in the interim 2-track configuration there needs to be a gap between the northbound and southbound tracks, like at Rutherford.

You can see that the grading for the second track is not adjacent to the future second platform:

For the second track to be built where the grading was done the second platform would need to be extended east, but the bridge abutments over Sheppard Avenue recently built to support the second platform reflect the original design with space for 3 tracks, not a design with the platform shifted east. (See photos by @ProjectEnd ).

This is not really a problem but it means that the grading near Downsview Park station has effectively not been done because it will need to be redone in the correct location before the second track can be installed.

 

[reaperexpress]

Time is very fluid in such a big project, and from the sidewalk it sure looks like much has yet to be done......but because shifting the GO tracks out of their current alignment is mission critical to making progress on the Ontario Line, I have confidence that GO will be back to three tracks sooner than later.

But returning three tracks into service would make shifting the tracks for Ontario Line construction much harder.

Having only two tracks in service in the future 6-track corridor gives them more room to have a buffer between the construction zone and the active tracks. So I would assume that they are in no hurry to return three tracks into service until the embankment work is complete.

 

[smallspy]

But returning three tracks into service would make shifting the tracks for Ontario Line construction much harder.

Having only two tracks in service in the future 6-track corridor gives them more room to have a buffer between the construction zone and the active tracks. So I would assume that they are in no hurry to return three tracks into service until the embankment work is complete.

The project plan that I saw for the corridor does call for the third track returning to service with the shifting of the tracks to the new southerly alignment. It was originally supposed to happen in October, but it isn't clear to me whether that schedule will still hold.

That schedule also didn't list East Harbour, so I'm not aware if the third track will be able to continue through that construction site.

Dan

 

[Metroscapes]

The vision was 3 tracks to Galloway, but future-proofing for 4 tracks to Durham Junction. A future third track was also planned east of there to the Bowmanville extension, interchangeably being shoehorned north of the Kingston Sub and overtaking the northern CN track and building a new one for freight on the south side. But that was 10+ years ago, things were in flux, and I know there was a lot of hand-wringing about the lack of a third track progressing for the eastern MSF at that time. Incredible it is taking this long.

 

[crs1026]

The vision was 3 tracks to Galloway, but future-proofing for 4 tracks to Durham Junction. A future third track was also planned east of there to the Bowmanville extension, interchangeably being shoehorned north of the Kingston Sub and overtaking the northern CN track and building a new one for freight on the south side. But that was 10+ years ago, things were in flux, and I know there was a lot of hand-wringing about the lack of a third track progressing for the eastern MSF at that time. Incredible it is taking this long.

Another facet of how keeping ML's plans secret, and not being transparent about when and why the scope has changed, is making ML ineffective.

- Paul

 

[dowlingm]

Another facet of how keeping ML's plans secret, and not being transparent about when and why the scope has changed, is making ML ineffective.

- Paul

I dislike Metrolinx’ “good news only” comms strategy but I don’t see what difference it makes to their effectiveness. Unless we think they are scanning forums like these for ideas to get them out of holes they dug themselves?

 

[crs1026]

I dislike Metrolinx’ “good news only” comms strategy but I don’t see what difference it makes to their effectiveness. Unless we think they are scanning forums like these for ideas to get them out of holes they dug themselves?

Organizations that have this latitude to bury problemsand rewrite their commitments inevitably develop a disfunctional culture where problems are not candidly raised, discussed, analysed, and corrected.
Metrolinx is well down this road.
If the original version (take your pick) were documented as a "commitment", there would have been more accountability around scope and scope creep. Perhaps some of the iterations might not have been worked on. Perhaps more would have moved to execution. Perhaps wasteful redesign would have been avoided.
LSE is a good example of "ready, aim, aim, aim, aim....." paralysis - that's not indicative of an effective, results focussed organization.

- Paul

 

[Northern Light]

@Allandale25 posted this clip of the Mx Board Meeting elsewhere:

I'm not sure what's been reported out on timelines elsewhere and as a few are mentioned, I'm not going to search them all out.

But I made these notes:

1) Caledonia Station (Barrie GO) on target to start construction by year's end, with an in-service date of 3-4 years given.

2) Maple GO targeted for full-return of normal operations by Spring' 25

3) For Stouffville GO Line, there will be a major closure in July (this month) to upgrade signals at 5 at-grade crossings. New track near McNicoll has been commissioned.

There was a rather vague statement about a third and final commissioning phase for tracks works 'in the southern area, close to Scarborough Junction' (his words). That would be 'later this year'.

That would seem to suggest that the full twin track operation will be possible by late this year. @crs1026 may wish to listen to that bit at roughly 45:35 of the video.

 

[Allandale25]

^ There were also some remarks about the sidings at Guelph and Acton. Nothing on the 'hole in the donut' as the late and sometimes spicy TOAreaFan used to say, aka Bramalea-Georgetown.

 

[crs1026]

@Allandale25 posted this clip of the Mx Board Meeting elsewhere:


1) Caledonia Station (Barrie GO) on target to start construction by year's end, with an in-service date of 3-4 years given.

Good to see this actually out to tender, as it was announced quite a while ago now.

2) Maple GO targeted for full-return of normal operations by Spring' 25

Normal operations meaning, the original main track platform restored to full operability, but..... what about the second platform and track that's new? Nothing said about progress towards double tracking the line.

3) For Stouffville GO Line, there will be a major closure in July (this month) to upgrade signals at 5 at-grade crossings.

Which again does not mean any new track has been placed in service.

New track near McNicoll has been commissioned.

This removed a diversion that was needed during construction of the two-platform layout at Milliken. So now the original platform and first track at Milliken is fully operational in its final alignment.....and the second platform has track.....but.....without the bridge at West Highland Creek, the second track remains inoperable, as are the second platforms at both Milliken and Agincourt.

There was a rather vague statement about a third and final commissioning phase for tracks works 'in the southern area, close to Scarborough Junction' (his words). That would be 'later this year'.

Possibly completing the crossovers at Progress Road that will allow the (built but long sitting idle) second track from there south to Kennedy to finally go into action. Last time I looked, there was absolutely no construction between Kennedy and Scarborough Jct.... that will be single track for a while yet.

In summary, while there is lots of construction happening out there, this is mostly stuff that's off critical path. Nice that it's all getting done but nothing to declare victory over just yet.

- Paul