GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[smallspy]

Metrolinx has given dates for construction work on the third Lakeshore East track between Jones and Woodbine. This construction notice says material deliveries and noise will occur from Aug 29th to Sept 9th, and again from October 10th to 23rd. The notice says further work will be required in 2026.

View attachment 670239

As I think others here have previously mentioned, Metrolinx says this track will just be a storage track for work trains initially.

Nitpick: there are already 3 tracks through this section, with the third mainline track currently being disconnected further west due to the corridor work going on to build the Ontario Line.

This is to build a fourth track in this section - this is the one that will be converted to a mainline track at a later date.

Dan

 

[Sauga89]

Metrolinx is demolishing buildings in Oshawa as part of the Bowmanville expansion.

(EDIT: I'm not sure what the reason for the demolition is, but apparently the adjacent Simcoe Street bridge is to be replaced, per the environmental assessment. This is near the future Ritson Road GO station.)

 

[Bojaxs]

I took these photos while standing on the Dundas St. W bridge going over the railroad tracks.

I can see where the fourth Kitchener track work is on going. Right beside the rail path. Am I right in assuming the western most track is for the Milton line? Looks as if another track could fit beside that one and this stretch of the network could be 6 tracks wide.

Facing towards Union Station

Facing towards Bloor

 

[crs1026]

^ Correct, the corridor is good for six tracks thru the Lansdowne to Dupont stretch.

- Paul

 

[ZEBuilder]

Metrolinx is doing work to advance the grade separation at Duke Street in Kitchener.
View attachment 669488
It's a bit odd to me because this older post from @ZEBuilder suggests they already did this work 2 years ago. I have no idea why they would need to do it again.

NPL was definitely doing work there in 2023. Here's the street view of that exact location in 2023.

The existing gas main is on the south side of Duke. NPL was working along the north side of Duke (just out of frame is the directional drill with the shot going up towards the hydrovac truck at the tracks). I don't know if the main on the south side is still active or not after what NPL previously did.

The only possible reason I could see the need to touch those gas mains again is if the existing gas mains need to be removed/lowered. In the plans for the future transit hub (KCTH) the grade of Duke drops to accommodate the MUT tunnel under the tracks which is located on the north side (opposite from the gas main). The other thing is there will be a retaining wall running between the tracks and the bus loop access road (if I recall it extends all the way from King St to Duke). It is certainly possible that through the detailed design process it was discovered that the main was in the way and now they have to move it especially with work starting to pick up on the transit hub. The Region has completed the pre qualification process for the demolition of the non historical parts of the Rumpel Felt building (the reddish/brown building), with that expected to occur later this year once the RFT is procured.

 

[Sauga89]

NPL was definitely doing work there in 2023. Here's the street view of that exact location in 2023.
View attachment 671064

The existing gas main is on the south side of Duke. NPL was working along the north side of Duke (just out of frame is the directional drill with the shot going up towards the hydrovac truck at the tracks). I don't know if the main on the south side is still active or not after what NPL previously did.

The only possible reason I could see the need to touch those gas mains again is if the existing gas mains need to be removed/lowered. In the plans for the future transit hub (KCTH) the grade of Duke drops to accommodate the MUT tunnel under the tracks which is located on the north side (opposite from the gas main). The other thing is there will be a retaining wall running between the tracks and the bus loop access road (if I recall it extends all the way from King St to Duke). It is certainly possible that through the detailed design process it was discovered that the main was in the way and now they have to move it especially with work starting to pick up on the transit hub. The Region has completed the pre qualification process for the demolition of the non historical parts of the Rumpel Felt building (the reddish/brown building), with that expected to occur later this year once the RFT is procured.

I did another UT search and found this post in the Kitchener transit hub thread from @awaterwell if that helps provide further clarification.

Gas main relocation for the future regrading of Duke Street is currently underway, to be completed by 17 November:
https://www.ourspectrum.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Kitchener-Utilities-Update.pdf

They definitely seemed to know the gas main was an issue 2 years ago, but I suppose something new could have cropped up in design work that required it to be moved again.

 

[Bojaxs]

^ Correct, the corridor is good for six tracks thru the Lansdowne to Dupont stretch.

- Paul

6 tracks. Imagine if Metrolinx got the Milton line and Bolton line, and improved Kitchener line frequency. This would be the 401 for GO trains.

Rip up the Western Toronto railpath and put in a 7th track. "One more track bro."

 

[drum118]

^ Correct, the corridor is good for six tracks thru the Lansdowne to Dupont stretch.

- Paul

You can get 6 tracks in from Dupont for the 2bd Galt line track and only 4 to Bramalea. You can get 8 tracks in south of Dundas to Bathurst St.

6 tracks. Imagine if Metrolinx got the Milton line and Bolton line, and improved Kitchener line frequency. This would be the 401 for GO trains.

Rip up the Western Toronto railpath and put in a 7th track. "One more track bro."

Any thought of a track for Railpath would be a short one from south of the underpass to where the Barrie line branch off. There no room to put in a 7th track north of the underpass without a major rip up of existing infrastructure and dealing with CP for their two lines. DOA

 

[crs1026]

6 tracks. Imagine if Metrolinx got the Milton line and Bolton line, and improved Kitchener line frequency. This would be the 401 for GO trains.

Rip up the Western Toronto railpath and put in a 7th track. "One more track bro."

The Kitchener line has the most capacity-friendly signalling in the GTA. No need for a 7th track in our lifetimes.
Plus, as noted, there are chokepoints. Reportedly the Milton line will only have one track through Liberty station.
Getting to six will be amazing. Heck, five will be awesome. (There were in fact five tracks back when CP Parkdale yard was still in operation… two CN and three CP)

- Paul

PS - whats wrong with gaving the Railpath, anyways ?

 

[Bojaxs]

PS - whats wrong with gaving the Railpath, anyways ?

Man, you guys.... I was just joking around.

 

[bearcat]

Man, you guys.... I was just joking around.

lol I think the joke was obvious

 

[just east of the creek]

Not sure if this is specifically the best place to put this but Go Transit Expansion or the lack thereof......

IN DEPTH: How Metrolinx’s plan to deliver European-style train service went off the rails

GO Expansion will still transform Greater Golden Horseshoe transit — but likely won’t be as ambitious as what was planned just three years ago

www.burlingtontoday.com

 

[generalcanada]

Not sure if this is specifically the best place to put this but Go Transit Expansion or the lack thereof......

IN DEPTH: How Metrolinx’s plan to deliver European-style train service went off the rails

GO Expansion will still transform Greater Golden Horseshoe transit — but likely won’t be as ambitious as what was planned just three years ago

www.burlingtontoday.com

lol
Jack Hauen
Jun 10, 2025 3:48 PM

 

[Metroscapes]

Not sure if this is specifically the best place to put this but Go Transit Expansion or the lack thereof......

IN DEPTH: How Metrolinx’s plan to deliver European-style train service went off the rails

GO Expansion will still transform Greater Golden Horseshoe transit — but likely won’t be as ambitious as what was planned just three years ago

www.burlingtontoday.com

Where you been mate?

 

[Allandale25]

Updated posted today by GO Expansion:

Work on the Burloak Drive grade separation is well underway, thanks to a newly commissioned detour road to keep traffic moving during construction. Shown here are the recently drilled structural foundations that will help support the new bridge surface once built.