GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[reaperexpress]

The original station design included entrances on the west side of the tracks but the residents in that neighbourhood lost their freaking minds claiming that criminals would come to their neighbourhood and make their getaway on the GO train. I wish I were exaggerating, but honestly it gets crazier than that. Somewhere on UT I posted screenshots of the public consultation comments, but I can't find it. Metrolinx deleted the entrances from the station to the adjacent neighbourhood because they were putting the whole project in political jeopardy.

I found the screenshots from the Maple Station public consultation about the proposed pedestrian entrance from the west side of the tracks (from this post):

For some reason none of them acknowledged the irony of being outraged about a railway station entrance from Railway Street.

Here was Metrolinx's response:

 

[nfitz]

Absurd response from Metrolinx.

 

[max]

I bought a house on Railway Street. WHY DO YOU INSIST ON OPERATING A RAILWAY NEXT TO ME!?!??!?

 

[reaperexpress]

I bought a house on Railway Street. WHY DO YOU INSIST ON OPERATING A RAILWAY NEXT TO ME!?!??!?

It's especially golden because Maple is the oldest operating railway station in Ontario, receiving its first passenger train on May 16, 1853.

Second oldest is Aurora, which received the same train a half hour later.

 

[ProjectEnd]

I found the screenshots from the Maple Station public consultation about the proposed pedestrian entrance from the west side of the tracks (from this post):

For some reason none of them acknowledged the irony of being outraged about a railway station entrance from Railway Street.

Here was Metrolinx's response:

Glad all this absolute gutter trash was saved from being a real place

 

[lastcommodore]

With the soft-confirmation that Alto is going to terminate at Union Station in Toronto, isn't this also a soft-confirmation that the trainshed is going to go? They cannot electrify the station, so something would have to give. Unless they steal the south concourse from GO Transit.

 

[McGillicuddy]

My sense of what they're planning for Alto at Union is for a station within a station: certainly they're not going to find it acceptable for their premium passengers to wait down in the dingy, confusing Via basement with the people riding mere regional trains. There will be premium facilities and amenities, in ways that go beyond the current VIA business offering. Picture something Brightline-y.

I can't imagine that they're going to set up a lounge within the existing passenger building and then make people trek all the way to the south concourse. Alto will either want the northernmost tracks, or they'll want a new facility, similar to what UP Express has.

 

[reinventingthewheel]

With the soft-confirmation that Alto is going to terminate at Union Station in Toronto, isn't this also a soft-confirmation that the trainshed is going to go? They cannot electrify the station, so something would have to give. Unless they steal the south concourse from GO Transit.

The new Alto consultation suggested station footprints over 40’000m2, which would seemingly rule Alto out of using existing facilities at Union (it would displace nearly every other service).

But they could electrify the Union train shed for shorter trains. Alto will not use bilevels.

 

[WB62]

For the Toronto station, several locations are being considered:

• Union Station and surrounding area: strong potential for connectivity and accessibility.
• Eastern site: close to public transit and the financial district.
• Western site: would lengthen travel time but bring the station closer to attractions like the CN Tower and Rogers Centre. Uhhh

I think their wording for the western option does suggest something like the UP Express terminal, I assume if this option is chosen it would just be considered an expansion of Union.

I’m not sure how having a station near the CN Tower/stadium would lengthen travel time enough to make it mentionable, it’s only a maximum of 500m west of Union.

 

[generalcanada]

The new Alto consultation suggested station footprints over 40’000m2, which would seemingly rule Alto out of using existing facilities at Union (it would displace nearly every other service).

But they could electrify the Union train shed for shorter trains. Alto will not use bilevels.

I mean, I dont they intend to have exclusive use of union. 40k m2 is the size of union right? just a footprint to build a station if needed

 

[reinventingthewheel]

40k m2 is the size of union right?

Yeah thereabouts. *Very roughly* 100m (north-south width of all platforms) by 350-400m (east-west length of platforms).

I wish they gave a bit more detail about their intentions with the 40k statement. However, they were explicit about plans for some serious tunnelling from Laval to Ville Marie in Montreal. So it may well be in consideration for the downtown Toronto approach and station.

I like @dougtoronto‘s wishful thinking - wipe out MTCC, build an underground station, rebuild MTCC on top.

 

[ShonTron]

It’s a lot easier to tunnel through Central Montreal – especially Mount Royal – than it would be to tunnel under the USRC, which is a former lakebed.

I don’t really see ALTO using a long tunnel to get to Union Station.

 

[nfitz]

Yeah thereabouts. *Very roughly* 100m (north-south width of all platforms) by 350-400m (east-west length of platforms).

I'd assumed most of that area is for parking and the bus loops. I doubt this is a factor at the existing stations

 

[Allandale25]

Slide deck and video recording here from the recent Bowmanville Extension virtual meeting.

Bowmanville Extension public information session

A virtual session to share information about the upcoming Simcoe Street closure.

www.metrolinx.com

 

[smallspy]

With the soft-confirmation that Alto is going to terminate at Union Station in Toronto, isn't this also a soft-confirmation that the trainshed is going to go? They cannot electrify the station, so something would have to give. Unless they steal the south concourse from GO Transit.

The trainshed is not an impediment to electrification of the tracks at Union Station, and never has been.

Dan