GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[Northern Light]

The reason the full service plan and the full details haven't been released is because they haven't fully completed the 2 year development agreement. It has been 2 full years but give it some more time. It will be released at some point

Metrolinx partners with ONxpress to transform GO service

New GO Expansion operator will mean more trains, less waiting and faster, more frequent service.

www.metrolinx.com

According to Metrolinx, the development phase is concluded, the agreement has been signed as at January 25, 2024.

The evidence being that ONExpress assumes full operational control on January 1st 2025.

 

[chrisw]

@Northern Light

This is an important milestone for OnCorr, the second and largest piece of the GO Expansion program, as one of two proposals making up the development phase.

From that article, there's another part making up the development phase. What else are they deciding on? Though it is interesting that that was signed half a year early.

 

[Northern Light]

@Northern Light

From that article, there's another part making up the development phase. What else are they deciding on?

Not sure what the other part is/was; but this was described as the second piece of two, implying to me that the other piece was already resolved.

Also this was described as the largest piece.

 

[chrisw]

@Northern Light Yes, OnCorr is the second and largest piece of Go Expansion. The first piece of Go Expansion might've been Early Works and/or Off Corridor Works.

As one of two proposals making up the development phase.

I read this as there being another proposal as part of the development phase of OnCorr.

Metrolinx has accepted ONxpress’ proposal for the operations and maintenance of the GO Transit system beginning Jan. 1, 2025.

This will include operating and maintaining GO Trains, train service planning, introducing new operational technology solutions and providing maintenance services for new assets like electrification and signaling.

What's the parts that are missing? This covers just operations and maintenance.

On Corridor work includes all works that facilitate train service, such as track, civil infrastructure, signalling, electrification infrastructure and electric vehicles, as well as the operations and maintenance of the GO rail network.

While the signed agreement mentions maintenance for electrification and signalling. The agreement doesn't include the infrastructure work for the track, civil infrastructure, signalling, electric infrastructure, and electric vehicles. That's a big part of OnCorr.

OnCorr: The scope of work includes:

• Operation of train services including train crewing
• Timetable planning and train control for all operators across the GO-owned network
• Design, construction and integration, of the railway corridor (civil infrastructure, tracks, systems, signalling etc.)
• Maintenance and rehabilitation of new railway corridor assets and select existing railway corridor assets
• Maintenance, servicing and cleaning of all rolling stock and procurement of new rolling stock
• Construction of new maintenance and train storage and/or layover facilities
• Reconstruction of Union Station track and platforms
• Compliance with Metrolinx safety, security and emergency management policies

OnCorr also covers the procurement of new rolling stock and also the Union Station track and platform reconstruction.

 

[crs1026]

Metrolinx partners with ONxpress to transform GO service

New GO Expansion operator will mean more trains, less waiting and faster, more frequent service.

www.metrolinx.com

According to Metrolinx, the development phase is concluded, the agreement has been signed as at January 25, 2024.

The evidence being that ONExpress assumes full operational control on January 1st 2025.

If so, the service and staffing plans for Jan 2005 are now a matter of fact and there is no commercial sensitivity in disclosing them.

- Paul

 

[generalcanada]

Not sure what the other part is/was; but this was described as the second piece of two, implying to me that the other piece was already resolved.

Also this was described as the largest piece.

from the article:

This is an important milestone for OnCorr, the second and largest piece of the GO Expansion program, as one of two proposals making up the development phase.

While you might take note with it being "the largest piece". I think its simply because operations and maintenance is the most important part. building the new signals and tracks are somewhat simple comparatively speaking.
Yea we probably wont hear about new the service timetable until December at the earliest, but its not like anyone outside of railfans care

Note that there isnt really an actual price for oncorr yet. That gets announced at the end of the development phase which includes the infrastructure works

 

[Fritter]

Metrolinx makes the CIA look like an open data point. You'd be better off trying to get info from the NSA or CSIS.

 

[crs1026]

Way back when the Expansion P3 was first conceived, there were statements that the job of laying track and installing signals for the expanded lines would be handled by the successful bidder.. The ML on-corridor project scope was originally to only build to the fences, subgrade and grade separations, and stations. . I have no knowledge of whether this is still the case, I guess we will see soon.

- Paul

 

[urbancog]

From this article:

Progress being made to provide faster, more frequent GO service

ONxpress and Metrolinx celebrate one year in Development Phase.

www.metrolinx.com

"OnCorr includes all works that will unlock faster, more frequent train service, such as track, signaling, electrification work and electric vehicles, as well as the operations and maintenance of the GO rail network over the next 25 years. "

The second agreement will cover the construction of track, signaling, electrification work and electric vehicles.

 

[reinventingthewheel]

Some discussion going on in the King-Liberty station thread about future of UPX. Not wanting to derail that, decided I’d share my thoughts here. If something more concrete is known already please do share.

My suggestion: I doubt this arrangement will be chosen because at the moment there aren’t plans for Woodbine station to support a big exchange.

• UPX stops only at Union-Woodbine-Pearson
• Airport travellers from King-Lib, Bloor, Mt Dennis, Weston take GO to Woodbine and transfer onto UPX
• Additional UPX trains run as shuttles only between Woodbine-Pearson to handle increased volume of riders from GO train

This would allow the two services to coexist without many physical changes necessary, maybe just an extra track or two at Woodbine station depending on scheduling.

 

[Natika33]

Some discussion going on in the King-Liberty station thread about future of UPX. Not wanting to derail that, decided I’d share my thoughts here. If something more concrete is known already please do share.

My suggestion: I doubt this arrangement will be chosen because at the moment there aren’t plans for Woodbine station to support a big exchange.

• UPX stops only at Union-Woodbine-Pearson
• Airport travellers from King-Lib, Bloor, Mt Dennis, Weston take GO to Woodbine and transfer onto UPX
• Additional UPX trains run as shuttles only between Woodbine-Pearson to handle increased volume of riders from GO train

This would allow the two services to coexist without many physical changes necessary, maybe just an extra track or two at Woodbine station depending on scheduling.

I think it'd be a hard sell to move or change the intermediate stop away from Bloor GO - Dundas West TTC as that intersection with the subway is super handy for many.

 

[C_Johnson_1995]

What is your justification for saying Cambridge doesn't deserve higher order transit? Cambridge is a city of 140k which is just a couple thousand people smaller than Barrie so if Barrie can justify being connected to GO why does Cambridge not deserve it? St Catherine's and Niagara Falls are connected via Lakeshore West and both are smaller than Cambridge so again why is it not justifiable for Cambridge to have some connection to the GO network?

I've been thinking about this a bit, and I came to some conclusions.

With Barrie, it was a logical extension of an existing line, had a good station location, and Barrie has far greater potential, to grow, densify and be a regional hub.

With Niagara Falls, there was significant tourist demand, the line was already up to passenger standards requiring no capital investment, and with St. Catherines, it's just on the way, there's literally no reason to not stop.

Cambridge has none of these. It's growth potential is near zero due to NIMBYs and hinges on high density near a freeway, it's station is in the middle of nowhere and requires a such a long trip from the rest of Cambridge like Galt that everyone will just choose to drive. And if that's not bad enough, it's rail line is a cow path, is in really bad shape, and makes connecting with existing services on the Kitchener Line really akward.

As highlighted in Paul Langan's article, there are several developments happening along the line that threaten RoW encroachment. Honestly given the low potential of the service, it would make sense in my opinion to cede the corridor if it means we get extra housing units out of proposed developments. Every bit counts. But that's just my $0.02. Cambridge will never meet the requirements for higher order transit and we shouldn't be wasting resources on it IMO, even if those resources are just time spent planning.

 

[Metroscapes]

While I agree Cambridge has been pretty NIMBY lately, I don't see the value of nixing a potentially valuable transportation corridor for a few extra units.

But I went disc-golfing at Four Fathers in Hespeler Village earlier this evening, and was greeted by this mess along the Fergus Spur. Looks like ditch maintenance, some fresh ballast, and crossing signal maintenance? Looks like quite a bit of work for a corridor that's got only a couple customers left.

 

[Allandale25]

Guelph Central Station. Would be nice to use that new platform, any day now.....
View attachment 558030View attachment 558031

Speaking of Guelph...

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