GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[jamincan]

So assuming that service to London goes forward, what intermediate stations would they likely have? St. Mary's and Stratford are obvious. I think New Hamburg or Baden would be a contender as well, although there are no station facilities in either community at present.

 

[innsertnamehere]

So assuming that service to London goes forward, what intermediate stations would they likely have? St. Mary's and Stratford are obvious. I think New Hamburg or Baden would be a contender as well, although there are no station facilities in either community at present.

It looks like at first it would just use existing infrastructure so it would be Stratford and St. Mary's.

 

[reaperexpress]

So assuming that service to London goes forward, what intermediate stations would they likely have? St. Mary's and Stratford are obvious. I think New Hamburg or Baden would be a contender as well, although there are no station facilities in either community at present.

GO has long had plans for a Baden station, which was mostly going to be a storage yard which happens to allow passengers to board (similar to Lincolnville station).

New Hamburg would make more sense in terms of actually serving the surrounding area. And if GO adds overnight storage capacity in Stratford and London it might be possible to get away without building Baden yard/station.

On opening day, the trains will just serve the existing stations: London, St Mary's and London Stratford.

 

[robmausser]

On opening day, the trains will just serve the existing stations: London, St Mary's and London.

London, London, and London station. Next stop, London station.

 

[sixrings]

Is this not super long for a regional transit agency. Should I expect a go train to Ottawa. How much would a fare be?

 

[Richard White]

Is this not super long for a regional transit agency. Should I expect a go train to Ottawa. How much would a fare be?

To Ottawa I would estimate around 35 dollars each way.

 

[PinkLucy]

Out of curiosity, I checked Via Rail. The lowest fare is $49.

 

[Richard White]

Out of curiosity, I checked Via Rail. The lowest fare is $49.

In 2012, I paid $29 each way in March. Times they are a changing...

 

[innsertnamehere]

I believe VIA still has the odd promotional $40 ticket to Ottawa but they are pretty challenging to grab.

 

[sixrings]

I was under the impression that via lost money operating. And now we’re going to service those same lines, reduce the fares and increase the frequency with GO?

 

[ShonTron]

I was under the impression that via lost money operating. And now we’re going to service those same lines, reduce the fares and increase the frequency with GO?

GO has economy of scale that VIA doesn’t have, such as maintenance with a very large fleet with only a single type of passenger rail car. GO also has very limited on-board service, with only a single customer service representative, while VIA has several on-board crew members serving passengers, with two per business class car alone. A typical corridor train will have 4-5 crew in the cars, plus those in the locomotive.

That does not mean that GO would make any profit by expanding to London. It also doesn’t mean their rail cars or on-board experience are suitable for such long distance operations. But overall it’d be a smaller burden for GO than for VIA to provide multiple daily trips between Kitchener and London. Which in itself, is unfortunate.

 

[Allandale25]

^ I also wonder about the GO-VIA relationship. Does VIA have to pay GO for the track it uses between Kitchener-Georgetown and Bramalea-Union? cc @crs1026 @smallspy

 

[crs1026]

^ I also wonder about the GO-VIA relationship. Does VIA have to pay GO for the track it uses between Kitchener-Georgetown and Bramalea-Union? cc @crs1026 @smallspy

I don’t have any detailed knowledge of the contract between VIA and GO, other than to say that VIA would have had a service contract with CN when ML bought each of its lines, and VIA would have assumed the landlord’s obligations and remuneration rights.
VIA is a “tenant” on ML’s lines, just as it in on CN and CP.
So long as Ottawa shows largesse towArds Ontario transit projects, I’m sure ML is not going to bite a friendly hand by raising the rent, but whatever rent VIA was paying to CN previously, I’m sure ML would seek its fair share.

- Paul

 

[reaperexpress]

I don’t have any detailed knowledge of the contract between VIA and GO, other than to say that VIA would have had a service contract with CN when ML bought each of its lines, and VIA would have assumed the landlord’s obligations and remuneration rights.
VIA is a “tenant” on ML’s lines, just as it in on CN and CP.
So long as Ottawa shows largesse towArds Ontario transit projects, I’m sure ML is not going to bite a friendly hand by raising the rent, but whatever rent VIA was paying to CN previously, I’m sure ML would seek its fair share.

- Paul

I'm sure VIA pays track fees to Metrolinx just as they do to any other rail owner. What I'm more curious about is what CN negotiates for itself when it sells lines to VIA or Metrolinx. Do they give themselves trackage rights without needing to pay track fees?

 

[sixrings]

I'm sure VIA pays track fees to Metrolinx just as they do to any other rail owner. What I'm more curious about is what CN negotiates for itself when it sells lines to VIA or Metrolinx. Do they give themselves trackage rights without needing to pay track fees?

would via continue to exist if go does so much of its service cheaper