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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

Willybru21 said:
Yeah but if either the trains were shorter or the platform was longer, GO could’ve unloaded, reloaded, and went back to Toronto in just over 10 minutes, instead of a 40 minute delay trying to find keys and finding a siding for GO to reverse back to.
Click to expand...
Reversing past Victoria Street will allow you to use the station siding or the 2nd track. That took 40min?
 
GO has started doing a stroller coach alongside the accessibility car for the Niagara train, a fantastic idea!
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crs1026 said:
PPS - it also speaks to the priority and level of attention that the CN RTC center gives to passenger. CN‘s RTCs have lots of territory to cover and they won’t be attending to everything at once. You can be sure that if the RTC was expecting a westbound hot intermodal train, somebody would be worrying about how the two trains’ meet would be arranged. But because it’s only the Maple Leaf, whose time of arrival is uncertain and variable, and which can accept any amount of delay if its route isn’t clear, the RTC just lets whatever happens happen.
The situation is not a rule violation, and so long as everybody does their job properly and stays awake (as the GO crew clearly did) it’s not unsafe by traditional railroad standards. But it speaks to the level of attention to detail that passenger trains are given when on somebody else’s railroad. And it speaks to how the safety standards have indeed risen in recent years…. the whole idea of running heavily loaded passenger trains under Rule 105 principles, which was quite common in 1920, seems hard to accept any more.
I would also point out that thanks to the PTC push in the USA, the Maple Leaf’s locomotive would be equipped with loads of modern technology to keep its train within its route authority and separated from other trains. All that technology ceases to matter when the Maple Leaf enters the “dark” territory at the Falls.

- Paul

PPPS - removing the derail is not an option so long as the territory remains as is. It is a safety feature that has to be there by design, as under past/current operations that siding may be used to store cars or equipment. However, providing the proper keys so crews can operate it might be another possibility.
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Likely the derail had a special lock on it. I maybe have to check my timetable for the Grimsby sub again... but I believe that siding is out of Service hence the special lock that nobody has the key for...
 
I believe it’s the track running west out of the siding that is out of service. If the siding were out of service the switches would likely have been spiked and possibly the points removed. The fact that the crew attempted to open the derail suggests the track was still in service.

I expect the move required was for the GO train to reverse to Clifton and enter the south main, then wait for the Maple Leaf to depart and take the north track at Clifton - to be on the proper side for the platform at St Catherines.

- Paul
 
crs1026 said:
I believe it’s the track running west out of the siding that is out of service. If the siding were out of service the switches would likely have been spiked and possibly the points removed. The fact that the crew attempted to open the derail suggests the track was still in service.

I expect the move required was for the GO train to reverse to Clifton and enter the south main, then wait for the Maple Leaf to depart and take the north track at Clifton - to be on the proper side for the platform at St Catherines.

- Paul
Click to expand...

This would be consistent w/the aerial photos:

1658715488968.png


One can see considerable overgrowth on the siding as it approaches the mainline near the U.S. border.

Not that the mainline looks particularly well cared for................
 
Northern Light said:
This would be consistent w/the aerial photos:

View attachment 415674

One can see considerable overgrowth on the siding as it approaches the mainline near the U.S. border.

Not that the mainline looks particularly well cared for................
Click to expand...
That land and track is prime for a massive station expansion.

Say multiple tracks (with one continuing to the US) and a true terminal style station (similar to Washington Union, Paris Northern) with an attractive canopy to welcome visitors. Move the bus terminal for a true intermodal station.
 
Garuda said:
That land and track is prime for a massive station expansion.

Say multiple tracks (with one continuing to the US) and a true terminal style station (similar to Washington Union, Paris Northern) with an attractive canopy to welcome visitors. Move the bus terminal for a true intermodal station.
Click to expand...

I certainly concur that there will be a case for a much larger station in due course, at the very least, the addition of a second platform.

Though I think the grandeur maybe needs to be held in check a bit, as currently the station receives (If the GO weekday train is revived) 4 train movements from passenger services (3 departures) each day.

Weekends see that rise to 8 movements.

Absent a resolution the Welland Canal issue, I'm not sure what the upper limit on service is; but I can't imagine its much above 12 departures daily. A bit short of the the demand for Paris Nords, or DC Union.

By all means, lets hold on to the land as a future proofing measure, at least enough of it to support an island platform and second side platform for 4 tracks. I find it very difficult to envision a scenario where that would
not adequately serve demand even 40 years from now.
 
^I have to say, that piece is worthy of a tip of the hat. That article presented facts, described what is actually happening, did not promise or celebrate a future victory before it arrived, was matter of fact about the things that can’t happen yet.
I’m not sure that the switching process is the most critical part of return to service…. things like moisture and corrosion and freeze/thaw and weathering may be a bigger concern for cars that have sat idle….but it’s on point from the average rider’s viewpoint . Better than the average ML PR piece.

- Paul
 
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