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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)
- Thread starter drum118
- Start date
Krypto98
Active Member
I meant track 4, aka the Bramalea Commuter lead, i think? Couldn't they use that as a turnback like they were using it last September to November for local services?
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crs1026
Superstar
They could, and should....and really, similar to Aldershot and other locations it should be a signallised track with a power switch and signal at the west end of the platform. Not much added cost in the scheme of improvements at Bramalea.
- Paul
Allandale25
Senior Member
For weekend service or more off-peak service to Bramalea, I wonder if part of the challenge is the frequency of CN"s switching on the south side, east of Bramalea and CN being hesitant to giving up more track time.
crs1026
Superstar
Quite likely. The issue is not just the time and moves needed to access that one spur track. The switching assignments in the area from Peel to Etobicoke North must work along both sides of the ROW on both the ML and CN portions. There are service tracks in some places but not others, and switching will require sawing back and forth between various points..... for instance, the next task for the switcher might be to cross over from the spur in red to the north service track west of Bramalea station. That would require blocking every track for CN and ML while that move was accomplished. And, being a switching job, it might involve a shoving move with someone riding on the tail end car to protect the move. That requires extra time and caution. I'm sure CN would insist on retaining considerable flexibility in track availability and time slots to cover a range of customer requirement scenarios.
Having said that, it doesn't imply there can be no GO service... but it might constrain what is possible.
- Paul
Willybru21
Active Member
I received a response from GO on Twitter regarding seasonal Barrie service:
anb
Active Member
Gotta love it when they tell us when the service updates are coming via a random person’s tweet or dm.
Allandale25
Senior Member
^ Random person? I think of it as an update from a fellow UTer for VIPs like us who know this is a good source for updates. Also, fellow UTer gets action (as the Star likes to say).
smallspy
Senior Member
Sure they could. They could also use track 3 - in fact, they've used both as necessary.
But no matter what, the trains have to traverse at least some length of track 3, which isn't Metrolinx-owned or dispatched track.
Dan
Willybru21
Active Member
I haven’t seen an extra train scheduled in a while:
nfitz
Superstar
There's often extra trains on evenings and weekends after major events (Skydome, BMO Field, ScotiaBankSomething, CNE, etc.). There was a lot earlier this year, though they have diminished in recent weeks with the crew shortages.
I'm not sure what this one was about - it seems to have originated at Union rather than Exhibition. Was there another event on downtown this evening? Neither Jays nor TFC were playing.
Willybru21
Active Member
Yeah I know, I was pointing it out because I haven’t seen once since the crew shortages started, hopefully that means the situation is getting better.
nfitz
Superstar
I don't know if it's getting better, but with the huge cut to scheduled Lakeshore service (going from every 15 minutes to every 30 minutes mid-day), then there's surely now more crews for extra and fill-in runs.
reaperexpress
Senior Member
In the current hourly Kitchener Line service pattern, trains meet at Malton station. There are 3 tracks through that segment, and at least 2 tracks through all other segments where CN is switching. This leaves at least one track available for CN switching movements to occur without obstructing GO trains. The main conflict is simply the fact that CN needs to cross back and forth between the north and south sides of the corridor between switching movements. Since the GO trains in both directions pass through that area around the same time, there is about a 30-45 minute window each hour with no scheduled GO trains, giving CN plenty of time to move across the corridor.
crs1026
Superstar
From what I have seen in the field, the roadswitcher‘s current activity may force it to leave some cars sitting on the main line (often T1) while it works the north side west of Bramalea (Halwest). That leaves CN with only one lane for through trains, assuming GO ties up T3. And sometimes the roadswitcher needs a sustained period of occupancy on T3, either to work or to clear T1/T2 for through freight activity.
Again, that doesn’t suggest GO service is a non-starter, but it does place some limits on what CN can accept, and one has to assume that CN expects further cushion in case its needs change - the status quo may not be comfortable if traffic or customers change.
If one looks ahead to 30 minute headways, there is a real need for more track to facilitate local switching. The Weston Sub has been upgraded with considerable investment in service tracks, so there will be less concern in that stretch, but west of Airway over to Peel is tight.
- Paul