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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

Ok, so I note that we are all collectively running a tad off topic for the GO service thread. That said, I can't resist sneaking in something for the younger set.

Until 1995, the TTC didn't have a door chime............conductors blew a whistle. Here's a video from the last train where that happened:

www.efootage.com

Train Conductor Blows Whistle - Film & Video Stock

A TTC conductor blows a whistle to signal the closing of train doors, followed by a report that chimes will now replace whistles on the subway cars. PLEASE NOTE: News anchor and reporter image and audio, along with any commercial production excerpts, are for reference purposes only and are not...
www.efootage.com www.efootage.com
 
While I find this whole door debate entertaining, is it really an issue, and/or has anyone confirmed this is why the 1 minute rule is being implemented?
 
Coolibop said:
While I find this whole door debate entertaining, is it really an issue, and/or has anyone confirmed this is why the 1 minute rule is being implemented?
Click to expand...
The reason it’s done at many other railways is that it reduces variability in departure times (and therefore reduces the amount of buffer time required in station areas).
 
Coolibop said:
While I find this whole door debate entertaining, is it really an issue, and/or has anyone confirmed this is why the 1 minute rule is being implemented?
Click to expand...

The rule is being implemented for two reasons, one overt and the other more subtle.

The overt - at busy stations such as Union, it can take a full minute (or more) for the CSA to close the doors on a train, especially if it is crowded and both sides are open. Closing the doors "early" - in the sense that they start the door closing procedure one minute prior to scheduled departure - is a means to help the trains get out of the station on time.

The subtle - this is also a means to get passengers aware that they need to get to the stations earlier, so that they are not rushing the doors as they close. This is why GO's messaging on this has been fairly quiet and with few clarifications. If they can get people thinking that they need to be at their home station - regardless of whether it is actually affected by the rule - earlier in order to make sure that they get on before the doors close, then all of the "bad press" has done its job.

It should also be noted that most systems around the planet have some similar rule already in place. Intercity systems will have such a rule at all stations, or at least the major ones, while commuter systems will do it only at the point of origin for a specific trip. The amount of time varies somewhat based on their operating practices and cultural details.

Dan
 
Northern Light said:
Ok, so I note that we are all collectively running a tad off topic for the GO service thread. That said, I can't resist sneaking in something for the younger set.

Until 1995, the TTC didn't have a door chime............conductors blew a whistle. Here's a video from the last train where that happened:

www.efootage.com

Train Conductor Blows Whistle - Film & Video Stock

A TTC conductor blows a whistle to signal the closing of train doors, followed by a report that chimes will now replace whistles on the subway cars. PLEASE NOTE: News anchor and reporter image and audio, along with any commercial production excerpts, are for reference purposes only and are not...
www.efootage.com www.efootage.com
Click to expand...
A sound from my youth. Also, the guard was a second set of crew eyes on the train.
 
Northern Light said:
Ok, so I note that we are all collectively running a tad off topic for the GO service thread. That said, I can't resist sneaking in something for the younger set.

Until 1995, the TTC didn't have a door chime............conductors blew a whistle. Here's a video from the last train where that happened:

www.efootage.com

Train Conductor Blows Whistle - Film & Video Stock

A TTC conductor blows a whistle to signal the closing of train doors, followed by a report that chimes will now replace whistles on the subway cars. PLEASE NOTE: News anchor and reporter image and audio, along with any commercial production excerpts, are for reference purposes only and are not...
www.efootage.com www.efootage.com
Click to expand...

TTC Staff still have whistles in the event the chimes fail. Quite ironic actually as if the chimes fail chances are the train will be taken OOS.
 
smallspy said:
The rule is being implemented for two reasons, one overt and the other more subtle.

The overt - at busy stations such as Union, it can take a full minute (or more) for the CSA to close the doors on a train, especially if it is crowded and both sides are open. Closing the doors "early" - in the sense that they start the door closing procedure one minute prior to scheduled departure - is a means to help the trains get out of the station on time.

The subtle - this is also a means to get passengers aware that they need to get to the stations earlier, so that they are not rushing the doors as they close. This is why GO's messaging on this has been fairly quiet and with few clarifications. If they can get people thinking that they need to be at their home station - regardless of whether it is actually affected by the rule - earlier in order to make sure that they get on before the doors close, then all of the "bad press" has done its job.

It should also be noted that most systems around the planet have some similar rule already in place. Intercity systems will have such a rule at all stations, or at least the major ones, while commuter systems will do it only at the point of origin for a specific trip. The amount of time varies somewhat based on their operating practices and cultural details.

Dan
Click to expand...
I don‘t think that anyone questions the benefit of scheduling a small buffer between the events „doors are getting closed“ rather than the strange insistence that passengers somehow care about the timing of the latter event more than about that of the one which actually determines whether they will catch the train in time or miss it. If I may quote myself:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1612545454528696320
 
Last edited:
closing-lots-of-doors-cartoon-closing-door.gif
 
Willybru21 said:
The bag was caught on a grab iron as the train was pulling into the station, didn’t have anything to do with the doors. That’s why the grab irons on all coaches were removed a few years ago:

View attachment 449475View attachment 449474
Click to expand...
So now they can't ride in trains that are being shunted in the yard?

The person was past the yellow line when they got caught.
 
Bordercollie said:
So now they can't ride in trains that are being shunted in the yard?

The person was past the yellow line when they got caught.
Click to expand...
Clearly not being able to ride trains around in the yard wasn’t an issue to GO or it’s crews or they wouldn’t have removed them.
 
Richard White said:
TTC Staff still have whistles in the event the chimes fail. Quite ironic actually as if the chimes fail chances are the train will be taken OOS.
Click to expand...
The train will be taken out of service to get the fault repaired, but not immediately. It is not considered a safety-critical issue. The crew is expected to complete their run first - thus the whistles.

Dan
 
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