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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

crs1026 said:
A great insight. I wonder, too, whether the bridge contractor has plenty of other work and limited staff and perhaps has effectively walked away from the project, for now or for good.

The downfall of Ml's whole contracting strategy is, it relies ongoing to court to get redress. That's not a very effective weapon - if the contractor has already foregone any incentive payments and/or swallowed penalties, there is no pain.....and it does nothing to restart or expedite stalled work. The legal wrangling takes time which is a lever that works against ML.

I wonder, too, if the contractors have managed to add huge amounts of padding in their negotiated timelines, as a countermeasure to ML.'s fixed-price approach. Theloose staging may actually be written into the contract.

- Paul
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The solution is to design a contract for multiple outs - and find a contractor who would sign something like that.
 
denfromoakvillemilton said:
The solution is to design a contract for multiple outs - and find a contractor who would sign something like that.
Click to expand...

Another solution would be to revert to a time honoured traditional construction claims process - and then sensitize the public and media to the concept that fixed price does not insulate projects from unforeseens and possible escalations. And then be transparent about project timelines.

- Paul
 
Received today:

Thank you for registering for the Virtual Open House for the Bowmanville Extension Environmental Project Report (EPR) Addendum on June 14, 2023!



In lead up to the completion of the Environmental Project Report (EPR) Addendum, the Virtual Public Information Centre (PIC) is now open until June 21, 2023. Materials on the results of the technical studies, including potential impacts and proposed mitigation measures, are available for review and feedback. During this Virtual PIC period, the public may submit questions and/or feedback via the Slido form at the bottom of the webpage or by email to our community inbox at DurhamRegion@metrolinx.com.
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From the link. Looks like lots of work to cross the 401, and a mini Davenport Diamond bridge for Oshawa?

The GM Spur bridge is getting completely replaced with a double track bridge for GO and CP tracks. I’m trying to figure out the grade profiles of the new GO line. It seems to be almost all elevated between the 401 and the CP mainline. Assuming it’s level with the GM spur at the 401 crossing, it must rise to cross the GM spur again (as evidenced by the new rail over rail bridge). The new retaining wall near the CP mainline implies a dropping grade differential too. Or am I crazy?

IMG_1645.jpeg

IMG_1646.jpeg


There is also a pretty large double track section too, and the GO tracks are GO-only which is nice.
 
SaugeenJunction said:
From the link. Looks like lots of work to cross the 401, and a mini Davenport Diamond bridge for Oshawa?

The GM Spur bridge is getting completely replaced with a double track bridge for GO and CP tracks. I’m trying to figure out the grade profiles of the new GO line. It seems to be almost all elevated between the 401 and the CP mainline. Assuming it’s level with the GM spur at the 401 crossing, it must rise to cross the GM spur again (as evidenced by the new rail over rail bridge). The new retaining wall near the CP mainline implies a dropping grade differential too. Or am I crazy?

View attachment 483894
View attachment 483895

There is also a pretty large double track section too, and the GO tracks are GO-only which is nice.
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If the GO tracks are GO only it might just be an extension of the existing GO sub

Slightly unrelated but if GO wanted to expand to Belleville on via Kingston sub they could merge MX Thickson and CN Oshawa West to have a crossover between the two to allow GO to cross to the Kingston. 3 years ago I would have said it would be impossible but given the London pilot a 150 mile operating radius might be possible...

Getting GO Train service to Peterborough on the other hand... either use the old CN Uxbridge sub ROW which has steep 3% grades or the CP Havelock sub or use something completely new...
 
One most interesting detail - hourly service off peak, 30 minutes at peak, bi-hourly on weekends. That's more than the original studies which only suggested 5 peak trains. I'm pleased to see that as without 2WAD frequency, the incentive to drive to Oshawa would remain.

The single track section from Oshawa to Albert St where the double track begins will be slow going. Half hourly service is likely all the track layout will allow, but that's likely fine for a couple of decades at least.

It's good to see ML getting on with this - and proof that CP is not an unmovable opponent. But - it will still be years to finish the EA, do the procurement, and get all that trackwork done. I wonder how this fits against all the other work needed to Kitchener and Niagara.

- Paul


1686274101737.png
 
crs1026 said:
One most interesting detail - hourly service off peak, 30 minutes at peak, bi-hourly on weekends. That's more than the original studies which only suggested 5 peak trains. I'm pleased to see that as without 2WAD frequency, the incentive to drive to Oshawa would remain.

The single track section from Oshawa to Albert St where the double track begins will be slow going. Half hourly service is likely all the track layout will allow, but that's likely fine for a couple of decades at least.

It's good to see ML getting on with this - and proof that CP is not an unmovable opponent. But - it will still be years to finish the EA, do the procurement, and get all that trackwork done. I wonder how this fits against all the other work needed to Kitchener and Niagara.

- Paul


View attachment 483928
Click to expand...
CP seems to get alot of unecessary flak sometimes.
 
crs1026 said:
One most interesting detail - hourly service off peak, 30 minutes at peak, bi-hourly on weekends. That's more than the original studies which only suggested 5 peak trains. I'm pleased to see that as without 2WAD frequency, the incentive to drive to Oshawa would remain.

The single track section from Oshawa to Albert St where the double track begins will be slow going. Half hourly service is likely all the track layout will allow, but that's likely fine for a couple of decades at least.

It's good to see ML getting on with this - and proof that CP is not an unmovable opponent. But - it will still be years to finish the EA, do the procurement, and get all that trackwork done. I wonder how this fits against all the other work needed to Kitchener and Niagara.

- Paul


View attachment 483928
Click to expand...
The good news is that the project is procured already, and this new design is a result of that procurement. The Bowmanville extension used a construction management model, similar to the “alliance” model. Both parties (MX and the bidder) worked to refine the design, and when Metrolinx is ready, they will execute the contract to start construction. The addendum to the EA shouldn’t take too long.

Contract went out in April of 2022.
 
I really wish Metrolinx could have figured out how to extend 15 minute RER service to Ritson Rd, but this is a good start. I guess they didn't want to spend the money to extend the double-tracking over the 401 overpass.
 
crs1026 said:
One most interesting detail - hourly service off peak, 30 minutes at peak, bi-hourly on weekends. That's more than the original studies which only suggested 5 peak trains. I'm pleased to see that as without 2WAD frequency, the incentive to drive to Oshawa would remain.

The single track section from Oshawa to Albert St where the double track begins will be slow going. Half hourly service is likely all the track layout will allow, but that's likely fine for a couple of decades at least.

It's good to see ML getting on with this - and proof that CP is not an unmovable opponent. But - it will still be years to finish the EA, do the procurement, and get all that trackwork done. I wonder how this fits against all the other work needed to Kitchener and Niagara.

- Paul


View attachment 483928
Click to expand...
There seems to be some fine print that they left out, however. Yes, this is good if it is in fact the service levels for the full extension.

The original EA, however, had all service being extended from the current Oshawa to Oshawa Central, with the peak service being extended to/from Bowmanville.

If you are heading to/from downtown Oshawa, this is actually a substantial decrease in service levels.

Dan
 
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