GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[generalcanada]

While I’m generally supportive of more pedestrian areas, closing Lakeshore to traffic on new years when the Gardiner was already slammed with traffic strikes me as insane.

Yea so living downtown you can see from like 7pm on...sooo..many...cars

Its like people by default assume driving is the best way then get surprised when thousands of people think the same way.

I saw people turning onto Dan leckie to QQ just to see a road closed sign. There is absolutely zero foresight with drivers

In my opinion you honestly have to close the entire downtown core to personal cars on NYE, as you heard with the willowbrook go drivers being unable to get to the don yard to serve riders.
allow the gardiner to bypass the city, but its just unworkable to find any solution for the NYE traffic that doesnt include removing access to cars

 

[drum118]

One thing GO/ML must deal with is the labour laws and union agreement as well lack of crews to put more service online for New Year Events as well other events. At the same time, crews want time off to celebrate various events with family and freinds, regardless of whether the pay is double or triple for overtime or extra time that adds to crew shortages.

This year saw extra trains added to various lines with the expectation of larger crowds, but it was more than they expected as well poor planning of having crews in place to have trains place in the right time slots since these extra trains were not store at Union in the first place. Don't know if trains were stored at Don or North Bathurst yard as well what the crews did to kill the time from the time the trains were place in the yard to departure time.

There could have been a shortage of dispatchers that caused some delays as well as equipment issues.

The Lakeshore trains were supposed to be running every 15 minutes then moved to 30 and 60 minutes with crowds on other parts of the line causing delays.

Until the standard how someone can become an engineer in NA like Europe as well those who can quality to be one, ML will be hard press finding crews to provide the higher quality of services that been promised for years to meet the current needs as well future needs. NA RR and governing bodies must look at Europe standards for training Engineers from 9 months to over a year for non HSR that takes 18-24 months if not more depending on the system and country. Not everyone can be an engineer as well the hours they operate at. Then there are the engineers who can be off up to a year or more after they hit someone to the point, they don't return at all.

GO can only run more services on tracks own by ML and permissions of CN/CP on their lines if there is the motor power to do so. We don't know if we will see an extra 13 locomotives by 2025/26 to put more service out there.

It's great to say more service should been on hand for Jan 1st home trips must look at the big picture that ML/GO has on hand for staff and equipment.

 

[Dan416]

Yea so living downtown you can see from like 7pm on...sooo..many...cars

Its like people by default assume driving is the best way then get surprised when thousands of people think the same way.

I saw people turning onto Dan leckie to QQ just to see a road closed sign. There is absolutely zero foresight with drivers

In my opinion you honestly have to close the entire downtown core to personal cars on NYE, as you heard with the willowbrook go drivers being unable to get to the don yard to serve riders.
allow the gardiner to bypass the city, but its just unworkable to find any solution for the NYE traffic that doesnt include removing access to cars

I would never drive downtown on New Year's Eve, but clearly the transit options were insufficient, as witnessed by the crowding in Union Station. The people driving downtown are unlikely to be able to substitute their trips with TTC trips, so GO would most likely have been their only option, and as evidenced by the lack of Milton trains (just 2) it was hardly a real option for people on the Milton line. Milton riders know how quickly one train can fill up, so they probably avoided GO for that reason.

 

[T3G]

One thing GO/ML must deal with is the labour laws and union agreement as well lack of crews to put more service online for New Year Events as well other events. At the same time, crews want time off to celebrate various events with family and freinds, regardless of whether the pay is double or triple for overtime or extra time that adds to crew shortages.

This year saw extra trains added to various lines with the expectation of larger crowds, but it was more than they expected as well poor planning of having crews in place to have trains place in the right time slots since these extra trains were not store at Union in the first place. Don't know if trains were stored at Don or North Bathurst yard as well what the crews did to kill the time from the time the trains were place in the yard to departure time.

There could have been a shortage of dispatchers that caused some delays as well as equipment issues.

The Lakeshore trains were supposed to be running every 15 minutes then moved to 30 and 60 minutes with crowds on other parts of the line causing delays.

Until the standard how someone can become an engineer in NA like Europe as well those who can quality to be one, ML will be hard press finding crews to provide the higher quality of services that been promised for years to meet the current needs as well future needs. NA RR and governing bodies must look at Europe standards for training Engineers from 9 months to over a year for non HSR that takes 18-24 months if not more depending on the system and country. Not everyone can be an engineer as well the hours they operate at. Then there are the engineers who can be off up to a year or more after they hit someone to the point, they don't return at all.

GO can only run more services on tracks own by ML and permissions of CN/CP on their lines if there is the motor power to do so. We don't know if we will see an extra 13 locomotives by 2025/26 to put more service out there.

It's great to say more service should been on hand for Jan 1st home trips must look at the big picture that ML/GO has on hand for staff and equipment.

I don't know how it is with train drivers, but many cities in Europe are currently experiencing a shortage of transit operators.

 

[Krypto98]

I don't know how it is with train drivers, but many cities in Europe are currently experiencing a shortage of transit operators.

The freight operators are pretty short on manpower, CN a bit better than CP however from what ive been told and experienced. I've heard somewhere VIA was short on both man power and equipment...

I'm not sure about GO but I haven't seen the CSA job posting in a while. However if they are going with just enough crews for regular assignments and a spareboard, then having a bunch of extra trains on new years might deplete any spareboard that is maintained.

 

[Allandale25]

Bowmanville Extension TPAP approved by the Minister per this article posted today.

GO train extension to Bowmanville one step closer​

---

January 4, 2024 | 12:30 pm

Durham has the environment minister’s approval to move ahead with the GO train extension to Bowmanville.

The project that will add four new stations passed an environmental assessment. The Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP) ensures any potential negative impacts to the natural, social, cultural and economic environment are protected.

Regional Chair John Henry says he’s thrilled the project continues to achieve major milestones, bringing this extension one step closer to fruition.

“Students, residents and visitors will be able to seamlessly travel across Durham and beyond, creating more connected communities,” said Henry.

 

[Allandale25]

Received today via email:

Seaway Bridge Construction and GO Transit Service Changes begin January 8 in St. Catharines Construction on the Seaway Bridge in St. Catharines-Thorold will take place from Monday January 8 to Monday, February 22. The repair work will happen daily after 6:00pm and as a result, the following trains will not be serving St. Catharines GO station: WEEKDAY rail service 7:30pm GO train to Niagara Falls 9:34pm GO train to Union Station 12:44am GO train to Niagara Falls. WEEKEND rail service 6:55pm GO train to Niagara Falls 8:46pm GO train to Union Station. If you need to travel to or from St. Catharines during these times, bus services are available at Fairview Mall in St Catharines where you can access GO bus route 12 services that connect to Lakeshore West trains at Burlington GO station. On weekdays, riders can also access GO Bus Route 18 from the on-street stop near St. Catharines GO located at Louth Street and St. Paul Street West. For more information, please visit our GO Transit webpage or plan your GO trip on Triplinx.

Niagara Community Engagement Team - Metrolinx niagara@metrolinx.com

 

[jys]

My Milton train was 30 minutes late departing with the same equipment I came on and it was pack full compared to the few 100's that were on the 12 car train I came in on. Had 2 emergency on the train that put us down another 10 minute.

I think we were on the same train (scheduled for 1:25am departure from Union), and my experience was completely different. Got on from the concourse (York?) above the food court. The concourse was busy, but not exceedingly so. Got on the coach right next to the stairs, and it was not crowded at all. There were still seats open when we departed.

 

[drum118]

I don't know how it is with train drivers, but many cities in Europe are currently experiencing a shortage of transit operators.

NA is in bad shape for Bus drivers that systems have cancel routes, cut headway and not providing service on Sundays

I can't speak for Europe as I haven't seen/heard much news on systems over there, but there is a shortage of drivers right cross all levels in several places considering the number of new RR systems starting up as well planning to use the channel to London. There is a big push to put more rail service in place around 2025/26 to deal with the cut back on cheap air fare and flights under 4 hours.

Retirement is far different in Europe than NA that it is 5-10 year earlier along with free travel on systems.

The one big problem with flights under 4 hours train travel sucks. Warsaw to Budapest is close to 8 hours by train and 2 hours by air. Patis to Madrid was 17 hours in 2012 compares 10 hours by HRS today while air is only 2.1 hours

The other thing coming into place today is the cheap transit passes in Europe with France introducing theirs like Germany that more driver are needed.

 

[generalcanada]

I think we were on the same train (scheduled for 1:25am departure from Union), and my experience was completely different. Got on from the concourse (York?) above the food court. The concourse was busy, but not exceedingly so. Got on the coach right next to the stairs, and it was not crowded at all. There were still seats open when we departed.

see I think this is where the issues lie for union and NYE.

If people simply waited like 30 minutes to an hour instead of immediately lining up for transit, I think the crowds would have been much less.

 

[dowlingm]

Metrolinx have banned e-bikes from being stored inside their property: https://x.com/emilyfarina5/status/1743662315361251685?s=46&t=AQtNBc08Mo4QNFe2YHb6Eg

No change to on-train storage: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/e-bike-go-train-ttc-fire-policy-1.7076133

 

[Richard White]

Metrolinx have banned e-bikes from being stored inside their property: https://x.com/emilyfarina5/status/1743662315361251685?s=46&t=AQtNBc08Mo4QNFe2YHb6Eg
View attachment 531846

No change to on-train storage: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/e-bike-go-train-ttc-fire-policy-1.7076133

Not surprised there is no change to the rules about ebikes on trains.

If they denied people the ability to bring e-bikes on trains they would lose a large chunk of commuters from Brampton.

It's not uncommon for gig workers to live in Brampton but commute to Toronto.

 

[dowlingm]

Not surprised there is no change to the rules about ebikes on trains.

If they denied people the ability to bring e-bikes on trains they would lose a large chunk of commuters from Brampton.

It's not uncommon for gig workers to live in Brampton but commute to Toronto.

I for one am curious to test the theory that GO couldn’t fill their trains without e-bike delivery riders, or that blocking exits with bikes has had no impact on their non-bike customer satisfaction, or that there is literally no other way that can be found to transport delivery riders’ bikes downtown.

 

[Richard White]

I for one am curious to test the theory that GO couldn’t fill their trains without e-bike delivery riders, or that blocking exits with bikes has had no impact on their non-bike customer satisfaction, or that there is literally no other way that can be found to transport delivery riders’ bikes downtown.

When I went to Niagara in the summer there was a group of at least 6 people with e-bikes getting off the train from Brampton.

 

[dowlingm]

When I went to Niagara in the summer there was a group of at least 6 people with e-bikes getting off the train from Brampton.

I just don’t understand the sense of seeming entitlement when these discussions arise. Bicycles are largely inert, the benefit of active transportation is deemed sufficient to make some provision for them. Suddenly we have motorized conveyances with power supplies which are being loaded onto trains well beyond the provisioned capacity for them, and nobody can object because to do so would be to mess with the exploitative business model those bikes represent?