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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

Originally we were informed that there was nothing that they could do about the glare issue because those two seats were actually considered revenue seats when the trains was operated from the locomotive. The window was necessary to view into the compartment to make sure nothing untoward was happening in the event that the cab door(which normally would have closed off the control compartment) was somehow opened and used to close off the entire section.

Some conductors/CTO's were using advertising posters to block off the lighting. GO wasn't happy with this since they claimed those posters were for advertisement's only, but the ones the crew were using were posters underneath the current one, which were obviously not in use and usually several years old. I think their real concern was simply with how 'trashy' it looked to be using posters for that purpose. Regardless of the reason, its fully their right to approve or not approve of it.

But I don't think they were very through with the trials. All I've seen them try was a lightly shaded film applied on a single test cab car. They should have darken the shade or made it more reflective. That would have been sufficient to solved the night glare issue, imo.

However the area has now finally been designated a 'crew only' compartment in all circumstance (tailing or leading). Hence there is no need for the window anymore and all cab cars will eventually be modified as such.
 
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uh-oh, we might be having some difficulties here... VIA rail's just poached a few more conductors and engineers from us. I believe 3 maybe 4 have left for 'greener pastures' (only 1 of which was a fully qualified engineer though). The degree of which this may effect long term service increases is unknown, but things are going to very tight at the moment. More troubling is that more may be leaving down the road (near term)
 
Time to increase salaries ... or simply admit defeat and train enough to provide enough new staff for VIA, CN, and CP ...
 
lol, they just did. But evidently either not enough(the conductors received only a relatively small increase vs the engineers) or they made their choice because of other internal issues... And to be fair, the National carrier will always be more lucrative and prestigious by default.
However, they should of been aware in advance that VIA was starting a new class and taken adequate steps to compensate for any potential loses (i.e begin training new conductors - a 3 month process). There's only so much overtime that people are willing to freely accept and the spare board employees were already working close to their weekly maximum before these loses (64 hours; a Transport Canada regulation). They now have managers covering some shifts. Basically what they will have to do is use the conductors that were training to be engineers to cover. Meaning its going to take longer than we though for new engineers to come on line, and hence new runs.

Ironically, that actually is one rumor; That Bombardier is planning to train and qualify engineers to provide for other carriers (all across the world). To Bombardier, GO is just the tip of this iceberg.
Not a bad idea imo.
 
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vegeta_skyline said:
Ironically, that actually is one rumor; That Bombardier is planning to train and qualify engineers to provide for other carriers (all across the world). To Bombardier, GO is just the tip of this iceberg.
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How long does the current GO contract with Bombardier last? Presumably if Bombardier consistently fails to supply the necessary manpower, then it may hurt them the next time it is tendered.
 
Interestingly enough, I heard they've started preliminary negotiations for the next one already (or rather work on the extension clause). The contract was for 5 years with extensions up to 20 and was signed at the end of 2007. Not sure if it took effect then or when they actually took over rail operations from CN in the summer of 2008. Word is it shouldn't be a problem for Bombardier to retain it despite interest from apparently up to 15 other parties.

Seems as though GO is still pleased overall with the service they're getting. I'm sure they're well aware of the manpower issues but it doesn't seem to be phasing them too much. The feeling I get is that there's isn't any major rush to implement expansion plans. Perhaps GO has been told by the government that its not possible to increase operational expenses just yet because of the current depressed economic climate.

Also with regards to the departures, one reason why a certain someone left was because he wanted to one day operate HSR Trains. I told him I hope he's very patient though, because it'll be decades before that actually happens. He might even be retired by then :rolleyes:
 
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canarob said:
It's hard to feel bad for anyone that has express trains and all-day service.
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I see your point. But really, what good is all day service when you're only using it at 8:30am and 5:15pm?

Although in my opinion, crowding is a good problem to have. Certainly beats the exact opposite problem.
 
Since VIA's poached some crew members, would you know if they planning any service increases of their own, even if it's one or two more trips? After all, the Ottawa-Brockville track is now fully CTC with four new turnouts, some of the new third track sections on the Kingston Sub are now active. If VIA was to add service, now would be the time.

Or am I getting my hopes up and VIA is just replacing retiring/quitting employees of their own?
 
ShonTron said:
Since VIA's poached some crew members, would you know if they planning any service increases of their own, even if it's one or two more trips? After all, the Ottawa-Brockville track is now fully CTC with four new turnouts, some of the new third track sections on the Kingston Sub are now active. If VIA was to add service, now would be the time.

Or am I getting my hopes up and VIA is just replacing retiring/quitting employees of their own?
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VIA seems to have a bit of a glut of retiring operating crews over the next couple of years. Service increases won't be for a year still, as they need to get the majority of the LRC equipment rebuilt and into service before they can think about it.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
 
ShonTron said:
Since VIA's poached some crew members, would you know if they planning any service increases of their own, even if it's one or two more trips? After all, the Ottawa-Brockville track is now fully CTC with four new turnouts, some of the new third track sections on the Kingston Sub are now active. If VIA was to add service, now would be the time.

Or am I getting my hopes up and VIA is just replacing retiring/quitting employees of their own?
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Yeah I drove through Smiths Falls the other day and noticed that the VIA station that had been under construction along Highway 15 (just as you enter the town from the north), is now open. Anyone know why they moved it from the old station?
 
gweed123 said:
Yeah I drove through Smiths Falls the other day and noticed that the VIA station that had been under construction along Highway 15 (just as you enter the town from the north), is now open. Anyone know why they moved it from the old station?
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According to VIA's website, it's to reduce schedule conflicts with the CP yard.
I must've gone by Smiths Falls dozens of times, and it's always been very slow through there... should be a big improvement.
 
Swarley said:
According to VIA's website, it's to reduce schedule conflicts with the CP yard.
I must've gone by Smiths Falls dozens of times, and it's always been very slow through there... should be a big improvement.
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Makes sense. I always thought the slow-down through Smiths Falls was because the track between Brockville and Ottawa was single-tracked, and trains could only pass eachother in Smiths Falls. Therefore, if the train coming one way is late (or the other one is early), the other one needs to wait in Smiths Falls until they both arrive. I've sat there for 15-20 minutes at least a couple of times waiting for the other train. And I'm sure I WAS the other train a couple of times too.
 
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