GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Metrolinx only purchased a portion of the Kingston subdivision from the Union Station Rail Corridor (mile 332.4) to Durhan Jct. (mile 314), which is 1 mile west of the Pickering GO station. At Durham Jct. it connects to the GO built and owned GO subdivision(yes they named it after themselves ).

The GO sub then continues 11.7 miles eastward until it ends at the Oshawa GO. The plan is to build a diversion around mile 11 of the GO sub where it will continue northward, cross the 401 and connect to CP's Belleville sub just west of Stevenson Rd in Oshawa.

An additional track will be built to the south side of CP's mainline continuing for a few miles until it connects to the Belleville sub. CP will not be transferring ownership of any portion of their mainline to GO/Metrolinx.

Thanks, So when will we see full service to bomanville?

 

[EnviroTO]

In the near future the Bowmanville extension of GO's Lakeshore East line will run across a portion of CP's Belleville subdivision as well.

Near future? They haven't committed funding, and are having disagreements with land owners on property values where they are hoping to locate potential stations.

I thought Metrolinx bough all the lines from Burlington to Courtice?

No, only the Lakeshore line approximately from New Toronto to the Oshawa, Georgetown line from Bramalea to Union Station corridor, Barrie line in its entirety, the Stouffville line in its entirety, and the Don Branch from Union Station corridor to Leaside which has no current traffic. All the rest is still owned by CN or CP.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Near future? They haven't committed funding, and are having disagreements with land owners on property values where they are hoping to locate potential stations.



No, only the Lakeshore line approximately from New Toronto to the Oshawa, Georgetown line from Bramalea to Union Station, Barrie line in its entirety, the Stouffville line in its entirety, and the Don Branch from Union Station to Leaside which has no current traffic. All the rest is still owned by CN or CP.

Thank you.

 

[vegeta_skyline]

Near future? They haven't committed funding, and are having disagreements with land owners on property values where they are hoping to locate potential stations.

It's in the near future, 3-5 years away, relative to the Midtown, Locust Hill/Peterborough and Seaton lines, which are a decade or two away.

No, only the Lakeshore line approximately from New Toronto to the Oshawa, Georgetown line from Bramalea to Union Station corridor, Barrie line in its entirety, the Stouffville line in its entirety, and the Don Branch from Union Station corridor to Leaside which has no current traffic. All the rest is still owned by CN or CP.

They also own 4.6 miles of the Galt sub (Milton line). And I've heard that they now also own a good portion of the Bala sub(Richmond Hill line). Which was a bit surprising since there wasn't any 'fan fair' about it. But then again there wasn't much coverage of their purchase of the Oakville sub, up to (but 'not including') Campa at mile 8.4, either.

 

[gweed123]

Metrolinx only purchased a portion of the Kingston subdivision from the Union Station Rail Corridor (mile 332.4) to Durhan Jct. (mile 314), which is 1 mile west of the Pickering GO station. At Durham Jct. it connects to the GO built and owned GO subdivision(yes they named it after themselves ).

The GO sub then continues 11.7 miles eastward until it ends at the Oshawa GO. The plan is to build a diversion around mile 11 of the GO sub where it will continue northward, cross the 401 and connect to CP's Belleville sub just west of Stevenson Rd in Oshawa.

An additional track will be built to the south side of CP's mainline continuing for a few miles until it connects to the Belleville sub. CP will not be transferring ownership of any portion of their mainline to GO/Metrolinx.

Interesting, thanks for that! Since it will be using the CP tracks through Oshawa, are there any plans to add an additional station in Oshawa, that is perhaps closer to downtown? (I'm thinking between Simcoe and Ritson Rd). Seems to me like that would connect much better with the future rapid transit line along Simcoe.

How will this extension impact the current Oshawa GO station? Sounds like from what you're describing it's going to veer off west of the current Oshawa GO station, turning the current station into a basically a stub line. Maybe I just have my visualization a bit mixed up.

 

[vegeta_skyline]

Yup thats correct, a station is planned between Ritson and Front st. All day service would be extended to this station. Another station is to be built west of Thornton rd. A detailed track schematic plans can be found here; http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/docs/ea/oshawabowmanville/AppendixH_PlansandProfiles.pdf

While not shown in that plan, a station was also previously proposed south of Bloor st.
Service to the current Oshawa GO station will be discontinued.

 

[gweed123]

Yup thats correct, a station is planned between Ritson and Front st. All day service would be extended to this station. Another station is to be built west of Thornton rd. A detailed track schematic plans can be found here; http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/docs/ea/oshawabowmanville/AppendixH_PlansandProfiles.pdf

While not shown in that plan, a station was also previously proposed south of Bloor st.
Service to the current Oshawa GO station will be discontinued.

That's great news, thanks for that! I'm all for moving GO stations closer to the heart of communities, so that they actually become a part of the community, not just a parking lot that you drive to. I always thought the Oshawa GO station was kind of out in it's own little universe, not really connected to anything.

Will VIA still continue to use the station, or will they move over to the new stations as well? It would seem like a logical move to do, that way the station can be decommissioned completely.

 

[northto]

It's in the near future, 3-5 years away, relative to the Midtown, Locust Hill/Peterborough and Seaton lines, which are a decade or two away.

Vegeta, I'm intrigued by your mention of the Midtown line project; from your post, it sounds like this project is indeed something that will happen down the road. I realize that the Midtown line was shown in The Big Move, but I'm curious how GO/Metrolinx currently regard this one - is it officially something GO/MLX is working on, that is integrated into its working strategy?

Also, what will the process be moving forward to make this happen? I assume that the key issue with getting access to this track is CP/CN ownership and the fact that in order for GO to slots for passenger service, an alternative solution for freight traffic will have to be found. Hence, I assume that the negotiations for space on this line involve issues relating to other infrastructure than just the sub itself.

Any insights you can share re the Midtown line would be greatly appreciated.

 

[smallspy]

And I've heard that they now also own a good portion of the Bala sub(Richmond Hill line).

I hadn't heard about this one, although I know that they've been in discussions with CN for its purchase for almost 2 years now.

Vegeta, I'm intrigued by your mention of the Midtown line project; from your post, it sounds like this project is indeed something that will happen down the road. I realize that the Midtown line was shown in The Big Move, but I'm curious how GO/Metrolinx currently regard this one - is it officially something GO/MLX is working on, that is integrated into its working strategy?

Also, what will the process be moving forward to make this happen? I assume that the key issue with getting access to this track is CP/CN ownership and the fact that in order for GO to slots for passenger service, an alternative solution for freight traffic will have to be found. Hence, I assume that the negotiations for space on this line involve issues relating to other infrastructure than just the sub itself.

Any insights you can share re the Midtown line would be greatly appreciated.

I'm not Vegeta, but I'll input my understanding of the project, at least as of the last time I heard anyone at GO's head office speak of it prior to the merger with Metrolinx.

No one at GO at that time had no interest in the project. It wasn't seen as particularly viable - the land was expensive, the station taken and used, and there wasn't any capacity to bring anyone downtown from there (GO at the time still saw itself as primarily a downtown commuter operation - not sure if this sentiment still pervades the organization). Anytime it was brought up, it was done so by a politician, enthusiast or urban planner - basically, someone "outside the organization".

Metrolinx included it in the Big Move, but I don't know how much they are working on it, or whether they've been able to change the way of thinking of some of the old hands.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[liamdevlin02]

I hadn't heard about this one, although I know that they've been in discussions with CN for its purchase for almost 2 years now.

I wonder what section they would purchase. It would have to be from mile 16 south, since everything from the York sub junction north is still well used for transcontinental traffic from the CN yard to the west.

I would hope part of the plan would also be to double track it where they can, but that might be tough in the valley.

Adam
http://walkerweb.ca

 

[vegeta_skyline]

I hadn't heard about this one, although I know that they've been in discussions with CN for its purchase for almost 2 years now.

I'm not Vegeta, but I'll input my understanding of the project, at least as of the last time I heard anyone at GO's head office speak of it prior to the merger with Metrolinx.

lol, I hope people don't think I'm the only one here who's a contributor. Obviously I don't know everything and of course the more that contribute the better

Re; Bala sub, I heard this information a few months back from a source connected to both CNR & Bombardier. I questioned the validity of that claim but he continued to insist on the accuracy of it and he would/should know better than I do. But I still have my doubts, especially since he was of the belief that GO would soon be able to purchase sections north of Doncaster, CN's mainline, which I'm sure none of us view as a realistic possibility, so who knows.

Re; Midtown line. Like you said they're certainly not high on it and naturally there are no real plans for it, other than the Big Move. By stating a decade or two I did not mean to indicate that the service would be up and running by then but rather that would be a realistic time frame for their implementation.

 

[smallspy]

I wonder what section they would purchase. It would have to be from mile 16 south, since everything from the York sub junction north is still well used for transcontinental traffic from the CN yard to the west.

I would hope part of the plan would also be to double track it where they can, but that might be tough in the valley.

Adam
http://walkerweb.ca

Nice Higgins reference Adam.

CN would only be willing to part with the section from Doncaster south. I believe that the purchase of the line was conditional on GO building a grade separation at Doncaster, but it may also be the other way around.

Double tracking the line was always in the cards long-term, but in the interim what I've seen and heard indicated an additional siding south of Eglinton (potentially with a station), double-tracking the south end past Pottery Rd. and improving the signalling. Because of the geometry of the line, there is little chance for speed improvements.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[SGHA504]

Re; Midtown line. Like you said they're certainly not high on it and naturally there are no real plans for it, other than the Big Move. By stating a decade or two I did not mean to indicate that the service would be up and running by then but rather that would be a realistic time frame for their implementation.

I know the Big Move 2.0 is being released relatively soon - we'll see if its (Midtown Line) included in that document or if any additional information will be included.

 

[canarob]

GO's report to Metrolinx for the Nov 23 meeting is up on the website: http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/agendas/agendas_2011_11_23.aspx

Not much info here, but some highlights:

-Sept ridership: rail up 9.6%, bus up 4.7%
-rush hour rail performance: 95%
-rush hour seat availability: 64% (target 80%)

Given the dismal seat availability numbers, I'm curious as to the status of more 12-car train roll-outs. We were supposed to get one AM and one PM this fall in Stouffville, but I haven't heard anything. I believe the platform extensions for Centennial, Unionville, and Milliken have been completed, although I could be mistaken. I would think that with these stations alone, it would be ok to start with one AM and one PM train given people could just walk down through the trains like we do at Markham station. It's still preferable to the current situation where even places to stand are becoming scarce on some trains.

Also, according to the below, Markham will be extended for 10-car loading in 2012? This is my station, and I haven't heard anything about this. Good news at any rate though!

"Scheduled for completion in 2012 are: Stouffville, Markham (to 10 car), Mount Joy, Mimico (north platform), Richmond Hill and Kennedy. "

http://www.gotransit.com/PassengerCharter/en/improvements.aspx

 

[timio]

From today's Kitchener Record. The official date for launch of the Kitchener GO Train will be announced on Friday.

Also, from the comments over at GOKW.org

In the Acton Tanner, from about 2 weeks ago, and from talking to the city powers, platforms will be installed in the next few weeks, 2 ticket machines at each end of the platforms and a presto machine in the center. Survey crews were on site the last 3 weeks. Parking at Olde Hide House at the north end (old station lot) by agreement with OHH and Halton Hills. Double tracking to begin in spring 2012 from 5 sideroad to behind Shoppers Drug Mart on Queen.