GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[smallspy]

Any idea when that signalling upgrade is supposed to be complete? I have to admit, it's quite annoying that the train has to crawl into and out of Union like it currently does.

Mid-2017 is the latest date that I've heard for full completion. There are incremental improvements that will continue to happen between now and then however.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[gweed123]

Mid-2017 is the latest date that I've heard for full completion. There are incremental improvements that will continue to happen between now and then however.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

Thanks! Seems like 2016-17 is the target range for a lot of rail improvements these days, haha.

 

[mpd618]

The promises for more service to Kitchener naturally have Cambridge talking up its own line. CBC talked to CP about it:

Canadian Pacific Railways, the owner of the Milton Line, says while it has received no formal proposal from the City of Cambridge, the idea of commuter passenger service along the busy freight route could work.

The company says on average 17 to 20 freight trains pass through the area in a 24-hour period and through scheduling, the line could easily accommodate a number of commuter passenger trains from Cambridge.

Is that a change of attitude or have we known this?

 

[vegeta_skyline]

There will be PSOs at the major grade separations of 75mph, due to the vertical curves leading into, through and out of them.

I'm curious if that's really necessary from an engineering perspective of if they're just being extra cautious or simply just trying to prevent extra wear and tear. But 75mph does seem to be the standard for the're rail separations, Snider on the Barrie line is indeed zoned for 75 as well. Still that means only one additional PSO at West Toronto that I didn't factor in, which would add a min or so. The zone speed going under Strachan coming into the USRC wouldn't be above 75 anyway so that doesn't add any additional time for the last underpass.

 

[smallspy]

Thanks! Seems like 2016-17 is the target range for a lot of rail improvements these days, haha.

It shouldn't be. The signalling system was originally supposed to be done in early 2015. Siemens cocked it up so badly that they were removed from the project.

Is that a change of attitude or have we known this?

CP often puts a good word out to the media. It's when the discussions start with the other agencies that their true colours come out.

I'm curious if that's really necessary from an engineering perspective of if they're just being extra cautious or simply just trying to prevent extra wear and tear. But 75mph does seem to be the standard for the're rail separations, Snider on the Barrie line is indeed zoned for 75 as well. Still that means only one additional PSO at West Toronto that I didn't factor in, which would add a min or so. The zone speed going under Strachan coming into the USRC wouldn't be above 75 anyway so that doesn't add any additional time for the last underpass.

It seems to be engineering that's dictating the PSO, as the drawings I saw all said "75mph MAX". I suspect that they could have gone away from them if they had used steeper grades in the grade separations, but that raises a whole new set of issues.

In any case, it is still a huge improvement over what is there now.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[dunkalunk]

Feasibility question; assuming you put in parking for two trains (similar to the Kitchener Layover Facility), how feasible would a one-stop extension of the Milton Line be to Highway 6? A station here would have a lot going for it, and even though it isn't an extension to Cambridge, it would serve a large number of customers from Cambridge.

 

[TFC]

I don't think GO would extend the Milton line to a park & ride facility in the middle of nowhere. If GO extends the Milton line in the future, it'll probably be to Cambridge rather than highway 6. There's nothing around highway 6 to justify a station.

 

[innsertnamehere]

its no different than the extension to Gormley on the Richmond Hill line or the extension to Lincolnville on Stouffville. Middle of nowhere, but it still serves a town not too far away. (Aurora and Uxbridge)

 

[dunkalunk]

I don't think GO would extend the Milton line to a park & ride facility in the middle of nowhere. If GO extends the Milton line in the future, it'll probably be to Cambridge rather than highway 6. There's nothing around highway 6 to justify a station.

I guess what I was trying to get at with the question was is there any point to extending service to Puslinch without expanding to Cambridge. Highway 6 definitely could support a park and ride station. It's not the first GO park and ride terminus that's in the middle of nowhere. (Bloomington and Lincolnville come to mind)

 

[TFC]

I guess what I was trying to get at with the question was is there any point to extending service to Puslinch without expanding to Cambridge. Highway 6 definitely could support a park and ride station. It's not the first GO park and ride terminus that's in the middle of nowhere. (Bloomington and Lincolnville come to mind)

That's valid, as is the Gormley example mentioned by insertnamehere. I'd hope that they'd just go right to Cambridge if possible. There would probably have to be an operational reason for them to decide to only extend service to highway 6 rather than Cambridge proper (CP having more operational activity in Cambridge than at highway 6?).

 

[dunkalunk]

That's valid, as is the Gormley example mentioned by insertnamehere. I'd hope that they'd just go right to Cambridge if possible. There would probably have to be an operational reason for them to decide to only extend service to highway 6 rather than Cambridge proper (CP having more operational activity in Cambridge than at highway 6?).

A significant barrier to service is that CP does a lot of their switching at their yard at Samuelson St near downtown Galt. Unless that section of the line is bypassed with section of track connecting to a station at the Hespeler Road/Dundas, the yard would need to be relocated elsewhere.

 

[Jonny5]

I guess what I was trying to get at with the question was is there any point to extending service to Puslinch without expanding to Cambridge. Highway 6 definitely could support a park and ride station. It's not the first GO park and ride terminus that's in the middle of nowhere. (Bloomington and Lincolnville come to mind)

Lincolnville is at the yard. If the yard was not there it wouldn't exist.

 

[trainiart]

Made possible by recent the activation of the CTC system up to mile 30. Which was about time since they only had the hardware in place since late last year.

Those trains will be running equipment up to Maple but probably not straight from Willowbrook. Depends on how early they are, but most likely they will have completed a run on the Lakeshore first.

You probably know their plans better, but isn't it possible to use the existing bypass track right behind Maple to store at least one, or maybe even two trains overnight? Perhaps with minimal modifications?

 

[smallspy]

You probably know their plans better, but isn't it possible to use the existing bypass track right behind Maple to store at least one, or maybe even two trains overnight? Perhaps with minimal modifications?

Anything is possible, of course.

It is far more ideal to build a proper layover facility to store trains however, as that way you can have a location were trains can easily be serviced (cleaners are not allowed on regular ROW), monitored and secured, and where you can locate a wayside box to plug them in overnight so that they don't have to idle (and therefore burn fuel).

All of this costs money and requires space, and there isn't much of the latter in Maple until you get north of Teston Rd. Also, with a 6th trainset likely to be added to the Barrie service later this year, would it really be a good use of resources to build a layover facility that would only be used for 6 months or so?

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[TOareaFan]

Sorry if this is hidden behind a paywall for some....

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/201...ket_proposal_cheered_by_toronto_fc_fans.html?

Star story about negotiations between MLSE and Metrolinx to do joint ticketing program for events at BMO Field.