New Go service starts today
7:17 train small step toward expanded service
March 02, 2009
Elisabeth Johns
The Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/522981
Weekday commuter rail service between Hamilton and Toronto ggot a major boost today with a new rush-hour train running out of Hunter Street station.
The 7:17 a.m. commuter train now means there will be four morning GO trains to Toronto instead of three, so riders won't have to leave so early.
The new service will address growing demand and will hopefully increase ridership, said Councillor Bob Bratina, who is also on the GO Transit board of directors.
"Rather than driving to Aldershot or Burlington to catch a train, we think the 7:17 a.m. train will be in big demand because it's more convenient for commuters," said Bratina, who was riding the new train this morning.
The 12-car train is the first new service added in Hamilton since 2000. Four trains return to Hamilton in the afternoon and that number remains unchanged.
It's part of more than $8-million the province is spending to build a layover facility east of the Hamilton GO Centre on Hunter Street West.
Four trains will be kept in Hamilton each night, which means the trains no longer have to be shuttled back and forth to the GO yard in Mimico.
This will prevent any delays and make sure the trains are ready in Hamilton on time to transport early morning commuters, Bratina said.
This will also mean some maintenance and cleaning jobs when the building is complete in the spring, he added.
Under GO Transit's strategic plan, GO 2020, Hamilton is set to get major service upgrades and eventually get two-way, all-day service by 2020.
Mayor Fred Eisenberger called the additional train a strong indication from GO and Metrolinx -- the provincial agency responsible for mapping the future of transport across the GTA and Hamilton -- that they are committed to servicing our city.
"This will connect us much better to our regional economy," he said.
"The enhanced GO capacity also gives downtown developers a chance to look at Hamilton in a more urban way."
The biggest problem is a lack of parking for commuters wanting to drive from their home, park their car and get on a train, Bratina said.
There are no parking spots at the Hamilton GO Centre and it's the city's policy not to tear down buildings to create parking spaces. It's something he'd like to address.
"What's happening is that people who could come to the Hamilton GO station drive to Burlington so they can park their car."
Frequent GO train commuter Dean Mitchell said it's "a pain in the butt" to take a bus to Aldershot to get to his job in Oakville.
It's one of the reasons why he's moving from Hamilton to Oakville, he said.
