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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

DonValleyRainbow said:
It was either going to be Lakeshore or Kitchener.
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Kinda has to be Lakeshore for access to maintenance facilities. Pain in the ass to send a diesel engine after every electric car that needs a couple hours of TLC.

Building new facilities on Kitchener while the actual route is under question (see freight bypass options versus corridor widening) is pretty risky, particularly for a test.
 
Adjei said:
In 2019, the first test for electrification of GO Trains will take place on the Lakeshore line.

http://www.mississauga.com/news-sto...eresting-partnerships-at-transportation-hubs/
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Honestly, that's a bit sooner than I expected. When they said 10 years from 2014, I was anticipating that they were going to cut it as close as they could to that 10 year deadline. 2019 however would be the midway point of that commitment.

I suspect that the "test" section that they will have will probably be from Willowbrook to around Exhibition. That way it's 100% on GO tracks, and the corridor is wide enough at that point. This is not all that dissimilar from Ottawa's LRT, where they're building a section of guideway between Tremblay and Blair to test trains on (the yard connection is between Tremblay and St. Laurent).
 
I'm just wondering - why is it only going to be a "test"? Electrification is common everywhere else in the world, what's there to test? I guess the statement from the article is pretty vague.
 
Duck said:
I'm just wondering - why is it only going to be a "test"? Electrification is common everywhere else in the world, what's there to test? I guess the statement from the article is pretty vague.
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I suspect the meaning is closer to "sandbox" (ie, learning space) than "trial".

One would expect that they would continue to erect wire to the east, but this will be a whole project in itself. Putting it in service just to the Ex can be quick(er) and dirty and that gives then a place to try stuff. I doubt there is any revenue service aspect to that.

- Paul
 
Clappisons corners is the new factory for the double deckers is it not?

I presume the Shirley Avenue facility would be for improved Waterloo service.. Maybe the introduction of a bus that actually goes to Union.
 
innsertnamehere said:
Clappisons corners is the new factory for the double deckers is it not?

I presume the Shirley Avenue facility would be for improved Waterloo service.. Maybe the introduction of a bus that actually goes to Union.
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Running a direct KW-Toronto bus would be bad PR given that Greyhound already runs that route.

My hope is that they instead expand service from K-W to Bramalea (Routes 30 and 25F) to connect to the increasingly AD2W train service at Bramalea. And maybe they'll take over the failing K-W to Hamilton Coach Canada service too.
 
innsertnamehere said:
Clappisons corners is the new factory for the double deckers is it not?
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No, it's a new GO bus storage and maintenance facility - this one, I think.

reaperexpress said:
Running a direct KW-Toronto bus would be bad PR given that Greyhound already runs that route.
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I think it would be great PR especially among anyone who's had to travel Greyhound on that corridor, but GO Transit would have to be willing to pick up service on the whole corridor if Greyhound decided to pull out as a result.
 
Yes, but I believe it will be used for a few years as the place of final assembly for the new buses to meet can con regulations. I may be incorrect on that one, I simply recall reading with the announcement of the replacement of the MCI fleet with Double Deckers that they would build a new facility in Waterdown for assembly and then convert it to a bus garage after.
 
mpd618 said:
I think it would be great PR especially among anyone who's had to travel Greyhound on that corridor, but GO Transit would have to be willing to pick up service on the whole corridor if Greyhound decided to pull out as a result.
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I suppose if they did pick a fight with Greyhound the public would likely be on their side, but in any case I think an all-day train-bus service would be an equally good addition to the network. Although the transfer at Bramalea adds time, train-buses completely avoid congested GTA highways, which boosts reliability. And unlike a direct-to-downtown bus, a train-bus provides a fast route from K-W to Brampton, Vaughan and North York, especially if it continues to York U.

Full disclosure: I am biased because I travel frequently between K-W and Toronto's northern suburbs - a trip for which Greyhound has no use, but GO's train-buses can be very attractive during the few times they actually run.
 
reaperexpress said:
Running a direct KW-Toronto bus would be bad PR given that Greyhound already runs that route.

My hope is that they instead expand service from K-W to Bramalea (Routes 30 and 25F) to connect to the increasingly AD2W train service at Bramalea. And maybe they'll take over the failing K-W to Hamilton Coach Canada service too.
Click to expand...

Hamilton to K-W, and also to Guelph, would be a very welcome service for GO. The Greyhound monopoly on certain routes I always found to be a bit strange.
 
I doubt GO would ever service that route. If Canada Coach dies, I'd think people would have to change at the new Winston Churchill GO station.
 
reaperexpress said:
Running a direct KW-Toronto bus would be bad PR given that Greyhound already runs that route.

My hope is that they instead expand service from K-W to Bramalea (Routes 30 and 25F) to connect to the increasingly AD2W train service at Bramalea. And maybe they'll take over the failing K-W to Hamilton Coach Canada service too.
Click to expand...

I'm hoping that GO starts taking over the buses within the Guelph-Kitchener-Hamilton triangle. There's nothing right now between Hamilton and Guelph; the Greyhound service isn't great between Kitchener and Guelph, difficult from Cambridge, and only 3-4 buses a day between Kitchener and Hamilton.

I argue for such links on my blog, if you're interested:
http://seanmarshall.ca/2015/11/25/the-golden-horseshoes-missing-links/
 
rbt said:
Kinda has to be Lakeshore for access to maintenance facilities. Pain in the ass to send a diesel engine after every electric car that needs a couple hours of TLC.

Building new facilities on Kitchener while the actual route is under question (see freight bypass options versus corridor widening) is pretty risky, particularly for a test.
Click to expand...

Expanding my thoughts here. Lakeshore is definitely the line to do testing for 100% electrification. If GO were to acquire hybrid locos, Kitchener would be the testing spot for that; electrification will happen at least as far as the UPX spur, maybe Malton or Bramalea.
 
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