GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[TOareaFan]

It will be many years before electrification and EMUs. Many commutes to be made and bums to be seated. Look at LSW right now. The service promises are x minutes or better. 'Or Better' will require more seats. Or we will be squashed in like peas.

I understand that....but I don't think it is a factor in this order....the 1st of these cars is to be delivered in early 2020...so most of this order will be delivered well into the ReR era...which starts around 2022 no?

 

[rbt]

I understand that....but I don't think it is a factor in this order....the 1st of these cars is to be delivered in early 2020...so most of this order will be delivered well into the ReR era...which starts around 2022 no?

Few years earlier than that:

"Production of the bilevel rail cars is scheduled to start in the northwestern Ontario city in the second quarter of 2018, and final delivery is scheduled for the first quarter of 2020."​

 

[Megaton327]

I understand that....but I don't think it is a factor in this order....the 1st of these cars is to be delivered in early 2020...so most of this order will be delivered well into the ReR era...which starts around 2022 no?

As has been mentioned here and in other threads+on other sites, GO will continue to operate a good amount of diesel locomotive+BiLevel service on non-electrified corridors (Richmond Hill, Milton) and the outer non-electrified portions of others (Barrie, Kitchener, Stouffville, Hamilton, Niagara). Plus, some peak service will remain as 10-12 car BiLevel trains with electric locomotives. EMUs are not completely taking over all GO operations especially during peak.

 

[drum118]

You saying this reporting is wrong for delivery and its 2020 as start date?? This is most likely the last batch as we know these days, with newer EMU taking over in time. Someone miss read the release, as the date below is what showing up around the world. Its a longer lead time due to TTC issues.

"Production of the bi-level rail cars is scheduled to start in the northwestern Ontario city in the second quarter of 2018, and final delivery is scheduled for the first quarter of 2020."

Going to be 20 years or so before real EMU equipment is used outside Metrolinx own control corridors.

 

[Allandale25]

As has been mentioned here and in other threads+on other sites, GO will continue to operate a good amount of diesel locomotive+BiLevel service on non-electrified corridors (Richmond Hill, Milton) and the outer non-electrified portions of others (Barrie, Kitchener, Stouffville, Hamilton, Niagara). Plus, some peak service will remain as 10-12 car BiLevel trains with electric locomotives. EMUs are not completely taking over all GO operations especially during peak.

With respect to Kitchener, wouldn't the Agreement in Principal/CN Rail by pass now allow GO to electrify from Bramalea to Kitchener, whereas before it was only until Bramalea? I can't remember if that was made clear in the announcement in June or if we still have to wait to see what they do. I support they don't need to electrify to run frequent service past Bramalea with CN out of the way.

 

[mdrejhon]

Bombardier gets $428 million order for GO Transit rail cars built in Ontario

GO is ordering 125 more bi-levels. Honestly, why? When are they going to make a decision on their new fleet, I thought they were going with EMUs over electric locomotives pushing bi-levels?

Currently according to the RER Business Plan, EMUs will only run to Bramalea/Aurora/Stoufville (possibly offpeak Barrie or Unionville via the non-short-turned trains), the routes that has a dense amount of infill stations. This was what I saw in the RER Business Plan.

However, I was hoping to see them accelerate electrification instead, but the purchase appears to be necessary as they begin retiring the 1970s/early 1980s BiLevels and adding service to various routes.

It will be interesting to see how much service they can cram at peak with BiLevels though -- they have postponed the USRC 30-45mph approach improvements to electrification, whih would seem to be necessary to continuously push almost a train a minute through USRC, and allow more berthings/departures of BiLevels at peak once all the renovations are done.

 

[salsa]

 

[TOareaFan]

https://twitter.com/Metrolinx/status/760835303120707584

https://twitter.com/Metrolinx/status/760837820433006592

And to stop the piling on...yes, i misread the article re delivery schedule of the bi level coaches....someohow dislexia kicked in and the "1st" in the sentence moved (in my brain) to a different part of the sentence...my apologies.

 

[APTA-2048]

My understanding is that the AD DDs cut headroom from the ground level, the second level has the same ceiling height.

You're right, but you don't really notice it. I think it's the shape of the ceiling panels. Had a look at the SuperLo today at USBT. I'm 6' and could stand up with no problem on the lower deck. The upper deck is the same as the other ones. Really nice bus.

 

[ssiguy2]

As electrification comes on stream these diesel units will allow for expansion of the system to more far flung places like Peterborough, Brantford, Niagara, Cobourg, Stratford, and Orangeville, where electrification cannot yet be justified.

 

[Garuda]

As electrification comes on stream these diesel units will allow for expansion of the system to more far flung places like Peterborough, Brantford, Niagara, Cobourg, Stratford, and Orangeville, where electrification cannot yet be justified.

This is a crucial point. In the near future, I see Kitchener becoming a hub of its own with commuter service extended to Stratford.

Plus there will be demand for these units on the 2nd hand market. If the VIA commuter rail experiment is successful in Halifax. I'm certain HRM will look to purchase 2nd hand units for a commuter line.

 

[dowlingm]

This is a crucial point. In the near future, I see Kitchener becoming a hub of its own with commuter service extended to Stratford.

Could have had this already except Metrolinx bottled it on having the KW layover in Stratford yard from day one.

 

[mdrejhon]

This is a crucial point. In the near future, I see Kitchener becoming a hub of its own with commuter service extended to Stratford.

Plus there will be demand for this units on the 2nd hand market. If the VIA commuter rail experiment is successful in Halifax. I'm certain HRM will look to purchase 2nd hand units for a commuter line.

Also, the announced Hamilton-Niagara train service, according to www.NiagaraGO.ca -- is supposed to use Hamilton as a transfer hub.

This presents opportunities of reassigning trainsets away from Toronto, too.

Though it will only need one extra trainset for the back-and-fourth service (7 train trips a day) to St. Catharines beginning in 2021 (with 4 Welland Canal priority guaranteed to GO trains to Niagara Falls by 2023 -- 2 per peak period).

They did leave enough wiggle room for a contiguous train route all the way from Toronto to Niagara Falls, but currently the business case is Hamilton as a transfer hub for Toronto-Hamilton and Hamilton-Niagara trains to prevent delays (on Niagara-side) from cascading to Toronto-Hamilton trains.

If future expansions occurs, this means opportunity of reassignment for separate GO trainsets that will no longer be using up Union space.

 

[cplchanb]

You're right, but you don't really notice it. I think it's the shape of the ceiling panels. Had a look at the SuperLo today at USBT. I'm 6' and could stand up with no problem on the lower deck. The upper deck is the same as the other ones. Really nice bus.

I wonder why they cant design the fire exit windows to be like the ones that are on the tour buses. They look so out of place compared to the rest of the frameless ones

 

[Garuda]

Could have had this already except Metrolinx bottled it on having the KW layover in Stratford yard from day one.

Metrolinx doesn't own that line that far west nor are bottlenecks (for the most part) between Stratford and Waterloo. Given Metrolinx's conservative growth strategy over the past several years I doubt that was even considered when serviced started to Kitchener. Same goes with the old proposal for the Baden layover facility.