GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[cbrown2009]

This isn't the major schedule change - this is simply a tweak of the existing schedules, along with some more major bus schedule changes.

The major rail schedule change still seems to be a go for the end of the month.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

May I ask what the difference is between implementing service April 8 & waiting till the end of the month?

 

[cbrown2009]

really? You are in the vast minority.......the UP train is far more comfortable.....the biggest noticeable difference I see on the GO train from Brampton these days is how few (really close to zero) people ever get on at Weston these days in the morning and how few get off at Weston in the evening.

Curious....what is it about the GO train ride that you find superior to the UP ride?

I like the seats on the Go more, especially in the new cars. I'm tall and the new headrests are higher. I also find the ride on UPX far more bumpy and shaky when it's up to speed.

Go ridership at Bloor and especially Weston is lower, but not zero.

 

[TOareaFan]

I like the seats on the Go more, especially in the new cars. I'm tall and the new headrests are higher. I also find the ride on UPX far more bumpy and shaky when it's up to speed.

I do like the new seats on the new GO cars....but there is no guarantee of getting them...yet. Thanks for replying.

 

[cbrown2009]

I do like the new seats on the new GO cars....but there is no guarantee of getting them...yet. Thanks for replying.

No problem.

 

[TOareaFan]

Delay in more off peak service on KW apparently is because negotiations with CN have not gone well.

 

[robmausser]

Delay in more off peak service on KW apparently is because negotiations with CN have not gone well.

Then they should have done off-peak for Union to Bramalea, which is on Metrolinx tracks.

Seems like in the face of not getting what they want, Metrolinx chooses to do nothing instead.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

I do like the new seats on the new GO cars....but there is no guarantee of getting them...yet. Thanks for replying.

If you wanna find them, go to the new cab car if your train has one.

 

[Megaton327]

I do like the new seats on the new GO cars....but there is no guarantee of getting them...yet. Thanks for replying.

Really? I hate them, I love a lot about the cab cars that makes me want to ride them (better lighting, nice wood finishing, slightly upgraded bathrooms, guaranteed no poles in the doorways), but the seats are a total deal-breaker. The backs and seat cushions are rock hard, and the headrests are very uncomfortable--they're shorter than the ones in the 2700/2800 series cars and re-upholstered old ones, so as a taller person my head isn't properly supported. I end up with terrible neck and back pain after a few minutes in them. Shame, I love the space between them for luggage and thought the head rests looked like an upgrade, before trying them.

 

[smallspy]

Thanks......strange way (from a PR perspective) to do it....that "tweak" includes adding a couple of train trips (ie. not just adjusting timetable or scheduled arrivals) to the Lakeshores....you would think they would want to balance that off (again from a PR perspective) with any additions to the train schedule they are planning elsewhere.

That "adding a couple of train trips" is simply running a train from Aldershot to Oshawa. All this does is allow the weekday schedules to now match the weekend ones.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[smallspy]

May I ask what the difference is between implementing service April 8 & waiting till the end of the month?

The changes happening on the 8th are able to be done with almost no changes to crewing or train cycling and makeup.

The ones projected to happen at the end of the month require much more thought in terms of how the trains will be cycled and crewed, as well as possibly additional trainsets in service.

Then they should have done off-peak for Union to Bramalea, which is on Metrolinx tracks.

Seems like in the face of not getting what they want, Metrolinx chooses to do nothing instead.

Bramalea Station is most certainly not on Metrolinx trackage.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[TOareaFan]

Bramalea Station is most certainly not on Metrolinx trackage.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

Then we have another example of bad PR.....when they describe to the public what they own and what they don't they often say things like ....CN owns the track west of Bramalea.....i get (from being active on these boards and benefiting from knowledgeable people like yourself) that the demarcation point is a bit different than that simple description.....but the general public doesn't and people will ask (and clearly already are) why not just run the new service to Bramalea if negotiations on use of CN track are slowed. Whatever criticism they get on this...they fully deserve.

The irony of a government agency being in court with a supplier over missed contract deadline(s) when they themselves can't/won't meet the deadlines they established in no less a document than a provincial budget is glaring. Only difference, I guess, is that the promises made by the Ontario government and Metrolinx are in a contract that we can't get a judge to rule on and while we do get to opine on it once every 4 years...it is mixed in with other things.

As I said earlier, I am mildly fussed about them missing this date....but I get that some things happen....what galls me, really, is how governments and their agencies can set dates and promises.....but just ignore them when they pass......if they can issue press releases and do multiple photo ops when they announce new stuff is coming...they have a duty of communication to advise in a very public way when they miss the dates for those things. (/rant).

 

[crs1026]

Bramalea Station is most certainly not on Metrolinx trackage.

If CN has an objection to increased GO use of the tail track at Bramalea, I'd sure love to know what it is. That's a most unreasonable position to take. Trains can run to and from Bramalea without ever touching a Halton Sub main line.

West of Bramalea, CN has the need to service freight customers on the south side, which means GO can't have unfettered use of Track 3, even though GO likely paid for its construction. As did GO likely pay for the second track through Brampton, and the third track to Mount Pleasant.

If ML didn't get something binding in writing when they paid for that track upgrading, then shame on them. If they did, then that should govern.

- Paul

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

I'm in the camp that believes the lack of evening trains plays against midday ridership. Not to mention that even now, on evenings and nights of significant events downtown ie. Sports, major concert, it's a circus trying to cram in all the extra bus services (which are usually still not enough), having people packed into standing room only buses that get stuck in traffic on the Lakeshore/Gardiner promptly upon departure from the terminal, where even at 10-10:30pm a 40 minute scheduled trip can take twice as long. On weekends, I currently drive to Kipling or Long Branch from Brampton to catch a train (subway) when heading into downtown and I always get a kick out of whizzing by traffic on the Gardiner, including the odd Go bus, especially around the West Beaches.
I thought the goal was to provide an alternative to driving/being stuck in traffic. Unfortunately for Go/ML the lack of things like even fair train service has contributed to the car culture around the GTA. The only way to begin to turn the tide is to implement said train service asap. The longer it takes for that to happen, the longer it's going to take to shift people's preferences away from the car. At some point we are going to have to accept that ridership isn't going to skyrocket overnight. Besides, I am on those midday trains at least a couple of times per week and the six car trains (Union bound) are generally 30-40% full, except maybe the last two trips (the expresses). Out of nearly 1000 seats. For a truncated service, I don't judge that to be all that bad.
Very disappointing that all that infrastructure we spent half a billion dollars on continues to sit underutilized when we so desperately need these trains activated.

agreed.

This isn't the major schedule change - this is simply a tweak of the existing schedules, along with some more major bus schedule changes.

The major rail schedule change still seems to be a go for the end of the month.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

could someone post a link to the planned service increases over the next few years again? I always forget where to find it.

I've just saved it to my computer, but here it is:

Well that's good to hear that it could actually happen soon. Thanks for posting.

Good to see there is still some hope here. I hope they get implemented. I'd like to take a trip to brampton soon again..

Thanks......strange way (from a PR perspective) to do it....that "tweak" includes adding a couple of train trips (ie. not just adjusting timetable or scheduled arrivals) to the Lakeshores....you would think they would want to balance that off (again from a PR perspective) with any additions to the train schedule they are planning elsewhere.

And at least advertise the service increase properly.

May I ask what the difference is between implementing service April 8 & waiting till the end of the month?

probably the actual end of the fiscal year.

Delay in more off peak service on KW apparently is because negotiations with CN have not gone well.

Then they should have done off-peak for Union to Bramalea, which is on Metrolinx tracks.

Seems like in the face of not getting what they want, Metrolinx chooses to do nothing instead.

Yuck. Metrolinx makes everything too hard.

Then we have another example of bad PR.....when they describe to the public what they own and what they don't they often say things like ....CN owns the track west of Bramalea.....i get (from being active on these boards and benefiting from knowledgeable people like yourself) that the demarcation point is a bit different than that simple description.....but the general public doesn't and people will ask (and clearly already are) why not just run the new service to Bramalea if negotiations on use of CN track are slowed. Whatever criticism they get on this...they fully deserve.

The irony of a government agency being in court with a supplier over missed contract deadline(s) when they themselves can't/won't meet the deadlines they established in no less a document than a provincial budget is glaring. Only difference, I guess, is that the promises made by the Ontario government and Metrolinx are in a contract that we can't get a judge to rule on and while we do get to opine on it once every 4 years...it is mixed in with other things.

As I said earlier, I am mildly fussed about them missing this date....but I get that some things happen....what galls me, really, is how governments and their agencies can set dates and promises.....but just ignore them when they pass......if they can issue press releases and do multiple photo ops when they announce new stuff is coming...they have a duty of communication to advise in a very public way when they miss the dates for those things. (/rant).

Agreed, TO. This reeks of disorganization.

 

[Fritter]

The next board period, ie "schedule change" starts June 24th not end of the month.

 

[Fritter]

West of Bramalea, CN has the need to service freight customers on the south side, which means GO can't have unfettered use of Track 3, even though GO likely paid for its construction. As did GO likely pay for the second track through Brampton, and the third track to Mount Pleasant

Sounds like the passing tracks VIA paid for along the Kingston Sub to allow for better VIA service, that CN pretty much took over for it's own needs.