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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

ssiguy2 said:
So let's say the UPX could run 10 car trains, the point is it wouldn't make any difference. People aren't taking it because it's too expensive.
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Is this an accidental use of present tense, or (given frequent reports that UPX needs more capacity) one of those Yogi Berra "nobody goes there any more, it's too crowded" statements?
 
Megaton327 said:
it's ridiculous that they put UPX on Platform 3 when Barrie trains need to be on the northernmost tracks since at the split they go north while UPX goes northwest. It should never have been done that way.
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Wasn't the plan (at least for a time) to shove Barrie trains into the planned Spadina GO station though?
 
Megaton327 said:
But for midday trains, why not schedule the Barrie trains to arrive/depart when no UPX movement is happening? Midday on the west side of the station you don't have a ton of trains running like rush hour. Departures aren't too bad but the midday arrivals are scheduled to arrive at each XX:33, which is right smack dab in the middle of the departing :30 UPX and the arriving ~ :35 UPX.

Also, it's a bit late to do anything about it, but it's ridiculous that they put UPX on Platform 3 when Barrie trains need to be on the northernmost tracks since at the split they go north while UPX goes northwest. It should never have been done that way.
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Ideally, there should have been a flyover/flyunder somewhere between Bathurst Street and Dufferin/Queen. I don't know why that wasn't planned when all the work was done for the Georgetown South project, apart from cost considerations.
 
On the 16:18 Stouffville train to Lincolnville now. Not even standing room. Can use more frequent trains during rush hour.
 
mjl08 said:
I'm interested in seeing how many people are transferring at the new Downsview stations.

For instance, if you're going from Aurora GO to U of T, presumably it would make more sense to get off at Downsview and take the subway southbound to St. George rather than going all the way down to Union and then take the subway northbound to St. George.
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Today I was on the 7:35am out of King City and counted 30 people getting off the train at Downsview.
 
Leo_Chan said:
Well, you do save $0.98 and 3 minutes by getting off at Downsview Park.
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Depends which departure. I see a 3 minute savings on the 8:39 departure from Aurora, but a tie on the 8:09 departure.

But look at the transfer time. Only 1 minute at Downsview Park. That would be tough even if you were standing at the right door of the GO Train. But I suppose you could do 2.

The transfer time for Union is also only 1 minute. What? How long does it take to detrain a GO Train at Union? And how long to walk from the best point on Platform 11 or 12 to the subway. Though it does give you 3 minutes to wait for the subway train.

The last time I missed a train to Kipling GO, with a 35-minute wait, I turned around and took the subway instead; I noticed it was 10 minutes later when my subway pulled out. And of course things don't go smoothly downtown in rush hour. I actually that 35-minute late GO train pass me between Islington and Kipling, while we were waiting for ever.

Probably the best solution is transfer to York, change at York U GO, and have a shorter trip.

Or better yet - move a lot closer to campus!

hw621 said:
On the 16:18 Stouffville train to Lincolnville now. Not even standing room. Can use more frequent trains during rush hour.
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Even upstairs? I've seen similar before, fought my way in,up the stairs with idiots sitting there, and discovered the second floor not only has no one standing - but there are even some open seats.

And then I fight past all the same idiots going back 2 stops later - so crush yourself in, if you aren't even getting off?
 
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nfitz said:
But look at the transfer time. Only 1 minute at Downsview Park. That would be tough even if you were standing at the right door of the GO Train. But I suppose you could do 2.

The transfer time for Union is also only 1 minute. What? How long does it take to detrain a GO Train at Union? And how long to walk from the best point on Platform 11 or 12 to the subway. Though it does give you 3 minutes to wait for the subway train.
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I actually timed the Downsview Park connection with a stopwatch on opening day. Assuming being onboard the accessibility coach, I got a total of 1 minute and 30 seconds to get from the door of the train to the subway platform. I was walking fast, but not quite speedwalking and not running; unless you run at a dead sprint I don't think 1 minute is possible (and maybe not even then), maybe 1 minute 20 at best. A slow walker might do it in 2 minutes. Elevators seemed slower despite being more direct downwards; the walking transfer would be so much better if the escalators let out on the GO side of ground level rather than requiring you walk all the way around to the other side.

At Union, yeah, 1 minute is laughable. In rush hour unless you line up at the door 5 minutes before arrival, you're at a door that opens right in front of a stairway, and you run at a dead sprint to get into the stairway before anyone else does, then you'll be waiting at least 1 minute if not 2 just to get from the lineup in the train car down to concourse/teamway level. Admittedly not as much of an issue off-peak. I think the best case transfer time, off-peak, for something like platform 5/6, is 2 minutes 30 seconds from the train door to TTC platform level if you're quick and you're at the doors for the bay west teamway or Via concourse. In rush hour, if you're not lined up and you're at the York concourse end of the train on platform 13 (Barrie almost never uses 24-27 anymore, even on arrival), I don't imagine it taking any less than 6 minutes.

Overall I think the typical time savings for transferring at Downsview Park to get to St George will lie in the 0-5 minute range barring any excessive delays on either system. Again, by going down to Union and back up, you're not escaping the possibility of TTC delays, and you're adding an additional very-often-delayed stretch of the GO line. And the $0.98 savings are there, and personally I put a high price on comfort which definitely doesn't describe the transfer experience at Union.

Of course, if you're heading to Yorkdale, Eglinton W, St Clair W, or anything like that it should definitely be faster to transfer at Downsview Park, no question. You can also access stations like Sheppard Yonge (and the rest of the sheppard line), Eglinton, and St Clair via bus/streetcar connections east faster than I think you would get there via Union-Yonge line. That opens up GO commuting to a lot of people who would have driven rather than, say, take the train to Union and the subway up to Yorkdale or Sheppard-Yonge. Can't wait for Lansdowne GO, as well as Caledonia and the Eglinton LRT, to further open up connections on lines 2 and 5.
 
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Megaton327 said:
I actually timed the Downsview Park connection with a stopwatch on opening day. Assuming being onboard the accessibility coach, I got a total of 1 minute and 30 seconds to get from the door of the train to the subway platform. I was walking fast, but not quite speedwalking and not running; unless you run at a dead sprint I don't think 1 minute is possible (and maybe not even then), maybe 1 minute 20 at best. A slow walker might do it in 2 minutes. Elevators seemed slower despite being more direct downwards; the walking transfer would be so much better if the escalators let out on the GO side of ground level rather than requiring you walk all the way around to the other side.

At Union, yeah, 1 minute is laughable. In rush hour unless you line up at the door 5 minutes before arrival, you're at a door that opens right in front of a stairway, and you run at a dead sprint to get into the stairway before anyone else does, then you'll be waiting at least 1 minute if not 2 just to get from the lineup in the train car down to concourse/teamway level. Admittedly not as much of an issue off-peak. I think the best case transfer time, off-peak, for something like platform 5/6, is 2 minutes 30 seconds from the train door to TTC platform level if you're quick and you're at the doors for the bay west teamway or Via concourse. In rush hour, if you're not lined up and you're at the York concourse end of the train on platform 13 (Barrie almost never uses 24-27 anymore, even on arrival), I don't imagine it taking any less than 6 minutes.

Overall I think the typical time savings for transferring at Downsview Park to get to St George will lie in the 0-5 minute range barring any excessive delays on either system. Again, by going down to Union and back up, you're not escaping the possibility of TTC delays, and you're adding an additional very-often-delayed stretch of the GO line. And the $0.98 savings are there, and personally I put a high price on comfort which definitely doesn't describe the transfer experience at Union.

Of course, if you're heading to Yorkdale, Eglinton W, St Clair W, or anything like that it should definitely be faster to transfer at Downsview Park, no question. You can also access stations like Sheppard Yonge (and the rest of the sheppard line), Eglinton, and St Clair via bus/streetcar connections east faster than I think you would get there via Union-Yonge line. That opens up GO commuting to a lot of people who would have driven rather than, say, take the train to Union and the subway up to Yorkdale or Sheppard-Yonge. Can't wait for Lansdowne GO, as well as Caledonia and the Eglinton LRT, to further open up connections on lines 2 and 5.
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Indeed. More GO services mean more travel options for people. Last month we were actually able to take trains from Centennial GO to Pearson through Stouffville GO and UPX. In the past we would have driven or taken a cab. Although the ride was a bit longer (1h20m ish including transfer, vs. 40m car ride), it was more economical for 2 adults and 1 child (GO + UPX around $39 one way, driving + parking would have been well over $120/week, and cab/Uber ride in the neighborhood or $70 - 80 one way). We would have taken the train on the return, however, there was no train to Centennial GO between 8 - 11 PM. With more frequent RER we will be able to ride the train more. So next provincial election my vote is going to who sticking with, or even better, expediting the GO RER plan.
 
hw621 said:
Indeed. More GO services mean more travel options for people. Last month we were actually able to take trains from Centennial GO to Pearson through Stouffville GO and UPX. In the past we would have driven or taken a cab. Although the ride was a bit longer (1h20m ish including transfer, vs. 40m car ride), it was more economical for 2 adults and 1 child (GO + UPX around $39 one way, driving + parking would have been well over $120/week, and cab/Uber ride in the neighborhood or $70 - 80 one way). We would have taken the train on the return, however, there was no train to Centennial GO between 8 - 11 PM. With more frequent RER we will be able to ride the train more. So next provincial election my vote is going to who sticking with, or even better, expediting the GO RER plan.
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A quicker way in your case would be taking GO bus route 54, then transfer to GO bus route 40 at Richmond Hill Centre. You'll save an additional 20-30min.
 
innsertnamehere said:
My understanding is that they are working on expanding Lincolnville right now to add another 2 trains to rush hour.
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I wonder if an extension to Uxbridge with a layover yard north of the town is also in the long term plans? GO owns the rails, I just hope they are planning far ahead and have an appropriate agreement in place with York-Durham Heritage railway.
 
11th said:
A quicker way in your case would be taking GO bus route 54, then transfer to GO bus route 40 at Richmond Hill Centre. You'll save an additional 20-30min.
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I know. It was December so it was too cold for our 5 year old to wait for a bus in unheated shelters.
 
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