GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[Streety McCarface]

That train is a 10-car train, not 11. GO does not run 11 car trains.

While they've got over 200 cars painted in the new scheme, there are generally only 2 or 3 trainsets that run that are completely equipped with cars in the new scheme at any given time.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

He was referring to 11 regular coaches and a cab car, making it a 12 car train. Though, I must ask: why doesn't GO trainsit run 4 car trains or 8 car trains?

 

[BMO]

I'd be surprised if we saw TWAD even akin to the old Lakeshore hourly service any time soon. Station improvements aside, Metrolinx refuses to run GO trains on the UPX tracks, which means the Kitchener line needs another track to be finished, which I believe has some other infrastructure projects attached to it. They also still need to negotiate access to Bramalea with CN, who seem to be giving them a hard time about that. And Stouffville likely needs to be double-tracked too.

That said, I think Metrolinx would love to be able to have TWAD in place by the time the Crosstown opens in 2021 (hopefully), since it connects to both the Stouffville and Kitchener lines. That's years away yet, but also much closer than 2025. Maybe hourly comes sooner and half-hour comes with the Crosstown, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Also connects to the Barrie Line at Caledonia.

 

[Leo_Chan]

The Crosstown is really going to be a game changer, assuming service doesn't get brutally delayed every other day like on Line 1, and that the relatively small capacity can keep up.

I might be alone here, but I feel like having the Eglinton Crosstown intersecting with Line 2 at Kennedy Station is kind of disappointing. Yes it will be a 3-way interchange station with Line 5, Line 2, and Stouffville Line, but I feel like it's a missed opportunity to have another interchange station with RER, maybe have Line 5 go up the hydro corridor at Victoria Park instead. This probably is a "problem" with Line 2 using the old rail corridor past Victoria Park, but still. I just want to make sure to state that this is in no means a problem, or even remotely an issue, it is just disappointing to me.

 

[Megaton327]

Though, I must ask: why doesn't GO trainsit run 4 car trains or 8 car trains?

I distinctly remember riding a midday Lakeshore train maybe 3-5 years ago which was 8 cars. It makes sense, 6/8/10/12. Though I haven't seen 8 recently.

 

[TOareaFan]

I distinctly remember riding a midday Lakeshore train maybe 3-5 years ago which was 8 cars. It makes sense, 6/8/10/12. Though I haven't seen 8 recently.

There is a 6 car set on KW line midday service

 

[Streety McCarface]

There is a 6 car set on KW line midday service

But even that is too much for midday service; quite honestly, 2 coaches could probably seat enough people at a given time...

 

[TransitBart]

But even that is too much for midday service; quite honestly, 2 coaches could probably seat enough people at a given time...

It's cheaper to tow all those coaches around than it is to drop them off and re-connect them. It's as simple as that.

 

[TOareaFan]

But even that is too much for midday service; quite honestly, 2 coaches could probably seat enough people at a given time...

I would have agreed in the first months of service when I tried it out.

Have used the midday twice in the last month (both trips were eastbound) and I doubt that either of those trains could have been shrunk by much and still accommodated the people on it.

 

[smallspy]

Though, I must ask: why doesn't GO trainsit run 4 car trains or 8 car trains?

A 6-car train is the minimum consist that GO will run. With the accessible car fixed at the 5th position from the loco, the next possible place would be at the 6th.

They have run 8-car trains in the past, but right now just about every single train that is a 10- or 12-car train is operating at 95% capacity or more for at least one and usually two of its runs every weekday. (For perspective, every single 12-car train is running at 95% or more for at least one run every weekday.) Putting an 8-car train in any of those slots would result in the train being overly crowded - and none of the 6-car trains are so crowded as yet as to require being lengthened.

There is a 6 car set on KW line midday service

There are 7 6-car trains in service every day, most of which are used in mid-day and evening service. 4 are based in Lincolnville overnight, 2 in Bradford and one in Richmond Hill. In April, an 8th will start running - it will be based out of Willowbrook.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[Kevin Lynch]

I'd be surprised if we saw TWAD even akin to the old Lakeshore hourly service any time soon. Station improvements aside, Metrolinx refuses to run GO trains on the UPX tracks, which means the Kitchener line needs another track to be finished, which I believe has some other infrastructure projects attached to it. They also still need to negotiate access to Bramalea with CN, who seem to be giving them a hard time about that. And Stouffville likely needs to be double-tracked too.

That said, I think Metrolinx would love to be able to have TWAD in place by the time the Crosstown opens in 2021 (hopefully), since it connects to both the Stouffville and Kitchener lines. That's years away yet, but also much closer than 2025. Maybe hourly comes sooner and half-hour comes with the Crosstown, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

I didn't realize that UPX and the GO Kitchener line didn't share tracks (though the UPX does have to cross the Kitchener line so must share some portions of tracks).

 

[crs1026]

I didn't realize that UPX and the GO Kitchener line didn't share tracks (though the UPX does have to cross the Kitchener line so must share some portions of tracks).

They aren't separate. Operating practices will keep GO routed separately from UPE, just as a matter of spacing in light of different stopping patterns, but you will see GO using the same tracks as UPE, ditto with VIA. The late afternoon eastbound Mount Pleasant GO trains currently don't stop after Malton, because of this intermingling of UPE and GO.

When the fourth track is completed, it may change again, as there will be the capability for two-way stopping service on two tracks and express on the other two.

- Paul

 

[canarob]

From the "NEW STATIONS BUSINESS CASES Technical Report" (http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pdf/board_agenda/20180308/Technical Report - GO Expansion RER New Stations Business Case Analysis.pdf)

This would be a DREAM!

Barrie corridor: Outer service stopping at all stations between Allandale Waterfront and Aurora; trains will also stop at Downsview Park and Spadina stations, otherwise, express to Union Station. Inner services will serve all stations between Union Station and Aurora

Stouffville corridor: All-stop peak direction outer service between Lincolnville and Unionville stations; trains will also stop at Kennedy and East Harbour stations, otherwise, express to Union Station. “Inner” services will stop at all stations between Unionville and Union Station.

 

[Fritter]

In April, an 8th will start running - it will be based out of Willowbrook.

@smallspy , any word when trains will be based out of and dispatched from the new East Maintenance Facility in Whitby?

 

[Streety McCarface]

It's cheaper to tow all those coaches around than it is to drop them off and re-connect them. It's as simple as that.

But the midday trains are completely dedicated to midday service. Wouldn't breaking them up save a lot in terms of buying extra coaches, and fuel costs?

 

[smallspy]

@smallspy , any word when trains will be based out of and dispatched from the new East Maintenance Facility in Whitby?

I've been told that they are in the final stages of "integration testing", but have not been given a date when equipment will start to be stored and dispatched from the facility.

But the midday trains are completely dedicated to midday service. Wouldn't breaking them up save a lot in terms of buying extra coaches, and fuel costs?

Several of the 6-car trains are used at rush hour, specifically the trains to Bradford, the train to Gormley and a couple of the trains to Lincolnville.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.