GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[Allandale25]

^ Is that your list of what you'd like to have seen?

 

[Allandale25]

^ The current schedule, implemented in September 2015 with some mid-day trains to and from Mount Pleasant, appears to be as much as CN Rail is willing to provide for the moment. Although I'd note before the election this was announced:

Ontario is moving ahead with two environmental assessments (EAs), which are required to provide faster, electrified, two-way, all-day train service on the Kitchener line. One EA is to provide electrified service between Georgetown and Kitchener, and the other EA is the next step for the freight bypass to provide unrestricted rail access for passenger trains between Toronto and Kitchener. To help guide this work and deliver a near-term increase in service and faster travel times for customers, the province is hiring a technical advisor.

• The technical advisor on GO’s Kitchener line will work on improving the speed and frequency of service in the near term, starting the environmental assessments required for electrification of the line, and studying options to connect GO service to the proposed Pearson multimodal transit hub.

Emphasis added. We'll see what happens. As discussed here before, GO doesn't actually own the tracks all the way to Bramalea Station. The ownership stops a few hundred metres to the east of the station.

 

[Sandpit]

This month's Service Changes are now appearing on the GO website.

Seems pretty minor this time around: Extension of LSW trains, some new bus trips and some bus schedule tweaking.

Was hoping to see more train service that has been discussed here on UT: Weekend service on Stouffville, and conversion of some dead-head trips to revenue service as some examples.

Any new timeline to those? Or are they off the table in the current environment?

Major changes don't usually happen till Spetember, for the start of the school year.

I'm not too concerned about train service under a new government, but I am concerned about GO bus service. It's less glamorous than trains and so is a prime target for cuts. I doubt there would be any (major) route cuts, but frequency/span of service reductions could be coming.

 

[TOareaFan]

How far can Kitchener trains run on a frequent basis rn? Just Mt. Pleasant?

what definition of frequent are you using....matters for the answer.

 

[TOareaFan]

Just out of curiosity does anyone know what track the Niagara GO trains will be using this year. Generally they use the same track every weekend which I think was Track 9 last year.

Since 9-10 is where the KW trains are, generally, during the week....and they don't run at all one weekends....that would seem to be a pretty easy/convenient place to put a weekend only service.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

How far can Kitchener trains run on a frequent basis rn? Just Mt. Pleasant?

Right now mt pleasant hourly off peak. Goal is kitchener hourly and bramalea 15 min off peak.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

^ Is that your list of what you'd like to have seen?

Yup. And a EA on the milton and richmond hill lines.

 

[steveintoronto]

I've said it before, but it's most likely that both RER and SmartTrack are project/working names. Much like how the Air-rail Link became the UP Express and Acceleride in Brampton became Zum, there will be a new name once construction is about halfway complete. IIRC someone on here suggested GO ReX (short for Regional Express).

ReX is pretty good actually, especially once UPX is fully folded into GO...which has a few legal implications if you take a close look at the differing Rules and Tariffs for each.

Especially note bicycles and pets.

 

[steveintoronto]

I know there is mid day service but are there plans for that potential hourly service? Are there trains on weekends?

I'll believe it when it happens. I'd be on it today and yesterday if it were running now.

 

[crs1026]

If Doug Ford tolerates any further rebranding of anything in transit space, I will declare it as his post election fail. If we are going to get value out of his train of thought, branding is the first place to cut back.

- Paul

 

[Richard White]

If Doug Ford tolerates any further rebranding of anything in transit space, I will declare it as his post election fail. If we are going to get value out of his train of thought, branding is the first place to cut back.

- Paul

Honestly Metrolinx is much easier on the ears than GO transit. It is fresh and modern.

As long as he does not name is something like the Underground Railroad we should be fine..

 

[TOareaFan]

I know there is mid day service but are there plans for that potential hourly service?

There were plans/promises but there does not seem to be any now. While no one in the previous government would ever come out and say there are no plans, every question asked about future service additions was answered with a reference to the ReR plans.....so the suggestion is no new/enhanced train service until ReR is ready (ie. until after some sort of bypass {either taking just CN or both CN and CP} is built).

Are there trains on weekends?

Nope.

 

[Leo_Chan]

Honestly Metrolinx is much easier on the ears than GO transit. It is fresh and modern.

As long as he does not name is something like the Underground Railroad we should be fine..

Ontario Transit is IMO better than GO Transit. Why does “government” have to be part of the name?

 

[Richard White]

Ontario Transit is IMO better than GO Transit. Why does “government” have to be part of the name?

Because the service was founded and is run by the GOVERMENT of Ontario. Also... OT does not have as nice a ring to it.

 

[steveintoronto]

Ford has labels for any and every occasion.