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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

Has anyone noticed that the very large route timetables have vanished from stations? Only quicktables remain.

A station attendant informed me it was a cost saving measure, and they were deemed unnecessary since "everyone has smartphones" now. He said in two weeks it had generated more complaints than all other complaints in the past few years combined.
 
Jonny5 said:
Has anyone noticed that the very large route timetables have vanished from stations? Only quicktables remain.

A station attendant informed me it was a cost saving measure, and they were deemed unnecessary since "everyone has smartphones" now. He said in two weeks it had generated more complaints than all other complaints in the past few years combined.
Click to expand...
That's absurd. How can you read an entire system timetable on a smartphone. I'd assumed there was a delay in printing them, or I'd have complained already.

Surely there must be more people taking printed schedules now - and then tossing them out afterwards.
 
nfitz said:
That's absurd. How can you read an entire system timetable on a smartphone. I'd assumed there was a delay in printing them, or I'd have complained already.

Surely there must be more people taking printed schedules now - and then tossing them out afterwards.
Click to expand...
Why would you need to read an entire system timetable? The GO Transit App works pretty well for reading schedules.
 
LNahid2000 said:
Why would you need to read an entire system timetable? The GO Transit App works pretty well for reading schedules.
Click to expand...
When you arrive, your train is vanishing, and you want to see what's next. To make sure the train is going all the way, and stopping at the station you want. And a lot of people don't have smartphones. A lot who do don't have the app at hand.

Sometimes you are standing there, and for whatever reason the website won't load ...

And what about tourists?

Simply because it's quicker, easier, and more efficient.

It also cuts down on those taking paper copies, so it's more environmentally friendly and probably cheaper.

Given how frequently you see someone standing in front of it looking at it, it's pretty clear to me.
 
"GO Mobile is currently not available for Blackberry Q10 or Blackberry Z10. The next phase of the app is expected to be released in early 2015"
 
wopchop said:
"GO Mobile is currently not available for Blackberry Q10 or Blackberry Z10. The next phase of the app is expected to be released in early 2015"
Click to expand...
smart BB10 users (regardless of device) just get the android versions of the apps and run them ;) My Z10 is happily running the GO mobile app.
 
The one or two Android apps I've tried with my classic work sometimes, but seem to crash, and then the phone reboots as well. Though I haven't tried the GO one.

But is there really much on there in the App that isn't in the website?
 
nfitz said:
The one or two Android apps I've tried with my classic work sometimes, but seem to crash, and then the phone reboots as well. Though I haven't tried the GO one.

But is there really much on there in the App that isn't in the website?
Click to expand...
Just find that, on my phone anyways, the app is way more convenient to use when walking to a station or standing on a platform....obviously there is more on the website....but the app (IMO) does a really good job of figuring out "what would a mobile 'on the way to a train' person want to know and putting it in convenient spots".
 
Other than the shortcuts to the departure boards at Union, and to the on-time information at other stations, not really sure what I'd want heading to the station.

Though even when it used to work, it didn't seem to provide on-time information at stations other than the Union departure boards - so I was using browser shortcuts anyway.

I never did figure out how to get those alerts in the app to tell me trains were late. It seemed to always be trying to do something bizarre involving my location, rather than the station location.
 
I was wondering if GO has started to use the yard they were building north of the end of the Richmond Hill line? Recently I have noticed Go Trains heading southbound in the morning a few kms north of Richmond Hill Station, before they were usually lined up just north of the platform in the mornings.
 
Jonny5 said:
Has anyone noticed that the very large route timetables have vanished from stations? Only quicktables remain.

A station attendant informed me it was a cost saving measure, and they were deemed unnecessary since "everyone has smartphones" now. He said in two weeks it had generated more complaints than all other complaints in the past few years combined.
Click to expand...

"Everyone has a smartphone" seems to be the core of Metrolinx's new communications strategy. When I inquired (via Twitter) why a train at Exhibition suddenly vanished from the display board without any announcement or other indication that it had been cancelled, I was helpfully told that I should subscribe to their GO Alerts for notifications. (Never mind that I do subscribe to their email alerts and nothing had been sent about this particular train.)

Yes, many of us do have smartphones. And yes, we do expect to be able to check schedules and train statuses on our phones. But that doesn't excuse them from providing high quality information in the stations. It's not unreasonable to expect to find a timetable and be notified of delays, cancellations, and track changes while standing in a station.
 
Moving target as to when, but 1 of the 4 new cab car on site will enter service in October with the rest shortly after it and as the others arrive.

The current UPX trains will be move to one of the lowest ridership lines for all day service when the new EMU cars replace then. Smart thing to do and not worth the money for conversion.

Talk is, shorter trains are coming to the Lakeshore line for off peak and long over due. Take it for what its worth, its possible that 2 short trains will be combine for peak service since it easier to put together or take apart faster and very little cost. Just like VIA does to some of their trains today.

647 is going to be an odd ball in the fleet since the conversion from Tier 2 to 4 is a failure. Lost too much cab and crew space.

All existing fleet will remain tier 2 and going to piss a few people off.

Because of the failure, GO is going to receive not 10 Tier 4 loco's in 2016, but 16 as HC at no extra cost.
 
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drum118 said:
647 is going to be an odd ball in the fleet since the conversion from Tier 2 to 4 is a failure. Lost too much cab and crew space.

All existing fleet will remain tier 2 and going to piss a few people off.

Because of the failure, GO is going to receive not 10 Tier 4 loco's in 2016, but 16 as HC at no extra cost.
Click to expand...
What does HC mean here? 647 was already a plan B as it was supposed to get 1 x QSK95 not 2 x QSK60. Does it still have separate HEP or was that motor removed to make enough space for the second powerplant?

EMD has the 1010 engine coming (which is apparently a Tier 4 reworking of the H265 engine of dubious history) but not until 2017 on the SD70ACe-T4 (announced earlier this month).

Do I recall correctly that during the Georgetown South process Metrolinx made a commitment that all their Kitchener line power would be Tier 4 some time soon? (maybe the reference to pissing people off above)
 
dowlingm said:
What does HC mean here? 647 was already a plan B as it was supposed to get 1 x QSK95 not 2 x QSK60. Does it still have separate HEP or was that motor removed to make enough space for the second powerplant?

EMD has the 1010 engine coming (which is apparently a Tier 4 reworking of the H265 engine of dubious history) but not until 2017 on the SD70ACe-T4 (announced earlier this month).

Do I recall correctly that during the Georgetown South process Metrolinx made a commitment that all their Kitchener line power would be Tier 4 some time soon? (maybe the reference to pissing people off above)
Click to expand...
I can't tell you what HC is as I don't know and the person telling me had to go into a meeting before I could get all the info.

As far as I know, 647 got those engines, but eat up too much of the cab for crews and stop the conversion for the other 10 Tier 4 locos. Not sure what been plan for the Tier 4 power, but the cost saving with the plan 10, did allow for an extra 6 locos.

As for pissing off people is reference to converting the exist fleet to Tier 4 from 2. The new 16 Tier 4 will get assign to the KW-Georgetown corridor as plan when they show up.

I will let the experts explain HC or someone who does.
 
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