GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[innsertnamehere]

For the 65mph limit, completely arbitrary. Freights are limited to 60mph, which means that the track is already being maintained to a Class 4 standard.

What this means is that the crossing circuits along the line are all "dumb" circuits, and not designed to calculate the speed of the train passing over them in order to trigger the crossing protection in the appropriate amount of time. This isn't an insurmountable problem, but with only 1 pair of VIA trains per day, there hasn't been any incentive for them to pay for the improvements necessary.



They are not. That section of the line is bound by a zone speed of 30mph due to the numerous grade crossings. (For the record, the lower speed limits cover from mile 39.0 - about Woodward Ave. - to 43.7, which is at James St. N. Centennial Station is being built at about mile 38, which is outside of the 30mph zone, but only by a mile. That speed limit continues around the harbour all the way to mile 36.9 of the Oakville Sub - Bayview Junction.) Fixing that section will cost a lot more money than raising the speeds further east.

Dan

Thanks. Makes me wonder what speed limits are across GO's network.. is there a map available somewhere? I know some of them just from taking it (pretty sure most of Stouffville is 50mph, Lakeshore East from Stouffville to the USRC is 90mph, etc.), but I would love to get a comprehensive map to see where speeds are and where areas have opportunities for improvements. Most of Lakeshore West is 80mph, right?

 

[robmausser]

I was referring to the 65mph speed restriction on the Grimbsy sub quoted by @smallspy in his post just before mine.

Oh I have him blocked. Dont see his posts.

 

[smallspy]

Thanks. Makes me wonder what speed limits are across GO's network.. is there a map available somewhere? I know some of them just from taking it (pretty sure most of Stouffville is 50mph, Lakeshore East from Stouffville to the USRC is 90mph, etc.), but I would love to get a comprehensive map to see where speeds are and where areas have opportunities for improvements. Most of Lakeshore West is 80mph, right?

There isn't even a master list or a map. Internally, there are documents that get updated on a not-so-frequent basis that show the zone speeds as well as Permanent Slow Orders for each subdivision - not even by each corridor - as well as bulletins that are distributed to all of the crews each day that will give them info on current temporary slow orders everywhere out in the system.

If you're able to ride the system, you can get a pretty good idea what the zone speeds are for any given section by looking for the speed limit signs (yellow diamond signs located about 10 feet from the nearest rail, usually to the right). If the sign has two numbers, the upper one is the passenger speed limit.

Dan

 

[Krypto98]

Similarly the Niagara Weekend service trains run "super-express" along the Lakeshore West line, making Toronto-Burlington in 40 minutes, a trip that is normally 1:01 off peak and 0:51 with a normal express train.

There are also some super Express trains in the morning to oshawa, and Appleby.

I wish they converted the three kitchener line deadheads into super Express trains and that one train the afternoon. It always leaves bramalea right after 6:06 train pulls in

 

[Krypto98]

There isn't even a master list or a map. Internally, there are documents that get updated on a not-so-frequent basis that show the zone speeds as well as Permanent Slow Orders for each subdivision - not even by each corridor - as well as bulletins that are distributed to all of the crews each day that will give them info on current temporary slow orders everywhere out in the system.

If you're able to ride the system, you can get a pretty good idea what the zone speeds are for any given section by looking for the speed limit signs (yellow diamond signs located about 10 feet from the nearest rail, usually to the right). If the sign has two numbers, the upper one is the passenger speed limit.

Dan

Between malton and bramalea go is there a slow order for Scarboro St and torbram road? I was on the 4:50 Express train and the train slowed down alot right after malton go. There was a white sign just 100 meters east of malton with a 80 over 60. But the train was going probably 50 km/hr tops after malton. It started speeding up again after torbram road.

 

[smallspy]

Between malton and bramalea go is there a slow order for Scarboro St and torbram road? I was on the 4:50 Express train and the train slowed down alot right after malton go. There was a white sign just 100 meters east of malton with a 80 over 60. But the train was going probably 50 km/hr tops after malton. It started speeding up again after torbram road.

A white diamond sign is an advance warning of a speed limit change to a lower one than is current. By the rules, then need to be placed between 2000 and 3000 feet away from where the new speed limit takes effect - but there is no rule about specific location.

(Just to confuse things, a yellow diamond can also be used as an advance warning, and with the same placement. That's why there need to be documents that show the exact locations of the speed limit changes.)

For that specific location and case, there are no permanent restrictions at either location although there may be temporary limits due to the construction at Torbram. Historically, there is a "soft" stretch of roadbed several hundred feet west of Scarboro St. that has long resulted in on-and-off temporary limits due to track conditions, but I don't have the current daily reports to know whether this is currently an issue there.

Dan

 

[smallspy]

So, contrary to what I had been told before it turns out that there will be significant changes to the rail service for the beginning of September. And some of these changes will result in bus cancellations.

- The 3 weekday evening trips to Unionville will be reinstated, and will be extended to Mount Joy. As well, their times will be adjusted to line up with the times of the mid-day trains.
- The summer-only weekend trains to Niagara Falls will now be made permanent, and will run year-round.
- 2 more trains will start in the morning and stop in the evening at West Harbour. One of the afternoon trains is a new westbound express, versus being extended from an existing train.
- Kitchener will have a 6th train each morning, leaving at 7.57am. As well, two other trains will leave Kitchener over the course of the day, at 2.57pm and 8.57pm. New trains will arrive in Kitchener at 2.47pm, 8.47pm and 11.47pm.
- Finally, there will now be hourly evening service from Union to Mount Pleasant and vice versa on weeknights.

There are a couple of other minor changes, but these are the most notable. And there will be additional service changes at the end of October as well.

Dan

 

[Krypto98]

So, contrary to what I had been told before it turns out that there will be significant changes to the rail service for the beginning of September. And some of these changes will result in bus cancellations.

- The 3 weekday evening trips to Unionville will be reinstated, and will be extended to Mount Joy. As well, their times will be adjusted to line up with the times of the mid-day trains.
- The summer-only weekend trains to Niagara Falls will now be made permanent, and will run year-round.
- 2 more trains will start in the morning and stop in the evening at West Harbour. One of the afternoon trains is a new westbound express, versus being extended from an existing train.
- Kitchener will have a 6th train each morning, leaving at 7.57am. As well, two other trains will leave Kitchener over the course of the day, at 2.57pm and 8.57pm. New trains will arrive in Kitchener at 2.47pm, 8.47pm and 11.47pm.
- Finally, there will now be hourly evening service from Union to Mount Pleasant and vice versa on weeknights.

There are a couple of other minor changes, but these are the most notable. And there will be additional service changes at the end of October as well.

Dan

For kitchener it looks like
the existing 9:00 am mount pleasant train is extended to kitchener.
The 3:54PM Express is extended to kitchener
The 8:57PM is completely new

12:53 PM from union extended to kitchener
The current 6:50PM train moved 10 minutes earlier or it runs Express to malton/Etobicoke north?
And a completely new 9:40PM train to kitchener which likely means the hourly trains leave union on the 0:40

I'll make a excel graphic when I get on my computer

 

[Northern Light]

So, contrary to what I had been told before it turns out that there will be significant changes to the rail service for the beginning of September. And some of these changes will result in bus cancellations.

- The 3 weekday evening trips to Unionville will be reinstated, and will be extended to Mount Joy. As well, their times will be adjusted to line up with the times of the mid-day trains.
- The summer-only weekend trains to Niagara Falls will now be made permanent, and will run year-round.
- 2 more trains will start in the morning and stop in the evening at West Harbour. One of the afternoon trains is a new westbound express, versus being extended from an existing train.
- Kitchener will have a 6th train each morning, leaving at 7.57am. As well, two other trains will leave Kitchener over the course of the day, at 2.57pm and 8.57pm. New trains will arrive in Kitchener at 2.47pm, 8.47pm and 11.47pm.
- Finally, there will now be hourly evening service from Union to Mount Pleasant and vice versa on weeknights.

There are a couple of other minor changes, but these are the most notable. And there will be additional service changes at the end of October as well.

Dan

Thanks Dan!

 

[Andy_in_Toronto]

But to get from Toronto to Kitchener in the morning to arrive in time for a normal work day something like between 8 - 9h is still not offered?

 

[Neutrino]

Any word on Stouffville weekends?

 

[lrt's friend]

But to get from Toronto to Kitchener in the morning to arrive in time for a normal work day something like between 8 - 9h is still not offered?

Yes, if we really want people to be able to use GO for their day to day activities, there needs to be service as described. I once had a business meeting in Guelph and although I was able to take the train from Ottawa to downtown Toronto, I was forced to rent a car to Guelph. Also, we can add Niagara Falls. The value in GO service is not for commuters but to handle the tourist traffic between Toronto and Niagara Falls. This will be a game changer if visitors had reliable access to rail service. I planned an international conference in Niagara Falls and access between Niagara Falls and Pearson was either awful or very expensive. We now have the UPX that gets people to Union quickly. The missing link is a fast link to Niagara Falls. I am now planning another rail adventure in September and it crossed my mind that it would be wonderful if I could make a side trip to Niagara Falls. But the current rail/bus connections do not have any appeal to me.

 

[Andy_in_Toronto]

The Go train to Niagara Falls is pretty decent now. Often faster than driving. I think for business events and tourists the permanent train starting September is a big win!

 

[lrt's friend]

The Go train to Niagara Falls is pretty decent now. Often faster than driving. I think for business events and tourists the permanent train starting September is a big win!

Still only on weekends, but it is a step forward that it is now running year round. I should look into the planned new schedule.

 

[smallspy]

But to get from Toronto to Kitchener in the morning to arrive in time for a normal work day something like between 8 - 9h is still not offered?

Until there is more track in place, it simply is not possible to run a service from Toronto to Kitchener in that time slot.

Any word on Stouffville weekends?

Soon, but not that soon.

Dan