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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

I talked to my usual CSA today who claimed to have ~242 people total onboard his Stouffville and Kitchener runs combined tonight based on data he had available to him (I'm assuming from Presto taps)

They had given him a 12 car consist tonight with only a handful of people onboard my 23:15 Stouffville line train.

I get they want to socially distance people but why run 12 cars on an empty train? Isn't that counterproductive having to disinfect all those extra cars?
 
Richard White said:
I talked to my usual CSA today who claimed to have ~242 people total onboard his Stouffville and Kitchener runs combined tonight based on data he had available to him (I'm assuming from Presto taps)

They had given him a 12 car consist tonight with only a handful of people onboard my 23:15 Stouffville line train.

I get they want to socially distance people but why run 12 cars on an empty train? Isn't that counterproductive having to disinfect all those extra cars?
Click to expand...
I know they ran the first train out of kitchener today with a 6 car train and the 8:00 am train from mount pleasant with a 6 car.
 
Richard White said:
I talked to my usual CSA today who claimed to have ~242 people total onboard his Stouffville and Kitchener runs combined tonight based on data he had available to him (I'm assuming from Presto taps)

They had given him a 12 car consist tonight with only a handful of people onboard my 23:15 Stouffville line train.

I get they want to socially distance people but why run 12 cars on an empty train? Isn't that counterproductive having to disinfect all those extra cars?
Click to expand...

I don't know for certain but I imagine it is a fair bit of work to break up trainsets, certainly on a large scale. It might be easier to eat the fuel/maintenance cost and perhaps close off some of the cars (if TC allows).
 
lenaitch said:
I don't know for certain but I imagine it is a fair bit of work to break up trainsets, certainly on a large scale. It might be easier to eat the fuel/maintenance cost and perhaps close off some of the cars (if TC allows).
Click to expand...

This was usually a 6 car consist. My thinking was that due to social distancing they wanted people to be able to spread out.
 
Further changes coming to the Kitchener Line starting March 23:

Train Schedule Changes | Service Updates | GO Transit

We’re making time changes to some weekday Lakeshore East and Lakeshore West train trips, some weekday and weekend Barrie line trips, and to some GO bus trips.
www.gotransit.com www.gotransit.com

GO train service reduced

We are making an adjustment to the revised schedule to ensure essential workers can get to their shifts in hospitals where we need them most—on the frontlines.

Starting Monday, March 23, the eastbound 5:44 a.m. trip from Georgetown GO will depart 15 minutes earlier at 5:29 a.m., with times at all other stops also 15 minutes earlier and arrival at Union Station at 6:32 a.m.

Click here to see a PDF of your schedule. This trip will appear in our online trip planning tools over the next few days.

There are temporary reductions to GO train and bus service in continued support of provincial action and to protect Ontarians from COVID-19.

During this time, there are no express rush-hour trips.

Some trains may depart from different platforms at Union Station so be sure to check the departure board before heading up to the platform and give yourself a little extra time. Our staff at Union Station are there to assist you if you need help.

Some trains may be shorter than usual, so you may need to adjust where you wait on the platform depending on your station.
Click to expand...
 
I was going through the Woodbine GO business case and spotted this hiding in the appendix. Anyone know what they are referring to here?

1584743587594.png



Edit: I just realized upon posting they could be referring to the idiotic Tory SmartTrack Eglinton spur. Sigh, what a waste of brain cells.
 
WislaHD said:
I was going through the Woodbine GO business case and spotted this hiding in the appendix. Anyone know what they are referring to here?



Edit: I just realized upon posting they could be referring to the idiotic Tory SmartTrack Eglinton spur. Sigh, what a waste of brain cells.
Click to expand...

Nope, they are looking at running a break-off of the existing corridor so that mainline trains between Toronto and K-W could through-run, through the airport. Its part of the Union Station West concept.
 
^This is why I am so opposed to ML's Development Oriented approach to station siting. The station placement has to be determined first, and then development attracted around that location. The developer should not be determining the location of the station.

In the case of Woodbine, it's conceivable that GO could remain on its present route while only UPE and VIA make the diversion into Pearson, and that might make this example moot. However, it sure seems to make sense to me that local service should also veer into Pearson, because that way communities all along the GO line would be able to make a one-seat trip to and from Pearson, which is likely a very large market.

If that's true, then the Pearson plan needs to come first and Woodbine only proceed if the routing remains viable. If the diversion into Pearson bypasses Woodbine, as it may well, then why build Woodbine at all. The developers will scream (as I would) if they sink money into a station and surrounding attractions only to find that the trains don't stop there any more.

Cart, please take your place behind the horse.

- Paul
 
crs1026 said:
Cart, please take your place behind the horse.
Click to expand...
My glaring example is the second platform at Markham station. Metrolinx builds a second platform on the West side of the track so both sides of the train can open the doors. How much did this cost, and how much will it cost to rip it up in order to build the second track through the station?
 
Fritter said:
My glaring example is the second platform at Markham station. Metrolinx builds a second platform on the West side of the track so both sides of the train can open the doors. How much did this cost, and how much will it cost to rip it up in order to build the second track through the station?
Click to expand...

Your answers - not much, and not much.

That specific station is a unique situation where the passenger loads have gotten to the point where something had to be done, as trains were having to sit at the station for literal minutes loading and unloading - and thus blocking two level crossings. Building a second platform was the cheapest option out of the other options mooted, such as moving the level crossing at Snider to allow for a lengthening of the original, single platform or grade separating the whole area. Keeping the status quo was simply not an option anymore.

Dan
 
smallspy said:
Your answers - not much, and not much.

That specific station is a unique situation where the passenger loads have gotten to the point where something had to be done, as trains were having to sit at the station for literal minutes loading and unloading - and thus blocking two level crossings. Building a second platform was the cheapest option out of the other options mooted, such as moving the level crossing at Snider to allow for a lengthening of the original, single platform or grade separating the whole area. Keeping the status quo was simply not an option anymore.

Dan
Click to expand...
Thank you for the explanations, I understand that sometimes the lessor of many evils is what needs to be done. Metrolinx still looks like it likes to dig hole just to fill them up again, and spend millions to do each. ;)
Another example might be what may need to be done at Oshawa. VIA just built their platform bridge a few years ago, now Metrolinx may have to re-build it to extend the tracks for the Bowmanville extension.
 
Fritter said:
Thank you for the explanations, I understand that sometimes the lessor of many evils is what needs to be done. Metrolinx still looks like it likes to dig hole just to fill them up again, and spend millions to do each. ;)
Click to expand...

Metrolinx really has become the king of burning money. And believe me, I can point out tons and tons of different methods that they do, from multi-million dollar contracts to little things that add up to maybe a couple of bucks each time.

For the record, I suspect that the construction and eventual demolition of the platform will total a half-million dollars, if that. As far as wasteful projects from Metrolinx go I would suggest that its money well spent, even if they have to tear it out in a year or two.

Fritter said:
Another example might be what may need to be done at Oshawa. VIA just built their platform bridge a few years ago, now Metrolinx may have to re-build it to extend the tracks for the Bowmanville extension.
Click to expand...

The additional facilities that VIA built at Oshawa several years back will not preclude in any way the extension of GO's own tracks.

Dan
 
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