GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[mdrejhon]

On the Union-Hamilton-Niagara service of the future:

Yeah I have previously pondered about using a trainset based in Lewis Yard for a couple of additional round trips for the weekend Niagara Service, to provide said morning trip as well as to improve headways from every 4 hours to every 2-3 hours:

I think these extra trainsets are easily justified if they add the through-tracks at West Harbour GO station, to accomodate the extra traffic.

Hamilton, a more major city than Oakville and Burlington, is still bypassed by the Niagara weekend trains.

The Niagara weekday-peak trains do stop but they have to switch directions ("back in" and "back out") of the West Harbour spur to continue their journey.

I wrote two nice articles in 2015-2016 at www.raisethehammer.org/article/2672 and www.raisethehammer.org/article/2720

They will do this eventually, but the date of this happening will be an open question. I know Metrolinx were at one time making a phasing decision whether or not to do certain Hamilton line-items or Stourville line-items, and CP scheduling caused them to divert more focus to Stoufville at the time; while fixing up that John Street bridge pre-requisites and other; and now then the pandemic hit. I'd guesstimate 2023-ish for them to finally make West Harbour a through-station.

 

[crs1026]

^Wearing my big issue-smaller issue objectivity hat, I’m a lot more concerned about the continued absence of all day service between West Harbour and Toronto….. but doesn’t it grate that a full year of downtime has gone by without forward movement on that simple track/platform mod to eliminate the backup move!

Fodder for a question at the next ML town hall.

- Paul

 

[innsertnamehere]

The missing track will happen as a part of Confederation GO - whenever that ends up happening. Metrolinx has been dragging its feet on it for years. I’d love for a transit reporter to do a bit of digging on it. The tender has been “out” for almost a year and a half now.

 

[Northern Light]

The missing track will happen as a part of Confederation GO - whenever that ends up happening. Metrolinx has been dragging its feet on it for years. I’d love for a transit reporter to do a bit of digging on it. The tender has been “out” for almost a year and a half now.

Ask Ben Spurr over at The Star to take a look.

This is his email:

bspurr@thestar.ca

or you could 'Tweet' him:

https://twitter.com/benspurr

 

[Fritter]

Metrolinx has been dragging its feet on it for years.

Is it Metrolinx dragging it's feet, or CN, as this will ultimately be a CN construction project on a CN owned and operated subdivision.

 

[Allandale25]

Borehole testing for the Bowmanville Extension:

Province taking next steps toward GO train expansion to Bowmanville

The provincial government is collecting more information about the planned expansion of GO train service to Bowmanville. They say borehole drilling has start

www.durhamradionews.com

 

[Allandale25]

Borehole testing for the Bowmanville Extension:

Province taking next steps toward GO train expansion to Bowmanville

The provincial government is collecting more information about the planned expansion of GO train service to Bowmanville. They say borehole drilling has start

www.durhamradionews.com

Not sure if there are other pictures etc out there of this (political) update but some of the B-roll in this almost looks like it's in Oshawa along the CP line.

Caroline Mulroney on LinkedIn: As part of the Bowmanville Extension Project, Ontario has begun borehole…

As part of the Bowmanville Extension Project, Ontario has begun borehole drilling on the Lakeshore East line to prepare for future GO rail service in Durham!…

www.linkedin.com

 

[Bordercollie]

Not sure if there are other pictures etc out there of this (political) update but some of the B-roll in this almost looks like it's in Oshawa along the CP line.

Caroline Mulroney on LinkedIn: As part of the Bowmanville Extension Project, Ontario has begun borehole…

As part of the Bowmanville Extension Project, Ontario has begun borehole drilling on the Lakeshore East line to prepare for future GO rail service in Durham!…

www.linkedin.com

Even if there is a second bridge, isn't there a conflict when they have to cross the CP tracks to get to the other side?

 

[Allandale25]

^ There is, and this was acknowledged and mentioned at a townhall hosted by the Durham MPP with the Metrolinx CEO. They will cross at a diamond north of the existing bridge over the 401.

I can try to find the link if you want to see the event and Q and A.

 

[Bordercollie]

^ There is, and this was acknowledged and mentioned at a townhall hosted by the Durham MPP with the Metrolinx CEO. They will cross at a diamond north of the existing bridge over the 401.

I can try to find the link if you want to see the event and Q and A.

So if there is still a conflict at the diamond, is there a benefit to building a second bridge? The benefit I can see is that a train can occupy the bridge short of the diamond but is that worth building another bridge? Why not make the trains stop before the bridge to allow GO trains priority?

 

[reaperexpress]

^Wearing my big issue-smaller issue objectivity hat, I’m a lot more concerned about the continued absence of all day service between West Harbour and Toronto….. but doesn’t it grate that a full year of downtime has gone by without forward movement on that simple track/platform mod to eliminate the backup move!

Fodder for a question at the next ML town hall.

- Paul

Personally I'm not concerned yet. The service increase to Hamilton had nominally been waiting for CN construction at the Desjardins Canal, and IIRC that wasn't completed until after the start of the first lockdown. It would have been politically awkward to introduce a new service during a time when so many other routes were heavily cut back or even cancelled. If they ramp service back up and still haven't introduced all-day service to Hamilton, then I'll start to be concerned.

 

[smallspy]

Personally I'm not concerned yet. The service increase to Hamilton had nominally been waiting for CN construction at the Desjardins Canal, and IIRC that wasn't completed until after the start of the first lockdown. It would have been politically awkward to introduce a new service during a time when so many other routes were heavily cut back or even cancelled. If they ramp service back up and still haven't introduced all-day service to Hamilton, then I'll start to be concerned.

This is just it. Metrolinx almost introduced the service last fall, but was told by the Ministry "not right now".

Provided everything continues as it has, they have tentatively scheduled it for this fall.

Dan

 

[crs1026]

So if there is still a conflict at the diamond, is there a benefit to building a second bridge? The benefit I can see is that a train can occupy the bridge short of the diamond but is that worth building another bridge? Why not make the trains stop before the bridge to allow GO trains priority?

It's worth building a second bridge insofar as CP has likely said, " we get priority on the existing bridge. So build your own bridge or your trains will wait for us to finish switching."

ML: "OK, When you put it that way....."

- Paul

 

[Allandale25]

For those interested in more GO service, latest news:

Metrolinx Press Room

Find the latest Metrolinx news, project updates and more.

blog.metrolinx.com

 

[Northern Light]

For those interested in more GO service, latest news:

Metrolinx Press Room

Find the latest Metrolinx news, project updates and more.

blog.metrolinx.com

From the link above:

All service changes noted below are effective July 10th.

**

Also additional GO Bus service to the Zoo via Route 96