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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

generalcanada said:
so people are mistaking 2 different things here.
the entirety of the Barrie line is still going to be electrified
this is a service level increase from the full business case in 2018

Basically Newmarket, Gwillimbury, and bradford are getting 15-minute service all day instead of 30 minute service
This is actually a kinda significant change
This close to oncorr contract closing must mean that every bidder says this is possible


heres AM peak:
View attachment 341046
offpeak:
View attachment 341047
Click to expand...
crs1026 said:
^I think this is a genuine enhancement to the plan, likely the result of development proposals for Newmarket and Bradford which would justify the headways for the longer distance..

The frequency restriction on diesel trains in the Davenport Diamond EA approval won't support 30-minute diesel service, so I do think we will see electrification all the way to Barrie. Makes no sense to invest that much money in wires to Bradford only to run half the trains on diesel to get them to Barrie.

(Stepping back to await the invevitable predictions about battery/dual mode operation beyond Bradford)

- Paul
Click to expand...
Ye as I said I'm probably reading between the lines a bit too much, but the way its written does at least imply electrification ending at Bradford, but again, most likely an oversight.
 
reaperexpress said:
If they're training operators right now, it's a sign that they will run service on the current horrendous tracks, rather than waiting until they are upgraded to the point where a passenger rail service could be even remotely successful.
Click to expand...

One does wonder if this is a sly way of getting a few votes for the Tories.

The media is suggesting the election call is about to happen. The federal Minister's weak promises to "study" better VIA service will look even weaker when GO trains trains start running orientation runs.

The GO service plan doesn't need to be all that good to make the point to the voter - a train on the tracks today beats a promise of more trains maybe, some day.

- Paul
 
crs1026 said:
One does wonder if this is a sly way of getting a few votes for the Tories.

The media is suggesting the election call is about to happen. The federal Minister's weak promises to "study" better VIA service will look even weaker when GO trains trains start running orientation runs.

The GO service plan doesn't need to be all that good to make the point to the voter - a train on the tracks today beats a promise of more trains maybe, some day.

- Paul
Click to expand...
If the Ontario PCs and Federal Conservatives are smart they will announce London GO service together at one of the stations in a swing riding. Thereby Outflanking the Liberals who announced exactly what you just described regarding VIA. Have service start just before the election.
 
Garuda said:
If the Ontario PCs and Federal Conservatives are smart they will announce London GO service together at one of the stations in a swing riding. Thereby Outflanking the Liberals who announced exactly what you just described regarding VIA. Have service start just before the election.
Click to expand...
Like the promise by Doug Ford before the last provincial election to extend GO service to Niagara Falls. One round trip per day. Next to useless, but promise fulfilled.
 
Garuda said:
Realistically what would service look like? Not running weekend service would be stupid as the majority of users would be off pealed travellers. Friday nights would be very popular for getting to Stratford and London.
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It should be limited stop for sure

Probably London>Stratford>Kitchener>Guelph>Mount Pleasant>Bramalea>Mount Dennis>Union
 
Bureaucromancer said:
There's been no mention of this so far, but one thing that does occur to me about the Milton funding announcement is that the open ended nature of it suggests this might be something that could be used to move toward a Cambridge extension as well as just all day on the existing corridor.
Click to expand...

Hilariously, Cambridge didn't even have service on that reddit fantasy map posted last week that showed trains to Goderich, Orangeville, and Collingwood...
 
Krypto98 said:
It should be limited stop for sure

Probably London>Stratford>Kitchener>Guelph>Mount Pleasant>Bramalea>Mount Dennis>Union
Click to expand...
I'd add St Mary's in there. Is small but the community is very vocal and organized for more train service. If they get GO then it'll become a very popular, quaint, hip village for weekend escapes.

Mount Dennis will be very popular too. As long as there's at least one stop with UP Express that isn't Union the service will be well used heading to the airport.
 
I imagine the London GO service is envisioned as a weekend GO tourism service, which GO has been getting very successful at lately. Lots of people making trips to Stratford, London, Kitchener, etc. I'm sure.
 
Richard White said:
This is true.

This is what you get for not ingesting any caffeine in 3 months.
Click to expand...

Its a fair point though that deserves discussion. Where do you decide where GO has service and VIA does?

I was all for VIA HFR phase 2 to London via the Kitchener route. But now, it seems like GO will be on those tracks. Does that mean that VIA should instead invest in a Hamilton/Brantford route? Or is it still worthwhile to have express VIA HFR service on the Kitchener (GEXR) route, only stopping at major cities, and GO is the milk run service.
 
robmausser said:
Its a fair point though that deserves discussion. Where do you decide where GO has service and VIA does?

I was all for VIA HFR phase 2 to London via the Kitchener route. But now, it seems like GO will be on those tracks. Does that mean that VIA should instead invest in a Hamilton/Brantford route? Or is it still worthwhile to have express VIA HFR service on the Kitchener (GEXR) route, only stopping at major cities, and GO is the milk run service.
Click to expand...

For me, VIA rail should be long haul in the sense it goes to Ottawa, Halifax, Vancouver and places in between.

Places that are relatively close like Pickering, Hamilton, Guelph and Niagara should be done by GO transit.
 
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