SaugeenJunction
Senior Member
If that’s the case, it’s a bit excessive to get the Premier to come out, no?
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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)
- Thread starter drum118
- Start date
Undead
Senior Member
All day two way Timmies sammiches.
rbt
Senior Member
This Initial Business Case was released a couple years ago.
It included consideration of a station at Beamsville and ~6 daily round-trip trains to Niagara Falls. No track improvements.
So my guess is a new station at Beamsville, finishing Confederation GO, some improvement of Niagara station (more platform space), and 5 to 6 daily round-trip trains to Niagara Falls for a total capital cost of ~$100M.
Worth noting, the last time Ford visited Niagara Falls he spent $24M. So he's shown willingness to make fairly minor announcements there in person.
Niagara Region Local News | The Standard
Read the latest Niagara region local news to find out what’s happening in and around your local community.
www.stcatharinesstandard.ca
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Bordercollie
Senior Member
rbt
Senior Member
Indeed, which is why I suggested more platform space rather than a new platform. Removing some parking and trees would allow significantly more space for passenger flow. Right now there are safety issues with passengers forced to walk at the platform edge.
Northern Light
Superstar
Hmmmm.........on Niagara............
There's a story today.....out that way....where these paragraphs appear:
via www.pressreader.com
The story is dated today............
Edit to Add:
I found the original story, took me a moment...........its actually from 2 days ago.
Mostly about adding a new road connection and roundabout.............but with the GO Train mention........
www.niagarafallsreview.ca
There's a story today.....out that way....where these paragraphs appear:
via www.pressreader.com
The story is dated today............
Edit to Add:
I found the original story, took me a moment...........its actually from 2 days ago.
Mostly about adding a new road connection and roundabout.............but with the GO Train mention........
Niagara Region Local News | The Review
Read the latest Niagara region local news to find out what’s happening in and around your local community.
www.niagarafallsreview.ca
Last edited:
ARG1
Senior Member
A downtown train station? I'm sorry what? Weren't any tracks that went downtown ripped out long ago in favour of Casinos?Hmmmm.........on Niagara............
There's a story today.....out that way....where these paragraphs appear:
View attachment 422742
via www.pressreader.com
The story is dated today............
Edit to Add:
I found the original story, took me a moment...........its actually from 2 days ago.
Mostly about adding a new road connection and roundabout.............but with the GO Train mention........
Niagara Region Local News | The Review
Read the latest Niagara region local news to find out what’s happening in and around your local community.
Northern Light
Superstar
No, the Niagara Falls station IS next to the historic downtown area of NF; but that is not particularly close to The Falls or to Clifton Hill which people tend to think of as DT Niagara.........but technically and historically speaking, it is not.
ShonTron
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Yeah, the downtown station is the station that GO and VIA/Amtrak use.
The tracks that led to Clifton Hill and beyond was a Michigan Central (New York Central) connection from Niagara Falls NY to its Canada Southern mainline to St. Thomas and Detroit. CP took it over when Conrail (which took over the remains of the NYC system) divested itself of its Canadian rail assets. With the loss of industry in Niagara Falls and Welland, CP didn’t need that track, as it has another connection at Fort Erie anyway.
I don’t know why the article is talking about commuter service in 2023, as there’s one weekday train a day that does it now. Maybe it will be an upgraded service, with the West Harbour connection completed. Maybe the announcement will finally kickstart the Centennial and Casablanca station work.
The tracks that led to Clifton Hill and beyond was a Michigan Central (New York Central) connection from Niagara Falls NY to its Canada Southern mainline to St. Thomas and Detroit. CP took it over when Conrail (which took over the remains of the NYC system) divested itself of its Canadian rail assets. With the loss of industry in Niagara Falls and Welland, CP didn’t need that track, as it has another connection at Fort Erie anyway.
I don’t know why the article is talking about commuter service in 2023, as there’s one weekday train a day that does it now. Maybe it will be an upgraded service, with the West Harbour connection completed. Maybe the announcement will finally kickstart the Centennial and Casablanca station work.
Things have been quiet on the Confederation GO front for a while. I wonder if he chose Niagara Falls because it encapsulates the entire corridor. Tendering all the station work for the extension/expansion/service increase in one package may make sense.
rbt
Senior Member
This Initial Business Case was released a couple years ago.
It included consideration of a station at Beamsville and ~6 daily round-trip trains to Niagara Falls. No track improvements.
So my guess is a new station at Beamsville, finishing Confederation GO, some improvement of Niagara station (more platform space), and 5 to 6 daily round-trip trains to Niagara Falls for a total capital cost of ~$100M.
Worth noting, the last time Ford visited Niagara Falls he spent $24M. So he's shown willingness to make fairly minor announcements there in person.
Niagara Region Local News | The Standard
Read the latest Niagara region local news to find out what’s happening in and around your local community.
In addition, I recalled a 2021 Metrolinx article stating the stub-end tracks at West Harbour would be extended. Funding this work may be part of today's announcement as well.
"Metrolinx is also building towards enhanced track capacity and working with rail partners to bring service to the future Confederation GO Station.
Over the next few years, there are plans to add additional pocket tracks to the two stub-ended tracks at West Harbour, connecting the tracks to the main Lakeshore West Line on the east side of the station. This work will eliminate the need to reverse GO trains into the station, which adds 20-minutes to trips when travelling to and from Niagara and will facilitate service to Confederation GO and beyond.
Service beyond Hamilton
Unlocking increased service in Hamilton also means unlocking expanded GO train service to Niagara, down the line. Niagara already has weekend and holiday rail service to and from Niagara Falls, with demand for more. Work continues to bring more service to both Hamilton and Niagara region as soon as possible.
By finding smarter and better ways to work together, Metrolinx is accelerating service improvements to these areas."
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innsertnamehere
Superstar
I'm really curious why it's in Niagara Falls as well.
I expected an announcement of changes to Hamilton GO service soon, particularly 30 minute service to West Harbour and construction finally starting on Confederation, but Niagara is interesting.
The other alternative is that the announcement may be related to the Garden City Skyway replacement / twinning, but why hold it in Niagara Falls then and not St Catharine's? Perhaps going down that "roads" route, it could be an announcement of replacing the Thorold Stone Road interchange on the QEW and widening the QEW south to the 420, which has been an overdue roads infrastructure project in the area for a while..
Really just getting Confederation GO built will result in improved service to Niagara too, as it allows seasonal Niagara trains to stop in Hamilton and will shave a good amount of time off the single peak hour train to Niagara as it won't have to back into West Harbour any more.
I believe the Niagara Extension's costs are primarily around Confederation GO, which needs a new track from West Harbour to enable all day service to it. Otherwise it's a relatively small amount of money to spend at Grimsby for a new station, some minor facelifts at Niagara Falls and St Catharines, and perhaps an additional passing track or two.
I expected an announcement of changes to Hamilton GO service soon, particularly 30 minute service to West Harbour and construction finally starting on Confederation, but Niagara is interesting.
The other alternative is that the announcement may be related to the Garden City Skyway replacement / twinning, but why hold it in Niagara Falls then and not St Catharine's? Perhaps going down that "roads" route, it could be an announcement of replacing the Thorold Stone Road interchange on the QEW and widening the QEW south to the 420, which has been an overdue roads infrastructure project in the area for a while..
Really just getting Confederation GO built will result in improved service to Niagara too, as it allows seasonal Niagara trains to stop in Hamilton and will shave a good amount of time off the single peak hour train to Niagara as it won't have to back into West Harbour any more.
I believe the Niagara Extension's costs are primarily around Confederation GO, which needs a new track from West Harbour to enable all day service to it. Otherwise it's a relatively small amount of money to spend at Grimsby for a new station, some minor facelifts at Niagara Falls and St Catharines, and perhaps an additional passing track or two.
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Northern Light
Superstar
innsertnamehere
Superstar
as usual, prepared to be disappointed.. it is indeed just an announcement for the continuation of year-round Niagara service.
news.ontario.ca
Ontario Newsroom
news.ontario.ca
ARG1
Senior Member
As well as a 2nd round trip, which is new.as usual, prepared to be disappointed.. it is indeed just an announcement for the continuation of year-round Niagara service.
Ontario Newsroom