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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

Willybru21 said:
Weekday schedule for those who don’t want to look at the pdf schedule:

Niagara-Toronto 06:34-09:04

Niagara-Toronto 13:10-15:24

Niagara-Toronto 21:10-23:34

Toronto-Niagara 09:52-12:07

Toronto-Niagara 17:12-19:48

Toronto-Niagara 21:52-00:07
Click to expand...
Of note is that only the weekday rushhour trains will stop at West Harbour. The midday/late night ones will not, nor will the weekend trains (status quo). This will probably change once the new West harbour track is built.
 
Definitely a welcome improvement and I’m a bit surprised, so I tip my hat to ML (and CN) for making this happen.
Having said that, I will still shamelessly ask for a second helping. I would hope for a 0830-1030ish departure from Niagara, and a 1300ish departure from Union. Complicates crewing and equipment, I admit, but would be very marketable as not everybody with a need to reach Toronto will want to get up at such an early hour, nor will those that do want to hang around until 17:00 to return.
I wonder whether the last train of the day leaves a bit early, especially given the downtown entertainment market. A lot of people will continue to drive to Burlington so they can get a later GO train, rather than miss the ninth inning or overtime period and take the Niagara train.
I believe this route could easily support frequent two way all day service, but that clearly demands more track. It’s good to see ML achieving a better outcome with CN, but further track construction just can’t happen soon enough. A St Catherines hub as an interim step to delay dealing with the Seaway challenge is quite workable for a decade.

- Paul
 
For me the first priority for additional service is a second morning departure from Union (summer only) one hour off from the current one. Overcrowding in previous years has clearly demonstrated that a single morning trip is not adequate during peak tourist season.

The most important function of the train is to handle peak period crowds. For span of service, express buses (and express trains to/from Hamilton?) are just as effective (slightly less convenient but faster)
 
reaperexpress said:
For me the first priority for additional service is a second morning departure from Union (summer only) one hour off from the current one. Overcrowding in previous years has clearly demonstrated that a single morning trip is not adequate during peak tourist season.

The most important function of the train is to handle peak period crowds. For span of service, express buses (and express trains to/from Hamilton?) are just as effective (slightly less convenient but faster)
Click to expand...

That is why they need 4 round trips daily. 2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon.
 
reaperexpress said:
The most important function of the train is to handle peak period crowds. For span of service, express buses (and express trains to/from Hamilton?) are just as effective (slightly less convenient but faster)
Click to expand...

With respect to Niagara Falls tourism, this is true. But for the “normal” public transit in this corridor, we are at the point where bus is no longer viable - as the Milton rerouting demonstrates, the QEW/Gardiner is just not reliable and trip times are not acceptable.

It’s a long way off before we can handle 2WAD “express” service beyond Clarkson, but we need to start thinking about this corridor as frequent 2WAD beyond Confederation.

- Paul
 
This is effectively the first corridor where Metrolinx has supplanted VIA. Proposal, the Guelph sub should be next, and the VIA service from Sarnia should be moved to the Dundas sub, by restoring the early morning slot that was cut when COVID hit eastbound, and using a J train for the westbound.
 
IRT_BMT_IND said:
This is effectively the first corridor where Metrolinx has supplanted VIA. Proposal, the Guelph sub should be next, and the VIA service from Sarnia should be moved to the Dundas sub, by restoring the early morning slot that was cut when COVID hit eastbound, and using a J train for the westbound.
Click to expand...
GO fully replaced VIA service to Stouffville and Bradford decades ago, this is technically the third corridor that GO has supplanted from VIA.
 
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