GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[sixrings]

The whole reason for creating ML was that the TATOA could never agree on anything because the local pols on the board took parochial win-lose views and mostly promoted transit for their own jurisdiction.

I'm not seeing any of the provincial governments who have overseen ML doing much to broker an evenhanded integration of transit. They have all simply created and pushed their own self-serving projects.

I'm not in favour of any provincial monolith (self disclosure - I worked at the old Ontario Hydro before it was broken up) but there has to be some sort of silo-busting so that individual transit properties work better with each other.

For regional and provincial needs, a single bus/regional rail plan similar to Let's Move is needed. But I'm not so sure that Metrolinx ought to run it all.

- Paul

That’s not fully true Paul. The Milton line representatives have nicely let their project die because of its crazy cost that could be used on much more desirable and worthy projects such as the tunneled Brampton lrt. See how that’s not putting your people first for the greater good?!

 

[Sunnyside]

In 2007, when Metrolinx’s geographic remit was just the GTA, its Board consisted of local elected officials. This changed in ~2009 to today’s ineffective bunch of Ministerial toadies. Here’s a snip from the 2007/8 Annual Report

(Posting this without catching up yet…)

Wow, thanks for sharing. Some big names in this. I wonder how it played out with such colourful characters… Why did they switch to just the Minister?

How would you envision that working if not as an agency of the Crown? Nobody wants a for-profit corporation. Some kind of separate not-for-profit corporation owned by the member municipalities? They would have to fund it and, in reality, would lead to a very large board given the size of the area and likely end up with a lot of squabbling. Who secures the debt? An organization like that would tie up a lot of capital.

Ah, I think I didn’t say that right. Basically return to as-above (a board, in any case) for a restructured Metrolinx. That much is needed regardless. And Mx already acts like a Corporation- I’d rather it didn’t.

My main idea was a partial breakup into 3 or 4 “Planning Districts:” Areas defined by a sufficiently distinct economic centre and/or travel patterns. Something like TO+905/ CMA, Ham-Niagara, KWCG. Likely Barrie, Ptbo. I’d prefer ‘joint jurisdiction’ for the in-betweens like Brantford or Burlington. A London PD would be perfect, but best not under Mx…

I expect Mx properly distributes funding (pop., growth, SOGR, etc). They also still execute the projects- PDs only help figure what those are. GO should remain directly under Mx, only now with major PD input.

Ideally the PDs hold accountability through boards. ~1-2 from each rep’s the PD at a Mx board, which also now has the Minister. GTA ought get +1.

Devolving lets a PD work with local munis better, and maybe even leverage/balance out their resources to deliver more. But, how integrated things can/should get is in the air. This is just how I see a more accurately-represented and planned GGH under a remade Metrolinx.

 

[WB62]

Very interesting post over on the electrification thread:

legacy service plan
View attachment 657789
from 2022

 

[Metroscapes]

Very interesting post over on the electrification thread:

• "Woodbine GO", no Etobicoke North
• 2 service configs for UPX
• A service gap between Old Cummer and Langstaff?

 

[WB62]

• "Woodbine GO", no Etobicoke North
• 2 service configs for UPX
• A service gap between Old Cummer and Langstaff?

Etobicoke North is closing once Woodbine opens.

I’m actually a bit familiar with that RH plan, the proposal was originally 30 minute service along the whole line all day.
Because of the rail to rail crossing between Old Cummer and Langstaff, they split the service, terminating the 30 minute service at Old Cummer, and running a hourly Langstaff-Bloomington service.
The line obviously would have run in full during rush hour, which is what the broken lines on that diagram represent

 

[Krypto98]

Etobicoke North is closing once Woodbine opens.

I’m actually a bit familiar with that RH plan, the proposal was originally 30 minute service along the whole line all day.
Because of the rail to rail crossing between Old Cummer and Langstaff, they split the service, terminating the 30 minute service at Old Cummer, and running a hourly Langstaff-Bloomington service.
The line obviously would have run in full during rush hour, which is what the broken lines on that diagram represent

Makes sense, langstaff to Bloomington can fit 3-4 tracks (the ROW). The Doncaster Diamond and Don Valley are the big constraints. Judging by the terrain around the Diamond the best option would likely be Bala sub under/over York sub as if you trench the York sub the grades would be too extreme for freight trains to go through. It's already a 0.8-% grade coming into Doncaster from the north and west.

 

[Northern Light]

Makes sense, langstaff to Bloomington can fit 3-4 tracks (the ROW).

Are you accounting for the YNSE running in this corridor on 2 dedicated tracks.

 

[Krypto98]

Are you accounting for the YNSE running in this corridor on 2 dedicated tracks.

Likely just 3 tracks with the YNSE.

 

[Urban Sky]

Are you accounting for the YNSE running in this corridor on 2 dedicated tracks.

Even 3 tracks at the Train Storage Facility between Bantry Avenue and 16th Avenue…

 

[chrisw]

On Sunday, June 29, the Stray Kids [dominATE] World Tour will take place at the new Rogers Stadium, located near Downsview Park GO. To help ensure you have a smooth journey home, we have arranged three additional southbound Barrie line trains from Downsview Park GO to Union Station.

These southbound trains on the Barrie line will depart at 11:35 p.m., 11:45 p.m. and 11:55 p.m. and will all have 12 coaches. However, high passenger volume is expected. Please plan ahead and consider alternative travel options to and from the concert.

We are also changing the length of some trains. Keep alert in crowded areas and stay back from the yellow line.

---

The last normally scheduled service is 10:34pm southbound and 11:13 pm northbound.

 

[SubHuman]

If there's going to be 50,000 people all leaving concerts there at the same time, hopefully both GO and TTC understand this and have extra service. Once upon a time they didn't seem to know or care.
I suppose with much of that GO line still being only one track, there's probably no choice but to have only the extra southbound trains, and most people going north would be taking the subway anyway.
If I was going to something there, I might consider walking over to Keele St to try to get a bus, though I'm not sure if that would better or worse.
(Toronto Star, 25 July 1977)

 

[Metroscapes]

On the subject of special event service, I was at Halton County Radial Railway for Father's Day, and saw this oldie in one of the TTC subway cars sitting in the barn.

 

[nfitz]

If there's going to be 50,000 people all leaving concerts there at the same time, hopefully both GO and TTC understand this and have extra service. Once upon a time they didn't seem to know or care.
I suppose with much of that GO line still being only one track, there's probably no choice but to have only the extra southbound trains, and most people going north would be taking the subway anyway.
View attachment 659846

That 1977 article is wonderful! Some prize quotes there:

"... close all their streetcar windows ... otherwise they dived through the open windows to avoid paying."

"Ever since they lowered the drinking age in 1971 these night concerts have been getting worse"

This would have been the previous Exhibition Loop. The current one didn't open until the 1990s. I have to say, that after events, I've found Exhibition Loop quite functional, when the TTC has extra streetcars operating! A rare success for them I've felt. Ditto for Dufferin Gate loop, especially for boarding the 504 (503 currently).

 

[crs1026]

I guess nobody remembers Sarsstock,which was held in the same venue as the upcoming event ?
Until GO completes 2WaD to Downsview, there is a limit on its ability to empty out that venue…. But….there is now a subway that can move a thousand people every 2-3 minutes in two directions.
ML is actually doing a much better job in the Union-Exhibition region after recent evening events.
- Paul

 

[nfitz]

I guess nobody remembers Sarsstock,which was held in the same venue as the upcoming event ?

That was a huge crowd though for the AC/DC Rolling Stones concert after SARS in 2003. About 10 times larger than this new stadium. I can't remember what the transit reports were for that one; the biggest issue was the damage to the city sewers!

Until GO completes 2WaD to Downsview, there is a limit on its ability to empty out that venue….

Between 3 southbound trains, 1 northbound train, and that there's now 2 subway stations, they should be fine.

Though I'm surprised they don't sneak in a second northbound train. Why not at a minimum, have an extra northbound pre-positioned standing on the track just north of Downsview Park and back it into the station at midnight, for a final northbound run? (I assume there's still only one track at Downsview Park).