London Commuter Rail Discussions

[Bordercollie]

Still so crazy that this was put through. I remember suggesting in the fantasy thread about bringing GO Rail to Brantford, and getting so much flack. Meanwhile we're to push 100km beyond (what was argued to be 'beyond'), and it's accepted.

Don't get me wrong I love the idea of bare bones trains and infrastructure to build up ridership vs the usual lowly bus route. And I'd support such to the likes of Bolton, Orangeville, Cambridge, north Durham, maaaaybe Peterboro, etc. But London....is really dang far.

Brantford already has rail service like 4 times daily. Why would they add more services there?

Cambridge is on the table using the Fergus sub.

Peterborough is also possible with VIA HFR.

Have you been to London? Its not that far if you take the short route. The 401 is not fun.

 

[44 North]

Brantford already has rail service like 4 times daily. Why would they add more services there?

Cambridge is on the table using the Fergus sub.

Peterborough is also possible with VIA HFR.

Have you been to London? Its not that far if you take the short route. The 401 is not fun.

Yes it's bustling medium-sized metropolis with lots of growth. Am quite familiar with it. But within the realm of the GTHA and GO's service area it's like Pluto. Lots of areas within the GTA getting bus service indefinitely, and seemingly lucky to get that. But London is to get actual rail? Does seem a bit odd.

 

[drum118]

Brantford already has rail service like 4 times daily. Why would they add more services there?

Cambridge is on the table using the Fergus sub.

Peterborough is also possible with VIA HFR.

Have you been to London? Its not that far if you take the short route. The 401 is not fun.

Depends on the time of the day, the day of the week, weather and the 401 construction. Also where you are coming from, especially the east side of Toronto. I am on the west side and a 2 hour drive to the north=west part of London

London is car happy city with urban sprawl with a poor transit system.

It would be faster and cheaper for me to go to Brampton than Oakville to get a train to/from London.

Other than dealing with CN/CP, you run 2/3 car trains to other areas with London the Hub.

This may help to redevelop the downtown many vacant lots and run down business. It sure needs something now as it was dead before COVID.

 

[anb]

I get pushing the London extension through St Mary's and Stratford for the market, but they should've focused on the Brantford/Woodstock route a lot more. There's just a lot of potential to satisfy everyone going through this way as the track speeds wouldn't be as bad, and I feel like you could do way more express trips while also serving Oakville and Burlington as well, and still get to London in reasonable time. There's all the potential reasonable bus connections like at Brantford for Cambridge or Woodstock for St Mary's/Stratford and another one to Kitchener, and then just focus on connecting those communities together so we'd at least have buses that would be faster and reliable to take. If they focused on reliability and compatibility with the service and not just give us a connection with a lot of consequences behind it, service to London wouldn't be considered a joke or having the potential to fail.

 

[ssiguy2]

^ I agree as the route is much faster. There are also a LOT more commuters from Dorchester/Ingersol/Woodstook than there are from SM/Stratford if they ever decide to make it a London commuter service and run the trains the other way.

Again, if this is just a trial and GO has made a firm commitment to London, then this will help in trying to increase the speed and timetables in the future because as it is right now, it's useless and I can't for the life of me see why anyone in their right mind would take it.

 

[crs1026]

^Brantford is a logical bedroom community for Hamilton and GTA and a logical employment center in its own right. Doing a better job of linking it to the network is totally rational. And while the 403 isn't as busy as the 401, it's prime for a rail service that gets autos off the highway.

The problem is, people assume that the CN main line is free for the asking. It plainly isn't.

Kitchener-Stratford is the cheaper and easier route to implement a better train service. to Southwestern Ontario. An investment of say $150 M will get you far more on that route than on the Brantford route. That's why Ontario is going there first.

Over the years GO has explored potential service to Brantford, but hasn't made it a priority. If you study the history of railway building, many Ontario towns fought to have the railways routed through their community. That dynamic may reappear.

PS - the old TH+B route through Dundas still exists, as a bike trail.

- Paul

 

[jamincan]

PS - the old TH+B route through Dundas still exists, as a bike trail.

- Paul

A *very* popular bike trail.