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MoveOntario 2020: GO Transit Electrification

It seems like a dumb idea to run tiny 2-car DMUs on the Airport Rail Link. The airport link needs bigger trains, because it ought to serve more than just airport passengers (e.g. it should be possible to take it from Dundas West to Union).
 
andrewpmk said:
It seems like a dumb idea to run tiny 2-car DMUs on the Airport Rail Link. The airport link needs bigger trains, because it ought to serve more than just airport passengers (e.g. it should be possible to take it from Dundas West to Union).
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2-car DMUs is exactly the size an Express Business Class link to downtown needs. Many major business centers have a reliable, not beholden to highway congestion, business class link between the airport and downtown.

In addition to that, we also need a standard all stop passenger train for regional trips to the Airport.

In addition to both of those, we need local runs for locals from the East, West, North, and South to get to the airport.

One might even consider making the airport some kind of a transportation hub being as it is located at the border of 3 regions and not too distant from what could be frequent service downtown.

Needing more than one type of transit to the airport in no way reduces the need for a short express business class (check your luggage and checkin for flights at Union Station) service.
 
rbt said:
One might even consider making the airport some kind of a transportation hub being as it is located at the border of 3 regions and not too distant from what could be frequent service downtown.
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By the time the ARL opens, the Mississauga Transitway will be operational, with many buses running directly to Pearson.

in terms of travel time the fasteset way to go from Mississauga to downtown may well to take the Mississauga Transitway to Pearson and change to the ARL. Only the fare is the issue.

Though personally if I had to go to a meeting in Mississauga, I'd do it if it saved time. Not great for an average commute $$$.
 
rbt said:
2-car DMUs is exactly the size an Express Business Class link to downtown needs. Many major business centers have a reliable, not beholden to highway congestion, business class link between the airport and downtown.

In addition to that, we also need a standard all stop passenger train for regional trips to the Airport.

In addition to both of those, we need local runs for locals from the East, West, North, and South to get to the airport.

One might even consider making the airport some kind of a transportation hub being as it is located at the border of 3 regions and not too distant from what could be frequent service downtown.

Needing more than one type of transit to the airport in no way reduces the need for a short express business class (check your luggage and checkin for flights at Union Station) service.
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I completely agree with all of your points, rbt.

As for electrification, I think that GO/Metrolinx is coming at this from the wrong angle. We should be studying an integrated project to transform GO lines into proper regional rail routes rather than these disconnected piecemeal service, track, and power supply improvements. A proper study would include the track requirements for complete independent operation at all day frequencies of up to 10 minutes and peak frequencies at rapid transit levels, the need for electrification, the appropriate rolling stock, and fare and service integration with local service.
 
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The small train set which doesn't serve commuters is the right approach for the rail link that they are building. I don't agree with the link they are building and would have preferred a monorail to the rail corridor or a corridor diversion which both would have supported larger commuter serving trains but that is not what they have decided to build so for the amount of ridership which would go to the airport on that little spur line the 2 car single level train set is the right size.
 
unimaginative2 said:
I completely agree with all of your points, rbt.

As for electrification, I think that GO/Metrolinx is coming at this from the wrong angle. We should be studying an integrated project to transform GO lines into proper regional rail routes rather than these disconnected piecemeal service, track, and power supply improvements. A proper study would include the track requirements for complete independent operation at all day frequencies of up to 10 minutes and peak frequencies at rapid transit levels, the need for electrification, the appropriate rolling stock, and fare and service integration with local service.
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First, Pearson is an "Intermodal Mobility Hub" for both the City of Mississauga and Metrolinx.

Second, Metrolinx tendered a Network Electrification Study last December that was supposed to be finished by year end. It includes track requirements, corridor widths, substation spacing, land-aquisition requirements, and analysis of various rolling stock options. Metrolinx's overall mandate is fare and service integration, and except for TTC not liking/underfunded for Presto, it is progressing.

Electrification has always shown to have a net positive effect, but it's always been the question of other priorities having larger net positive effects and lack of funding to do it all at once. For electrification to make economic sense, you need to be running two-way all-day service. For most corridors, they need huge infrastructure upgrades to get there. GO is picking at the list, but I'm not holding my breath for anything other than the core Lakeshore line to be electric this decade.
 
Having small trains that don't serve commuters only makes sense if GO is willing to commit to a separate 15-minute or better all-day local service to Brampton, which they have not done. Under the current plan, passengers wanting to get on at Weston or Dundas West to go downtown are screwed. In any case, many airports are served by a regular train that makes local stops and have no expensive express service, like Vancouver, Paris and many others.
 
andrewpmk said:
Having small trains that don't serve commuters only makes sense if GO is willing to commit to a separate 15-minute or better all-day local service to Brampton, which they have not done. Under the current plan, passengers wanting to get on at Weston or Dundas West to go downtown are screwed. In any case, many airports are served by a regular train that makes local stops and have no expensive express service, like Vancouver, Paris and many others.
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There is demand for a premium service from downtown to the airport, the Airport bus, airport taxis, etc illustrate this. The ARL should not have any effect on GO's planning in the network
 
Technical Briefing for Media on Electrification Study

Metrolinx would like to invite media to attend a technical briefing on the Electrification Study on Wednesday, January 19 at 10 a.m. at Metrolinx head office (20 Bay St., 6th Floor). The briefing will be conducted by Electrification Project Director Karen Pitre. Metrolinx President and CEO Bruce McCuaig and Ms. Pitre will be available for questions and interviews following the technical briefing.

Metrolinx will release the findings of its comprehensive electrification study of the GO Transit rail system, including the Air Rail Link (ARL), on Wednesday, January 19. The study, as well as the staff recommendation, will be publicly available on the Metrolinx website (www.metrolinx.com) on January 19.

The Metrolinx Board of Directors will meet on January 26 to review the study and staff recommendations.The agenda and location detailsfor the meeting will be available online on January 19 at http://www.metrolinx.com/mx/en/board/boardMeetingDocs.aspx.

 For further information:
 
It's online!

Download the report here:
http://www.gotransit.com/estudy/en/default.aspx

Metrolinx releases Electrification Study
Metrolinx staff recommending to Board of Directors to electrify Lakeshore and Georgetown
corridors

TORONTO – Metrolinx today released the findings of its comprehensive study of the
electrification for the entire GO Transit rail system and the future Air Rail Link (ARL).
After a careful review of the findings, the staff is recommending to the Metrolinx Board of
Directors to move forward on the electrification of the GO Georgetown and Lakeshore
corridors in phases, beginning with the ARL on the Georgetown corridor.
“Transforming the GO Transit rail network from diesel to electric will create long term
transportation benefits for our steadily growing ridership and we need to begin now,” said
Metrolinx President and CEO Bruce McCuaig. “When combined with the service levels
planned for in The Big Move, electrification would represent a significant step towards
Express Rail as set out in our regional transportation plan.”
The Electrification Study concluded that there are transportation benefits to electrification,
which increase over time and as service levels increase. The primary benefits of
electrification include shorter travel times for riders and lower operating costs.
High ridership numbers and existing infrastructure improvements make the Lakeshore and
Georgetown corridors the strongest candidates for electrification.
The consultant’s final report, appendices and staff recommendations are available online at
gotransit.com/estudy. They will be reviewed at a special meeting of the Board of Directors
on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 where the Board will make a recommendation to the
Ontario Minister of Transportation.
 
Good news!!! Hopefully the WCC and Clean train coalitions are equally pleased.

Now to map out stations 2 - 3 km apart on each line within Toronto.
 
Filip said:
Dear God did you look at the timeframe at the end of the document? I'll be in my 50s by the time this is finished!
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Considering this is unfunded and would require something like six successive provincial governments to stay the course, I'd say you are being very optimistic.
 
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