Niagara Falls-Toronto rail service takeover by GO Transit-can this work?

[Long Island Mike]

Everyone: I noticed the Peterborough Commuter Rail topic has been steered to talk of a GO Transit takeover of the 82-mile long Niagara Falls route-I posted the same topic over at Railroad.Net and I am posting these links from these Canadian rail forums:

VIA RAIL CANADA: www.railroad.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=59 See the second VIA page(of three) 2/14/2005
CANADIAN RAILFAN: www.railroad.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=121 In the RAILFAN FORUMS section (11/15/2006 last post)

I have been interested in that rail line since I first rode it thru NFL/NFS in 1981.

I feel that with the Golden Horseshoe population increase and demand for service on this line the time has come to extend GO Rail service for the 42 or so miles between Hamilton and Niagara Falls.

With commuter lines near NYC like Metro-North's Wassaic Line(84 miles) and Waterbury Line(88 miles) and the Long Island Rail Road's Montauk Branch at
114 miles as examples of longer distance commuter runs using GO equipment for this NFS run would be definitely cheaper and just about as good as VIA's trains today. The thru to NYC VIA/Amtrak Maple Leaf would continue to operate as it is today-pending international bridge and customs problems.

I feel more frequent NFS rail service would be very successful. Look for posts by MACTRAXX at Railroad.Net-yours truly.
LI MIKE

 

[RedRocket191]

it seems that either taking over the existing runs or simply just expanding to the Niagara Region has always been in GO's long term plans.

Personally, I think that any trip over 90 minutes should be done in something a little more comfortable than a GO bi-level. Having said that, there's no reason GO couldn't run such a using either new equipment or second hand coaches picked up from a passenger rail agency.

With there being serious talk of creating a regional transit authority in Niagara, improved rail service by VIA or comfortable GO would help take care of congestion on the QEW and might even eliminate the need to build the mid-pen expressway.

 

[Kiwi]

If you read into Metrolinx projects they want to fund another GO/VIA Station in Hamilton along the CN track (James North Station), they call it the Niagara Gateway.

So likely once this station is up and running at James St North we'll see Metrolinx push for another station somewhere in Stoney Creek, then Grimsby and ta da! further into the Niagara Region.

Also take a look at UT's banner photo

See how it has an arrow pointing towards Niagara with the word "Niagara" in Hamilton.

 

[RedRocket191]

Metrolinx's first priority is to develop a regional plan for Greater Toronto and Hamilton. After that it done, they're not going to pack up and call it a day (the office is too nice!) I can't give timeframes, but i would be very surprised if Metrolinx doesn't dabble into the outer ring of Niagara-Brant-Waterloo-Wellington-Simcoe-Peterborough.

 

[unimaginative2]

I wish GO and VIA could route their trains through the beautiful and well-located GO Centre downtown, rather than to a platform and shelter on James Street. I came up with a way to do it a little while ago, involving rebuilding the belt line to get CP freights away from the Hunter Street tunnel and passenger trains back up to the CN line.

 

[borgo100]

i like Metrolinx Bold plan..... the REX idea is great, is it going to be kind of like S-bahn? because i find a lot of people use GO Commuter rail.

 

[JasonParis]

The bold plan is awesome in so many ways. And yes, I'd imagine once electrification happens, those routes would be operated at S-Bahn-like frequencies.

 

[RedRocket191]

i like Metrolinx Bold plan..... the REX idea is great, is it going to be kind of like S-bahn? because i find a lot of people use GO Commuter rail.

Call it S-Bahn or regional rail or pendeltåg...

The REX concept is to run smaller trains along existing railway corridors at frequencies of every 15-20 minutes or better. They could stop at all the existing stops, or they could make additional stops. They could divert off of railway corridors, or they could stick to existing lines. They could completely replace the existing commuter train fleet, or they could be used to provide off-peak and reverse-commuter service only. They could be electric or they could be diesel. There are tons of options, and assuming this is the option chosen, there will be plenty of time to work out the specifics.

Right now we're only looking for ideas and visions of what transit could be. As long as it can be sustainable over time, its an idea Metrolinx is willing to consider.