To bad they couldn't had started to double track in a number of locations, but would be costly and noisy to move the the rock face back. From what I saw the last time we were there, the south end that was single track was being double as well Bayview Station. Could be wrong on what I was seeing.
From construction photos I have seen, signal track where it could be double for the extension.
At this stage, a single train is only needed regardless of COVID decline as I never saw pack trains during our visits. If it was every 15 minutes before expansion, then headway has increase over the decade from what I remember what it use to be. Getting it down to 12 is a must, other than being a waste going to 30 minutes
They cheaped out on Phase 2. This was the opportunity to double track the line with the current lengthy closure. All we are doing is pushing back the problem to the future. As it stands, proper double tracking will require another protracted shutdown likely measured again in a timeframe of 2 years or more.
The city already got burned when the last upgrade did not pan out to deliver the promised 8 minute frequency. Instead, it only brought 15 minute frequency down to 12 minutes. For a while, they tried to get it down to 10 minute frequency but it couldn't be maintained, which actually was a worse situation when trains couldn't maintain schedules and trains often arrived randomly. With single track operations, once the trains got off schedule, it was very difficult to get them back on schedule. The whole line would back up in both directions.
I have complained twice at public meetings about the lack of improvement in service after spending $600M and the lack of coordination of bus schedules with rail schedules. The response I got was unsatisfactory. It became clear after speaking to OC Transpo officials privately following these meetings that they don't have the resources to coordinate schedules. To some degree, bus and train operations are acting like two separate silos at least regarding the Trillium Line. Transfers between trains and buses are unreliable. You can easily end up waiting 28 or 29 minutes for a connecting bus, something I experienced multiple times.
The south end of the existing route from the Brookfield passing track to South Keys station will remain single tracked and is the choke point that likely will prevent improvement in frequency to 10 minutes. Rail officials have indicated that the Walkley Road overpass needs to be replaced allowing double tracking at that location in order to deliver 10 minute frequency. Oddly, the Walkley Road overpass is currently being rehabilitated. This has left me scratching my head. If they are doing this much, why not simply replace it now?
The southern portion of Phase 2 between Leitrim and Limebank is to be double tracked. I believe this is to provide more flexibility for train passing but in some sense, it is weird that the section with the least ridership will be double tracked first, although the portion on the north end of the route between Bayview and Gladstone will also be double tracked.
Trains at peak periods going to and from Carleton University can be packed with the existing Lint trains. I have been on standing room only trains. The Lint trains are not ideal for standing with the lack of grab bars except at the corner of each seat. Covid has affected demand obviously but full opening of Carleton University for in-person classes will substantially increase ridership.