Proposed GO Transit Purchase of O-Train vehicles

[cdl42]

Originally posted by "GL" on transit-toronto:

GO Transit is looking at the possibility of purchasing Ottawa's O-Train
to operate on the Stouffville Corridor. The city has made its
intention to sell the rail cars becuase it wants to electrify its new
light rail system. The train if purchased would operate during the off-
peak hours between Stouffville and Scarborough stations, allowing
patrons more travelling options and a connection to the Lakeshore
service.

GO Transit was contacted to see if any information was available. "Apparently the O-Train item was a verbal report by Gary McNeil (Managing Director and CEO), noting that the approval of the electrified O-Train deems the talents redundant to Ottawa, and GO Transit will now attempt to enter into negotiation to purchase the trainsets."

It was also noted that GO is planning on extending weekend train service to Oshawa.

 

[Antiloop33rpm]

This is a joke right? This idea makes way too much sense for it to actually be true.

 

[spmarshall]

That's exactly what I thought when I got a confirmation that this was in fact true. It makes too much sense for the cabbageheads at GO.

 

[unimaginative2]

This is unbelievable! I never would have thought such a thing could happen. This is a fantastic first step.

 

[Darkstar416]

Wow. GO is going to run something other than a monster train and in the process become slightly more of a true transit service.

 

[Ed007Toronto]

I don't understand the significance of this.

 

[unimaginative2]

Because GO is making the leap to much smaller vehicles which will make higher frequencies possible. There's no way GO could operate all day hourly (or even more frequent) service with their 10 car mega-trains.

 

[fiendishlibrarian]

My question is why Ottawa can electrify its system and we can't.

 

[Antiloop33rpm]

Ed: With these trains GO will now be able to offer a service that falls somewhere between commuter rail and subway in terms of distance it can cover while offering acceptable travel times and in terms of frequency. For a region like the GTA which requires a variety of transit options, this will allow for a new option that will likely prove to be very effective and beneficial.

Fiendish: The Ottawa system falls somewhere between light rail and commuter rail and since it the line is being constructed from scratch ensentially, it was decided to add the additional cost and electrify from the start (despite some objection). The fact that the line also runs through city streets I believe also played some factor in this decision (to reduce noise and emissions by using EMU's instead of DMU's). Electrifying GO lines is probably going to be somewhat more costly since it will likely require higher voltage lines and also require electrification through the Union corridor which I imagine would require some dealing with CN and VIA over just what tracks would be electrified and how the logistics of construction in the busy corridor would take place. Most of the time when rail systems are electrified it is under a national government iniative so until the federal or provincial governments see the need to undertake such a project I don't see much being done in terms of electrification.

 

[rdaner]

If this is true, this is significant.

 

[dashingdan]

I think this a good idea, (can anyone post a picture of this O-train they're talking about purchasing?), but why on earth Stouffville?

And from Stouffville to Scarborough? Those are on different GO lines. How would that work? Why not just go straight to Union.

If any line needs off-peak service, I would think it'd be Milton. (I am biased, but from the figures I've seen it has the highest ridership after the Lakeshore Line(s).

 

[scarberiankhatru]

"why on earth Stouffville?"

It's probably the area of the city where GO can gain the most new riders. They might as well increase the service now and get people used to taking it because it'll be needed if/when the RT implodes or is offline for a long period of replacement construction.

 

[Antiloop33rpm]

Edit: Actually, here is a picture of the exact train that will be purchased by GO.

And a couple more (The photos are not mine and I would credit their authors but I do not remember who they were, although it is likely they came from www.railimages.com ).

 

[simply Dan]

Very encouraging news for GO Transit! Definately a step in the right direction. Perhaps someone can photoshop the train to see what it would look like with the GO green and white livery! (I'm not very good at editing images... :\ )

 

[spmarshall]

"why on earth Stouffville?"

It's the easiest corridor to implement. If this actually happens, the Talent will shuttle between Scarborough on the Lakeshore East line and Markham (likely Mount Joy) and will not conflict with other rail uses - as Transport regulations forbid the direct mix of light rail (Talent) and heavy rail (GO monster trains, VIA, freights). With the grade separation at Hagerman (CN bypass), this corridor does it, with passengers having to make a connection at Scarboorugh from the north most track to Lakeshore trains.

Milton does have the highest ridership off Lakeshore, but Georgetown will come first with all-day service. CP's the problem there, and some stations (Dixie, Cooksville) are supposedly served by Lakeshore, the Milton line was implemented in 1981 largely to relieve congestion on Lakeshore West.