Toronto GO Transit: Davenport Diamond Grade Separation | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx

Some more aerial photos and insurance maps, and some historical information of that area included in the writeup of the history of an adjacent property can be found here.

- Paul
 
And another significant event - from the TPL Toronto Star collection - May 1983

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lenaitch said:
By the looks of the blurry image at the right margin, Toronto Fire or one of its mutual aid partners must have dragged out some old spare equipment for this conflagration.
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LOL Actually, the last of the old 1950s-built LaFrance aerials lasted as a front line unit until 1987.

Beautiful design to look at, but firefighters may have had different opinions.

- Paul
 
lenaitch said:
Especially, I assume, if you were a 'strap hanger'.
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Apparently - standard practice upon going into action at an actual fire was to drape a tarpaulin across that open cab, so it didn't fill up with water or ice. Must have been an experience to ride around in that airy environment.

And then.... manual steering, manual transmission.....

- Paul
 
Track connection news from the Metrolinx York team newsletter.

Please be advised that there will be no train service between Union Station and Downsview Park GO on the Barrie Line on Saturday, February 11 and Sunday, February 12. Train schedules will be adjusted between Allandale Waterfront GO and Downsview Park GO during this time.

You can transfer at Downsview Park GO to TTC to continue to Union Station. Please check schedules, including connections, before you travel and use gotransit.com or triplinx.ca to plan your trip. Regular train service will resume on Monday, February 13.

During this closure, weekend crews will be making track connections on the Davenport Diamond Guideway – a significant project that supports more frequent, two-way, all-day service on the Barrie Line in the future. The Guideway will enable GO Trains to travel above traffic and over Canadian Pacific freight train tracks reducing congestion and improving service reliability.
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A little quick schedule checking says that the final revenue use of the diamond (barring equipment moves) would be Friday's 22:53 train northbound.

First revenue use would be Monday's 05:19 Bradford train, which leaves Downsview Park at 06:12.

No doubt there will be a test train or two over the weekend.

A rather historic moment actually, considering the importance of mainline diamonds as a measure of the growth of railways in Toronto..

This leaves only the Doncaster Diamond - a relative latecomer as it didn't exist until 1965 - and the Brampton Diamond (1874) - in the GTA.

- Paul
 
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crs1026 said:
A rather historic moment actually, considering the importance of mainline diamonds as a measure of the growth of railways in Toronto..

This leaves only the Doncaster Diamond - a relative latecomer as it didn't exist until 1965 - and the Brampton Diamond - in the GTA.
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Indeed, the presence of diamonds is a measure of growth in coverage, while the elimination of those diamonds through grade separation is a measure of growth in service frequency!
 
During this closure, weekend crews will be making track connections on the Davenport Diamond Guideway
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What does it mean? Are they connecting the track on the bridge to the ground track?
 
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fuserez said:
What does it mean? Are they connecting the track on bridge to the ground track?
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At the ends, yes. Cut the existing rail, shove the loose end over to line up with the end of the new track on the bridge, connect the rails, and surface/adjust to make a smooth alignment to the new guideway. Then connect and test the signals. And then run a test train over to verify that the alignment is to spec, and likely to let the trainers practice throttle and brake applications to gain operating experience to pass on to Monday's crews.

Then, after the cutover and acceptance signoff.... dismantle the ground segment and remove the diamond.

- Paul
 
When I was in the area today, there were crews working to remove material - forms, etc - from the site. It looks like construction is indeed winding down somewhat. Lots of labour on site - whatever slowdowns there may have been over the holidays, there are more than enough workers there at the moment.

Some concrete is still being poured up top, but I do believe that the first track will be ready by next weekend.

And when the fences come down, I do think the new public space will be pleasant.

- Paul

20230202 Wallace Construction Zone.jpg
20230202 Wallace Long a.jpg
20230202 Wallace Sidestreet.jpg
 
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