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

smably said:
On the subject of triple-tracking, I thought this photo might be of interest. From the TPL archives, it shows the view from 1980 looking north from Dundas along what is now the Barrie Line, showing three tracks up to Bloor (plus a spur in the foreground on the west side):
View attachment 274663

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Looking north from Dundas Street West and the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks showing West Toronto Secondary School and MacGregor Playground on right, Toronto, Ont.

Housed in Photographs, Binder #1, Photo #35
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Click to expand...

I always figured it had a second track before; I hadn't thought three.

So I measured, from existing rail, to the west limit of the corridor, you still have btw 8.48M-9.2M.

You would require roughly 7M for the 2 additional tracks.
 
smably said:
On the subject of triple-tracking, I thought this photo might be of interest. From the TPL archives, it shows the view from 1980 looking north from Dundas along what is now the Barrie Line, showing three tracks up to Bloor (plus a spur in the foreground on the west side):
View attachment 274663

www.torontopubliclibrary.ca

Looking north from Dundas Street West and the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks showing West Toronto Secondary School and MacGregor Playground on right, Toronto, Ont.

Housed in Photographs, Binder #1, Photo #35
www.torontopubliclibrary.ca www.torontopubliclibrary.ca
Click to expand...

In fairness....

Only the middle track is a mainline track, equipped with signals and authorized for the full speed of the line. The other two tracks were "service tracks", and were used to keep access to the many industries along the way off of the mainline, and thus the mainline free for use.

This was a pretty common situation where there were a lot of industries in a relatively confined area.

Dan
 
Screenshot from 2020-10-07 10-37-03.png

You can visualize past double and triple tracking easily by looking at satellite imagery of the Dupont St. bridge.
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smallspy said:
Only the middle track is a mainline track, equipped with signals and authorized for the full speed of the line. The other two tracks were "service tracks", and were used to keep access to the many industries along the way off of the mainline, and thus the mainline free for use.
Click to expand...

True as history - and in the context of people wondering if three mainline tracks will fit some day, the answer would be yes....if ML wants to squeeze them in, it would be possible, although clearances might be tight.

- Paul
 
crs1026 said:
True as history - and in the context of people wondering if three mainline tracks will fit some day, the answer would be yes....if ML wants to squeeze them in, it would be possible, although clearances might be tight.

- Paul
Click to expand...

Wellll.......

Considering that the clearance standards changed in the 1960s, I'm not so sure that is true anymore, at least at a quick glance. This is why they are building tunnels for 2 additional tracks at the 401 and Islington, instead of just one - the 12-foot centres of the old standard (to which all of the original underpasses of the 401 are built) aren't really well-suited for modern equipment meeting Plates C to F (and beyond).

Sure, they could build the line to that older standard and get three mainline tracks stacked in there, but then it's likely that TC would institute a requirement for some ridiculously low speed limits along the line.

Dan
 
^ Sorry what do "Plates C to F (and beyond)" represent? I was with you up until that point. Also, what's the "12-foot centres of the old standard"?
 
Allandale25 said:
^ Sorry what do "Plates C to F (and beyond)" represent? I was with you up until that point. Also, what's the "12-foot centres of the old standard"?
Click to expand...

There are various "plates" that are issued by the Association of American Railroads and Transport Canada that reference different size envelopes and structure gauges available to fit equipment into. While they are all standards, they reference different sizes that the equipment can fit into safely. While Plate C is a standard for "regular" equipment to fit into (such as locomotives, most passenger cars, etc,), Plate F outlines specific standards for oversize equipment such as autorack cars and container well cars loaded with two ISO standard containers. There are standards for beyond Plate F as well, to cover the use of high-cube containers and specialty autorack cars.

Within what are now considered the "old standards" - Plate B is still a thing, but not much will fit within it - railcars were shorter and narrower. This allowed the tracks to be built to be closer together. The current standards call for mainlines to be on 14-foot centres (the centerline of one track must be at least 14 feet from the centreline of the next track), although the standards allow for reduced clearances in special occasions - and usually with speed or equipment restrictions required. The "12-foot centres" that I alluded to above are referencing those older standards, which allowed for the mainline tracks to be built closer together.

Dan
 

Railway diversion, part of Davenport Diamond Grade Separation Project - car on Wallace by Jeremy Gilbert, on Flickr

View from Dundas, as you look going up the tracks, the bridge over Bloor at the expansion joint is visible, then the tracks veer to the right to allow construction of the elevated Guideway, then the tracks meet the level crossing at Wallace where the car is, continue over Davenport, its expansion joint barely visible near the top, finally intersecting the CP line at the so-called Davenport Diamond, before veering to the left in the distance.
Click to expand...

Love this perspective-crushing telephoto shot by Jeremy Gilbert.
 
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