Toronto Ontario Line 3 | ?m | ?s

ADRM said:
Huh? There are literally hundreds of millions of dollars of tenders out for RER projects, along with some that have already been awarded.
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Keep in mind that's out of an overall $13.5bn (2013) pricetag, at least I think - which is over many years and one or two elections. But also that RER is effectively being used an umbrella catch-all for every GO rail project, even though not all them will have the RER service. Just an hour ago there's a +$100M commitment for Cooksville station upgrade on Milton line. And although the press release says it's part of RER, the line won't have the RER service. So it's a bit confusing. But I think when most talk about RER on threads like this one they're specifically referring to the electric high-frequency service with new inline stations.
 
44 North said:
Keep in mind that's out of an overall $13.5bn (2013) pricetag, at least I think - which is over many years and one or two elections. But also that RER is effectively being used an umbrella catch-all for every GO rail project, even though not all them will have the RER service. Just an hour ago there's a +$100M commitment for Cooksville station upgrade on Milton line. And although the press release says it's part of RER, the line won't have the RER service. So it's a bit confusing. But I think when most talk about RER on threads like this one they're specifically referring to the electric high-frequency service with new inline stations.
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I definitely take the point, and it certainly is confusing, but it's also flatly untrue to say that RER as it specifically pertains to "new electric high-frequency service" is not underway.
 
I believe the government has "increased" RER funding to over 21 billion now, but that includes a whole bunch of other GO upgrades that are not under the original RER scheme like the various extensions.
 
TheTigerMaster said:
Like for all provincial transit projects, I'll believe it's coming when the contracts are signed. 50+ years of seeing dozens of transit proposals ushered in and ultimately canceled should make us all highly skeptical that any of these plans will materialize. All these transit proposals, including RER, can easily evaporate in a change of government. We're a lot better at musing about building transit than actually doing it.
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You really need to take some happy pills or something. Have there been proposals fall through? Of course. But at this point, today, Nov 3, 2017 we have a ton of work being done. Just between Spadina and Crosstown we have more construction going on simultaneously than ever in our history. And this doesn't include everything else being planned, tendered, and constructed (BRT/LRT/Subway/RER etc.) across the region. Your scepticism is uncalled for.
 
ADRM said:
I definitely take the point, and it certainly is confusing, but it's also flatly untrue to say that RER as it specifically pertains to "new electric high-frequency service" is not underway.
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Oh hope I didn't write that. No I think we'll certainly see RER somewhere, and it most definitely is underway. But logically/historically I don't think much of it will be in place as promised. Again not a shot at any party current or future that's just the way things often play out. Whether that's officially not at all for chunks or simply drawn-out indefinitely I wouldn't speculate. But personally wouldn't be surprised if by 2025 the only electrified lines are Barrie and Stouffville, the two that weren't part of the original electrification plans of the Big Move but which became new priorities in 2013. When you look at transit plans historically there are weird quirks like that.
 
44 North said:
Oh hope I didn't write that. No I think we'll certainly see RER somewhere, and it most definitely is underway. But logically/historically I don't think much of it will be in place as promised. Again not a shot at any party current or future that's just the way things often play out. Whether that's officially not at all for chunks or simply drawn-out indefinitely I wouldn't speculate. But personally wouldn't be surprised if by 2025 the only electrified lines are Barrie and Stouffville, the two that weren't part of the original electrification plans of the Big Move but which became new priorities in 2013. When you look at transit plans historically there are weird quirks like that.
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Sorry, no, didn't mean for it to come across as attacking your point -- was responding specifically to a previous post.
 
ADRM said:
Many contracts have been signed. RER is underway. Some projects necessary to facilitate RER have even been completed.

I understand the skepticism, but the time for reasonably claiming that RER isn't real has very obviously passed. Extent is certainly another question, given that another government could whittle it down.
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I know many contracts have been signed. However, the critical contracts to virtually guarantee its implementation to completion, such as electrification and rolling stock, have yet to be signed. This project can still be canceled by the government if they had the will. Especially if a more fiscally minded government could use the justification that it would save billions in spending. So the fact that some contracts for RER does not impress me. Lets not forget that the Eglinton Subway was real... until it was cancelled and filled in. And that the Sheppard East LRT was real, until that was cancelled (I mean, indefinitely delayed) in the midst of prepatory construction.

ADRM said:
I definitely take the point, and it certainly is confusing, but it's also flatly untrue to say that RER as it specifically pertains to "new electric high-frequency service" is not underway.
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RER is definitely underway, I don't deny that. Its just still very much subject to cancelation, unlike something like the Eglinton Line. It's not beyond the government to cancel the project in the midst of implementation.
 
TheTigerMaster said:
Like for all provincial transit projects, I'll believe it's coming when the contracts are signed. 50+ years of seeing dozens of transit proposals ushered in and ultimately canceled should make us all highly skeptical that any of these plans will materialize. All these transit proposals, including RER, can easily evaporate in a change of government. We're a lot better at musing about building transit than actually doing it.
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Edward Skira said:
You really need to take some happy pills or something. Have there been proposals fall through? Of course. But at this point, today, Nov 3, 2017 we have a ton of work being done. Just between Spadina and Crosstown we have more construction going on simultaneously than ever in our history. And this doesn't include everything else being planned, tendered, and constructed (BRT/LRT/Subway/RER etc.) across the region. Your scepticism is uncalled for.
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My skepticism is uncalled for? So you mean to tell me that you believe that there is no significant chance of these rapid transit proposals falling through, despite the official opposition in the latest election calling for the cancelation of most of these proposals, and despite our 50+ year history of killing the vast majority of official transit proposals?

And I must emphasize, I'm not suggesting that these projects will not materialize. I'm merely saying that they still face a very significant chance of cancelation; that they're not yet at the stage where we can take their completion for granted (unlike the Eglinton Crosstown, for example). I really dont understand how people could genuinely believe that our transit proposals face no significant chance of cancellation
 
Edward Skira said:
You really need to take some happy pills or something. Have there been proposals fall through? Of course. But at this point, today, Nov 3, 2017 we have a ton of work being done. Just between Spadina and Crosstown we have more construction going on simultaneously than ever in our history. And this doesn't include everything else being planned, tendered, and constructed (BRT/LRT/Subway/RER etc.) across the region. Your scepticism is uncalled for.
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Us younger generation of folks had to grow up with the harmful legacy of Mike Harris' provincial government, present housing costs, and a built-in awareness of the environmental impacts of modern living and the costs we will have to pay as a consequence.

Our pessimism is warranted.
 
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ADRM said:
Many contracts have been signed. RER is underway. Some projects necessary to facilitate RER have even been completed.

I understand the skepticism, but the time for reasonably claiming that RER isn't real has very obviously passed. Extent is certainly another question, given that another government could whittle it down.
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It definitely isn't real yet until it exists- namely in the form of high-frequency electrified service.

Anything below that and you'll be hard-pressed to call it RER.
 
WislaHD said:
Us younger generation of folks had to grow up with the harmful legacy of Mike Harris' provincial government, present housing costs, and a built-in awareness of the environmental impacts of modern living and the costs we will have to pay as a consequence.

Our pessimism is warranted.
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I think the key will be for vocal groups to hammer the PCs early and often (and with press coverage) on a commitment to preserve RER with an emphasis on how much it would harm the commuters from the 905 ridings they covet and will be fighting to flip from red to blue.
 
jcam said:
I think the key will be for vocal groups to hammer the PCs early and often (and with press coverage) on a commitment to preserve RER with an emphasis on how much it would harm the commuters from the 905 ridings they covet and will be fighting to flip from red to blue.
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I would not be worried about that as much. Both the PCs and Liberals need the 905 to win.

It is the Hamilton LRT that should be concerned about a PC government.
 
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