steveintoronto
Superstar
Excellent find! If not in this thread, one of the others discussed various options for extending UPX at the airport end, and also as a 'through running' service at Union.Of note were some out-there ideas I haven't seen floated before, such as extending UP Express service to Unionville and 401 and 407 GO Rai; lines. I know it is just a study but thought it was of interest.
Your post is very timely, as this *has to* be revisited, and Ford et al would be remiss in not doing so, as it is already extant, it caters to the "elite" at present, transfers to/from GO buses at the airport, according the Metrolinx own Bylaw have to be permitted at (gist) 'the cheapest rate possible to match using any other routing' and it would be an immediate 'feather in their dunce cap' to show they are looking to improve the lot of the suburban commuter into and around Toronto. Not to mention that claimed headway possible with present switches and signalling (IIRC) is 7.5 mins or better.
The only bug-boo is that the present Sharyo stock fleet won't be expanded, so the added load would be a problem (which exactly underlines the need for expansion) but the solution is to electrify the corridor, perhaps continue running the present Sharyos under catenary as is, and double or triple the fleet with EMUs to do the local stops, and expansion beyond Pearson. UPX could then be what it was always intended to be: "Express" to the airport from Union, perhaps with one mid-point stop. This would also allow a slightly faster average track speed and thus increase frequency potential for a given amount of rolling stock.
I also posit that the 'Rest of Hydro' will be privatized. Part and parcel of that could be either offering or imposing as part of the agreement is a DBFOM for the elecrification of at least that corridor, done by a 'private electric corp entity'. This allows the public the knowledge that progress is afoot without it impacting taxes or the debt/deficit in a negative way.
Must run right now, but look forward to discussing this further. I'd like to see others add to this, there's been some excellent ideas from other posters on this.