Toronto Union Pearson Express | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx | MMM Group Limited

[smallspy]

I meant CN Guelph Junction, not CP Guelph Junction (which I am well aware of). The 9MPH speed limit between Guelph Station and CN Guelph Junction at Alma Street is painful.

That speed limit is quite painful, yes, but won't be changed anytime soon. That area will have to be grade-separated before the limit can be raised.

When was the Guelph Sub provided with welded rail?

The section to Guelph has been largely welded since before I started travelling to Kitchener and London in 1998. As for the section from Kitchener to Guelph, I assume that it was done as part of the improvements to the line before the extension of GO service to Kitchener, as it certainly wasn't in 2006 when I last rode the line out that way.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[Bojaxs]

Would the GO trains run faster than 90kph if an entire line were grade separated?

The most annoying "at grade" crossing I know of is the crossing on Kerr St. in Oakville. Thankfully it's going to be separated sometime next year. Long over due, but I suppose the QEW widening cause this project to be held back.
http://www.oakville.ca/residents/rs-studies-kerr-cnr-crossing.html

What's annoying is all the small "at grade" crossings on the Lakeshore West line in Mississauga. More pedestrians than cars go over these crossings, forcing the trains to have to travel at a slower speed, and not making them worthwhile investments for grade separating.

I'm referring to the crossings just north of Lakeshore Rd. E.
Revus Ave.
Alexandra Ave
Ogden Ave
Haig Blvd

I doubt Metrolinx will want to deal with the whiny, pensioners living in the bungalows right next to these crossings.

 

[Dan416]

Would the GO trains run faster than 90kph if an entire line were grade separated?

The most annoying "at grade" crossing I know of is the crossing on Kerr St. in Oakville. Thankfully it's going to be separated sometime next year. Long over due, but I suppose the QEW widening cause this project to be held back.
http://www.oakville.ca/residents/rs-studies-kerr-cnr-crossing.html

What's annoying is all the small "at grade" crossing on the Lakeshore West line in Mississauga. More pedestrians than cars go over these crossings, forcing the trains to have to travel at a slower speed, and not making them worthwhile investments for grade separating.

I'm referring to the crossings just north of Lakeshore Rd. E.
Revus Ave.
Alexandra Ave
Ogden Ave
Haig Blvd

I doubt Metrolinx will want to deal with the whiny, pensioners living in the bungalows right next to these crossings.

Stavebank is also not separated (Lakeshore W though).

 

[ShonTron]

Would the GO trains run faster than 90kph if an entire line were grade separated?

The most annoying "at grade" crossing I know of is the crossing on Kerr St. in Oakville. Thankfully it's going to be separated sometime next year. Long over due, but I suppose the QEW widening cause this project to be held back.
http://www.oakville.ca/residents/rs-studies-kerr-cnr-crossing.html

What's annoying is all the small "at grade" crossings on the Lakeshore West line in Mississauga. More pedestrians than cars go over these crossings, forcing the trains to have to travel at a slower speed, and not making them worthwhile investments for grade separating.

I'm referring to the crossings just north of Lakeshore Rd. E.
Revus Ave.
Alexandra Ave
Ogden Ave
Haig Blvd

I doubt Metrolinx will want to deal with the whiny, pensioners living in the bungalows right next to these crossings.

How is Kerr so annoying? It's not as if the train is all that speedy between say Bronte and Appleby. That said, it is a useful place for a grade separation.

As for the minor road crossings in Mississauga in Lakeview and Port Credit, only Stavebank is really a big deal as it requires special treatment for trains departing westbound from Port Credit station. VIA operates trains up to 160 km/h across protected level crossings (VIA trains do go faster than GO trains over those crossings). Only speeds well over that - say 125 MPH or 200 km/h are grade separations 100% necessary. Grade separations in tight residential areas will require expropriation and demolition (much like the Denison Road crossing in Weston).

 

[innsertnamehere]

close the smaller crossings then, or build a small footbridge with the ramp running parallel with the rail corridor to save space.

 

[reaperexpress]

Would the GO trains run faster than 90kph if an entire line were grade separated?

The most annoying "at grade" crossing I know of is the crossing on Kerr St. in Oakville. Thankfully it's going to be separated sometime next year. Long over due, but I suppose the QEW widening cause this project to be held back.
http://www.oakville.ca/residents/rs-studies-kerr-cnr-crossing.html

What's annoying is all the small "at grade" crossings on the Lakeshore West line in Mississauga. More pedestrians than cars go over these crossings, forcing the trains to have to travel at a slower speed, and not making them worthwhile investments for grade separating.

I'm referring to the crossings just north of Lakeshore Rd. E.
Revus Ave.
Alexandra Ave
Ogden Ave
Haig Blvd

I doubt Metrolinx will want to deal with the whiny, pensioners living in the bungalows right next to these crossings.

I should probably just ignore this off-topic comment but:

The speed limit through the Kerr Street crossing is currently 95 mph (153 km/h), so obviously grade separation is not required for speeds greater than 90 km/h. The Georgetown South corridor will only have a 90 mph (145 km/h) speed limit despite its grade separation, probably due to vertical curvature, cost, or capacity.

The level crossings in Mississauga only lower the speed limit to 80 mph, which is 129 km/h - faster than local GO trains can achieve between stations anyway. The speed restrictions only really affect express trains (including VIA and Amtrak).

In Canada, level crossings may have speed limits up to and including 110 mph (177 km/h), though they require special measures at high speeds (source: Transport Canda).

 

[innsertnamehere]

Whats the top speed of a single engine 10 car fully laden GO train? I have seen them reach around 145km/h before while on Stouffville going along the lakeshore corridor, but that is not how fast it usually goes.

 

[vegeta_skyline]

I should probably just ignore this off-topic comment but:

The speed limit through the Kerr Street crossing is currently 95 mph (153 km/h), so obviously grade separation is not required for speeds greater than 90 km/h. The Georgetown South corridor will only have a 90 mph (145 km/h) speed limit despite its grade separation, probably due to vertical curvature, cost, or capacity.

The level crossings in Mississauga only lower the speed limit to 80 mph, which is 129 km/h - faster than local GO trains can achieve between stations anyway. The speed restrictions only really affect express trains (including VIA and Amtrak).

In Canada, level crossings may have speed limits up to and including 110 mph (177 km/h), though they require special measures at high speeds (source: Transport Canda).

Not quiet. There is an 80mph PSO(permanent slow order) in place between Chartwell and Kerr which includes the crossing. Although the PSO itself is for the track curvature not the crossings themselves. The zone speed through Mississauga is 95mph. There are no PSOs in place for any crossings. The 80 between Reves and Alexandra is for the track curvature and does not include the crossings. The 45 on track 1 and 85 on 2 and 3 at Port Credit are also for the track curves but Stavebank is within this PSO. Additionally there is a CROR requirement for westbound trains leaving Port Credit to operate at 10mph. There have been nurmous TSOs (temporary slow orders) in the area over the last year or so. These TSO were indeed for the crossigs, they recently redid several of them and there have been problems with the track circuit in the area. But they've all been removed since except for a 60mph TSO from Stavebank to Alexandra.

 

[vegeta_skyline]

Whats the top speed of a single engine 10 car fully laden GO train? I have seen them reach around 145km/h before while on Stouffville going along the lakeshore corridor, but that is not how fast it usually goes.

Top speed is the same regardless if a trains is a 10-pack, 12-pack, equipment/express/local - it's 93mph/150kph. The only exception is if theres a "fumigator 500"(aka F59PH) series engine in the consist. Then the top speed is limited to 83mph/134kph.

Hitting 94mph (or 84mph in the fumigator) will result in a instantious overspeed penalty brake application(which can be conveniently reset in about 6.5 seconds).

 

[TFC]

Will CTC between Kitchener and Georgetown improve travel times/speeds through the Guelph Jct?

 

[drum118]

Oct 25 see MPI MP40PH-3C 630 pushing a northbound Barrie train on the new track 1 for the Strachan Ave Grade Separation pass crews preparing track 2 to shift the Georgetown-Kitchener line this weekend.
[video=youtube;obGmpq5PdjY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obGmpq5PdjY[/video]

 

[reaperexpress]

Whats the top speed of a single engine 10 car fully laden GO train? I have seen them reach around 145km/h before while on Stouffville going along the lakeshore corridor, but that is not how fast it usually goes.

At 1:10 in this video I took over the summer, an 8-car eastbound Niagara Service passes Appleby at 147km/h (92 mph), only 5.5 km from its stop in Burlington. I assume that a normal 10 or 12 car consist would not be able to get up to top speed in such a short distance, maybe Vegeta can provide more insight.

[video=youtube_share;2h4rtvpuOfw]http://youtu.be/2h4rtvpuOfw?t=1m10s[/video]

Not quite. There is an 80mph PSO(permanent slow order) in place between Chartwell and Kerr which includes the crossing. Although the PSO itself is for the track curvature not the crossings themselves. The zone speed through Mississauga is 95mph. There are no PSOs in place for any crossings. The 80 between Reves and Alexandra is for the track curvature and does not include the crossings. The 45 on track 1 and 85 on 2 and 3 at Port Credit are also for the track curves but Stavebank is within this PSO. Additionally there is a CROR requirement for westbound trains leaving Port Credit to operate at 10mph. There have been nurmous TSOs (temporary slow orders) in the area over the last year or so. These TSO were indeed for the crossigs, they recently redid several of them and there have been problems with the track circuit in the area. But they've all been removed since except for a 60mph TSO from Stavebank to Alexandra.

Ah, I see that the speed chart I'm using is way out of date. Good to know.

 

[drum118]

Oct 25

 

[MafaldaBoy]

26 October 2013:

 

[reaperexpress]

Awesome updates, Drum and Mafalda! Thanks!

Does anyone know the design specs for the UPX Pearson station? Will it be able to handle 4-car trains or just 2?