Toronto Union Pearson Express | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx | MMM Group Limited
drum118
Superstar
All Bloor & Weston Stations have "ALL" high floor platforms.
VIP's were being given a tour of the line today and spent more time at Bloor than plan.
Union bound trains were arriving about 5 minutes after the Airport train departed. 3 A-C-A, A-C and A-A on the line.
Caught 1002 A departing Union as an A-C-A and 1003 A arriving about 5 minutes after 1002 departed. Driver still not sure where to stop yet to line up the doors, but will come in time.
More up on site
A-C Departing Bloor
[video]https://youtu.be/7OopX_gZuAs[/video]
1002 Departing UPX Union Station
https://youtu.be/fpgr9Ow--J4
1003 Arriving At Union
https://youtu.be/HfAadtmuqas
VIP's were being given a tour of the line today and spent more time at Bloor than plan.
Union bound trains were arriving about 5 minutes after the Airport train departed. 3 A-C-A, A-C and A-A on the line.
Caught 1002 A departing Union as an A-C-A and 1003 A arriving about 5 minutes after 1002 departed. Driver still not sure where to stop yet to line up the doors, but will come in time.
More up on site
A-C Departing Bloor
[video]https://youtu.be/7OopX_gZuAs[/video]
1002 Departing UPX Union Station
https://youtu.be/fpgr9Ow--J4
1003 Arriving At Union
https://youtu.be/HfAadtmuqas
vegeta_skyline
Senior Member
I'm not sure why you think frequency matters in this regard, if one freight train(standard envelop) can pass through than they all can. For the record there is a CN transfer/road switcher that operates from Mac Yard to interchange traffic with CP at their Lambton/West Toronto yard. Currently the only connection to CP's trackage is just north of West Toronto so to get there it must pass by Weston GO station.
You are mistaken, as drum mentioned - All three tracks have a high platforms.
drum118
Superstar
CN runs 2 locals, but not all on the same day or time.
The main local comes down Track 2 and then switches over to 1 around Black Creek to connect to CP MacTier Sub to get to/from the Lambton Yard nightly and not sure as to weekends. I saw a few Sat morning during the bridge moves. Trains can be short as 20 cars to 80 long depending on the needs at the time.
There is an local going to the waterfront around 4 am that has less than 20 cars I have seen. It only goes down there as needed, which is not often these days.
I have the photos to prove "ALL" UPX platforms are "High Floor" and been on them with my hard hat and safety boots. When track 1 is place in the coming years, the platforms will be ready at Bloor for it, but still to be built at Weston.
Having door edges extend to platform is not new or unheard of, since a lot of Europe systems operate this way and this includes lowfloor cars as well highfloor.
Markster
Senior Member
I think I was at Union just a few minutes after you! I wanted to check out this mythical "Platform 3" everyone talks about.
I saw 1004 unload its VIPs, and depart.
And then I was shooed away by some Union Station staff.
Attachments
drum118
Superstar
That platform is mainly used by VIA and why they chase you.
I was one platform over.
In future, if told by staff, ask them to call Metrolinx PR department to be told that you are allow to shot on Platform 4 up.
Platform 3 belongs to the City of Toronto as far as I know since its part of Union Station itself.
Megaton327
Senior Member
As far as I know platform 3 is open to the public as an accessible connection between the bus terminal and the various concourses. If asked why you're there, state you're heading towards the bus terminal or wherever. It's listed on the various station maps and the york concourse elevator/stairs have labels for the bus terminal, etc., so you're 100% allowed to use it whenever the station, or at least the bus terminal, is open. If VIA personnel have an issue with that, it's unfortunate for them as they don't have any control over the matter.
CDL.TO
Moderator
Nice.
Really drives home the idea of choosing a vehicle to fit your infrastructure rather than redesigning your infrastructure to fit a vehicle.
nfitz
Superstar
Wasn't one of the major problems with the UP Express that they simply ordered an existing off-the-shelf piece of equipment, and then had to figure out how to modify the existing platforms for it, resulting in needing two different heights of platforms at the existing stations?
CDL.TO
Moderator
That's true. But my point being that we can choose vehicles that can allow for high platforms and freight to mix rather than assuming expensive infrastructure-based "solutions".
With more time and more money, they probably could have gotten a vehicle which works with the existing platforms, but there's good reason to believe that may have been a more expensive choice than the option they chose which, as we can see, is still compatible with the existing network.
With more time and more money, they probably could have gotten a vehicle which works with the existing platforms, but there's good reason to believe that may have been a more expensive choice than the option they chose which, as we can see, is still compatible with the existing network.
crs1026
Superstar
The CN freight train that comes down the Weston sub runs daily. Its normal schedule has the crew coming on duty at the CN yard in Vaughan at 23:00. For any number of reasons, it may run at other times of the day.
Don't assume that the new station platforms are the limiting factor for this train. There may have already been equally narrow clearances somewhere on its route....the sharp curve at Malton comes to mind. And there may be a new permanent slow order for the Weston platform. Certainly there won't be any dimensional loads getting by that point, but that may have already been the case. CN employees who work this job have told me, the new tunnels and platforms have been a non-event for them, the grades and clearances don't affect train handling that much.
One new thought that came to me as I type this is - I don't believe there is a Hotbox detector anywhere along this route. Do the new UPX cars have on-board axle sensors (as VIA equipment does)? For that matter, do GO cars have it? Seems odd for such a universally applied safety measure to be missing.
- Paul
Don't assume that the new station platforms are the limiting factor for this train. There may have already been equally narrow clearances somewhere on its route....the sharp curve at Malton comes to mind. And there may be a new permanent slow order for the Weston platform. Certainly there won't be any dimensional loads getting by that point, but that may have already been the case. CN employees who work this job have told me, the new tunnels and platforms have been a non-event for them, the grades and clearances don't affect train handling that much.
One new thought that came to me as I type this is - I don't believe there is a Hotbox detector anywhere along this route. Do the new UPX cars have on-board axle sensors (as VIA equipment does)? For that matter, do GO cars have it? Seems odd for such a universally applied safety measure to be missing.
- Paul
