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

Palma said:
I had no idea. That's unreal. Now this may sound insane, but if they use same tracks, how do people board at Weston on GO
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GO train both directions is always on Track 3, while UPX uses 1 and 2. Depending on time of day, the inbound and outbound UPX trains switch it up on Tracks 1 & 2, but I've yet to see a GO train on those tracks.

As for this morning's commute...I'd say after we got on at Weston, the train was 70% full (a 2-car train).
 
jcam said:
GO train both directions is always on Track 3, while UPX uses 1 and 2. Depending on time of day, the inbound and outbound UPX trains switch it up on Tracks 1 & 2, but I've yet to see a GO train on those tracks.

As for this morning's commute...I'd say after we got on at Weston, the train was 70% full (a 2-car train).
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does track 3 skirt up against the higher platform for UP? that might explain why I see this?
 
For those in the thread unclear as to what Bloor/Weston GO/UPX stations look like:

In this shot, a passenger would walk down the ramp that runs between the black columns on the platform, and end up on the GO platform, which can also be seen just past the train a couple of feet lower than the UPX platform:
upx-weston-arrival-20150610.jpg


This shot is taken from the GO platform right next to the UPX platform, just outside the photo frame to the left there is a ramp up to the UPX platform:
IMG_0641-728x971.jpg
 
The GO riders at Bloor are all switching over. My neighbours who always took the subway were on UPX today too, didn't get a chance to ask if it was a permanent switch. Definitely more people on the trains from Pearson/Weston past two days as well. We're still only a few dozen people at rush hour though. It's almost embarrassing what the transit gods have given us.
 
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I saw two trains go by at 6pm (one in each direction) and they were both full, but no-one was standing. It feels a lot better to actually see people in the seats.
 
I would expect people going to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, SkyDome (AKA Rogers Centre), CN Tower, or AC Centre may want to use the UPX, if they live near Weston or Bloor. No transfers, so only walk-ins and I would expect the parking lots to fill up.
 
The platform location in the SkyWalk, while a bit of a distance from the bulk of Union Station, is actually perfect for the Rogers Centre. Wonder if UPX will be standing-room only on game days when the Jays are back. I could certainly imagine lots of fans from the NW of the city doing the math and driving to say Weston to ride in.
 
Grimace said:
The GO riders at Bloor are all switching over. My neighbours who always took the subway were on UPX today too, didn't get a chance to ask if it was a permanent switch. Definitely more people on the trains from Pearson/Weston past two days as well. We're still only a few dozen people at rush hour though. It's almost embarrassing what the transit gods have given us.
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I'll definitely be using this from now on any time I'm going near Union Station. And that's pretty much always off-peak / weekends. Will be interesting to see how busy that is.
 
I took the UPX yesterday at 3 pm from Union to Bloor, to compare it to my subway commute. The train was probably about 75% full. From Bloor/Dundas West, the subway is probably still more convenient if you work more than a 5 min walk from Union, but the UPX is definitely attractive with the one-stop comfy-seat ride. I was the only one who got off at Bloor, I'd imagine it's a great service for the Weston commuters. I have a feeling the trains are going to be packed 3-car sets by the summer.

It's interesting to note that there are new GO Presto readers aside from the UPX readers for riders not going to or from the airport. The UPX customer service person said it actually doesn't really matter which device you use (as long as you tap in and out on the same type), but that you only get loyalty points on the GO reader. I think this is a temporary system.
 
It'll be really interesting to see if ridership picks up even further once the warm weather really starts to roll around, and people can walk/bike to the UPX stations. A 15 min walk in the snow isn't much fun, but a 15 min walk on a nice warm sunny day could be something a lot of people do, especially with the limited parking at Weston, and I believe no parking at Bloor.
 
Though generally I find downtown transit ridership increases in poor weather, with many of those who walk, instead opting for streetars, etc.

On really bad snowy days, when I used to reverse commute out to Don Mills, I'd ditch the car and take the subway and bus instead, as it would be faster - or at least no where near as frustrating and white-knuckling.
 
It would be nice to see UPX on the Don Valley route, maybe new stations could be put in at Lawrence, Eglinton and Don Mills. Leslie and others Northbound are already in place. It could be a quick quasi DRL route.
 
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