Union Station Revitalization | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto | NORR

[Transportfan]

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There's no real need to announce a tiny garbage can fire that has practically zero chance of spreading.

 

[trtcttc]

MX hasnt built any escalators in either concourse, just stairs and elevators. highly doubt they would change their tune. platform 24/25 was a special case

I know it's supposedly for "safety" even though there's escalators all through the TTC/Union/literally every where else. New York has no issue with escalators on their commuter rail with a similar climate. Also find it to be really bad for accessibility. I'm sure every level will be elevator accessible, but as anyone that has taken the elevators at Union, they are extremely slow. And there's a lot of people that are do not require an elevator but also find it uncomfortable walking up many stairs, like seniors. It seems shortsighted to force them to chose stairs, or waiting for the elevator.

 

[Northern Light]

I know it's supposedly for "safety" even though there's escalators all through the TTC/Union/literally every where else. New York has no issue with escalators on their commuter rail with a similar climate. Also find it to be really bad for accessibility. I'm sure every level will be elevator accessible, but as anyone that has taken the elevators at Union, they are extremely slow. And there's a lot of people that are do not require an elevator but also find it uncomfortable walking up many stairs, like seniors. It seems shortsighted to force them to chose stairs, or waiting for the elevator.

I think capacity is key, people waiting for elevators, or moving slowly on stairs cut into throughput of passengers. Escalators allow platforms to fill and empty much more quickly.

 

[innsertnamehere]

I know it's supposedly for "safety" even though there's escalators all through the TTC/Union/literally every where else. New York has no issue with escalators on their commuter rail with a similar climate. Also find it to be really bad for accessibility. I'm sure every level will be elevator accessible, but as anyone that has taken the elevators at Union, they are extremely slow. And there's a lot of people that are do not require an elevator but also find it uncomfortable walking up many stairs, like seniors. It seems shortsighted to force them to chose stairs, or waiting for the elevator.

New York's climate is substantially warmer than Toronto's. Daily highs rarely dip below freezing. Looking at their forecast, which is literally the statistical coldest week of the year right now, they have not a single day in the 7-day forecast where even the daily low is below freezing.

They definitely get a few snow falls a year, but it usually melts the next day. And that's it. The level of wear and tear from salt use is substantially lower.

A lot of GO's issues with escalators likely stem from their completely insane overuse of salt at their stations, mind you, and have less to do with climate.

 

[APTA-2048]

A lot of GO's issues with escalators likely stem from their completely insane overuse of salt at their stations, mind you, and have less to do with climate.

There is literally amounts of salt year round at some stations. It’s so stupid and bad for the environment. I’m pretty sure it killed all the trees at Pickering GO Station too.

 

[Northern Light]

The level of wear and tear from salt use is substantially lower.

A lot of GO's issues with escalators likely stem from their completely insane overuse of salt at their stations, mind you, and have less to do with climate.

There is no excuse for this at Union Station. No one is trudging across a salt laden commuter parking lot, the majority of platforms have a roof over top, and any 'outdoor' platform can have a snowmelt system built into it.

Most newer GO platforms have snowmelt systems in them; if this were simply added to the sidewalk/bus platform areas of its stations (not the lots themselves) road salt issues would be greatly reduced. That said, there is no real reason the tech couldn't be deployed in surface lots on a wider basis. However, if those lots are going to be subject to near-term intensification ( less than 10 years from now) I'd be fine w/leaving issue there as the replacement parking can go underground.

 

[Willybru21]

I think capacity is key, people waiting for elevators, or moving slowly on stairs cut into throughput of passengers. Escalators allow platforms to fill and empty much more quickly.

Don’t forget that you’re now limiting the direction people can get to and from the platforms with escalators, which can also increase the amount of time that the platforms can be emptied/filled.

 

[Northern Light]

Fill and empty quicker, but don’t forget that you’re now limiting the direction on staircases with escalators, which can also increase the amount of time that the platforms can be emptied/filled.

I'm looking specifically at those wider platforms and seeing escalators as a net add; not something replacing stairs, but in addition to them. I would also support there being added in sufficient numbers to account for bidirectional flow.

 

[mjl08]

Quick question: Who owns and operates SkyWalk? Is it the city or private? It doesn't seem to state on any signage when you enter by the UPX terminal.

 

[DSC]

Quick question: Who owns and operates SkyWalk? Is it the city or private? It doesn't seem to state on any signage when you enter by the UPX terminal.

This question has been asked before and it is certainly NOT the City but .... It clearly needs some 'maintenance' as it has leaks and many of the double-glazed panes are leaking air and thus fogged. A response to this question a while ago said "Skywalk belong to Allied Properties".

 

[drum118]

This question has been asked before and it is certainly NOT the City but .... It clearly needs some 'maintenance' as it has leaks and many of the double-glazed panes are leaking air and thus fogged. A response to this question a while ago said "Skywalk belong to Allied Properties".

I thought the Skywalk was to be replace as part of the Front St project and the rest rebuilt, as its long over due for updating. It would be nice to have glazing like the new Eaton Skylight to look out as well to photograph the area.

 

[Richard White]

I thought the Skywalk was to be replace as part of the Front St project and the rest rebuilt, as its long over due for updating. It would be nice to have glazing like the new Eaton Skylight to look out as well to photograph the area.

I could have swore it was as well.

Who here remembers the 1980s and 1990s era shops in the skywalk? I distinctly remember a pizza place midway down just past where the UPexpress station is now towards Bremner.

 

[Willybru21]

I could have swore it was as well.

Who here remembers the 1980s and 1990s era shops in the skywalk? I distinctly remember a pizza place midway down just past where the UPexpress station is now towards Bremner.

There’s a couple of vacant retail locations in the Skywalk, I remember back when the UP Express opened there was a shop that’s now closed down, but I can’t find any photos of it. Another vacant spot is used as an employee lounge for one of the companies in Union.
I’m surprised these locations aren’t occupied, as there’s always a constant stream of people heading through for sports games or the CN Tower.

 

[drum118]

I could have swore it was as well.

Who here remembers the 1980s and 1990s era shops in the skywalk? I distinctly remember a pizza place midway down just past where the UPexpress station is now towards Bremner.

That walkway was to be a retail area, but it sure empty out over time to zero being there other than UPX and the fitness centre. Find very few ppl using it outside Blue Jay Games or an event at the stadium.

Since the Front St project is still on hold, I guess it will be another decade or 2 before something is done about it.

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

I remember the sports cards/memorabilia shop in the walkway