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

I have not heard or seen a freight train below me in years. They would rumble through before midnight and before 6:00am. Maybe my hearing is going and I’m sleeping sounder?

Maybe smaller trains.
What time of night would they be at? I thought freight trains stopped years ago.

It's fairly variable as it is dependent on that industries they are serving on any particular night, but anytime between about 10pm and 6am they are allowed through.

Dan
 
Yes it 100% is going to be good, the platforms will be widened significantly, and every other platform in the station will be widened and extended too. Which allows for way better boarding experience. Not to mention the new concourse.View attachment 413754View attachment 413755View attachment 413757View attachment 413758View attachment 413759
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I like wider platforms, but if the stairs are still so close to the edge thats going to be very annoying.
 
Not a chance. They were eliminated at Union Station

Probably correct. (as in very unlikely that they will be installed/re-installed in the near term)

for good reason.

Disagree

The station has too high of passenger volume to keep them in operation safely.

Definitely not correct, far busier stations around the world have escalators w/o issues.

Metrolinx/GO developed a cultural allergy to them as an organization, that I think is misplaced.

Notwithstanding that, they've shown minimal, if any, openness to change thus far. (though their concourses certainly have lots of escalators, suggesting it's merely platforms/outdoor environs that give them pause)
 
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Probably correct. (as in very unlikely that they will be installed/re-installed in the near term)



Disagree



Definitely not correct, far busier stations around the world have escalators w/o issues.

Metrolinx/GO developed a cultural allergy to them as an organization, that I think is misplaced.

Notwithstanding that, they've shown minimal, if any, openness to change thus far. (though their concourses certainly lots of escalators, suggesting it's merely platforms/outdoor environs that give them pause)

This entire city doesn't cope well with outdoor escalators, I've always assumed it was because of snow and salt but I'm sure there's some Northern European or Chinese city that handles it no problem.
 
This entire city doesn't cope well with outdoor escalators, I've always assumed it was because of snow and salt but I'm sure there's some Northern European or Chinese city that handles it no problem.

Agreed. Though the bulk of Union Platforms do have a roof over most or all of the platform, and there is no need to deploy salt (Mx/GO routinely uses snowmelt systems in its platforms)
 
Probably correct. (as in very unlikely that they will be installed/re-installed in the near term)



Disagree



Definitely not correct, far busier stations around the world have escalators w/o issues.

Metrolinx/GO developed a cultural allergy to them as an organization, that I think is misplaced.

Notwithstanding that, they've shown minimal, if any, openness to change thus far. (though their concourses certainly lots of escalators, suggesting it's merely platforms/outdoor environs that give them pause)

The reason they were eliminated was because of an accident in the station during rush hour.

Too many trains let out at once leading to a pileup at the bottom of an escalator due to overcrowding.

There was one that remained on Platform 25 but only went up and not down.
 
The reason they were eliminated was because of an accident in the station during rush hour.

Too many trains let out at once leading to a pileup at the bottom of an escalator due to overcrowding.

There was one that remained on Platform 25 but only went up and not down.

Escalators were removed throughout the GO system, several other stations had them as well.

I don't recall the incident you describe, but I don't doubt it occurred.

I doubt however that was the motive for systemic removal of escalators; and in any event, today's concourses are far larger.

Edit to add, I have found a report which I assume is of the incident in question:

 
Escalators were removed throughout the GO system, several other stations had them as well.

I don't recall the incident you describe, but I don't doubt it occurred.

I doubt however that was the motive for systemic removal of escalators; and in any event, today's concourses are far larger.

Edit to add, I have found a report which I assume is of the incident in question:


That was what I was referring to.
 
That was what I was referring to.
If that 2006 incident resulted in the elimination of all escalators at Union it looks like the typical Toronto/Ontario over-reaction (often with a less than satisfactory replacement). The Yonge Street van attack resulted in Jersey barriers @ Union; MAYBE acceptable as a temporary solution but not one that should still be there. MANY places seem to manage to combine escalators and crowds (New York and London UK anyone?); the old Union escalators may have been too small, too few or too old; but after 16 years I think proper replacements could be found!
 

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