Transit Fantasy Maps

[Bojaxs]

GO transit and 407 ETR should work together to construct bus lanes to provide direct access between the 407 and western portion of the Mississauga transit way. When I took the GO bus to Bramalea GO from Oakville, the red lights on Erin Mills easily added a solid 10 minutes to the ride.

 

[TF_]

I decided to spend way too long making an extremely wild and completely unrealistic subway map for some distant time in.... "the future". I took some serious inspiration from how New York's subway is set up, what with all the express trains and branching lines, and I re-numbered everything to keep things a bit more organized (I also just straight-up ripped off how their map is styled, so there's that). If anyone has anything they'd change, let me know! This thing is extremely chaotic, and I definitely wasn't as thorough as I could have been with some of the station locations and names, and the locations of the various branching lines, but this has already taken way too long, so I'm just putting it here to get some eyes on it

Link to high-res image:

https://imgur.com/a/Xoebz7Y

Also! This is my first time posting here, so if there's a better way to post high-res images, please let me know - thanks!

 

[duty free]

I decided to spend way too long making an extremely wild and completely unrealistic subway map for some distant time in.... "the future". I took some serious inspiration from how New York's subway is set up, what with all the express trains and branching lines, and I re-numbered everything to keep things a bit more organized (I also just straight-up ripped off how their map is styled, so there's that). If anyone has anything they'd change, let me know! This thing is extremely chaotic, and I definitely wasn't as thorough as I could have been with some of the station locations and names, and the locations of the various branching lines, but this has already taken way too long, so I'm just putting it here to get some eyes on it

Link to high-res image:

https://imgur.com/a/Xoebz7Y

Also! This is my first time posting here, so if there's a better way to post high-res images, please let me know - thanks!

Nice map! Overall great work.

I agree with the route's you've picked for the most part, but what's your vision here? To quad track every line? Can you explain your map in a little bit more detail?

I especially love that you assigned letters or a different naming scheme to the LRT lines. I personally hate the Line 5 & 6 nomenclature for those lines. Didn't bother me as much for (the former) Line 3 because it was fully grade separated.

 

[TF_]

Thanks! My thinking was to use quad tracking anywhere that 2 different trains (lines? I'll just call them trains) are running next to each other in order to allow for local/express trains. For example, the 9 and 10 trains from the airport out to Scarborough Centre. Otherwise, things are double tracked as normal.

Here are the specifics:
- Quad track from Richmond Hill to Vaughan Centre. The 1 train will run local and continue on double tracks out to Major Mackenzie, while the 2 and 3 trains will run on the express tracks
- Quad track from Windermere to Queen-Kingston. The 4 and 5 trains will use the local tracks, and the 6 train will run on the express tracks, before they all branch out on double tracks
- Quad track from Ellis to Vaughan Centre. The 4 and 11 trains will meet up at Ellis, allowing the 11 train to run on the local tracks, while the 4 train runs express
- Quad track from Long Branch to Scarborough Centre. The 7 train will run on the local tracks, while the 8 train runs on the express tracks, before they each branch off on double tracks
- Quad track from the airport to Scarborough Centre. The 9 train will run on the local tracks before continuing out to UTSC on double tracks, and the 10 train will run on the express tracks

I should mention, I kept the technology between different lines consistent. The Yonge-University line, Bloor-Danforth line, and Sheppard line all use the same train technology, and the A and B trains are still trams. What I'll call the Queen line (anything running under Queen St through downtown) uses the Ontario Line technology, and so does the 11 train, which allows them to meet up and run local/express up to Vaughan. I was actually considering turning the 8 train out towards Mississauga at Sherway Gardens to run with the 6 train, providing local/express service out in that direction, but something about mixing two incompatable train technologies on a single line felt like a bad idea.

I hope this all made sense..... If you want anything else clarified, just let me know!

 

[Willybru21]

Been a while since I posted some of these:

 

[JSF-1]

A couple of months back I made a video about what the cities Trolley Bus network could have looked like had we kept and expanded the network. I have made a map version of what was in the video. The new routes are mixture of TTC proposals from back in the day as well as routes I think would have made sense to convert had we gotten the chance. Some routes have since been extended in recent years (eg the 40 Junction), I didn't include those extensions as it's hard to say if they would have happened as a trolley bus. It's unfortunate the trolley buses are gone because they could have played a big role in the TTC and cities effort to go green with electric buses.

 

[Willybru21]

Been a while:

 

[Bojaxs]

My attempt to reduce "conflict points" between freight and passenger rail in the GTA.

Existing track map of the GTA:

New Track Map

CPKC:
- 413 bypass west of Intermodal terminal in Vaughan
- 407 bypass east of Intermodal terminal, reconnects with existing CPKC mainline north of Pickering
- CPKC trains would still run through Milton GO. Split away from the existing Galt sub before reaching Lisgar.

CN:
- 407 bypass west of Intermodal terminal in Brampton
- Grade separate Doncaster diamond
- triple track Richmond Hill line north of the York sub (increase capacity for both CN & GO)

GO:
- Obtain Milton line
- obtain Midtown line from Lisgar GO to just east of Agincourt Yard
- Obtain Orangeville line. With ownership of the Milton line, GO can now run trains up to Mayfield Rd. in Brampton
- Richmond Hill line improvements, Doncaster Diamond grade separation, triple tracking north of the York sub, construct and redirect trains onto the Leaside Spur
- Obtain Bolton line up to Steeles Ave. North of the 407, triple track up to Bolton for increased capacity for both CPKC and GO.

The only "conflict points" remaining are;
- Trying to figure out how to connect the Midtown line with the LSE line. GO would have to construct a rail bridge parallel with CN's running to Pickering. GO would need to figure out how to triple track to Pickering GO. Not sure if there's space for that without interfering with CN.
- GO would still have to share the tracks with CPKC in Milton GO up until the 407. Unless they can figure out if there's space to run parallel running tracks such as with the LSE line.
- Track sharing with CN on the Richmond Hill line, north of the York sub. Triple track to add capacity
- Track sharing with CPKC on the Bolton line
- North of the 407, triple track up to Bolton to add capacity for both CPKC and GO

EDIT: Add Bolton line info

 

[Krypto98]

My attempt to reduce "conflict points" between freight and passenger rail in the GTA.

Existing track map of the GTA:
View attachment 603057

New Track Map
View attachment 603058
CPKC:
- 413 bypass west of Intermodal terminal in Vaughan
- 407 bypass east of Intermodal terminal, reconnects with existing CPKC mainline north of Pickering
- CPKC trains would still run through Milton GO. Split away from the existing Galt sub before reaching Lisgar.

CN:
- 407 bypass west of Intermodal terminal in Brampton
- Grade separate Doncaster diamond
- triple track Richmond Hill line north of the York sub (increase capacity for both CN & GO)

GO:
- Obtain Milton line
- obtain Midtown line from Lisgar GO to just east of Agincourt Yard
- Obtain Orangeville line. With ownership of the Milton line, GO can now run trains up to Mayfield Rd. in Brampton
- Richmond Hill line improvements, Doncaster Diamond grade separation, triple tracking north of the York sub, construct and redirect trains onto the Leaside Spur
- Obtain Bolton line up to Steeles Ave. North of the 407, triple track up to Bolton for increased capacity for both CPKC and GO.

The only "conflict points" remaining are;
- Trying to figure out how to connect the Midtown line with the LSE line. GO would have to construct a rail bridge parallel with CN's running to Pickering. GO would need to figure out how to triple track to Pickering GO. Not sure if there's space for that without interfering with CN.
- GO would still have to share the tracks with CPKC in Milton GO up until the 407. Unless they can figure out if there's space to run parallel running tracks such as with the LSE line.
- Track sharing with CN on the Richmond Hill line, north of the York sub. Triple track to add capacity
- Track sharing with CPKC on the Bolton line
- North of the 407, triple track up to Bolton to add capacity for both CPKC and GO

EDIT: Add Bolton line info

For the CPKC alignment I wonder if it's possible to use some of the old Beeton sub alignment, its currently a walking trail...

I did measure the distance of using the Leaside/Don branch for the Richmond Hill line and its about 4 miles shorter and possibly could handle speeds 10-15 mph faster than the existing 35 mph route. Triple tracking north of Doncaster should be possible, I run that route with CN and there is definitely space for 3 tracks most of the way to Setter and even space double it most of the way up to Washago if GO wanted to expand north of setter... Though bridge reconstruction would be required for both triple and doubling tracking.

 

[Bojaxs]

For the CPKC alignment I wonder if it's possible to use some of the old Beeton sub alignment, its currently a walking trail...

It's too far north and would encounter stiff opposition due to environmental concerns.

The 413 option would be easier, because acquiring land right reside a highway is less contentious. Plus the proposed 413 route heads directly towards CPKC intermodal facility in Vaughan.

Triple tracking north of Doncaster should be possible, I run that route with CN and there is definitely space for 3 tracks most of the way to Setter and even space double it most of the way up to Washago if GO wanted to expand north of setter... Though bridge reconstruction would be required for both triple and doubling tracking.

The only issue is the Yonge North subway extension to Langstaff GO. Metrolinx wants to run the subway tracks parallel with the Bala sub and have the trains "at grade" at Langstaff and up to High Tech station. Is there space for a third track plus 2 subway tracks along this stretch of the Bala sub? If Metrolinx opted to tunnel the extension all the way to Richmond Hill, this wouldn't be an issue.

GO doesn't need to go north of Bloomington because Ontario Northland's revived passenger rail will handle that area. Northland will have a new station in Washago.

 

[Bureaucromancer]

It's too far north and would encounter stiff opposition due to environmental concerns.

The 413 option would be easier, because acquiring land right reside a highway is less contentious. Plus the proposed 413 route heads directly towards CPKC intermodal facility in Vaughan.

View attachment 603424

The only issue is the Yonge North subway extension to Langstaff GO. Metrolinx wants to run the subway tracks parallel with the Bala sub and have the trains "at grade" at Langstaff and up to High Tech station. Is there space for a third track plus 2 subway tracks along this stretch of the Bala sub? If Metrolinx opted to tunnel the extension all the way to Richmond Hill, this wouldn't be an issue.

GO doesn't need to go north of Bloomington because Ontario Northland's revived passenger rail will handle that area. Northland will have a new station in Washago.

View attachment 603423

The thing that would really bring proper frequency on RH into play in my mind would be building a link to the Barrie line north of Bloomington and extending the Richmond Hill trains to Newmarket…. There’s a couple of quite reasonable alignments and I suspect it would do everything subway extensions north of Richmond Hill might be aimed at far cheaper… and probably better.

 

[Bojaxs]

The thing that would really bring proper frequency on RH into play in my mind would be building a link to the Barrie line north of Bloomington and extending the Richmond Hill trains to Newmarket…. There’s a couple of quite reasonable alignments and I suspect it would do everything subway extensions north of Richmond Hill might be aimed at far cheaper… and probably better.

There doesn't seem to be any way to connect Bloomington to Aurora GO. The Beacon Hall Golf Club is obstructing the most realistic path for such a connection.
The only way to connect the RH line with the Barrie line is to make the connection somewhere north of East Gwillimbury. Have the line run parallel with the 404.
Having YRT create a VIVA BRT line along Major Mackenzie Rd. could connect Maple GO with Richmond Hill GO. Would probably be our best bet for connecting the two lines.

 

[MrGoose]

There doesn't seem to be any way to connect Bloomington to Aurora GO. The Beacon Hall Golf Club is obstructing the most realistic path for such a connection.
The only way to connect the RH line with the Barrie line is to make the connection somewhere north of East Gwillimbury. Have the line run parallel with the 404.
Having YRT create a VIVA BRT line along Major Mackenzie Rd. would connect Maple GO with Richmond Hill GO, would probably be our best bet for connecting the two lines.
View attachment 604386

Or just expropriate a 10m wide strip of the golf club?

Or if might be sold off to a developer, https://www.yorkregion.com/news/dev...cle_0d67689a-9064-5ba6-9bb6-cc492ef3edf9.html

negotiate with the developer for a 10m wide strip. Maybe with a station on Yonge for direct connections to Viva Blue

 

[Bojaxs]

Or if might be sold off to a developer, https://www.yorkregion.com/news/dev...cle_0d67689a-9064-5ba6-9bb6-cc492ef3edf9.html

negotiate with the developer for a 10m wide strip. Maybe with a station on Yonge for direct connections to Viva Blue

Old article, but if this is still the case today, then the Ontario government definitely needs to be all over this and look at purchasing a strip of land to allow for a connection between Bloomington and Aurora.

 

[JSF-1]

After making my video for GO ALRT I have deiced to make a map of what the possible station for the Northern and Southern Lines could be today. As far as I know the project never made it far enough for station locations to solidify so this is just my best guess for the most likely stops given a 2-3km stop spacing.

Geographic map with some stops given street names for reference.