VIA Rail

[mpd618]

Is there still no municipal transit between Kitchener and Guelph? I guess the GO buses and trains provide the transit connection but it's far from ideal. It's not unheard of for cities in different counties to run municipal buses between each other - Collingwood transit has a route to Blue Mountain for example.

There is no municipal transit between Kitchener and Guelph. Both the Region of Waterloo and Guelph have talked about such a connection, but no concrete action has been taken towards this end. Greyhound runs some service between the two cities, most of it going via Sportsworld.

That's not entirely true - GO is not allowed to compete directly with private coach lines on routes.

This is why, for instance, GO's Kitchener service ends at Square One, rather than Yorkdale. And why there is no private company running a Hamilton-Toronto direct service anymore.

This is incorrect. The Metrolinx Act explicitly exempts GO Transit from the public vehicle licensing requirements. The reason GO may choose to avoid intruding on Greyhound's "turf" is political. And if GO were to intrude sufficiently for Greyhound to decide to abandon a corridor, politically GO would likely have political pressure to replace the entirety of the corridor's service, so that's something they need to be prepared for.

 

[rbt]

.... politically GO would likely have political pressure to replace the entirety of the corridor's service, so that's something they need to be prepared for.

Bit worse than that. Ontario dishes out routes in packages. If GO encroached on one Greyhound route enough that they abandon a package, GO may get political pressure to provide service for a half-dozen routes many of which have horrible ridership.

 

[dowlingm]

VIA gets an election handout from the Conservatives

VIA Rail's Federal Infrastructure Initiative

As part of the $5.8 billion in infrastructure spending announced by Prime Minister Harper, $102 million new funding will go to VIA Rail for several projects to improve the safety and efficiency of the Ottawa-Montreal corridor.The investment will be made over two fiscal years (2015-16 and 2016-17). Projects to be funded include:

• Enable the Renaissance car fleet for use on the Ottawa-Montreal line and thus, provide customers with a consistent level of service west of Montreal while replacing older equipment. This fleet will also enhance the accessibility service for travelers in wheelchairs and/or with service animals‎.
• Upgrade tracks and bridges between Montreal and the Ottawa area.
• Build new track siding and make changes to the turnout to allow more fluid movement of trains in the Barrhaven area (Ottawa).
• Repair Alexandria piers and abutments to avoid the risk of compromising the structural capacity of the bridge and to ensure the safe passage of freight and passenger trains.
• Upgrade centralized traffic control signals to improve the efficiency and safety of operations.
• Upgrade signal systems to improve reliability, efficiency and safety of operations.
• Repair Ottawa Station infrastructure (main electrical power supply and distribution), and build high level platforms to improve customer safety, travel experience, and accessibility, as well as eliminate some delays.
• Repair rail bridges in the Ottawa area.
• Replace culverts between Ottawa and Montreal to ensure structural integrity.
• Change/upgrade mechanical & electrical systems at the Ottawa Station to safely keep the trains ready to go without having to run a generator.
• Replace bolted rail with continuous welded rail in the Beachburg, Alexandria and Smith Falls subdivisions and other track upgrades within the city limits of Ottawa.

July 2015

 

[Admiral Beez]

What I want is VIA early morning service to Kitchener from Union, and return early evening Kitchener to Union. There's tons of folks on the 401 who may consider the switch.

 

[mpd618]

What I want is VIA early morning service to Kitchener from Union, and return early evening Kitchener to Union. There's tons of folks on the 401 who may consider the switch.

VIA is apparently considering it. I know that it would be a huge win for the local tech employers, Google in particular.

 

[crs1026]

A lot of that shopping list amounts to "fix rail, bridges and culverts that were close to end of life"

Not much of a step forward, but good to see that the concept of "state of good repair" is being enforced.

- Paul

 

[reaperexpress]

What I want is VIA early morning service to Kitchener from Union, and return early evening Kitchener to Union. There's tons of folks on the 401 who may consider the switch.

VIA couldn't provide a competitively-timed service, with only 1 track west of Georgetown. In the current schedule, the last eastbound GO train from Kitchener arrives in Georgetown at 8:04, so that's the earliest the westbound VIA could pass through there. In practice there'd need to be some slack to reduce the risk that a late eastbound train delays the westobound VIA. Assuming a minimum gap of 20 minutes, the earliest westbound train could be:
7:40 Union
8:10 Brampton
8:25 Georgetown
8:50 Guelph
9:20 Kitchener
Note that this would preclude the current eastbound VIA trip that passes through Kitchener at 9:18 given that the station has only 1 platform.

The last train westbound arrives Kitchener at 19:57. So the earliest an evening eastbound train could leave would be around 20:20, arriving Union around 21:55. Alternatively it could leave in the afternoon before the westbound trains arrive, which would put it at the latest:
16:40 Kitchener
17:05 Guelph
17:35 Georgetown
17:50 Brampton
18:20 Union

However, GO is doubling peak-direction service from Kitchener next year, which means that the time windows when the track would be available for counter-peak service would be significantly reduced, resulting in far more inconvenient times.

Conveniently timed counter-peak service would require at minimum that a second platform be built at Guelph Central to allow passenger trains to cross there. The station was designed for two platforms, but I don't know when Metrolinx plans to build the second one.

 

[dowlingm]

Any time before 10am would still be a massive step forward (London's first arrival is 0955) for business travel. Commuting not so much obviously. Need a return too. I've gotten the late train ex Kitchener and it sucks to get back to town that late.

 

[nfitz]

VIA couldn't provide a competitively-timed service, with only 1 track west of Georgetown. In the current schedule, the last eastbound GO train from Kitchener arrives in Georgetown at 8:04, so that's the earliest the westbound VIA could pass through there.

There are sidings west of Georgetown where they can pass. Just like they used to do, when there was a morning train to Kitchener.

 

[crs1026]

There are sidings west of Georgetown where they can pass. Just like they used to do, when there was a morning train to Kitchener.

Actually, they have all been torn out. And when the new CTC goes in later this year, there will not be any control points to work from. They are roughed in for the future. I was hoping the Feds would have some goodies for us in their election bag, but Ontario is likely on its own west of Toronto.

- Paul

 

[Admiral Beez]

VIA is apparently considering it. I know that it would be a huge win for the local tech employers, Google in particular.

That's good news, thanks. Is there anyone at VIA to write to push for a decision?

 

[christiesplits]

VIA is apparently considering it. I know that it would be a huge win for the local tech employers, Google in particular.

It will be pretty hilarious seeing tech heads travelling in Canada's Silicon Valley in tin deisel relics.

 

[mpd618]

Actually, they have all been torn out. And when the new CTC goes in later this year, there will not be any control points to work from. They are roughed in for the future. I was hoping the Feds would have some goodies for us in their election bag, but Ontario is likely on its own west of Toronto.

The stretch we're talking about - between Georgetown and Kitchener - is owned by Metrolinx now, so I'd wonder when they are planning to do the double-tracking themselves....

 

[Urban Sky]

That's good news, thanks. Is there anyone at VIA to write to push for a decision?

All I can say at this point is that there already exists a draft timetable for such a service, but as with any network planning and timetabling decision, a Toronto-to-Kitchener service suitable for commuters working in Kitchener-Waterloo will be subject to fleet and track availability as well as to ridership and revenue forecasts and funding decisions beyond the control of VIA Rail. If you want to push for such a service, I'd suggest that you write to your MPs or better directly to Yves Desjardins-Siciliano by commenting on his post regarding projected train service improvements in Southwestern Ontario:
http://www.viaevolution.ca/2015/06/19/improving-train-service-in-southwestern-ontario/

 

[smallspy]

Actually, they have all been torn out. And when the new CTC goes in later this year, there will not be any control points to work from. They are roughed in for the future. I was hoping the Feds would have some goodies for us in their election bag, but Ontario is likely on its own west of Toronto.

- Paul

Forgot about the double-track in Guelph?

Dan
Toronto, Ont.