Bordercollie
Senior Member
I thought that the construction on the underpass already started.
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VIA Rail
- Thread starter ehlow
- Start date
Allandale25
Senior Member
^ Which underpass?
crs1026
Superstar
Sorry, which underpass?
As I understand it, ML recently released a Business Case comparing the options of a flyover or a flat crossing at Silver. But no construction procurement as yet. Similarly, ML is firming up plans to add a third track at Brampton, but that's also still at the design stage.
I believe Guelph (and Acton?) will get pedestrian tunnels and a 2-track platform, but that's not as serious a choke point. The siding additions are said to be near the end of design but no procurement activity as yet.
I totally agree with your observation about highway congestion. I am more frustrated about the lack of action on Toronto-Kitchener-London train service than about things east of Toronto, and that's saying something. Anyone who takes the 401 will see the business case for better rail service first hand. It's already a problem. The new lanes to Kitchener are filling up faster than they can build them.
- Paul
Bordercollie
Senior Member
Not that traffic between Scarborough and Oshawa is any better but there are ways around it.
I guess you could take a detour on the QEW through Hamilton, but I don't think that's any better in the west end.
drum118
Superstar
July 15 & 20
This maybe the last posting with the laptop until we get home on Friday as it has died 3 times until now. The laptop is 9 years old and looks like the motherboard is going. Cannot do any panorama shots as the laptop dies doing it
The VIA train in Halifax had no Park car with the baggage car at the rear and 3 stainless cars behind it,
From the overpass you can see where the train will be place on one of 2 tracks leading to the main CN yard where the power can do a runabout to push the train back to the stations.
We had a look at a few stations along the coast back to Quebec City with a few having very short platforms for about 6 cars.
This maybe the last posting with the laptop until we get home on Friday as it has died 3 times until now. The laptop is 9 years old and looks like the motherboard is going. Cannot do any panorama shots as the laptop dies doing it
The VIA train in Halifax had no Park car with the baggage car at the rear and 3 stainless cars behind it,
From the overpass you can see where the train will be place on one of 2 tracks leading to the main CN yard where the power can do a runabout to push the train back to the stations.
We had a look at a few stations along the coast back to Quebec City with a few having very short platforms for about 6 cars.
Bordercollie
Senior Member
So on the way back to Montreal the baggage car is at the back of the train?
drum118
Superstar
No, at the front of the train behind the loco's. You expecting the train to be pushed to Montreal?? If so, that will be a very slow ride with CN jump up and down as it delaying their trains.
When the new trains go into service, its possible that there will be power at both end and other can speak better on this than me.
Bordercollie
Senior Member
No.
So forward facing until it gets close to Halifax with locomotives infront with baggage car trailing.
Backs the train into Halifax so now the baggage car is at the opposite end of the locomotives.
So it goes to Montreal this way?
There are no new trains for the ocean, yet.
Urban Sky
Senior Member
The following consist (of the train currently parked in Halifax) has been shared elsewhere:
VIA 614
6427 ("love the way" wrap, forward)
6411 (Reversed)
7009
70230 (Forward facing)
7208 (Rear facing)
7516
7507
7506
79526
7314
7401
7303
7601
8124
8118
Chateau Radisson
8618
As you can see, it has a baggage car (7009 or 8619) followed by coaches directly (or: almost directly) behind it on either end...
reaperexpress
Senior Member
Coincidentally, I happened to be looking into this question last night. Here's my amateur summary of the practical speed based on the curve radii and availability of adjacent land for potential curve realignment:
Green: 90-110 mph (145-177 km/h)
Yellow: 65-80 mph (105-130 km/h)
Orange: 40-60 mph (65-100 km/h)
Red: <=30 mph (<=50 km/h)
All of the curves away from stations can support at least 70 mph (112 km/h), and some of them even have radii of over 2000 metres, which means they can already support at least 95 mph (153 km/h) within the existing ROW, assuming 5-inch total superelevation (per @Urban Sky 's table based on the Transport Canada calculations) . The current tracks probably don't have high-speed spiral transitions in an out of the curves, but there's a good chance those could be accommodated within the existing property lines.
The only curves in the Kitchener-London segment which noticeably restrict speeds are the first and last curves in this group of 4 just west of Kitchener.
Existing ROW in black, proposed ROW in green.
The middle two curves have radii of over 2000 metres, but the western one has a radius of 1500 m (80 mph / 129 km/h) and the eastern one has a radius of 1150 m (70 mph / 112 km/h). The eastern curve in particular seems like a good candidate for curve realignment given that the rest of the nearby alignment would support at least 95 mph (153 km/h).
Upgrading the line to the standards of VIA's Smiths Falls, Alexandria and Chatham subdivisions would produce a Kitchener-London travel time around 55-60 minutes, compared to today's 105 minutes.
The Metrolinx Kitchener Line expansion business case estimates a 90-minute travel time for GO trains making 9 intermediate stops in the scenario with a grade separation (which would presumably be a prerequisite for frequent VIA service). That corresponds to about a 75-minute travel time for VIA trains making 3 intermediate stops. Putting together the two halves of the line then produces a time of 2h10 from Toronto to London, which is exactly the same as the current travel time via Brantford.
Yes, the business case proposes new platforms and sidings at Guelph and Acton, though personally I don't think Acton needs a pedestrian tunnel or second platform given that the basic hourly service won't meet there. The only meets which would occur at that siding would be with CN, VIA or peak-period extra GO trains, and those don't need to serve the station.
The pedestrian tunnel at Guelph Central Station was already built in 2012 as part of the station's reconstruction. It's currently being used to access the passenger pickup area.
A small portion of the second platform was also built over Wyndham Street, including this staircase which will become a secondary entrance.
The only major work still required to install a second platform at Guelph Central is to build an elevator from the existing pedestrian tunnel up to platform level.
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kEiThZ
Superstar
Sounds like it wouldn't even be that hard to get Toronto-Kitchener-London down to under 2 hrs, so that it was permanently competitive with driving.
Admiral Beez
Superstar
What is the plan for passenger rail to Peterborough? One of my kids is starting University at Trent and it would be a useful service if available from 2022-2025. If there’s no rail service, why does VIA maintain a station? https://www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/stations/peterborough
EDIT, seems to be a 2030s project completion. Honestly, why does it take us a decade to take anything from ideation to completion? The tracks are (mostly) there, the station is there, why not just run diesel stock now?
Urban Sky
Senior Member
The "station" seems to be nowhere near the rail station, so I assume it's wherever this Toronto-to-Peterborough bus service last mentioned in the 2000-01-16 VIA timetable stopped:
So why does no rail service operate today? Maybe because the tracks are maintained only to minimum track maintenance levels, which result in speed limits which have certainly not improved since 2004:
Source: Canadian Pacific Railways
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innsertnamehere
Superstar
My understanding is most of the Havelock sub today operates at a whopping 10mph since its in such hilariously terrible condition.
I'm not sure any of the crossings have crossing arms either. I used to drive regularly across an at grade crossing with the line about 5-10 years ago for my commute, and I saw a train on the line once and it was absolutely crawling.
I'm not sure any of the crossings have crossing arms either. I used to drive regularly across an at grade crossing with the line about 5-10 years ago for my commute, and I saw a train on the line once and it was absolutely crawling.