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

[interchange42]

Where to begin..

You cannot put a train on top of the existing train shed without extensive modifications. With all the work recently done, I can't see that happening given the cost and disruption.

Also.. how would you build anything elevated in the downtown core without knocking down some buildings? I can't see property owners being ok with that.

Honestly, the best option would be to route it to Summerhill or build new terminals for it at Guildwood where VIA already stops.

I thumbed up Richard's post for the Summerhill reference, not the Guildwood one.

If this train is heading for Peterborough next, then stations along the CP North Toronto and Belleville subdivisions make a lot of sense. For those claiming that the service wouldn't work if it doesn't go direct to Union, well, Porter Airlines doesn't fly direct to Union either, and it seems to have garnered a loyal following.

If we can get CP freight rail diverted around the north of the city paralleling the CN line (not easily done, I know), and make the modifications needed to the North Toronto subdivision and subdivisions connected to it, then candidates for stops are close to Agincourt on the GO Stouffville line, a one-stop extension to the Ontario Line 3 at Don Mills Road, Yonge Line 1 at Summerhill, University Line 1 at Dupont, the Barrie GO line, then build a new link to the Kitchener corridor to connect Alto to Pearson and points west. Anything at Union is going to be just as difficult with the increased rail traffic headed its way. Let's take over more tracks through this city for passengers, and move the freight around it that does not need to go through it.

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[ComptoirGeneral]

They can also approach Union from the West as there's lots of capacity room in the Kitchener corridor.

Both the northern CN corridor and the Highway 407 transitway have some room to spare for a couple of tracks. Serve either the new Clark subway station or 407 Highway subway station, Pearson Airport (Malton with people-mover?), then Union.

Hmm, I never considered that but that would be a great way to link both Pearson and Union. I wonder what the time cost would be with taking that route.

the province would not object to the 407 BRT becoming a railway line provided GO can run service on it.

Oh myyy, what I wouldn't give to see this become a reality. It really would be a great form of promotion for people stuck in traffic along the highway to have to watch the ALTO and GO zoom past them LOL.

 

[jmi22]

Higher Capacity Union Station Coming as South Concourse Work Continues | UrbanToronto

In the heart of Downtown Toronto, ongoing work to expand and modernize Union Station has made significant progress since the start of Metrolinx's Union Station Enhancement Project. The rail hub's passenger platforms are undergoing major changes to improve passenger flow, rail capacity, and...

urbantoronto.ca

New front page storey covering ongoing construction on the South Concourse and future plans for track consolidation. @WB62 makes a big appearance. Seems he makes better maps than Metrolinx LOL.

 

[evandyk]

Ok, can we talk about the aggressive taxi drivers outside Union Station? I’m at the station 2-3 times a week and without fail, at least one of those times they’re out of their cars, jostling for passengers, shouting at each other. Those on the road honk non stop at other cabbies to move. I was harassed as I waved at my Uber (was going to Etobicoke and didn’t want to brave the cold bus ride). One cabbie followed me and stared me down. When did this become so common?

There are quite a few comments above in the thread about the pain of dealing with taxis at Union Station. Last time I did it, I vowed never to take another taxi, and I haven't since.

 

[JasonParis]

I’ve shared this story before, but it still blows my mind. The last time I took a taxi from Union, the driver spent most of the ride eating a corn on the cob. When he finally handed me the payment machine, there were still corn kernels stuck in his beard.

 

[David_Brown]

I think that's a benefit only available with Uber Lux.

 

[Towered]

I’ve shared this story before, but it still blows my mind. The last time I took a taxi from Union, the driver spent most of the ride eating a corn on the cob. When he finally handed me the payment machine, there were still corn kernels stuck in his beard.

Cabs are the worst. This is why Uber exists.

 

[Richard White]

Cabs are the worst. This is why Uber exists.

I personally have not taken a cab in over a decade. Uber is cheaper and cleaner.

Some of the Uber Drivers I have met are the nicest people while some cab drivers are miserable.

 

[ComptoirGeneral]

Porter Airlines doesn't fly direct to Union either, and it seems to have garnered a loyal following.

This makes zero sense...an airline that doesn't fly to a train station has garnered a loyal following? The entire benefit of the train service is to have direct downtown-to-downtown connections. Having to end up in the suburbs of Toronto, even Midtown or Don Mills, is a complete waste of time and money. If people are taking the ALTO to connect at YYZ, then they should get off at Union and take the UP Express.

 

[Richard White]

This makes zero sense...an airline that doesn't fly to a train station has garnered a loyal following?

I think what he is saying is that the Island Airport is not within 5 feet of Union Station but somehow it is successful. It stands to reason that trains at Summerhill will also be succesful.

London, UK is an example of this as it has several train stations spread across the city. Not all trains go into Paddington, Waterloo, Victoria or Kings Cross as some also go into Charing Cross, London Bridge and Marylebone which are also well used.

 

[ComptoirGeneral]

I think what he is saying is that the Island Airport is not within 5 feet of Union Station but somehow it is successful. It stands to reason that trains at Summerhill will also be succesful.

London, UK is an example of this as it has several train stations spread across the city. Not all trains go into Paddington, Waterloo, Victoria or Kings Cross as some also go into Charing Cross, London Bridge and Marylebone which are also well used.

YTZ is successful because its location makes it more convenient than YYZ for a lot of people, specifically business travellers. ALTO's station, being in Summerhill, is inconvenient compared to the alternative of the Union Station transit hub for nearly everyone.

 

[Richard White]

YTZ is successful because its location makes it more convenient than YYZ for a lot of people, specifically business travellers. ALTO's station, being in Summerhill, is inconvenient compared to the alternative of the Union Station transit hub for nearly everyone.

Yes but when it comes to rail services, you cannot have your cake and eat it too.

There is simply no capacity left for high speed rail in the USRC. The only way this will work is if it is in Midtown where very few trains run.

Would it be convienient to have it go to Union? Yes.

Is there excess capacity at Union? No.

Quite simply, we barely have enough capacity in the signals and the tracks at Union to make the existing service work not including any service improvements planned.

 

[ComptoirGeneral]

Yes but when it comes to rail services, you cannot have your cake and eat it too.

There is simply no capacity left for high speed rail in the USRC. The only way this will work is if it is in Midtown where very few trains run.

Would it be convienient to have it go to Union? Yes.

Is there excess capacity at Union? No.

Quite simply, we barely have enough capacity in the signals and the tracks at Union to make the existing service work not including any service improvements planned.

There is space to expand Union and create adjacent platforms for ALTO if we really had the ambition to do so. The Yonge Street off-ramp of the Gardiner was planned for demolition; there is space for platforms there. If they decide to go through with the Union Park development, there is space for an ALTO terminal to be constructed there. If we really wanted to we could dig the ALTO terminal underground and connect it to Union.

IMO if we're going to embark on this one-in-a-generation project, we need to be ambitious and do it right. Creating a worse service just to save $2B on a $80B project just doesn't make sense.

 

[Amare]

I dont know why we're worrying about ALTO, we've seen time and time again that governments all all stripes and levels are not serious about high-speed rail in this country. It's not going to happen, so we dont need to worry about it.

I'd rather Metrolinx gets their act together with GO Expansion (or GO Expansion 2.0/whatever they want to call it now). There's no point holding up plans at Union and along the corridor, to bank on some project that's not going to happen this century.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

There is space to expand Union and create adjacent platforms for ALTO if we really had the ambition to do so. The Yonge Street off-ramp of the Gardiner was planned for demolition; there is space for platforms there. If they decide to go through with the Union Park development, there is space for an ALTO terminal to be constructed there. If we really wanted to we could dig the ALTO terminal underground and connect it to Union.

IMO if we're going to embark on this one-in-a-generation project, we need to be ambitious and do it right. Creating a worse service just to save $2B on a $80B project just doesn't make sense.

I don't think ALTO should use adjacent platforms - especially if the plan is have future extensions westward.

AoD