GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[WB62]

I noticed that.

In the past there were only two or three if I recall correctly but 5 or 6 this time. It was the paddle that got me as its the first I have seen in NA. Very common or used to be in Europe and not found in a lot of heavy volume main stations in 2022. Wounder who at ML decided to use the paddle and will come standard for future station haft platforms?

The paddles have been around for a couple years now, from one of metrolinxs promo videos:

“You may see me with a baton or raised hand as the doors are closing. This means no further boarding and the train is about to depart.”

There’s also a process that customer service staff do without a paddle, which can be seen throughout this video:

At and outside of Long Branch GO I’ve almost never seen staff doing this, really not sure why it was adopted if it wasn’t tied into actual operations

 

[Fritter]

At and outside of Long Branch GO I’ve almost never seen staff doing this, really not sure why it was adopted if it wasn’t tied into actual operations

Not all stations received the paddles at the same time, and enforcement of policy is at different levels at different stations. Some tenured Station Ambassadors question the wisdom of holding these flashing badminton rackets when a vast majority of Canadian passengers would have no clue of their purpose. Metrolinx brass assume practices from Europe or Asia can seamlessly integrate into North American norms instantly without studying if they would work here.

 

[Bojaxs]

Metrolinx brass assume practices from Europe or Asia can seamlessly integrate into North American norms instantly without studying if they would work here.

That's basically Line 6.

 

[PShells]

A (local) article on how whistle cessation at a single level crossing will end up taking six years after metrolinx scope creep (changing requirements right before construction is to begin), retroactively applying RZ/GZ safety policies to legacy projects and general bureaucracy. The article doesn’t get into whether the municipality has contributed to any of the delays.

New Metrolinx Requirements Cloud Stouffville Whistle Cessation Costs and Timeline | Bullet Point News Stouffville

Stouffville’s whistle cessation project faces additional delays and rising costs due to safety measures limiting construction within active rail corridors.

stouffville.bulletpointnews.ca

This confirms the future turn back signal at Stouffville will only be constructed during overnight hours and/or weekend closures to comply with RZ/GZ policies. The 6+ hours of no train service between 9am and 4pm does not allow for construction to occur.

 

[PShells]

The links have been updated. The path dependency project slide is front and centre on the CPG slide deck.

I don’t know how to reconcile the “Mount Joy second platform, passing track and turn back signal at Stouffville GO” being labeled as under construction in the CPG Board report while the project keeps having its RFQ pushed out on the quarterly CPG pipeline report.

I’m sure there are other projects with similar inconsistencies.

Perhaps there are early works underway for the Mount Joy station upgrades…

Given the saw dust is fresh I am assuming this is a recent development but dozens of trees on the eastern side of the Mount Joy GO station have been cut down. Both at the station platform and north of the level crossing.

 

[Sauga89]

Perhaps there are early works underway for the Mount Joy station upgrades…

Given the saw dust is fresh I am assuming this is a recent development but dozens of trees on the eastern side of the Mount Joy GO station have been cut down. Both at the station platform and north of the level crossing.

Here is the construction notice for that.

 

[Sauga89]

Work on the Barrie line Sheppard Avenue bridge is scheduled for next month.

 

[Yeltsa Kcir]

New Mississauga Road overpass open to traffic between Brampton and Caledon

The project will also supports future expansion of Metrolinx’s Kitchener line.

www.bramptonguardian.com

The grade separation (bridge overpass) on Mississauga Road in Brampton was recently opened to traffic. Vehicles no longer have to wait for trains (long freight trains, GO and Via trains) to pass at what was until recently a very active crossing on the Kitchener line/Halton subdivision. However, not sure if this has been done before with other grade separations, but it seems this is something of a phased opening, as there's currently only one lane open in each direction on what's to be a multilane roadway. Full completion of the overpass not expected until mid-late this year. On a side note, given the elimination of a busy at grade crossing, I wonder if this means they will at some point increase the track speed limits, which I for one would welcome as a frequent GO train rider. Also how soon this would enable other GO expansion works.

You also have the heritage road layover facility nearby, though am unsure of it's progress as the last time I checked there was no posted timeline or anticipated completion date.

 

[Sauga89]

*edited for clarity

Metrolinx says that next week it will start burying at least some, and possibly all, of the wires in a section of hydro corridor in Pickering. The hydro corridor crosses the Lakeshore East line and the 401 just east of Pickering GO.

Here is a screenshot from Google of the hydro corridor:

My apologies if this comes across as too pedantic. I felt the size of the corridor merited a mention. It's also the third overhead utility relocation Metrolinx has announced in recent months, so it definitely seems to be a trend. I promise not to post about every one.

 

[WB62]

My apologies if this comes across as too pedantic. I felt the size of the corridor merited a mention. It's also the third overhead utility relocation Metrolinx has announced in recent months, so it definitely seems to be a trend. I promise not to post about every one.

I could be an outlier but I wouldn’t mind hearing more about this type of stuff as it happens. Seems perfectly fit for this thread

 

[Allandale25]

Metrolinx says that next week it will start burying a hydro corridor in Pickering, which crosses the Lakeshore East line and the 401 just east of Pickering GO.

View attachment 716673
Here is a screenshot from Google of the hydro corridor:

View attachment 716672

My apologies if this comes across as too pedantic. I felt the size of the corridor merited a mention. It's also the third overhead utility relocation Metrolinx has announced in recent months, so it definitely seems to be a trend. I promise not to post about every one.

Wow. That's a transmission substantial corridor. Is one reason they are doing this a worry about electromagnetic interference? I remember some concern about that during the freight bypass studies for the corridor at the Mississauga-Brampton border. cc @smallspy @crs1026

 

[reaperexpress]

Wow that may be a huge undertaking. In typical Metrolinx fashion the notice explains almost nothing about what they're actually doing or why.

It just says:

• Crews will relocate utilities and cables from overhead structures, then use directional drilling to install them underground.
• Utilities will be transferred underground through a duct bank to the Lakeshore East rail corridor.

Are they moving all of the cables underground or just some of them?
Why are they moving cables underground?
What are the other utilities other than cables?
Are the cables also being connected to the corridor to power the Lakeshore East line? Why does it say they're being transferred underground "to" the Lakeshore East rail corridor, rather than "under"?

 

[Sauga89]

Metrolinx says it will begin construction of a replacement habitat structure for chimney swifts at the future Ritson Road GO station.

Chimney swifts are an at-risk bird species which like to nest in large old chimneys. My understanding is that when a chimney is removed, environmental regulations demand that the province build a replacement structure.

 

[Coolibop]

Metrolinx says that next week it will start burying a hydro corridor in Pickering,

That isn't what the notice says...

Don't think they are burying the 230 kV lines from Pickering NGS. There are local lines in the area (pictured below). The notice also states they will bring the lines to the rail corridor. Again, this has nothing to do with the high-voltage feeder lines from the plant.

 

[crs1026]

It's not the first utility crossing of the rail line to be buried in that area, either. The details are foggy but there have been others in the last decade, simply a matter of keeping up with road and other changes and as new power lines are rebuilt and upgraded.

- Paul