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GO 2020

Filip said:
Hmm... Baltimore? San Jose?
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You get a silver star for correctly guessing the city I am thinking of - "Charm City" - but not giving it as the sole answer.

Baltimore's main station, Penn Station, has most MARC trains (which also go northeast as well as southwest to DC), and also serves as the Amtrak depot, but like Hamilton, that station (which is remarkably similar in size and layout to the former CN station in Hamilton) is well to the north of downtown. Camden Station is much closer to the downtown core (much like the old TH&B station), but only runs rush hours to DC.

San Jose has two commuter railways (CalTrain to SF's Caltrain Depot and Altamont Commuter Express to Stockton), but neither goes to an Union Station (SJ's station is called Diridon).
 
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ShonTron said:
You get a silver star for correctly guessing the city I am thinking of - "Charm City" - but not giving it as the sole answer.

Baltimore's main station, Penn Station, has most MARC trains (which also go northeast as well as southwest to DC), and also serves as the Amtrak depot, but like Hamilton, that station (which is remarkably similar in size and layout to the former CN station in Hamilton) is well to the north of downtown. Camden Station is much closer to the downtown core (much like the old TH&B station), but only runs rush hours to DC.

San Jose has two commuter railways (CalTrain to SF's Caltrain Depot and Altamont Commuter Express to Stockton), but neither goes to an Union Station (SJ's station is called Diridon).
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Oops I thought San Jose was outside LA.. I think I confused that with Sacramento. Thanks though, it was an interesting little brainstorm you got me running back then.
 
To add more similarities VIA rail will return to the James St North Station like Penn Station with Amtrak.
 
GO 2020-Niagara Falls service takeover?

Shon and everyone: It would be good to see GO service to the Niagara peninsula but the problem was how to serve Hamilton?

Bringing back the old CN Station was a logical solution since constructing a connecting track to the Hamilton Centre former TH&B station would be a problem even though that is the better location to me to serve Hamilton.

I remember visiting the old Hamilton CN station on my long September 1985 trip for the first time-it felt like a sort of tomb to me because it was so quiet inside. The location did not leave the best impression of Hamilton either.

Having the Amtrak/VIA Maple Leaf stop there again to me is better then the Aldershot stop it makes now and would help give the station more life.

That comparison with Baltimore-Washington,DC is a good one because of not only the two MARC commuter rail stations serving Baltimore the two cities are virtually the same distance apart as Hamilton and Toronto-40 miles.

San Francisco to San Jose is about 47 miles and some do not know that the
larger city is San Jose population wise. Caltrain serves the San Mateo County Peninsula corridor well with its recent "Baby Bullet" express trains and may be electrified in the future.

If GO and VIA can take over the Hamilton-Toronto rail line from CN and electrify it it has the possibility of becoming Canada's highest ridership passenger rail line perhaps.

Thoughts and observations from Long Island Mike-Happy New Year to all!
 
GTS said:
You think that the Niagara Region would have been included in these expansion plans since our provincial transportation minister, Jim Bradley, is from St. Catharines.
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There may be many valid reasons for improved transit links to Niagara Region but "the transport minister is from there" is not one of those valid reasons.

The sooner we stop this pork-barrel approach to planning....the better.
 
299 bloor call control. said:
I had heard that GO Transit summer weekend service to Niagara may be up and running as soon as next year (2010).
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There's no need for GO Transit in Niagara

The Ontario government is willing to close much-needed hospital services in Niagara to save money, yet the same government is going to triplicate transportation between Niagara and Toronto at a cost of millions. There are two privately- owned bus companies that currently provide that service at absolutely no cost to Ontario taxpayers.

GO's "cheap fares" are subsidized by tax dollars and undercut the cost of private carriers so much they simply can't compete. It will put them out of business and if that happens, who will service Fort Erie, Port Colborne and Welland? Will GO abandon these communities like the government has by reducing their hospital services?

The government should be supporting private business, not running over it. Hard-working taxpayers who will have to drive further for hospital care will now be paying for tourists to come to Niagara.

I have operated a coach to and from Toronto for more than 14 years. This service is already provided more than adequately by two private carriers that normally run far below capacity. To triplicate this service is an unnecessary waste of tax dollars that can be used for other needed services.

Paul Caro Niagara Falls

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1583793
 
^ Someone's bias is showing...

Everything the government does undercuts the private sector in some way. Public parks undercut amusement parks... Municipal fitness centres undercut GoodLife... The list goes on, and I'm sure the public at large appreciates these services being delivered at a lower obvious cost to them.
 
Don't think so....

Automation Gallery said:
No kidding... as one of the highest taxpaying populations in the world.
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Excuse us?

Perhaps you could refer to the statistical calculation made by the Heritage Foundation (a conservative think tank in the U.S.).....

Which so Canada's overall tax burden is the middle range of all countries and the low range of developed countries.

As at June 30, 2008, Canada took in 33% of its GDP in taxes.

This is not just below Sweden.....

Its below Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, Czech Republic, Russia, Brazil, New Zealand etc etc.

Only the United States and Australia came in a tad lower (among western, developed countries).....

And not only are U.S. taxes due to rise, substantially, to cover their debt burden....

But since this calculation was made...... corporate taxes in Canada have continued to drop, and further reductions have been announced by both levels of government.

In fact, Canada's corporate taxes will be among the lowest in the world by 2012, at a consolidated rated in Ontario of 25% (well below the United States).

Further our Sales Tax, combined is well below that in Europe or Australia....at 13% in most provinces, as compared to say 19% in France.

Given that personal income tax cuts have just been announced here in Ontario.........

**********

I don't mind arguments in favour of greater or lesser taxation, or the wise use of government funds.......

But please keep the facts straight, Canada is by no means a high tax country!
 
So, what would be so difficult in serving the Hamilton GO station where it is now, and having it cross over to the CN tracks out in wine country? Building some new tracks through a farm or two.

There's even potential to run the train into Niagara Falls, right into the big casino, but it would involve rebuilding the abandoned corridor.
 
The issue is the escarpment. That's why my rebuilding of the Belt Line proposal is the only practical approach to connect the Grimsby Sub to the TH&B station.
 
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