GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[nfitz]

Unionville to Mount Joy is 15 mins right now. Itlf they are running just one faster emu between those stations they don't have to double track it.

That means they could only run every 30 minute service, if it's 15 minutes between them. Or you need a passing point in the middle.

With trains every 15 minutes, someone on the train, passes a train in the opposite direction every 7.5 minutes.

 

[SaugeenJunction]

I was curious how the tracks of the Weston Sub were arranged, so I made this track diagram using the May 2018 aerial image from Google Maps.
View attachment 175990

A surprisingly large portion of the 4th track is installed but unusable. It would take only minimal effort to complete a 4th track from the URSC to the 401, with the exception of Mount Dennis where CP is using the 4th track to detour around the Mount Dennis Station construction zone.

The real question is why Metrolinx hasn't bothered to finish it. I've used the line so many times and there really aren't that many constraints along the line to build it. Is it just not needed at this point?

As per the last board meeting: "Kitchener Track Work: Detailed Design for the 4th Track Construction (Strachan to Nickle segment) is nearing completion and is expected near the end of January 2019."

 

[reaperexpress]

That means they could only run every 30 minute service, if it's 15 minutes between them. Or you need a passing point in the middle.

With trains every 15 minutes, someone on the train, passes a train in the opposite direction every 7.5 minutes.

Yeah and that's 30 minutes without any recovery time. We'd probably want at least 10 minutes for reliability purposes so a 15-min travel time would be service every 40 minutes at best.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

As per the last board meeting: "Kitchener Track Work: Detailed Design for the 4th Track Construction (Strachan to Nickle segment) is nearing completion and is expected near the end of January 2019."

FYI, since this is the third time I had to look it up: Nickle is the interlocking between Ray Ave (Mt Dennis) and Jane Street.

7.3 is the interlocking at Nickle, and 9.3 is Weston Road. There is already a 4th track laid (but dormant) from Weston Road to Humberview, the next interlocking, just southeast of the 401. The new trackage will close the gap to create a 4th track between the two interlockings, This would enable more frequent 2-way operation on the track normally used by GO as a peak-direction track and as a 2-way off peak track.

11.5 is just west of Etobicoke North, and 13.5 is just west of Wice. Again, that gives 2-direction movement without interfering with UPE west of Etobicoke North.

The only down side in this otherwise good news is that neither Weston nor Etobicoke North will have platforms for the new track....so there is still some potential limitation on 2WAD service. But overall it enables considerable improvement and operational flexibility.

- Paul

 

[rbt]

Metrolinx budget shrink?

Ontario Newsroom

news.ontario.ca

Metrolinx capital plans over the last few years had about $2B/year for GTA transit spending solely from provincial funding. I'm hoping the April budget clarifies that this is in addition to other capital spending and that, for example, Ottawa's long promised phase 2, Hurontario LRT, or Hamilton LRT funding won't be coming from this bucket.

 

[Allandale25]

Interesting observation. How does it compare to the last budget under the Liberals?

 

[Allandale25]

Metrolinx budget shrink?

Ontario Newsroom

news.ontario.ca

Metrolinx capital plans over the last few years had about $2B/year for GTA transit spending solely from provincial funding. I'm hoping the April budget clarifies that this is in addition to other capital spending and that, for example, Ottawa's long promised phase 2, Hurontario LRT, or Hamilton LRT funding won't be coming from this bucket.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1105576005589184516

 

[TOareaFan]

^seems a bit of a cheap shot by the federal minister. this week marks a year....and the "Ford" government is only now getting going on it....should that not actually say "Ontario" government? Despite his many flaws, it seems hard to blame Ford for the first half of that "lost" year.

 

[crs1026]

Interesting observation. How does it compare to the last budget under the Liberals?

The Ontario Public Accounts document says that Ontario spent $7.4B on Transportation and Transit in 2017-2018 (pg 27) and $6.0B in 2016-2017

What Wynne promised to spend if reelected is probably irrelevant as her financial strategy was unrealistic as heck.

I have no idea if the Tories will account in a similar manner so this may be apples to oranges, but these are the published numbers.

- Paul

 

[crs1026]

What Wynne promised to spend if reelected is probably irrelevant as her financial strategy was unrealistic as heck.
- Paul

But if it matters, the 2018 Ontario Budget pg 227 stated a 2018-2019 plan of $7.514 B for Transit and $3B for highways.

- Paul

 

[Allandale25]

^ Thanks. I seem to also remember a bar chart in a Metrolinx report that showed the GO RER spend between 2014-2015 and 2025-2026. I can't recall now where that was.

Update: found what I was thinking of: https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threa...-projects-metrolinx-various.9023/post-1320445

Also, this is what the Budget 2016 included.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

I agree with Mayor Eisenberger.

 

[Amare]

I agree with Mayor Eisenberger.

No one here is going to know what you're talking about, without elaborating. Here's the story:
Mayor says no 2-way GO service in Hamilton until 2031, demands Metrolinx 'do better'

Fred better focus on one thing at a time (ie: the LRT), unless he wants to be known as the man who cant deliver and is interested in making it an election issue for the 4th consecutive time.

 

[Garuda]

Took the via down to Toronto this morning and noticed lots of earth recently moved on both sides of the 401 tunnel. On the south side I saw many trailers along with large earth movers. I see lots of prep work and I have a feeling that construction will comence with the spring thaw. Wish I had time to take a picture.

When the tunnel is complete, will the tracks all be close by like 5 close together with no wall in-between or in a 3 + 2 formation with the original wall and new tunnel not structurally (in the lose sense) connected to the current one?

 

[Allandale25]

^ I think I've read somewhere it will be two and two. Total of four. Update: more details here:

GO Rail Expansion - Highway 401 Rail Tunnel

GO Rail Expansion will transform the transportation network in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area over the next decade. Metrolinx will transform the GO Transit rail network into a system that will deliver two-way, all-day service every 15 minutes over core segments of the GO Rail network...

www.infrastructureontario.ca