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News Roundup for January 10, 2025
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GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

This could go in several different threads, but since the GO OnCorr contract is the biggest (compared to the OL. SSE,. YNSE, Eg W LRT, and Hamilton LRT):

canada.constructconnect.com

Metrolinx, IO share changes to contracts and delivery coming down the pipeline - constructconnect.com - Daily Commercial News

The way projects are procured and delivered in Ontario is shifting. Phil Verster, president and CEO of Metrolinx, and Michael Lindsay, president and CEO of Infrastructure Ontario, both provided separate updates at the Ontario Road Builders’ Association’s
canada.constructconnect.com canada.constructconnect.com
 
DSC said:
From Metrolinx.

Early Notice for prep work- Union Station Enhancement Project

Early geotechnical investigation work is scheduled along the southern most tracks at Union Station from 8 pm March 4 to 5 am March 8, 2021 inclusive.
Residents and workers in neighbouring buildings close to Scotia Plaza may experience noise and vibration. This work is necessary to support the Union
Station Enhancement Project involving a southern passenger concourse.
Click to expand...

Wonder what if it's related to this scene.

Screenshot_2021-02-12_165514.jpg
 
Allandale25 said:
This could go in several different threads, but since the GO OnCorr contract is the biggest (compared to the OL. SSE,. YNSE, Eg W LRT, and Hamilton LRT):

canada.constructconnect.com

Metrolinx, IO share changes to contracts and delivery coming down the pipeline - constructconnect.com - Daily Commercial News

The way projects are procured and delivered in Ontario is shifting. Phil Verster, president and CEO of Metrolinx, and Michael Lindsay, president and CEO of Infrastructure Ontario, both provided separate updates at the Ontario Road Builders’ Association’s
canada.constructconnect.com canada.constructconnect.com
Click to expand...
Hopefully this helps to bring insane costs for transit projects back down the earth.
 
drum118 said:
In Europe, freight is 2nd class and only starting to meet NA standards.

The longest freight train I saw was 45 cars with most having single axial at each end compare to our duel at both ends. Then there is the coupling system that time consuming for making up or breaking a train down. Moving toward automictic couplers now. All intermodal is single level with the 1950 style open car double deck as auto racks. Height of tunnels and curves for out dated rolling stock compare NA standards. Europe is only starting to catchup with NA on various type of rolling stock that been in service for decades. We use square box frames for passenger cars while Europe use curves for double deck cars that has an impact on tall riders who sit by the window.

NA is overkill on passenger equipment and why it more costly to build and run them here compare to Europe.

Both the FRA and Transport Canada requirements for DMU, EMU and passenger equipment are dictated by the RR since they don't like passenger trains and why they kill them off decades ago. Passenger train of any type doesn't make money light freight does.

Even how we build transit projects even for GO, is over kill and not required in the first place.
Click to expand...

Undead said:
So Europe is ahead in passenger rail and North America in freight?
Click to expand...

drum118 said:
Yep!...........They are now moving to 700 meter long freight trains being able to do the max speed of existing line and being allow on HSR corridor with speed to match passenger trains in the HSR corridors. Short train today deal with the lack of power to pull long trains as well couplers not able to handle longer trains.

They are now running trains from one country to another as through trains with different gauges using wheel gauge changers to move from one system to another like they do for passenger trains.

The first time seeing a freight train really floor me as well others I saw. Even when I visited some manufacture plants was still an eye opening experience based on the freight cars I have seen all my life in NA.

My first ride using passenger trains before 2012 was a mix bag of speed and equipment, but the ride on the TVG was more than I was expecting and was looking forward to riding the various new systems and equipment in 2012. Even my 2012 trip was a mix bag from 100 km to 320 km with a lot of short distances of 100-160 km as part of the new HSR line wasn't 100% complete at the time.

Even though Europe is well a head of us on passenger trains let alone transit, they lack AC for the summer months along with 60 year plus rolling stock in poor shape. A fair number were worse than the old equipment found on VIA and Amtrak.

One thing that stands out is the motor-powered that have cabs at both end and reduce the need to having 2 loco's when changing directions like we do consider a large number were built in NA especially at the London ON plant. Always visited the plant to see if I could catch one of these locomotive before being wrap and ship to the docks.
Click to expand...

This is all a bit simplistic though to be fair, if you look at percentage of freight traffic carried by rail and the value of freight traffic carried by rail (as a %) some European countries beat us. I am not claiming that we are not very good at freight, just that Europe does well in some areas and doesn't really get enough credit here, I would argue Europe does freight better than we do pax trains.
 
superelevation said:
This is all a bit simplistic though to be fair, if you look at percentage of freight traffic carried by rail and the value of freight traffic carried by rail (as a %) some European countries beat us. I am not claiming that we are not very good at freight, just that Europe does well in some areas and doesn't really get enough credit here, I would argue Europe does freight better than we do pax trains.
Click to expand...
Its really hard to say who is better than the other on the freight side without spending a lot of on site comparison in Europe over a one year timeframe and visiting various countries. On the passenger side, Europe beats us at all levels, especially stub end terminal compare to Union Station.

Never really saw that many freight trains during the day and mostly like run at night when there is less passenger trains. Saw a fair amount of empty yards for freight and they look like it been decades since they were use. Hard a hard time finding freight yards compare to passengers ones,

Even how freight moves today in NA is only where it should have been 25 years ago. Going with unit trains and increasing their length has been a huge improvement as well reduce the need for hump yard, but it also require 5 mile long yard track compare to Toronto yards. Trains in Toronto required 2/3 tracks to make up a train that is departing and why CP think of another yard to the east of Toronto to replace the current one. Could never understand why CN build their yard like it is today as it is an operation mess and can't build long trains.
 
Mx continues to be expropriation happy.

They have served the TRCA w/notice that they are expropriating to create a new access path to Long Branch GO Stn.

***

The project itself is not a bad one by any means; but I fail to see the need to start with expropriation without any previous conversation with the TRCA.

Of note, as a consequence of the process chosen, the TRCA staff had to correct Mx on how to route their new access outside the regulatory floodplain.

Something that could have been addressed in the first place with a courteous conversation.

The report on this goes to the Feb 26th TRCA Board of Directors meeting:


From this attachment, the site-plan; which as one can see is a non-issue in terms of affecting nature.....(I'd love to see the original route....)


1614017838056.png
 
^I don’t know if the plan is for anything more than a laneway, but that piece of land inevitably will be needed if a fourth track and/or wider platforms are ever needed at Long Branch, so conveying it to ML is a no brainer.

Having said that - The proposed easement may not affect nature per se, but if you’ve ever waited for a train there and admired the dense growth of bullrushes....drainage and water movement north of the platform is not to be trifled with.

The province’s contempt for conservation authorities, especially TRCA, is pretty widely known. So very Metrolinx.

- Paul
 
A Youtube video from the group that's upset with Mx over the LSE corridor work's prospective impact on the Small's Creek and Williamson ravines.


****

The best part of the video is simply getting to see the ravine space if you're not familiar with it and why locals are worried about the impacts.

The biggest failing in the video is not putting any real alternatives on the table.

I also cringed a bit at the characterization of the ravine as old-growth forest.............

I greatly value the space.........but....that would not be a correct descriptor.
 
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There's alternatives on their website. And other videos suggesting alternatives. With the third track on the north side, there's going to be some tree losses. But it doesn't have to be as aggressive as shown. On the south side, much of the tree loss is baffling, as all they are doing is having a replacement culvert pushed in from the north side, adjacent to the existing culvert.
 
^ So they aren't doing any slope stability in addition to "all they are doing is having a replacement culvert pushed in...adjacent to the existing culvert"? Isn't the new culvert bigger and therefore requires some work around it?
 
Northern Light said:
A Youtube video from the group that's upset with Mx over the LSE corridor work's prospective impact on the Small's Creek and Williamson ravines.


****

The best part of the video is simply getting to see the ravine space if you're not familiar with it and why locals are worried about the impacts.

The biggest failing in the video is not putting any real alternatives on the table.

I also cringed a bit at the characterization of the ravine as old-growth forest.............

I greatly value the space.........but....that would not be a correct descriptor.
Click to expand...

There's also a fair amount of invasive species there from what I understand.
 
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