GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[Northern Light]

LSW pocket track news.

Metrolinx Press Room

Find the latest Metrolinx news, project updates and more.

blog.metrolinx.com

Notes from the above:

Additionally:

Mention of the stub tracks at West Harbour being addressed in the future (no timing given)
That said work will save 20M off the Niagara Trains stopping at West Harbour

Also, mention of {no timing) moving forward w/Confederation Stn.

 

[innsertnamehere]

LSW pocket track news.

Metrolinx Press Room

Find the latest Metrolinx news, project updates and more.

blog.metrolinx.com

This means Metrolinx is considering further service increases to Hamilton, which is interesting. I wonder if they are planning on extending 30-minute service, or running more peak hour trains out? I believe this is the first real indication that Metrolinx could be planning better than hourly frequencies to Hamilton.

I also have to ask the forever question of when Confederation GO work is beginning, which the article makes vague references to but doesn't really provide any information on..

 

[Northern Light]

This means Metrolinx is considering further service increases to Hamilton, which is interesting. I wonder if they are planning on extending 30-minute service, or running more peak hour trains out? I believe this is the first real indication that Metrolinx could be planning better than hourly frequencies to Hamilton.

I also have to ask the forever question of when Confederation GO work is beginning, which the article makes vague references to but doesn't really provide any information on..

The plans I have heard discussed involve an eventual build out to 30M service to Confederation, Hourly to Niagara, and 30M, 2-way service to Hamilton GO Ctr (Downtown).

The latter is a lower priority due to the investments required, but is on the radar.

I believe the short term priority is additional rush-hour service and 2WAD to Niagara (probably bi-hourly)

@smallspy may have more insights than I .....

 

[ShonTron]

You'd think Metrolinx could properly spell St. Catharines.

 

[smallspy]

The plans I have heard discussed involve an eventual build out to 30M service to Confederation, Hourly to Niagara, and 30M, 2-way service to Hamilton GO Ctr (Downtown).

The latter is a lower priority due to the investments required, but is on the radar.

I believe the short term priority is additional rush-hour service and 2WAD to Niagara (probably bi-hourly)

@smallspy may have more insights than I .....

There are plans that I'm aware of are somewhat closer than "eventual", although they are still seemingly a couple of years out. As always, there are a lot of moving parts to them, so a lot could still change.

Although interestingly, the conversion of the pocket at Aldershot to a siding didn't appear on anyone's radar. All of the plans that I know of called for the use of tracks 2 and 3 for the service further to Hamilton, which are the two southern mainline tracks. Another pocket track is (or at least was) planned for Aldershot to enable a more reliable half-hourly service there. The platform on track 1 at Aldershot was to remain out of service. And as far as I know, CN is still pushing for GO to pay for a 4th mainline track from Burlington West to Aldershot if they want to really ramp up the service past Burlington.

Niagara service, at least for the middle of weekdays or anything resembling 2WAD, doesn't seem to be on anyone's immediate radar - but that may also be because the people I talk with aren't directly involved in it.

Dan

 

[drum118]

There are plans that I'm aware of are somewhat closer than "eventual", although they are still seemingly a couple of years out. As always, there are a lot of moving parts to them, so a lot could still change.

Although interestingly, the conversion of the pocket at Aldershot to a siding didn't appear on anyone's radar. All of the plans that I know of called for the use of tracks 2 and 3 for the service further to Hamilton, which are the two southern mainline tracks. Another pocket track is (or at least was) planned for Aldershot to enable a more reliable half-hourly service there. The platform on track 1 at Aldershot was to remain out of service. And as far as I know, CN is still pushing for GO to pay for a 4th mainline track from Burlington West to Aldershot if they want to really ramp up the service past Burlington.

Niagara service, at least for the middle of weekdays or anything resembling 2WAD, doesn't seem to be on anyone's immediate radar - but that may also be because the people I talk with aren't directly involved in it.

Dan

The current GO platform was to be come a centre platform with a stub track on the south side along with a fuel storage tank. The fuel storage tank was to have been built well over a decade ago and why fuel trucks are there now topping up the locomotives today. The plan for the current pocket track was to be come part of the mainline for GO over time.

When the 3rd track was built at GO expensive, CN added a 4th track from Bayview Junction to Burlington Junction while leaving the yard drill track in place to be a 5th track. To have 5 tracks between Aldershot and Burlington Junction will require another bridge over Plains Rd. A new double track bridge was built for GO 3rd track over Plains Rd. If CN wants a 5th track, it needs to be 60/40 cost splitting with CN pickup the lion share.

4 tracks are all you are going to get from Aldershot to Bayview Junction. To get 4 tracks from Bayview Junction to Hamilton will require building a North Retaining wall to replace the slopping bank that was built for the 3rd track

 

[blaixx]

Mention of the stub tracks at West Harbour being address in the future (no timing given)
That said work will save 20M off the Niagara Trains stopping at West Harbour

That's too bad. It seemed like it was imminent just a few months ago but has now been downgraded to "over the next few years". At 1h15 minutes to Hamilton, and 2h20 to Union, the weekday Niagara Falls train will remain as "token service" just like London.

 

[asher__jo]

This means Metrolinx is considering further service increases to Hamilton, which is interesting. I wonder if they are planning on extending 30-minute service, or running more peak hour trains out? I believe this is the first real indication that Metrolinx could be planning better than hourly frequencies to Hamilton.

I also have to ask the forever question of when Confederation GO work is beginning, which the article makes vague references to but doesn't really provide any information on..

It's imperative that Hamilton get better service, with it becoming a bedroom community in the GTA it is a laggard in service compared the rest of the metropolitan area.

 

[Undead]

It's imperative that Hamilton get better service, with it becoming a bedroom community in the GTA it is a laggard in service compared the rest of the metropolitan area.

Not really, the Milton and Richmond Hill lines are much worse, and those communities are way more central.

 

[nfitz]

Not really, the Milton and Richmond Hill lines are much worse, and those communities are way more central.

Milton certainly has huge latent demand and needs significant service increases.

Richmond Hill? Travel time isn't great, but the demand isn't there compared to the other 6 GO lines. Once the subway extension is completed to Richmond Hill, the travel time from Richmond Hill to Union won't be much different on GO versus subway (but subway will be more frequent). Though how many people work at Union station? Most will be on subway as it's more likely to be going closer to their destination.

Hamilton already has hourly train service at all times. Other than adding a station at Centennial, and maybe even one or two more ... I don't see too many ways to improve it (though why not extend one of the hourly Aldershot trains to Dundas or Ancaster or something@).

 

[Krypto98]

So it appears that at Malton they are adding a 4th track. Here is a track configuration could happen for AD2W service to Kitchener. Includes a through track at Bramalea GO and a 3rd and 4th track a Brampton Go and Grade separation west of Norval. This was drawn kinda crudly so not all streets are labeled.

 

[crs1026]

So it appears that at Malton they are adding a 4th track. Here is a track configuration could happen for AD2W service to Kitchener. Includes a through track at Bramalea GO and a 3rd and 4th track a Brampton Go and Grade separation west of Norval. This was drawn kinda crudly so not all streets are labeled.

Do you have a source document, or is there work under way that you have observed?

- Paul

 

[Krypto98]

Do you have a source document, or is there work under way that you have observed?

- Paul

What I've observed at Malton Go is the north most track is being rehabilitated for use along with the north platform being widened for use with Go Trains and space being made for a 4th north service track. I don't have pictures on me but I'll send next time I go by

 

[drum118]

What I've observed at Malton Go is the north most track is being rehabilitated for use along with the north platform being widened for use with Go Trains and space being made for a 4th north service track. I don't have pictures on me but I'll send next time I go by

There needs to be a 4 track from Bramalea to Brampton to make the whole corridor 4 tracks from Georgetown to Bramalea like I stated back around 2002 for the EA to add a 2nd track to the corridor. CN then added the 3rd track during the construction of that 2nd track on GO dime.

I am assuming there will be 4 tracks over the Credit River as the current bridge supports is setup for a 3rd track now and not that had to add a 4th pier support on the south side.

I thought Malton was 4 tracks when they made the corridor 4 tracks west of the station to Bramalea??

 

[ViewfromtheLake]

Milton certainly has huge latent demand and needs significant service increases.

Richmond Hill? Travel time isn't great, but the demand isn't there compared to the other 6 GO lines. Once the subway extension is completed to Richmond Hill, the travel time from Richmond Hill to Union won't be much different on GO versus subway (but subway will be more frequent). Though how many people work at Union station? Most will be on subway as it's more likely to be going closer to their destination.

Hamilton already has hourly train service at all times. Other than adding a station at Centennial, and maybe even one or two more ... I don't see too many ways to improve it (though why not extend one of the hourly Aldershot trains to Dundas or Ancaster or something@).

Given the state of traffic on the QEW and overspill from those delays either way on any day, I would think higher speed (with an emphasis on speed), minimum 1/2 hour interval services to Hamilton, 15 minute services elsewhere would be a good baseline service, then add in service to midtown Toronto and connections with higher speed, transit first, surface routes and we‘re getting somewhere. And toll the QEW at a level that makes some sense - and 407 levels are not correct. The same principles to be applied in the other sectors of the GO and regional transit systems. More connectivity and higher speed connectivity In the public realm.