GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[Metroscapes]

Exactly. It was stranded in the middle of an industrial area. Strange place for a commuter station.

Yes, yes yes!

Finally someone else says what I've thought for years. "Woodbine" Station (a name that will surely cause no confusion whatsoever) does NOT serve the community at all, it serves some industrial buildings and a casino (barely) with no opportunity for redevelopment due to being under the approach to Pearson Airport. If Etobicoke North must be demolished to build the fourth track, it should be rebuilt at Islington for the following reasons:

Woodbine Racetrack station will have far better local coverage because unlike Etobicoke North, it will be directly served by frequent bus service on routes such as the 927 which connects it to the casino and Humber College, as well as new local bus routes to connect it to neighbourhoods to the north and northwest. Furthermore, a large portion of the community that the station will serve has not been built yet, it is part of the massive Woodbine Racetrack redevelopment (hence why Woodbine Entertainment Group is sharing the cost of the station in the first place).

It is my understanding that there would be no connection between UPX and GO, but that most likely has changed since service on the line goes to Kitchener all day now.

It is one reason that I have always seen/call for a Y junction there along with a few Ministers for MTO going back as far as 2008 that would offer direct service to/from the airport west as far as London.

I agree that "Woodbine" ("Rexdale"? Anything but "Grandstand Casino and Woodbine Racing Entertainment GO") is a better option.

• That 927 connection is a great point.
• A UPX-GO connection is a fantastic idea.
• I'm also of the option that the casino block is vastly under-utilized and needs a re-think.

I will also point out that the Finch West LRT ends directly up Highway 27. I'm not going to start drawing fantasy maps, but methinks that extending it in a (relatively) straight line to the south would make a lot of sense as a network gateway.

 

[JasonParis]

Honest question, but the "Racetrack GO" let's call it wouldn't be close enough to service the casino without a shuttle bus, at least from my looking at a map. Is it thought that the Line 6 extension could address this with a stop at Racetrack GO and then a stop at Great Canadian Casino Resort?

 

[dowlingm]

Re GO Islington - perhaps Metrolinx would build it, if the City of Toronto paid for it. After the cost escalations of the current LaughTrack stations I wouldn’t say there is likely to be much enthusiasm at 100 Queen West

 

[Bureaucromancer]

Honestly, if we'd known what SmartTrack would become Islington's inclusion would have been a no brainer, but I really do have to think at this point that it's going to be a discussion for a post electrification world.

 

[drum118]

Jan 12
Had a look at Bramalea 5th (4th) track platform for the first time in over a year and it is completed, but missing track. Both ends are curb to allow connection to track 4. The western section of the platform will have to have an retaining wall built for the track as there is a grade separation at this point. A retaining wall will have to be built anyway to separate the corridor from the industry parking lot.

Looking east at the 2 overpasses, a track could be place in the area next to the south pier with a retaining wall for it. This would allow the Weston Sub track 4 to service track 4/5 at the station. At the same time, there is a switch to service the property and will have an impact on that 5th track if it is to remain.

The new entrance off Steeles entrance/exit wasn't completed the last time I looked at the station and you need to follow the road markings to make sure you are not driving into the bus terminal.

 

[T3G]

are there any plans to expand the waiting room hours at the GO stations?

Missed my outbound train at Long Branch tonight. No heated shelters on the platform, and with the waiting room inexplicably closing at 1545 (because people who travel by daylight deserve more rights than people who travel under the cover of darkness?) I had a massively unpleasant time waiting for my train. It would be nice if our stations were actually stations with facilities that operate all the time, instead of being reduced to rudimentary lineside halts in the evening hours. Utterly embarrassing.

By the way, are the part time GO "stations" monitored? If I slipped and fell at the far west end of the Milton GO platform (far past where the buses load, a fairly desolate spot away from prying eyes) on a Friday night, and the train crew had already walked past, and I couldn't get up, what are the chances someone would discover me before Monday morning? Looking around the platform at Long Branch, I could not find anything that resembles a security camera, and that station is much busier than Milton.

 

[Willybru21]

are there any plans to expand the waiting room hours at the GO stations?

Missed my outbound train at Long Branch tonight. No heated shelters on the platform, and with the waiting room inexplicably closing at 1545 (because people who travel by daylight deserve more rights than people who travel under the cover of darkness?) I had a massively unpleasant time waiting for my train. It would be nice if our stations were actually stations with facilities that operate all the time, instead of being reduced to rudimentary lineside halts in the evening hours. Utterly embarrassing.

By the way, are the part time GO "stations" monitored? If I slipped and fell at the far west end of the Milton GO platform (far past where the buses load, a fairly desolate spot away from prying eyes) on a Friday night, and the train crew had already walked past, and I couldn't get up, what are the chances someone would discover me before Monday morning? Looking around the platform at Long Branch, I could not find anything that resembles a security camera, and that station is much busier than Milton.

For some reason the station hours for stations inside Toronto is terrible, most of the stations that I’ve been to outside of Toronto close at around 2045

 

[Fritter]

I have heard GO Transit's biggest complaint recieved lately is Station building hours..
I understand management is planning improvement, however there might be constraints in the current fiscal year budget to man the additional hours. The new fiscal year begins in April so changes may begin then.

 

[Bojaxs]

The problem with leaving stations open into later hours is that junkies and vagrants will end up using them as shelter. This is an ongoing issue at the Burlington GO station.

Burlington GO users report more open drug use and harassment on platform - inHalton | Local Online News

When a GO Transit commuter arrives at the Burlington GO on Fairvew Street early in the morning, they say they are too often greeted by open drug use, nudity and verbal confrontations between people on the platform. “I’m sitting here in the western concourse at Burlington GO, 5:45 a.m., for my...

www.inhalton.com

 

[Willybru21]

Burlington GO, and the entire around the station at night is very bad, if anyone wants to argue on that they should definitely go visit it, because it feels very unsafe in that area after 9pm

 

[dowlingm]

The problem with leaving stations open into later hours is that junkies and vagrants will end up using them as shelter. This is an ongoing issue at the Burlington GO station.

Burlington GO users report more open drug use and harassment on platform - inHalton | Local Online News

When a GO Transit commuter arrives at the Burlington GO on Fairvew Street early in the morning, they say they are too often greeted by open drug use, nudity and verbal confrontations between people on the platform. “I’m sitting here in the western concourse at Burlington GO, 5:45 a.m., for my...

www.inhalton.com

given the capacity issues mentioned in the piece, perhaps the City and Region should work on providing those folks some other options? (Other than “a train ticket to Toronto”)

 

[drum118]

Jan 14
Took a look at Etobicoke North Station and area. I have no idea if that industrial track is still used as I saw no cars for the 2 tracks where it ends. It is possibly there were cars inside of the building that one tracks goes into.

Metrolinx has installed it's fencing along the corridor for the station area.

If that industrial track is not been used and may never seen cars for it since the area is being redeveloped to mixed use, it then can become track 1 as plan for the 409/401 tunnels. There are 5 tracks west of the station.

The north side of the station can be widen some what, but if it is to be the same width as the south side, the Kipling overpass will have to be widen to get the extra space that will be needed for the platform. The existing track will have to be regraded to allow it to connect to the new track 1 tunnel.

Need 2 elevators and stairs to the platform with the elevators connecting to Kipling sidewalk and the parking lot so the current crossing can be close off for safety reasons. As for parking, you can build a parking structure on the south parking lot to handle increase parking needs. You could build a tunnel or walkway from the parking structure that will connect to the new tunnel/elevator/stair to the platform The station will have to be upgraded to match existing stations.

As for bus service, you have the Kipling, Rexdale bus, miWay buses and the Belfield bus that has poor service. miWay is poor on the weekend.

As for an Islington station, it could use the old Lowe's land since they have torn the store down as it was a failure there as well going to the Roma name for their other store's now The station has to be east of the service road that service office's building to the east. It will not be a pleasant walk for walk-ins that will mostly come from the south than the north. Having the Islington bus to go off route to service this station will be a pain for the bulk of riders that will have no need for the station as well adding extra travel time to their current trip.

As far as I am concern, leave Etobicoke North where it is regardless its a short distance to the plan Woodbine. In fact, you could put in an UPX station there to deal with riders going to/from the west.

More up on my site

 

[drum118]

Jan 14
Took this shot from Rogers Overpass and noticed they have removed the switch at Black Creek for the connection to CP line and using that CP track as the new track q through Mount Dennis GO Station. The switch for Track 1 has been moved to the interlock west of the station for the time being. It will have to be reinstall once the new track 1 gets built for St Clair Station. No work for the new track 1 yet.

Nothing going on for the new St Clair Station other than the lands have been clear to allow construction of the station when it every start seeing work done on it.

 

[robmausser]

Jan 14
Took a look at Etobicoke North Station and area. I have no idea if that industrial track is still used as I saw no cars for the 2 tracks where it ends. It is possibly there were cars inside of the building that one tracks goes into.

Metrolinx has installed it's fencing along the corridor for the station area.

If that industrial track is not been used and may never seen cars for it since the area is being redeveloped to mixed use, it then can become track 1 as plan for the 409/401 tunnels. There are 5 tracks west of the station.

The north side of the station can be widen some what, but if it is to be the same width as the south side, the Kipling overpass will have to be widen to get the extra space that will be needed for the platform. The existing track will have to be regraded to allow it to connect to the new track 1 tunnel.

Need 2 elevators and stairs to the platform with the elevators connecting to Kipling sidewalk and the parking lot so the current crossing can be close off for safety reasons. As for parking, you can build a parking structure on the south parking lot to handle increase parking needs. You could build a tunnel or walkway from the parking structure that will connect to the new tunnel/elevator/stair to the platform The station will have to be upgraded to match existing stations.

As for bus service, you have the Kipling, Rexdale bus, miWay buses and the Belfield bus that has poor service. miWay is poor on the weekend.

As for an Islington station, it could use the old Lowe's land since they have torn the store down as it was a failure there as well going to the Roma name for their other store's now The station has to be east of the service road that service office's building to the east. It will not be a pleasant walk for walk-ins that will mostly come from the south than the north. Having the Islington bus to go off route to service this station will be a pain for the bulk of riders that will have no need for the station as well adding extra travel time to their current trip.

As far as I am concern, leave Etobicoke North where it is regardless its a short distance to the plan Woodbine. In fact, you could put in an UPX station there to deal with riders going to/from the west.

More up on my site

Yes, they should not be closing this station!

 

[Islington Express Bus]

Jan 14
Took a look at Etobicoke North Station and area. I have no idea if that industrial track is still used as I saw no cars for the 2 tracks where it ends. It is possibly there were cars inside of the building that one tracks goes into.

Metrolinx has installed it's fencing along the corridor for the station area.

If that industrial track is not been used and may never seen cars for it since the area is being redeveloped to mixed use, it then can become track 1 as plan for the 409/401 tunnels. There are 5 tracks west of the station.

The north side of the station can be widen some what, but if it is to be the same width as the south side, the Kipling overpass will have to be widen to get the extra space that will be needed for the platform. The existing track will have to be regraded to allow it to connect to the new track 1 tunnel.

Need 2 elevators and stairs to the platform with the elevators connecting to Kipling sidewalk and the parking lot so the current crossing can be close off for safety reasons. As for parking, you can build a parking structure on the south parking lot to handle increase parking needs. You could build a tunnel or walkway from the parking structure that will connect to the new tunnel/elevator/stair to the platform The station will have to be upgraded to match existing stations.

As for bus service, you have the Kipling, Rexdale bus, miWay buses and the Belfield bus that has poor service. miWay is poor on the weekend.

As for an Islington station, it could use the old Lowe's land since they have torn the store down as it was a failure there as well going to the Roma name for their other store's now The station has to be east of the service road that service office's building to the east. It will not be a pleasant walk for walk-ins that will mostly come from the south than the north. Having the Islington bus to go off route to service this station will be a pain for the bulk of riders that will have no need for the station as well adding extra travel time to their current trip.

As far as I am concern, leave Etobicoke North where it is regardless its a short distance to the plan Woodbine. In fact, you could put in an UPX station there to deal with riders going to/from the west.

More up on my site

The freight siding gets regular use. Freight trains are there all the time in the afternoons.

The current Etobicoke North station has godawful bus access. If you are transferring from a northbound bus to a 6-car train in the station, you have to walk over 500m! That includes crossing the street twice and walking up a flight of stairs.

Why would the Islington bus deviate to serve an Islington station? The station platform could be right next to or even under the street like Danforth GO.

The old Lowe's land is planned to be redeveloped into a data centre, but there could still be enough room for station facilities north of the rail corridor but south of Lowe's place.