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GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

I think that was the pre-existing footbridge across Burnhamthorpe. It appears to have been placed on a temporary support and then disconnected while they built the new entrance to the car park into the slope on the north side of Burnhamthorpe.

The existing bridge over Burnhamthorpe was taken out of service last year and was late in doing so for the garage. The north end will set on top of the new entrance to the garage.

There is a big different to reconnection to installed with install meaning something new. With all the work taking place on the platform, something new is being added with temporarily shelters being install elsewhere because of the platform work.
 
May 11
Based on Metrolinx comments on April 25, the Agincourt/Sheppard underpass will not be finish in June as stated as well not ready to shift the current lanes onto the new eastbound lanes.

When the lanes are shifted in July like I think they will done, the current bus stop for the GO station will be where the current entrance for the apartment building is to the west and the future LRT station will be.

Only the retaining wall for the sidewalk on the south side to the east still has to be install.

All the cables are now bury in the sidewalk area to the south with compacting of earth taking place over them. With this been done now, the first section to the west new sidewalk will be form and pour this month.

It will be the end of the year before the full underpass will be completed.

More shots up on site
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Considering 2012 was to be the completion date for the 3rd track as proposed back in 2008 and no track now, 2020 looks like a good date now.

CP wants 4 tracks in this corridor now, since this line is their main line to the US. I agree with CP on this since I have stated at every GO EA meeting that GO needs to be putting in 2 tracks, not the one track, as they will need both tracks down the road and not to tie to the RR for the other track if they went to one track.

Even if only 3 tracks were installed for this line which by the way does has some in a few places, Lisgar, Dixie, Cooksville and Kipling stations need a 2nd track now. Kipling does has a 2nd track, but CP store cars on it.

The big issue for this line is the fact that Metrolinx doesn't have the $1 Billion dollars to upgrade the line at this time since their money is going to the Georgetown Line so it completed by 2015.

There is an EA out there for this line, but flying below the radar due to funding. There was to be a few meetings this year for it, but expect to see it in 2013/14 at this time.

Thanks drum. I am disappointed. :(
 
Semantics. For all intents and purposes Lakeshore East/West are one line.

You are correct at this point, but once Union Station is rebuilt, you will see a splitting of the line to the point there will be more westbound trains than through trains to the east.

Once this splitting take place, then Lakeshore will become 2 routes.

Over time, the Milton line should become #2 with Kitchener being #3 and Lakeshore East #4. Time will tell.
 
You are correct at this point, but once Union Station is rebuilt, you will see a splitting of the line to the point there will be more westbound trains than through trains to the east.

Once this splitting take place, then Lakeshore will become 2 routes.

Over time, the Milton line should become #2 with Kitchener being #3 and Lakeshore East #4. Time will tell.

Uh, you got any kind of a source for that?
 
Uh, you got any kind of a source for that?
If you have being following things from the Metronauts days, you would see and understand that the Lakeshore line was looked at being 2 lines. There is talks within Metrolinx, even at BOD meetings, that the line will be 2 lines.

With GO maintaining ridership numbers for east and west, they see it as 2 different lines to the point you have more peak service in the west than the east since there more rider there now.

Since Metrolinx owns the tracks to the west now, GO will be able to run more westbound trains once there is enough crews to do so.

You will still see some runs like today, but not close to what we will see down the road in the way of service all day since the 2 sides will have different headways.

What you need to understand in looking at the big picture is land use, as that plays a big part for ridership. Since the east in heme in by the Greenbelt, there not much room for more development. At the same time, they like low density development. Even with the expansion to the east, ridership increase will be low to other lines, but mostly to the west line.

When you look to the west under the current system, there is a huge amount of land for development and with more density development taking place. Once the expansion takes place west of Aldershot, ridership will increase more.

The ranking of the lines is my view based on what can happen once all the lines are 2+ track for GO only as well the development that can take place along the lines. That is why I said Time will tell.

My great fear with GO leap frogging the Greenbelt, it will help to create the urban sprawl we have now in the current area, where these new areas will see and have the same problem that we have now considering they have no plans in place to deal with it now.

Going back to splitting the line, it will have to happen once the east section is electrify first before the west, since this will have the 2nd yard that will be electrify from day one.

Milton is a given as being #2 when it gets it 2 tracks and all day service since it needs more service now just for peak.

The Kitchener line with its expansion beyond Georgetown, opens up a new area for new ridership and development. As to how much is a guessing game at this time, but it can out perform Lakeshore East.
 
I agree with you that ultimately Milton ridership will eventually eclipse Lakeshore East, but service increases aren't exactly coming often. When I took Milton back in my university days (2001-2005) there were six trains in and six trains out the entire time, IIRC.

Right now there are seven trains in and out. And soon there will be eight trains in and out. So we have 33% more service now. But when you have such low service to begin with it's easy to increase service. And on top of that, the amount of time covered by train service hasn't increased substantially.
 
I agree with you that ultimately Milton ridership will eventually eclipse Lakeshore East, but service increases aren't exactly coming often. When I took Milton back in my university days (2001-2005) there were six trains in and six trains out the entire time, IIRC.

Right now there are seven trains in and out. And soon there will be eight trains in and out. So we have 33% more service now. But when you have such low service to begin with it's easy to increase service. And on top of that, the amount of time covered by train service hasn't increased substantially.

Don't blame GO for the lack of service, as it is CP who sets the timetable to match their service first.

The new service was to go in last year until CP call it off.

Until there is a full 3rd track let along a 4th track, GO is under a rock for more service on the line, let alone all day service as plan.

Then GO/Metrolinx doesn't have the $1.3+ B for this expansion, as the money is being used for the Airport line and the Georgetown Corridor, so it is ready for the 2015 Pan AM Games.

At the same time, Metrolinx is spending 100's of million dollars more than plan to keep Toronto happy on a few things, as well the residents along the corridor. The new Weston Station is almost double in cost to build 2 different types of platforms to service the airport line. Bloor Station will see the same thing. The West Toronto grade separating is costing a lot more also and behind schedule.
 
Drum118- Thanks for all the pics of the Agincourt GO grade seperation. I read a couple of weeks ago a city Councillor (forget who) talked of giving Scarborough an all-day two-way train service using this Stouffville line. It would run from Milliken to Union all day-(I don't think it would travel with this much frequency between Stoufville (Lincolnville) and Union Station.

If they did this, this line would need many more grade seperations, such as at Danforth Rd. (near Midland), Progress, Huntingwood, Finch, McNicol, Passmore and even at Steeles (hopefully- the crossover would be needed north of Steeles). Not that Steeles would have to be done, I just appreciate all the grade seperation work that the province funds for GO tracks. Not only does grades seperation increase the safety of these lines it increased the punctuality of both the GO trains as well as the buses that use these crossing (as well as reg. vehicles). There is an at grade seperation at Havendale on this corridor but I think it would have to be dead-ended at this rail crossing in both directions (from Kennedy as well as from Midland) if this line were to be used for a rapid transit corridor.

If this rail corridor were to be used as a quick commute for many people in Scarborough to get downtown the whole rail corridor would have to be twin tracked to allow travel in both direction simutanously. I noticed the overpass constructed at Agincourt has already enough room to be twin-tracked even thought it only has a single track like the rest of the line until it hooks up with the Lakeshore East track just before the Scarborough Station on St. Clair east.
 
Drum118- Thanks for all the pics of the Agincourt GO grade seperation. I read a couple of weeks ago a city Councillor (forget who) talked of giving Scarborough an all-day two-way train service using this Stouffville line. It would run from Milliken to Union all day-(I don't think it would travel with this much frequency between Stoufville (Lincolnville) and Union Station.

If they did this, this line would need many more grade seperations, such as at Danforth Rd. (near Midland), Progress, Huntingwood, Finch, McNicol, Passmore and even at Steeles (hopefully- the crossover would be needed north of Steeles). Not that Steeles would have to be done, I just appreciate all the grade seperation work that the province funds for GO tracks. Not only does grades seperation increase the safety of these lines it increased the punctuality of both the GO trains as well as the buses that use these crossing (as well as reg. vehicles). There is an at grade seperation at Havendale on this corridor but I think it would have to be dead-ended at this rail crossing in both directions (from Kennedy as well as from Midland) if this line were to be used for a rapid transit corridor.

If this rail corridor were to be used as a quick commute for many people in Scarborough to get downtown the whole rail corridor would have to be twin tracked to allow travel in both direction simutanously. I noticed the overpass constructed at Agincourt has already enough room to be twin-tracked even thought it only has a single track like the rest of the line until it hooks up with the Lakeshore East track just before the Scarborough Station on St. Clair east.

Not a city councillor, a Markham councillor: http://www.yorkregion.com/news/article/1356941--town-backs-markham-councillor-s-transit-plan
 
Construction is to start today for building the new bypass road for the Strachan grade Separation.

Crews were working on the relocated rail signals with the existing tower mast decommission now.

Most of the retaining wall for the underpass are in place with the final missing section being done this week.

The west side reinforcement rebar is in place and very little in the way of concrete has been pour.

May 19
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That is a genius and timeless sign. If they get delayed they can leave the sign up and it will always be right/current! Sorta like the bar in England (in the 80s I think) that put up signs saying "free beer tomorrow".
 

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