GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[crs1026]

^Bear in mind that GO runs a 30 minute headway on LSE/LSW and those regular trains will adhere to those timings. So the customary 10-minute platform annunciation will happen as usual at least some of the time.
The challenge is when to schedule any extra trains so they fit in to the headways (and for express runs, without being blocked by the scheduled runs).
How GO decides those timings and announces them, I don't know....but I have never seen those trains announced so close to departure that they are not filled by the time they leave.

- Paul

 

[nfitz]

What? Who said anything about not putting it on the boards?

It was in response to this:

The trains are all staged around Union, but are only platformed a couple of minutes before the trains are scheduled to leave.

 

[smallspy]

It was in response to this:

It was a colloquial "couple of minutes".

The trains are not sitting on the platforms for a half-hour before departure, more like 8 to 10 minutes.

Dan

 

[anb]

The Kitchener weekend trains are getting ridiculous now. They’re advising passengers with bikes to “wait for another train” if the coaches are full with bikes, which they usually are with still running only 6 cars.

In fact, that’s the main problem and its frustrating. Why are they still running few cars when they clearly know that its not efficient and too overcrowded at times? After riding these trains quite a bit now it should be recommended to run at least 10 car trains including a car specifically designed for bikes.

 

[Allandale25]

^ it must have something to do with staging/sequencing and the weekday trains needed. Any specific insight @smallspy? Is there a particular sequencing or yard capacity issue limiting them for the time being to six coaches?

 

[Northern Light]

The Kitchener weekend trains are getting ridiculous now. They’re advising passengers with bikes to “wait for another train” if the coaches are full with bikes, which they usually are with still running only 6 cars.

In fact, that’s the main problem and its frustrating. Why are they still running few cars when they clearly know that its not efficient and too overcrowded at times? After riding these trains quite a bit now it should be recommended to run at least 10 car trains including a car specifically designed for bikes.

Ask them publicly via Twitter.

Its a good question, and if they're pressured to answer, there's a reasonable chance you'll prompt change.

 

[Allandale25]

Ask them publicly via Twitter.

Its a good question, and if they're pressured to answer, there's a reasonable chance you'll prompt change.

And email them.

 

[E•MO•TION]

^ it must have something to do with staging/sequencing and the weekday trains needed. Any specific insight @smallspy? Is there a particular sequencing or yard capacity issue limiting them for the time being to six coaches?

There is not enough storage space in Kitchener to accommodate longer trains on the worst offending trips; the 21:34 and 22:34 departures on weekdays.

As for weekends, I’m not sure what constraints are in place preventing longer trains. These trains operate out of Georgetown.

 

[Undead]

And email them.

And make some noise with the local MPs.

 

[Willybru21]

Poor guy in red got pushed out of the train as the doors closed, might have gotten separated from his family. Maybe until service is high enough that post-game crowds won’t be an issue, they should have a set schedule when additional trains will be running so people don’t have to crowd into one like this.

 

[Northern Light]

Poor guy in red got pushed out of the train as the doors closed, might have gotten separated from his family. Maybe until service is high enough that post-game crowds won’t be an issue, they should have a set schedule when additional trains will be running so people don’t have to crowd into one like this. View attachment 492628

For clarity, no anger at You @Willybru21 ; just disgust at the situation and the lack of appropriate service.

 

[nfitz]

For clarity, no anger at You @Willybru21 ; just disgust at the situation and the lack of appropriate service.

I bet if you looked through the windows, you'd find plenty of space in the upper aisle. But so many just crowd near the door.

 

[Willybru21]

I bet if you looked through the windows, you'd find plenty of space in the upper aisle. But so many just crowd near the door.

Nope, that train really was packed to the brim. Maybe further down by the locomotive that was the case, but the first 6 cars were absolutely rammed full. The Niagara train next to it was also extremely full on the west end, but not as much as the local Lakeshore West train.

 

[smallspy]

As for weekends, I’m not sure what constraints are in place preventing longer trains. These trains operate out of Georgetown.

Since when? That hadn't been the case on previous weekends. And there are no 6-car trains scheduled to layover in Georgetown.

Looks like the weekend Georgetown trains are now 10-car sets that get stored at Georgetown overnight - this started around the end of June.

If this is the case, the sidings at Georgetown are not capable of storing longer than 10-car trains with a single loco. What they had been doing previously was deadheading the 6-car trains up from Willowbrook before the beginning of service - they could certainly do that again with 12-car trains should they feel the need to.

Dan

 

[Willybru21]

Since when? That hadn't been the case on previous weekends. And there are no 6-car trains scheduled to layover in Georgetown.

Looks like the weekend Georgetown trains are now 10-car sets that get stored at Georgetown overnight - this started around the end of June.

If this is the case, the sidings at Georgetown are not capable of storing longer than 10-car trains with a single loco. What they had been doing previously was deadheading the 6-car trains up from Willowbrook before the beginning of service - they could certainly do that again with 12-car trains should they feel the need to.

Dan

I rode the Kitchener Line yesterday and it was only 6 cars, are you sure they put 10 car trains on the Kitchener Line at the end of June?