GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[Sauga89]

Interesting new advocacy campaign on social, originating with the City of Mississauga.

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The link above is live, here: https://www.mississauga.ca/council/...zc0XPDikp6P0BKO317_aem_kAjVAx4G3Z4IsJnXVir5WA

There are multiple priorities identified to voters on the above page, when considering how to vote in the Federal election. I will let people follow the link and peruse, but the transit section is below:

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I've been expecting something like this (EDIT: though not at the federal level). I think people in Mississauga, particularly Liberals, aren't going to let Doug Ford forget that he promised to improve Milton services through GO 2.0. It will hurt him in the next election here if nothing is done in the next four years. Also, I'm guessing that the city of Mississauga took notes on how the city of Ottawa campaigned successfully for more transit help.

 

[smallspy]

Trains are generally tested at 10% above the eventual service speed, which for the 93 mph MP40s would be 103 mph. So they will definitely not self destruct at 100 mph. But yes I've never seen any GO train exceed any speed limit. I've seen trains reach 92 mph many times, but I've never seen 93, let alone 94.

In testing, and under very strict conditions, you're correct they are.

Once out in service however, the speed limit is treated as a hard limit and not to be exceeded under any circumstance. Any speed above the limit requires a locomotive going back into the shops for a thorough inspection at best, and a replacement of the combos at worst.

Dan

 

[crs1026]

I would caution not to read more into this data point than the info is worth - yet - but a colleague who is a heritage/local history enthusiast informed me that they were invited to participate in a ML study regarding the heritage and pedigree of the CPKC Galt Sub Humber River bridge. Details yet to be conveyed.

One wonders why ML would want to study this bridge, unless.... maybe there is background work under way towards something on the Milton line?

- Paul

PS - Besides being a very large bridge with stonework dating from the Credit Valley Railway days, this bridge was one of the last examples of "gauntlet track" construction in Canada - until being doubled in 1914. So, worth a historical note.

 

[Sauga89]

Metrolinx has apparently begun a professional services procurement for the Milton Line corridor, specifically, the preliminary design portion of a Transit and Rail Project Assessment Process (TRPAP). This is according a list of procurement contracts related to its capital projects dated March 2025. The deadline on the Milton Line request for proposals is the second quarter of 2025.

I'm not an expert, but a Milton Line corridor TRPAP is a big deal, right?

 

[Metroscapes]

Metrolinx has apparently begun a professional services procurement for the Milton Line corridor, specifically, the preliminary design portion of a Transit and Rail Project Assessment Process (TRPAP). This is according a list of procurement contracts related to its capital projects dated March 2025. The deadline on the Milton Line request for proposals is the second quarter of 2025.

I'm not an expert, but a Milton Line corridor TRPAP is a big deal, right?

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Yes and no. It's one step in the process that will weigh pros and cons, consult with public and stakeholders, and guide you to a preliminary design. That's definitely a big deal, but it doesn't mean anything if you don't proceed to detailed design and get funding / land ownership.

 

[Allandale25]

Yes and no. It's one step in the process that will weigh pros and cons, consult with public and stakeholders, and guide you to a preliminary design. That's definitely a big deal, but it doesn't mean anything if you don't proceed to detailed design and get funding / land ownership.

So it would be for the additional two tracks from West Toronto to Milton that CP wants?

 

[crs1026]

So it would be for the additional two tracks from West Toronto to Milton that CP wants?

It would be for the additional *something*, yes. We are assuming two tracks (previous studies suggested this, so a reasonable prediction) - but we really don’t know for sure. And even if proposed and vetted by the TPAP, there’s no guarantee that the end design will incorporate everything…. The Kitchener improvements for instance fall way short of what was studied in the 2009 EA for that line, which proposed double tracking all the way feom Silver to Kitchener.

- Paul

 

[drum118]

So it would be for the additional two tracks from West Toronto to Milton that CP wants?

Currently, there is 2 tracks for the Galt Sub with a 3rd track in 2 areas. A number of the existing bridges will support 4 tracks today with one bridge ready to support a 3rd track, but other will require another bridge to support the extra 2 tracks. Third track in place is from north of the 403 to west of Confederation Pkwy and the westside of 427 to the Humber. Getting 4 tracks in at Streetsville yard area will have an impact on it as well an impact on the GO tracks for CPKC local mainline switcher to service the yard as well the Mill at Mississauga Rd. The phase from Confederation to 427 was kill around 2007 with the supports in place for that 3rd track bridge over Cawthra Rd.

Kipling, Streetsville and Erindale stations are full centre platforms today. Cooksville and Meadowvale are setup to be a full centre platform once the north track is install. Meadowvale will require a tunnel under that north track as well access to it. Lisgar is layout to be a centre platform with room on the northside for for a track, but lacks a tunnel to it that will have to be built first. To put in a 2nd track for CPKC will expanding the ROW as well a noise retaining barrier wall for the station as well grade separate 9th line crossing that been on the books before Lisgar was built. Both Dixie and Milton stations will require a centre platform.

There is supposed to be a station at Trafalgar Rd. There is room on the southside of CPKC track for its 2nd track along with new bridges where there no space for that track today.

 

[drum118]

April 19
Shows how long I been to a GO station to see the new display screen as well advising riders why their train is delay at the Exhibition station. Also surprised on the 30 minute trip from Aldershot to Hamilton. That real slow.

 

[bearcat]

April 19
Shows how long I been to a GO station to see the new display screen as well advising riders why their train is delay at the Exhibition station. Also surprised on the 30 minute trip from Aldershot to Hamilton. That real slow.

what do you mean 30 minute trip from Aldershot to Hamilton? If you transfer to the GO bus at Aldershot?

 

[Krypto98]

what do you mean 30 minute trip from Aldershot to Hamilton? If you transfer to the GO bus at Aldershot?

Apparently a block was down between Aldershot and Hamilton

 

[Toronto1834]

Trains seem to be going a bit faster through the Manse Road level crossing. I noticed a special constable vehicle next to the tracks as well. The special countable then gave an approaching engineer a wave to confirm the crossing is clear.

 

[Coolibop]

Trains seem to be going a bit faster through the Manse Road level crossing. I noticed a special constable vehicle next to the tracks as well. The special countable then gave an approaching engineer a wave to confirm the crossing is clear.

The special constable has been there for months (June?). And I'm not aware of any intersection modifications allowing higher speeds....

I don't think I saw this posted here...

Looks like a near miss with DOW truck last week at the Manse Rd crossing (LSE) is going to slow trains to 50 and have them blow the whistle. Presumably until the safety assessment completes...

This is one of the spots residents complained about the whistles before... Now they're back.

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Interestingly.. From the same late 2023 article:
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And what work are they doing and why did they remove the whistles/speed restrictions?
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[drum118]

what do you mean 30 minute trip from Aldershot to Hamilton? If you transfer to the GO bus at Aldershot?

Look at the times between stations.

 

[bearcat]

Look at the times between stations.

Look where? I am not sure what you mean? On the PDF's on GO website there are no trains scheduled to take 30 min to get from Aldershot to a station in Hamilton, it's always less.

Did you take the LSW train that day.and it took 30 min from Aldershot to a station in Hamilton? Was it just something that was happening that day? Someone above posted that "a block was down between Aldershot and Hamilton".

The photos show a train departing at 12:25 terminating at Aldershot and a train departing at 12:55 terminating at West Harbour. There is nothing in the photos your posted to say the train takes 30 minutes to get from Aldershot to West Harbour. That's why I was confused.