GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[nfitz]

The Kitchener trains are supposed to be lengthened later this year, but that won't happen until July at the earliest, when GO gets more equipment. On top of that, all of the trains starting at Georgetown can not be lengthened until the station/yard there is modified. Several of the tracks there can not even handle trainsets with two locomotives, nevermind two additional coaches.

They could always do the "last 2 cars" don't open at Georgetown - or is there a physical limitation?

Having 30-minute off-peak service on Lakeshore would be nice in June, if there are enough crews. Especially on weekends. Though I'd trade a couple of those runs for a 1 AM and 2 AM run, particularly on Friday/Saturdays. I'd think 30-minute service would get more use than Barrie weekend service.

Though I suppose if they are short crews, at least there is hope the 30-minute service is coming sooner or later ... perhaps after the Niagara Falls and Barrie service stops after the summer.

(though I'm not sure why Barrie shouldn't be getting weekend service year-round ... or the other lines for that matter).

 

[Markster]

I recall that one of the side-benefits of the Kitchener extension was that the sidings in Kitchener could store 12-car sets.

 

[TOareaFan]

There is actually one L12 train scheduled on the Georgetown line - the 9.40am departure from Bramalea.

Two points on this....1) ironic that the only train/trip on that line with 12 cars is the leased used of all the tains on the line.......2) I have used this train very infrequently, but the last two times I did the two most westerly cars were not in service and people were instructed to use the 10 most easterly cars.

 

[canarob]

A new trainset will be allocated to Stouffville in April, making for 6 round trips. As well, there will also be one short-turn train trip added from Unionville at about 9am.

Fantastic! Thanks for the update.

 

[vegeta_skyline]

Does anyone know if GO is planning to replace all its cab cars with the new design, or will the cab car fleet only be expanded?

Considering that the new cars will be CEM cars, one can only assume that they will be "replacing" the existing cars in the same vein that the new CEM cab cars on Metrolink are bumping down to regular service the older UTDC and Bombardier cab cars.

Yup, from what I heard the current cab cars will be retrofitted to be normal coaches. In the future all consists will be headed with the new cab cars. I just hope ppl don't expect it to happen overnight.

I have used this train very infrequently, but the last two times I did the two most westerly cars were not in service and people were instructed to use the 10 most easterly cars.

The CSA cuts out the doors on the last 2 coaches prior to arrival because several platforms(North Etobicoke, Bloor) have yet to be extended to accommodate 12 coaches on the line.

 

[TOareaFan]

Yup, from what I heard the current cab cars will be retrofitted to be normal coaches. In the future all consists will be headed with the new cab cars. I just hope ppl don't expect it to happen overnight.



The CSA cuts out the doors on the last 2 coaches prior to arrival because several platforms(North Etobicoke, Bloor) have yet to be extended to accommodate 12 coaches on the line.

So it is incorrect to suggest that there is a 12 car train on the line? I suspect they use this piece of equipment because it is available but it it is, effectively, a 10 car train like all the others on the line.

 

[vegeta_skyline]

That would pretty much sum it up.

 

[smallspy]

They could always do the "last 2 cars" don't open at Georgetown - or is there a physical limitation?

Physical. As in there is only 13 feet of excess room on one of the storage tracks with an MP40-powered L10, and 38 feet on the other two.

The southern-most yard track, which is used by the Kitchener trains, is long enough to store an L12 off of the mainline, but can't do so without fouling the switches leading to the other yard tracks.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[andrewpmk]

They could always do the "last 2 cars" don't open at Georgetown - or is there a physical limitation?

Having 30-minute off-peak service on Lakeshore would be nice in June, if there are enough crews. Especially on weekends. Though I'd trade a couple of those runs for a 1 AM and 2 AM run, particularly on Friday/Saturdays. I'd think 30-minute service would get more use than Barrie weekend service.

Though I suppose if they are short crews, at least there is hope the 30-minute service is coming sooner or later ... perhaps after the Niagara Falls and Barrie service stops after the summer.

(though I'm not sure why Barrie shouldn't be getting weekend service year-round ... or the other lines for that matter).

Barrie needs more than a handful of trains though. It ought to be possible to operate hourly off peak/weekend service in both directions with a single track and a couple of passing tracks (how many passing tracks exist currently?) It would probably be tricky to offer reverse commute service though without double tracking the entire line.

Hopefully Georgetown will get service similar to Lakeshore (at least as far as Bramalea) in 2015 once the air rail link is completed. This is long overdue, as train service to Brampton has been neglected for years.

 

[nfitz]

Barrie needs more than a handful of trains though. It ought to be possible to operate hourly off peak/weekend service in both directions with a single track and a couple of passing tracks (how many passing tracks exist currently?)

The service last summer was grossly under-used. Even less than the already low estimates.

It's hard to see how it would need more than a handful of trains on the weekend, without ridership.

Hopefully Georgetown will get service similar to Lakeshore (at least as far as Bramalea) in 2015 once the air rail link is completed. This is long overdue, as train service to Brampton has been neglected for years.

Hopefully - and I expect this would be far better used than Georgetown, with the number of major nodes along the route - though is frequent service west of Brampton justified on weekends?

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

The service last summer was grossly under-used. Even less than the already low estimates.

It's hard to see how it would need more than a handful of trains on the weekend, without ridership.

Maybe lack of advertising?

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

http://www.bigmove.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/NxWave_GO2WAD.pdf

Look at this.

• Meadowvale Station on the Milton GO line
• Mount Pleasant Station on the Kitchener GO line
• East Gwillimbury Station on the Barrie GO line
• Richmond Hill Station on the Richmond Hill GO line
• Mount Joy Station on the Stouffville GO line

I think service to Georgetown on the weekends is justified. It brings More people in from Halton.

 

[andrewpmk]

The service last summer was grossly under-used. Even less than the already low estimates.

That's because there were only a few trains a day in each direction, while the Toronto-Aurora-Newmarket GO Bus ran much more frequently on regular weekend schedules.

 

[rbt]

That's because there were only a few trains a day in each direction, while the Toronto-Aurora-Newmarket GO Bus ran much more frequently on regular weekend schedules.

I tend to agree. I looked a half dozen times last year and never made a weekend trip align with the train schedule.

 

[TOareaFan]

Hopefully Georgetown will get service similar to Lakeshore (at least as far as Bramalea) in 2015 once the air rail link is completed. This is long overdue, as train service to Brampton has been neglected for years.

Nope........all that is planned is a few more trips on weekdays and no weekend trains. Relative to the service levels before the construction started it is 5 new return trips per weekday.