GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[Dan416]

I think if the opportunity was there to use DMUs instead of EMUs, i.e. before electrification was completed, I say go for it. Start building up ridership now.

 

[smallspy]

What are your thoughts on running a "rapid transit" all day two way frequent service on the GO corridors, like GO RER, but using DMUs rather than EMUs. So basically a non-electrified GO RER?

DMU trains would be like the UPX trains or O-Train in Ottawa. They wouldn't be as nice looking as EMUs, but they would work right? Wouldn't it be cheaper and possibly faster to implement?

It depends on if you're referring to a UPX-style FRA-compliant vehicle, or a non-compliant vehicle such as the O-Train. The FRA-compliant vehicle can be set up much quicker and easily, although your initial start-up costs would be higher. FRA-compliant vehicles would allow for the current peak-direction service to continue.

Of course, this also ignore the biggest issue with all of the lines save for the Kitchener and Lakeshore Lines - not enough track for additional services, and only one of the other lines having completed the EA (and no money yet being allocated to it). Frankly, the vehicle of choice makes not a lick of difference if there isn't the track to run it on.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[ehlow]

It depends on if you're referring to a UPX-style FRA-compliant vehicle, or a non-compliant vehicle such as the O-Train. The FRA-compliant vehicle can be set up much quicker and easily, although your initial start-up costs would be higher. FRA-compliant vehicles would allow for the current peak-direction service to continue.

Of course, this also ignore the biggest issue with all of the lines save for the Kitchener and Lakeshore Lines - not enough track for additional services, and only one of the other lines having completed the EA (and no money yet being allocated to it). Frankly, the vehicle of choice makes not a lick of difference if there isn't the track to run it on.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

As you mentioned, Lakeshore + Kitchener lines up to brampton have enough tracks. EA for additional track & service on Stouffville is done. Imagine we could get all way, two way, every 15 min service on those 3 lines relatively cheap and fast, using UPX style DMU trains but maybe larger. Maybe it could happen years earlier.

 

[smallspy]

As you mentioned, Lakeshore + Kitchener lines up to brampton have enough tracks. EA for additional track & service on Stouffville is done. Imagine we could get all way, two way, every 15 min service on those 3 lines relatively cheap and fast, using UPX style DMU trains but maybe larger. Maybe it could happen years earlier.

Why wait for DMUs though? Why not with the existing equipment?

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[ehlow]

Why wait for DMUs though? Why not with the existing equipment?

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

That's true, although, if we add stops, DMU would be better than existing trains for accel & deceleration.

 

[Jonny5]

Looks like even more events/sports teams see partnering with GO as a good investment.

Relax...your GO ride home from the Toronto Rock home opener is FREE! Toronto Rock and Metrolinx are partnering to get you to and from the game easily. Your January 23rd Toronto Rock game ticket stub (or e-ticket) will be accepted as your GO fare ..... after 7:30PM unti end of service.

 

[Jonny5]

Big mess on Lakeshore West tonight. Apparently a switch failed between Port Credit and Clarkson. Trains are delayed an hour at Port Credit.

 

[MrsNesbitt]

Big mess on Lakeshore West tonight. Apparently a switch failed between Port Credit and Clarkson. Trains are delayed an hour at Port Credit.

The cold weather has been doing a number on the equipment, the switches, and the signals it seems. We've had delays the past three mornings on Lakeshore East; Monday's almost an hour as well.

 

[AlbertHWagstaff]

Big mess on Lakeshore West tonight. Apparently a switch failed between Port Credit and Clarkson. Trains are delayed an hour at Port Credit.

The switch failure was west of Clarkson. Some trains were delayed up to an hour with trains backing up all the way to Port Credit.

I wonder how many people will remember to file their refund claims?

 

[Jonny5]

The switch failure was west of Clarkson. Some trains were delayed up to an hour with trains backing up all the way to Port Credit.

I wonder how many people will remember to file their refund claims?

I did it while I was still on the train waiting to go

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

So umm...no one here is talking about the GO bus crash last night? 1 dead, 3 injured, that's pretty messed up.

Police retrace final moments before Vaughan’s deadly GO bus crash

 

[jcam]

By the time we complete electrification, we'll have this:
http://www.citylab.com/commute/2015/01/the-train-of-the-future-might-be-battery-powered/384522/

 

[TOareaFan]

By the time we complete electrification, we'll have this:
http://www.citylab.com/commute/2015/01/the-train-of-the-future-might-be-battery-powered/384522/

It may be a while before this is viable.

More importantly, the train’s current battery life is short—very short. It can run for only about one hour, before requiring two hours’ worth of recharging. Until more powerful batteries and/or a less power-thirsty train are devised, this technology won’t be taking over on long distances anytime soon.

 

[rbt]

By the time we complete electrification, we'll have this:
http://www.citylab.com/commute/2015/01/the-train-of-the-future-might-be-battery-powered/384522/

"It can run for only about one hour, before requiring two hours’ worth of recharging."

Doesn't seem like a very good solution for most service. Useful for short runs (30 to 40 minutes) during peak periods where you only expect about 2 runs per day for the train.

 

[mdrejhon]

"It can run for only about one hour, before requiring two hours’ worth of recharging."

We'll need the train equivalent of the Tesla "SuperChargers" at the stations and at the layovers at the terminuses. And the electric supply to go with that, too!

A battery powered train is a neat idea for later in the 21st century! It's not going to occur in this GO trainset purchase cycle, but... If the tech matures really fast, good capacity, long distances, this could even go into an eventual EMU trainset and become very popular for unelectricified hops between electrified rails. That's one thing this train is great for; it can go untethered off catenary for a while, and come back to catenary -- and it can recharge while in motion doing regular service on rail with catenary. We could run super fast express electric trains using the catenary (e.g. GO RER Hamilton) while simultaneously recharging the train, and then go battery-powered and more slowly (lower energy) for the Niagara segment. No more diesel even for the unelectricified Niagara leg. But this is possibly 2040s or 2050s stuff.

If the battery can be recharged much faster, e.g. under 15 minutes for every hour of operating, we could theoretically get by with electricifying only a quarter of railroad and the stations. The battery could help in accelerating out of station, without overloading an electric grid in surge power. Enabling smaller substations for larger amounts of catenary.

This is clearly a far future option "not in the next trainset purchase cycle", but this is a neat start. Assuming lithium batteries become much cheaper, faster charging, and better capacity, thanks to the construction of Tesla's battery gigafactories which would also supply massive amounts of cheap lithium rechargeables for all sorts of products, not just for their cars. And we probably should by then, have good mature lithium battery recycling facilities from all the immense increase in lithium battery use by cars, trains, buses, and more.