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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

A couple notes on the new buses:

-It seems like theres no windows over the rear axles. Have the seats been eliminated there or has it been turned into a cave?
-How much more or less is the operating costs vs the E500s, MCIs and a normal bus? Ive seen times where a go bus is only 10% full if not less, and it seems quite a waste of money to send out a 45' bus for an underserved route....
 
Couldn't find a pic of one in GO livery, so you'll have to imaginate on this one: (how do they get the rich, tasty centre into Caramilk?)

Enviro500-N-America-low-height-Pic-1.jpg


http://www.alexander-dennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Enviro500-N-America-low-height-Pic-1.jpg
 
Voltz said:
They could start off with making sure the interior of these new buses is quiet begin with, the current double deckers are fairly loud inside from road and engine noise, compared with the single deck buses.
Click to expand...
Drivers have been complaining about it, as for them, it's a continual issue. Notice how you have to shout to the driver when standing close even at speed? MCI much quieter. Too much hard surface in the A-Ds, should be carpeted to damp the noise. And of course, the doors are a very poor design for highway use as per lack of seal. Perhaps this is all addressed in the newest model?
 
cplchanb said:
A couple notes on the new buses:

-It seems like theres no windows over the rear axles. Have the seats been eliminated there or has it been turned into a cave?
Click to expand...
The space over the rear wheels is for baggage. The new SuperLo, as they are known, are also longer at 45 feet.
 
APTA-2048 said:
The new SuperLo, as they are known, are also longer at 45 feet.
Click to expand...
I wondered about that, as the pics certainly look that way, but couldn't find that in the text I was reading. There seems to be more overhang behind the rear wheels, albeit wheelbase comparison would be interesting if figures avaialable. And I wonder if you still need the driver to access the storage space, it's a bit of an awkward situation for the driver, having to access it, but to do otherwise would render theft a problem.
 
steveintoronto said:
Drivers have been complaining about it, as for them, it's a continual issue. Notice how you have to shout to the driver when standing close even at speed? MCI much quieter. Too much hard surface in the A-Ds, should be carpeted to damp the noise. And of course, the doors are a very poor design for highway use as per lack of seal. Perhaps this is all addressed in the newest model?
Click to expand...

At the very least some sound insulation between the engine compartment and the interior of the bus should be put it.

As well, on the current DD's the rear wall of the lower deck is open to the luggage bay, allowing more noise intrusion from the engine and road/wind noise.
 
Voltz said:
At the very least some sound insulation between the engine compartment and the interior of the bus should be put it. As well, on the current DD's the rear wall of the lower deck is open to the luggage bay, allowing more noise intrusion from the engine and road/wind noise.
Click to expand...
And the greatest problem: hard reflective surfaces. Many of the vertical and overhead surfaces should be covered with acoustic mat (form of carpeting to the eye), to damp the sound level down at least -12dB
 
Today's news: (Note this is off the CP Newswire, this went national)
Delays and crowding on commuter GO Train spark commuter complaints
Madeline Smith / The Canadian Press

July 20, 2016 11:59 AM

- See more at: http://www.timescolonist.com/delays...ter-complaints-1.2306258#sthash.qYj7z8IN.dpuf
TORONTO - Delays and overcrowding on commuter trains serving southern Ontario is causing chaos for users of the busy regional transit system this summer.

Metrolinx, the Ontario government agency that runs GO Transit, said the problems are caused by "unavoidable" repairs and upgrades. The agency issued refunds to passengers after a day of significant delays in June.

A new GO Transit schedule came into effect June 27, causing delays on multiple GO lines in and out of Canada's largest city.

Metrolinx spokeswoman Anne Marie Aikins said service changes in advance of two platform closures for construction of a new train shed at Toronto's Union station are behind most of the issues. At the same time, some older trains are also running with 10 coaches instead of the usual 12 while their HVAC systems are upgraded, leaving those trains with about 300 fewer seats.

That work is the regular maintenance Metrolinx typically does in July because ridership drops when students are out of school for the summer. Work on the coaches is expected to be finished by the end of the month.

In a recent interview, Aikins said it's been a "difficult couple of weeks," with customers on the busy Lakeshore West and Lakeshore East lines bearing most of the brunt.
[...continues...]
Click to expand...

- See more at: http://www.timescolonist.com/delays...ter-complaints-1.2306258#sthash.qYj7z8IN.dpuf
 
steveintoronto said:
I wondered about that, as the pics certainly look that way, but couldn't find that in the text I was reading. There seems to be more overhang behind the rear wheels, albeit wheelbase comparison would be interesting if figures avaialable. And I wonder if you still need the driver to access the storage space, it's a bit of an awkward situation for the driver, having to access it, but to do otherwise would render theft a problem.
Click to expand...
Both the wheelbase and rear overhang have increased on the SuperLo (+720mm and +166mm, respectively).
The luggage bay set up is similar to a Megabus. Driver walks outside to the rear for access.
 
steveintoronto said:
Melinda Shiers, who commutes to Union Station from Whitby, Ont., every day, said she's seen schedule changes cause trouble before, and they're usually resolved within a few days — but not this time.

"I have never seen it this bad and I've been taking the GO Train for 24 years. I've not seen it this bad and this chaotic," she said, adding that overcrowding on train platforms has also been a problem.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. I've been through a lot of schedule changes, but this one has had the absolute worst impact on service quality I can remember. I see Lakeshore West is in chaos again this morning, naturally spilling over into problems on Lakeshore East and other lines as late trains block tracks and switches on the approach to Union out of sequence.

I swear it's like we've suddenly gone back to 2000 when Mike Harris had left the system in such a disastrous state that you had to expect a complete breakdown of service at least twice a week, and three times a week in the winter.

The crowding on the PM rush departures from Union is idiotic. The shift to an even spaced 'every 15 minute' departure schedule from the previous crush departure schedule of 5:18 and 5:23 express trains was really dumb. The 5:15 has not even once managed to get out of Union before 5:20 since the change, and is frequently in there until 5:25 (the time that it used to depart at before the schedule changes!).
Yesterday it took 30 minutes just to get to Mimico! The old 5:18 express would get to Oakville in less than 30 minutes.

He blamed "operational issues" for some of the problems, referring to issues that encompass everything from signal malfunctions to a train door not closing properly. Unrelated IT failures caused incorrect or missing schedules, adding to the troubles.
Click to expand...

I went to file a service guarantee about two weeks ago and found the trip I had actually taken was not even listed in the options on the service guarantee page. The whole schedule for that train was missing. I was actually very impressed with how well GO was doing in the past 18 months, but the past three weeks has totally destroyed that impression. This schedule change was totally botched.
 
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Jonny5 said:
Totally agree. I've been through a lot of schedule changes, but this one has had the absolute worst impact on service quality I can remember. I see Lakeshore West is in chaos again this morning, naturally spilling over into problems on Lakeshore East and other lines as late trains block tracks and switches on the approach to Union out of sequence.

The crowding on the PM rush departures from Union is idiotic. The shift to an even spaced every 15 minute departure schedule from the crush departure schedule of 5:18 and 5:23 express trains was really dumb. The 5:15 has not even once managed to get out of Union before 5:20 since the change, and is frequently in there until 5:25.
Yesterday it took 30 minutes just to get to Mimico! The old 5:18 express would get to Oakville in less than 30 minutes.

I went to file a service guarantee about two weeks ago and found the trip I had actually taken was not even listed in the options on the service guarantee page. The whole schedule for that train was missing. I was actually very impressed with how well GO was doing in the past 18 months, but the past three weeks has totally destroyed that impression. This schedule change was totally botched.
Click to expand...

Agreed - heads need to roll. I ride the 5:15 and it's just ridiculous (though I think the 5:00 is even worse - it doesn't even get to the station, much less leave at the stated departure time) - the train never leaves the station proper on time (closing the doors, move a few metres and then crawl to a stop because signal isn't what I'd consider punctual), and on occasion took 10 minutes just to get to the Spadina crossover. The cherry on top of that is the PSRs are utterly mute about the problems - and the communication staff play the "operational, medical, heat, breakdown" bingo.

As to the platform issues - let's pretend we never saw that coming while GO/Metrolinx is feeding everyone the "all is well" mantra. They are pushing how many years into the revitalization now? And they haven't even come close to RER levels of service yet.

I can't wait to see the CF that will be later today and tomorrow with the heat issues. The best is likely yet to come.

AoD
 
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Jonny5 said:
Totally agree. I've been through a lot of schedule changes, but this one has had the absolute worst impact on service quality I can remember. I see Lakeshore West is in chaos again this morning, naturally spilling over into problems on Lakeshore East and other lines as late trains block tracks and switches on the approach to Union out of sequence.
Click to expand...

http://www.cp24.com/news/overcrowding-delays-on-go-trains-unavoidable-metrolinx-says-1.2994925

Looks like they're mostly blaming maintenance (or lack there-of) and construction.
 
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rbt said:
http://www.cp24.com/news/overcrowding-delays-on-go-trains-unavoidable-metrolinx-says-1.2994925

Looks like they're mostly blaming maintenance (or lack there-of) and construction.
Click to expand...

The 10 car train thing is a real pain. Also I am not impressed with the air conditioning on the new cab cars or any renovated car with the new green seats. It seems to now barely keep the temperature under 25. Walk from one of those cars into one of the ancient cars that still has the orange walls and it's like walking into a refrigerator.
 
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