GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[Leo_Chan]

ML used to have a "mid-town corridor" concept, but they have stopped advertising on that...sad

Ikr, the Midtown Line would NOT compete with the Eglinton Crosstown LRT as they are for different types of riders. A line from Malvern to Hurontario (or futher) would allow for a different commute pattern that would have required 2 or more transfers.

 

[hw621]

Ikr, the Midtown Line would NOT compete with the Eglinton Crosstown LRT as they are for different types of riders. A line from Malvern to Hurontario (or futher) would allow for a different commute pattern that would have required 2 or more transfers.

Track ownership and freight services are the issues...

 

[Leo_Chan]

Track ownership and freight services are the issues...

Just quadruple track the 407 Rail Corridor and the Missing Link

 

[Streety McCarface]

ML used to have a "mid-town corridor" concept, but they have stopped advertising on that...sad

CP is fully private, so they're much less likely to even consider a Metrolinx offer, especially on such an important freight corridor. CN, on the other hand, is willing to negotiate.

 

[Streety McCarface]

https://www.therecord.com/news-story/8074437-go-train-still-a-no-go-for-cambridge/

In other news, still no movement on Cambridge GO Trains, or even a pilot.

 

[lenaitch]

CP is fully private, so they're much less likely to even consider a Metrolinx offer, especially on such an important freight corridor. CN, on the other hand, is willing to negotiate.

So is CN. Why one seems more amenable to working with ML is for others to speculate.

 

[cbrown2009]

CN willing to negotiate?? Just tell that to Brampton commuters still waiting for their evening and weekend trains!

 

[nfitz]

I got off the Kitchener line at Bloor this morning to get to the office at Yonge/Bloor. I haven't been able to figure out if the difference in time is worth the time spent outside walking to Dundas West, but figured I'd try it anyway.

Might be worth to check your smartphone as you approach Bloor, and see if one is down.

And might well depend on the weather.

Probably a no-brainer when they finally finish that ... what is it, 30-metre connection from Dundas West to the GO station that they've been working on for 45 years ...

 

[Leo_Chan]

Story time again.

The operator from my train today got so pissed at someone running for the doors after they already started closing. He said it was unacceptable and causes delays (one and a half minutes behind schedule), and how we all know what the weather is like and should come to the station early. All valid points and concluded with “for the rest of the week, once doors are closed they will stay closed”.

 

[timio]

Might be worth to check your smartphone as you approach Bloor, and see if one is down.

And might well depend on the weather.

Probably a no-brainer when they finally finish that ... what is it, 30-metre connection from Dundas West to the GO station that they've been working on for 45 years ...

Yesterday was my first time through the station, so I got disoriented and ended up coming out of the station through the FreshCo lot, so I could have likely saved a minute or two by coming out at Bloor. Going to work, I would say this option makes the most sense. Coming home from work, I think I'll still do Union to guarantee myself a seat, also to minimize the amount of time spent outdoors.

 

[Streety McCarface]

CN willing to negotiate?? Just tell that to Brampton commuters still waiting for their evening and weekend trains!

Freight bypass (Missing Link).

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Freight bypass (Missing Link).

Thread here.

 

[ShonTron]

Freight bypass (Missing Link).

CN has plenty of capacity between Bramalea and Mount Pleasant to accommodate hourly GO service at all times as well as their existing freights.

Ten years ago, Brampton Station had one platform, and there was a single-track section between Union Street (east of Brampton GO) and Kennedy Road. That suited CN's needs just fine. Now that has been widened to two tracks, with a third track laid between McMurchy Avenue (west of Brampton GO) and Mount Pleasant, and between Kennedy Road and Bramalea, giving CN the same capacity as before if GO takes the southern track, suitable for hourly service, and CN is being difficult here.

While the missing link is needed for anything beyond hourly service, and the province's plans for high speed rail to Kitchener and London, it's not needed for simple evening and weekend service.

 

[TOareaFan]

CN has plenty of capacity between Bramalea and Mount Pleasant to accommodate hourly GO service at all times as well as their existing freights.

Ten years ago, Brampton Station had one platform, and there was a single-track section between Union Street (east of Brampton GO) and Kennedy Road. That suited CN's needs just fine. Now that has been widened to two tracks, with a third track laid between McMurchy Avenue (west of Brampton GO) and Mount Pleasant, and between Kennedy Road and Bramalea, giving CN the same capacity as before if GO takes the southern track, suitable for hourly service, and CN is being difficult here.

While the missing link is needed for anything beyond hourly service, and the province's plans for high speed rail to Kitchener and London, it's not needed for simple evening and weekend service.

yet, strangely, the answer to what will bring any additional service to the line is an additional track from Union all the way to Mt. Pleasant....that, it seems, gets more service to Bramalea.....

And since CN don't seem willing to let anything happen between (just east of ) Bramalea and Georgetown until the bypass is built....have they just acknowledged there will be no service additions until the bypass is built....or have I mis-read Metrolinx speak?

 

[Allandale25]

^ From CN's perspective, even if there is technically capacity, maybe they aren't interested in a disruption to their flexibility and ability to handle spikes in demand? Capacity could be a moving target? Ironically, on the same day they responded to your question, this article appeared. They've never publicly commented (or the media hasn't directly asked them) as far as I can tell specifically what they want, need, capacity, or approach. I'm trying to think of a parallel in another industry/sector where there's a public interest in a private thing/site/etc.

Metrolinx speak or not, that's likely the conclusion and answer: the chances are low. As has been pointed out, now that a permanent bigger solution is on the table, the incentive may be lower for interm options. Not saying I agree with that or aren't disappointed, but just trying to be realistic. Unless a different government after June 2018 can do something different/get a different result/negotiate something that hasn't happened yet.