GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[crs1026]

People who are annoyed by Quiet Zone violations are usually annoyed by the antics of their fellow passengers, not by the noise level per se.

My most recent experience involved a woman who had an angry cellphone conversation with someone in her office, which ended with her announcing "Well, we will see about this when I get in". She hung up, dialed a new number, and instructed what sounded like her HR office to get the paperwork together "Because I will be firing Meghan as soon as this train gets me to work". That got her some pretty interesting glares.

Anyways, even on football day our trains are a lot more genteel than this load of Fiorentina fans. The only time I am really annoyed is when there is a country and western concert going on downtown. Somehow, those concerts bring out the worst in people - far more than any other genre.

- Paul

 

[Neutrino]

Just took the 1:01 from Agincourt to Union - complete ghost town. Other than me, three people boarded at Agincourt. The lot had fewer than five free spots, while the train had maybe 30 people total. My car had 4 people in the lower level and 2 including myself in the upper level. Every time I take GO or UPX, I am reminded of the urgent need to build high density housing and employment around GO stations and improve connecting bus service. No one will take 15 minute off peak service if they can't access the station.

 

[Leo_Chan]

Just took the 1:01 from Agincourt to Union - complete ghost town. Other than me, three people boarded at Agincourt. The lot had fewer than five free spots, while the train had maybe 30 people total. My car had 4 people in the lower level and 2 including myself in the upper level. Every time I take GO or UPX, I am reminded of the urgent need to build high density housing and employment around GO stations and improve connecting bus service. No one will take 15 minute off peak service if they can't access the station.

Not saying I don't appreciate your post or picture, but it would have been more convincing if you took the picture standing up (or arms up).

 

[Richard White]

Just took the 1:01 from Agincourt to Union - complete ghost town. Other than me, three people boarded at Agincourt. The lot had fewer than five free spots, while the train had maybe 30 people total. My car had 4 people in the lower level and 2 including myself in the upper level. Every time I take GO or UPX, I am reminded of the urgent need to build high density housing and employment around GO stations and improve connecting bus service. No one will take 15 minute off peak service if they can't access the station.

Agincourt and Kennedy do have residential around it same with Milliken GO but the problem lies north of Steeles in Stouffville where development has yet to solidify. 15 minute service is great in Toronto but pointless outside. I wonder if they will do turnbacks in less dense areas rather than run 15 minute service to the boonies?

 

[hw621]

Just took the 1:01 from Agincourt to Union - complete ghost town. Other than me, three people boarded at Agincourt. The lot had fewer than five free spots, while the train had maybe 30 people total. My car had 4 people in the lower level and 2 including myself in the upper level. Every time I take GO or UPX, I am reminded of the urgent need to build high density housing and employment around GO stations and improve connecting bus service. No one will take 15 minute off peak service if they can't access the station.

plus fares need to come down...

 

[joet00]

Quick question: What's the latest projection for the Stouffville double-tracking (to Unionville) to come online?

Selfishly, would be nice to have train options to get downtown weekday afternoons.

Enforce a voluntary quiet zone?

I fail to understand why one needs quiet zones - seems like completely unnecessary rules, which society would be best to get rid of.

I'm in the pro-Quiet Zone camp.

I think, if left unchecked, the noise levels throughout the various coaches would be excessive, like a crowded bar or pub. (Nothing against well patronized establishments; just not the environment I'm looking for when you've started your day at the crack of stupid and/our headed home after a long shift.

It would be nice to not need rules around things like this, but often, common sense isn't so common.

Just took the 1:01 from Agincourt to Union - complete ghost town. Other than me, three people boarded at Agincourt. The lot had fewer than five free spots, while the train had maybe 30 people total. My car had 4 people in the lower level and 2 including myself in the upper level. Every time I take GO or UPX, I am reminded of the urgent need to build high density housing and employment around GO stations and improve connecting bus service. No one will take 15 minute off peak service if they can't access the station.

Am I the only one surprised to hear that there were some spots available (for a lot that size)?

Unionville has a few spots until 9:30 or 10. Gormley is still the Undiscovered Country. But at Newmarket or Aurora, if you're not parked by 7:20am, you're likely out of luck.

What time is your station full-up?

 

[Admiral Beez]

I fail to understand why one needs quiet zones - seems like completely unnecessary rules, which society would be best to get rid of.

Because people are often sociopathic dicks, and without some basic and hopefully unnecessary rules are unable/unwilling to recognize or control their impact on those around them.

 

[reaperexpress]

Very interesting discussion on the GO-Amtrak connection in Niagara Falls. What about the potential of having the Canadian station host both Canadian and US border patrol?

Build a new platform to the north of the existing station (servicing the north track, call it Platform 2), and have that platform be the controlled customs area, accessible only by tunnel between the platform and the main station building. Have the inbound Amtrak train stop in Niagara Falls NY to let off the American passengers, and then cross the river to let off the Canadian passengers on Platform 2, who would then go through Canadian customs. Once they've cleared customs, they would walk out onto Platform 1 and get on a GO train.

For outbound Amtrak trips, there would be a US border preclearance station there, where once they've gone through it, they could pass through the tunnel and board on Platform 2. The train would then depart, and pick up US passengers on the other side of the river. In the outbound case, the passport control is done shortly before the train even arrives, so there's no delay at the border.

Absolutely. This actually makes a lot more sense than having the border crossing on the American side since there will be a lot more Americans going to Niagara Falls ON than Canadians going to Niagara Falls NY.

The only reason I suggested using the American side is that unlike us, they already put in the effort to build a new train station with customs facilities.

 

[reaperexpress]

Damn, I wish GO would enforce the Quiet Zone on its afternoon rush trains. Here I sit on the train from Port Credit to Union and there's folks chattering about me, sounds like a chicken coop.

Actively enforcing them isn't likely, but the seating arrangement could be designed to passively support the quiet zones. The arrangement with four seats facing each other is inherently social, so it should only be used on the lower and middle levels, while the upper level quiet zone should have pairs of seats like a VIA train.

Nederlandse Spoorwegen (Dutch Railways) also has quiet zones on the upper level of double-decker coaches, but they actively design the seating to reflect the intended behaviours in the areas (known as "double decker zoning"). One other difference is that they have doors at the top of the stairs to block sound from entering the Quiet Zone. At 7:00 in this video, they talk about the deliberate seating design in new NS double-deckers (in Dutch with English subtitles).

 

[Admiral Beez]

Actively enforcing them isn't likely, but the seating arrangement could be designed to passively support the quiet zones.

I think a simple announcement would be sufficient. It works wonders in the morning, where my train is entirely silent in the AM out to Port Credit. All we need is a reminder on the PM train.

At Heathrow Airport they have a quiet room, and it’s amazing. No talking, no kids, no loud music on headpieces, and no public announcements. If you need to be told there is no parking in the red zone, the message is displayed on a screen, not by a speaker in the ceiling. In these busy, crowded times where most don’t seem to GAF about their impact on others, it’s nice to have some silence in the public domain.

Last year I was taking VIA to Montreal with my wife and kids, and a woman across from us opens up her laptop and starts to FaceTime with her infant spawn and ex-husband (yes, we quickly heard about custody issues), with no headphones and all of us in the train listening to her convo. Her traveling companion even asked her maybe this isn’t the time, and she replied, “what do you mean, it’s my kid”. Total white trash, IMO. I would have hugged a VIA employee had they told her to shut it down. Instead, these invasive sociopaths rely on Canadians’ inherent politeness and unwillingness to get involved.

If you want to shout into your phone that “I’m on the train, but yeah, I can talk”, or feel the need to bring your screaming offspring into a cafe, there’s the other 99.9% of public places where that’s seemingly okay. Just give me my Quiet Zone for 20 mins on the train.

 

[nfitz]

Because people are often sociopathic dicks, and without some basic and hopefully unnecessary rules are unable/unwilling to recognize or control their impact on those around them.

There's no rules around the quiet zone however. It's strictly a PR thing, with no basis in legislation, regulation, and by-laws.

They can fine you for putting your feet on your seats. They can't fine you for talking in the Quiet Zone, and they made clear from day one that it's neither mandatory nor enforced.

Personally, I'm seldom going to make much noise on a train, but if my phone rings, I'm going to answer it. Or make a 30-second call to tell someone where I am.

The big problem I have is kids. And where do they want to sit on the train. Always on the top - which is fine, as it's always emptier. And I'm supposed to tell them they can't? No, not happening.

A much bigger concern is all those who crowd the doors - and even sit on the stairs, blocking them. There's been occasions I've fought through people just standing at the doors, sitting on the stairs while we are still at Union, and gotten upstairs, and found empty seats and plenty of standing space. Later I've had to fight through the same clowns, still in the way, to get out. And when I mention to these folks that they shouldn't be sitting on the stairs, the second time they are in my way - they don't seem particularly civil.

Entire thing is absurd - and as the trains become more used for shorter commutes within 416, will surely vanish.

... feel the need to bring your screaming offspring into a cafe, there’s the other 99.9% of public places where that’s seemingly okay.

Wow ... the lack of consideration you are showing here surprises me! It all seems very self-centred and anti-social to me, to think others should be quiet on a train!

 

[dowlingm]

Wow ... the lack of consideration you are showing here surprises me! It all seems very self-centred and anti-social to me, to think others should be quiet on a train!

Public transportation is the sacrifice of personal space and convenience for the greater good. The environment should default to being the most other-considerate of public spaces, especially on subways/trains where opportunities to move away or disembark entirely are limited.
[Which is not to say no talking and no fun - just consideration of others]

 

[crs1026]

Study commissioned to bring GO Train service to Cambridge

Press conference today, it says.

Ah, elections. The sky is the limit.

- Paul

 

[Allandale25]

^ Has there ever been a formal study for this? Is this just going to be a consultant report or a full EA/TPAP?

 

[innsertnamehere]

probably a consultant report.

It's pure politics because the new transport minister is a Cambridge MPP. The reality is that bringing service to Cambridge will cost an arm and a leg and have very low ridership.

Edit: Especially since this isn't a Milton line extension. Travel times on that are going to be huge by the time it gets up to Guelph.