What kind of backlash will Metrolinx get if they put hour service on lines where there is no service now and 3 years later they kill it due to poor ridership???
For the Western Corridor, I don't think that will be the case. Look at the radical change in ridership on UPX once the fares became standard GO ones from Weston to Union. And on weekends!
The trick to having it make sense is as Paul states:
DMU's would be great, but in the interest of expediency, three-car bilevel trains would suffice for now.
This is akin to my stance of "making do with what you have" in terms of the Sharyos. Even as they age (it will be the propulsive mechanics, not the trucks or coach body itself) turn them into loco-hauled coaches, electric locos come the time, but diesel until such time, and do, or at least consider as Paul states for the Bramalea run: Three coach trains. This is how The Coaster in San Diego was run when I was there. As demand grew, they added coaches.
Often the demand is there, it takes a while for it to establish as rail customer base. View the alternative: What's better for all concerned? Highway traffic or public transit? That's not a 'socialist' stance on my part, some very right of centre jurisdictions in the US look at it exactly that way. It saves money in the long run. Considerable amounts. And it makes for more livable cities.
On utilizing existing stock instead of DMUs, if *second hand suitable DMUs* can be found, great, but to order them new, and in smaller quantities is to repeat the huge mistake of the orphan Sharyos. If something can be leased until electrification, also great (within reason). But otherwise, use what's on-hand, and quite possibly older loco and coach stock, since the performance demand will be much less than on peak stock, and it's a good way of using, say, older F59s so that when they are worn out, they're completely retired, rather than putting wear on newer stock. Remember, they'll only be pulling three car trains for now, and in doing so, will also accelerate faster.
Whether there's enough spare stock to make-up a small fleet of 'compacts' is a good question.
Edit to Add: If, for example, it takes three consists of three coaches to do Bramalea on a 15 min schedule, the real challenge won't be finding the locos or coaches, it will be satisfying the need for an 'access' coach and driving cab for each one. Whether there's enough of the older cab coaches left is a good question? And would it be best to do the mid-day Mt Pleasant run also with 3 car consists? I think so. Even the six-car ones are only running about half full.
So how would the runs be meshed? Every quarter or half hour to Bramalea, every hour to Mt Pleasant such that it renders 7 1/2 minute service south of Weston including UPX? Or perhaps express from Malton to Union? Or Area's original premise: Change at Weston for a Bramalea shuttle, while Mt. Pleasant continues to run as is?
The Corridor is there, the demand is there, and the need to mesh local bus service is there. The sooner implemented, the sooner the rider numbers will start to climb.
