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Metrolinx: Other Items (catch all)

Electrifying the Providence Line seems like a no brainer but there are some non-trivial impediments such as wiring some currently unwired tracks, wiring storage tracks, Rhode Island’s willingness to contribute and who would do maintenance. It would help Back Bay’s chronic diesel fumes issues a bit.

Siemens are apparently loaning two Chargers to MBTA for a short period with all maintenance other than fuel to be done by Siemens (because the locomotives are destined for Illinois who are not yet ready to accept them). This gives them a foot in the door for their ACS64 or any future dual mode whose cabs are likely very similar.

As for SEPTA’s mention in the piece, there is an arguable point that not operating dual modes or diesels means some routes could be operated which currently are not because they are not electric and cannot be made so. Amtrak fees for their electric overhead (which the Providence Line would use) are reputed to be steep.
 
PRESTO announcement this morning:

I’m in #RichmondHill with @StevenDelDuca this AM to make an exciting announcement for @PRESTOcard users. Follow along here at 9AM - https://t.co/gxm3PvS5uk

- @kathryn_mcgarry
 
A few photos I snapped earlier this week: 407 buses parked at Pioneer Village and a peak period Barrie train at Downsview Park.
 

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This doesn't fit super well into any particular thread, but due to the big picture, I'm posting here:

I tried taking a local YRT bus home from Aurora GO station today after arriving on a rush hour train; I haven't taken the YRT home in a long time, and I was reminded why today. It took about 5 minutes of waiting plus 18 minutes travel time and 2 minutes of walking, for a total of 25 minutes from when I got off the train to when I got home. Compared to driving, which takes about 5 minutes total.

25 minutes for local transit vs 5 minutes for driving makes it ridiculous for people to take local transit to/from GO if they own a car, which most people in the suburbs do.

If Metrolinx is serious about their repeated insistence that there has to be a modal share away from parking at GO stations, they need to fix this, somehow. I agree that the runaway parking demand at GO stations is unsustainable, but what is to be done? Micro transit, working with local transit providers to optimize routes and schedules, these might be avenues to pursue but I'm starting to doubt that it would be possible to bring public transit even down to taking 2-3 times as long as driving rather than the 5 times as long, in my case, that it currently takes. Certainly I don't plan on taking YRT to/from the station ever again in the future when it wastes so much time, and costs me significantly more than driving, even at a $1 co-fare.

I think this is probably one of the top 3 problems facing GO in the present, short term future, and long term future.
 
Megaton327 said:
This doesn't fit super well into any particular thread, but due to the big picture, I'm posting here:

I tried taking a local YRT bus home from Aurora GO station today after arriving on a rush hour train; I haven't taken the YRT home in a long time, and I was reminded why today. It took about 5 minutes of waiting plus 18 minutes travel time and 2 minutes of walking, for a total of 25 minutes from when I got off the train to when I got home. Compared to driving, which takes about 5 minutes total.

25 minutes for local transit vs 5 minutes for driving makes it ridiculous for people to take local transit to/from GO if they own a car, which most people in the suburbs do.

If Metrolinx is serious about their repeated insistence that there has to be a modal share away from parking at GO stations, they need to fix this, somehow. I agree that the runaway parking demand at GO stations is unsustainable, but what is to be done? Micro transit, working with local transit providers to optimize routes and schedules, these might be avenues to pursue but I'm starting to doubt that it would be possible to bring public transit even down to taking 2-3 times as long as driving rather than the 5 times as long, in my case, that it currently takes. Certainly I don't plan on taking YRT to/from the station ever again in the future when it wastes so much time, and costs me significantly more than driving, even at a $1 co-fare.

I think this is probably one of the top 3 problems facing GO in the present, short term future, and long term future.
Click to expand...
Maybe bike share can be a solution?
 
hw621 said:
Maybe bike share can be a solution?
Click to expand...

I don't think that's a feasible solution in places like Aurora, Newmarket, Barrie, Stouffville, Oshawa, Hamilton, and Waterloo. You would need to install bikeshare docks all over the place, tens of not hundreds of thousands of docks if you decide to go that route, or for dockless bikes you'd still need thousands of bikes and they'd basically just end up being private bicycles at that point in low-density suburban areas. If bikes are desired by commuters, they'll likely use their own.

Leo_Chan said:
Or secure bike lockers?
Click to expand...

I think that's a very good idea and from what I understand they are working on a big push--I know Aurora is getting one, and the new garages at Maple and Rutherford are supposed to have them, I think--but I don't think it's going to be nearly sufficient.

I'm never going to bike to/from my GO station because the route has no bike lanes or off-road bike paths of any significant length, and it's incredibly hilly. It would be physically challenging for me to cycle the route, and I would end up soaked with sweat by the time I reached the train in the summer, making me unpresentable; I wouldn't bike in the winter due to the cold, slush/salt, and added safety risks--if it came down to it, I'd just drive downtown rather than take GO if cycling were my only option, 100% of the time.

There are a lot of people for whom it might make sense for part of the year, in good weather, but I don't think the majority of people, or the overwhelming majority during the winter, can feasibly do it. Definitely add lockers for those who want to, but tens of thousands of suburban commuters aren't going to switch to it en masse.
 
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