Toronto Union Pearson Express | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx | MMM Group Limited

robmausser said:
Well the EPR and EA for the electrification has the DMU's slated TO BE converted to electric with a budget slated for it.

So considering this is happening for 2017 deadline you better call them up quick to reconsider, because they generally do not like doing what's not written in their EA's

You can read this all here:

http://www.gotransit.com/electrification/en/default.aspx

Happy reading!
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Before I spend half my life reading that....why on earth would an EA care if the actual DMUs were converted to EMUs? I could see them caring that the line would be converted from DMU use to EMU use but the EA should be totally indifferent as to whether the EMUs in use are new purpose bought EMUs or vehicles that were converted from DMUs to EMUs.

In fact, it does not even seem to be included in the scope of the project:

3.
Scope of UP Express Electrification Project
As briefly described in Chapter 1, the purpose of the UP Express Electrification project is to convert the UP Express
service that will operate between UP Express Union Station and UP Express Pearson Station (with stops at UP
Express Bloor and UP Express Weston Stations) from diesel powered to electric powered trains.

The scope of the project includes three main components which are further elaborated on below:

Traction
Power Supply (subject to Class EA process being carried out by Hydro One, refer to Hydro One Union Pearson Express Electrification Traction Power Substation Class Environmental Assessment - Draft Environmental Study Report for detailed information related to the Traction Power supply components)

Traction Power Distribution (subject to TPAP being carried out by Metrolinx)

Maintenance Facility for the electrified UP Express service (subject to TPAP being carried out by Metrolinx)
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Diesel-electric locomotives do not drive the train wheels. Instead they generate electricity that turns the wheels. As well, they supply the electricity for the rest of the train, including the lights, A/C, etc. They can be and were used to supply emergency electric power, where needed. Even the TTC has diesel-electric locomotives.

ttc-rt12-davisville-19791117.jpg

subway-5508-03.jpg
 
I'm actually surprised this thing is moving so quickly. Normally this type of project would take like 10 years of bickering/planning/studies/delayed construction, etc. Maybe that's been the case and I am just not following it? But I don't remember hearing about this express until some time in 2012. And did it not just start construction in 2013? That's impressive if it'll be done by April 2015.
 
travis3000 said:
I'm actually surprised this thing is moving so quickly. Normally this type of project would take like 10 years of bickering/planning/studies/delayed construction, etc. Maybe that's been the case and I am just not following it? But I don't remember hearing about this express until some time in 2012. And did it not just start construction in 2013? That's impressive if it'll be done by April 2015.
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I have been hearing about a rail link to Pearson most of my working life....but this plan traces its roots to a 2001 RFP.
 
travis3000 said:
I'm actually surprised this thing is moving so quickly. Normally this type of project would take like 10 years of bickering/planning/studies/delayed construction, etc. Maybe that's been the case and I am just not following it? But I don't remember hearing about this express until some time in 2012. And did it not just start construction in 2013? That's impressive if it'll be done by April 2015.
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Sigh. Unfortunately not. It's actually quite old.

David Collenette (Federal Transportation Minister) in 1999 or 2000 proposed it and provided some funding as a P3 and provided something like $300M for the spur to Pearson. After not getting any interest (SNC-Lavalin looked at doing an EA, but was found to be in conflict and had a hard time making a business case), McGuinty picked it up and for whatever reason is running with the plan mostly unchanged.

That said, the massive $1B investment in the Georgetown corridor is mostly unrelated to UPX. It's really a GO project that got piggy-backed onto the EA for UPX as nobody wanted to commit to running frequent GO trains.

So, we heard about it roughly around 99 and it may have been floating around the federal office for years before that. What's actually being built by the province is significantly beefed up from any federal ambitions.
 
rbt said:
Sigh. Unfortunately not. It's actually quite old.

David Collenette (Federal Transportation Minister) in 1999 or 2000 proposed it and provided some funding as a P3 and provided something like $300M for the spur to Pearson. After not getting any interest (SNC-Lavalin looked at doing an EA, but was found to be in conflict and had a hard time making a business case), McGuinty picked it up and for whatever reason is running with the plan mostly unchanged.

That said, the massive $1B investment in the Georgetown corridor is mostly unrelated to UPX. It's really a GO project that got piggy-backed onto the EA for UPX as nobody wanted to commit to running frequent GO trains.

So, we heard about it roughly around 99 and it may have been floating around the federal office for years before that. What's actually being built by the province is significantly beefed up from any federal ambitions.
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They were studying better downtown-Pearson transit before that. Three studies were commissioned in 1989, 1990 and 1991.
 
I just got back from Philadelphia, where the train from Center City to Philadelphia Airport (a pretty good airport, BTW, free wifi, good layout and lots of food selections at prices comparable to outside) runs every 30 minutes and takes 30-35 minutes to get between the two. A single adult fare is $6.50. The train makes several stops in Center City (Market East, Pennsylvania RR Suburban Station and 30th Street - the Amtrak station) and stops at each airport terminal.

It's fully electric and high-platform boarding (like all SEPTA regional rail lines). The downtown tunnel connecting the old Pennsylvania and Reading RR networks allow for through running of most regional rail trains. Now I wouldn't recommend SEPTA too highly, but it is blessed with amazing infrastructure.

PHL Terminal B Station by Sean_Marshall

Market East Station by Sean_Marshall
 
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The UPX DMUs are not diesel-electric. They are diesel-hydraulic (DEMUs are somewhat rare in my experience), so conversion would involve more than just the Cummins engine but the powertrain too.

EDIT: Shontron - did you ride any Silverliner Vs in Philly? They would be one of the "ready to go" options for a replacement scenario, having 25kV capability. Car numbers would be in the 700-800 range.
 
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SEPTA PHL Airport Rail Line - comparisons to the UPE...

ShonTron said:
I just got back from Philadelphia, where the train from Center City to Philadelphia Airport (a pretty good airport, BTW, free wifi, good layout and lots of food selections at prices comparable to outside) runs every 30 minutes and takes 30-35 minutes to get between the two. A single adult fare is $6.50. The train makes several stops in Center City (Market East, Pennsylvania RR Suburban Station and 30th Street - the Amtrak station) and stops at each airport terminal.

It's fully electric and high-platform boarding (like all SEPTA regional rail lines). The downtown tunnel connecting the old Pennsylvania and Reading RR networks allow for through running of most regional rail trains. Now I wouldn't recommend SEPTA too highly, but it is blessed with amazing infrastructure.

PHL Terminal B Station by Sean_Marshall

Market East Station by Sean_Marshall
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ST: SEPTA's Airport Rail Line accepts ALL SEPTA Weekly and Monthly Trail or Transpasses at all times...
The reason for this is an incentive for PHL Airport workers to use the Airport Line trains...

The CCP-Airport one way fare is the Zone 4 Weekday ticket (6.50 prepaid or $8 on board) rate at all times...

To travel to any other SEPTA RRD Station via Center City Philadelphia the fare is $8.50 prepaid or $9 on board at all times...

The single-day Independence Passes ($12) are also valid to and from the PHL Airport...

The UPE should have reasonable commutation fares like SEPTA offers on the PHL Airport Line for YYZ workers...

SEPTA's Regional Rail system as a whole has a limited percentage of stations that have high-level platforms...
The majority of stations are low-level platforms...The PHL Airport Line is the only SEPTA RRD Line with mostly
high-level platforms (except Eastwick)...The big five Center City stations (Temple U,Market East,Suburban,30th Street
and University City) have always been or were built with high platforms...

LI MIKE
 
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Another interesting fact about the UP Express: Metrolinx has ordered both "A" units and "C" units. "A" units are the DMUs we have seen so far, with the rounded ends, and that have been advertised by Metrolinx in most promotion with the 2 DMU UP transets. The "C" units, are the middle DMUs used in 3 DMU trainsets. They do not have rounded ends, as they fit in between "A" units. They are to be delivered this December for testing. Below is a picture of a "C" unit without its surrounding "A" units.
Link to Metrolinx info: http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pd...10/20130910_BoardMtg_UP_Express_Report_EN.pdf

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^kinda fitting that an airport with a terminal 1 and 3 but no 2 would be served by trains with A units and C units ;)
 
From the article:

All 12 “A†cars (the front and back cars) will be on site by August 2014to ensure adequate time for full testing
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*cough* *cough*

alexanderglista said:
Another interesting fact about the UP Express: Metrolinx has ordered both "A" units and "C" units. "A" units are the DMUs we have seen so far, with the rounded ends, and that have been advertised by Metrolinx in most promotion with the 2 DMU UP transets. The "C" units, are the middle DMUs used in 3 DMU trainsets. They do not have rounded ends, as they fit in between "A" units. They are to be delivered this December for testing. Below is a picture of a "C" unit without its surrounding "A" units.
Link to Metrolinx info: http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pd...10/20130910_BoardMtg_UP_Express_Report_EN.pdf

View attachment 31406
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