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

rbt said:
I don't use the service very often but the last couple of trips I made had 1 fare inspector (I assume, as they were going between cars at each stop). Both trips were 2-car trains. I'll pay closer attention on my next trip.
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thats the way it is in england and italy - inspector goes through the train to ask for proof of payment. So not a surprise they have it on UPX. But on the UPX do they come around to check is customers have paid?
 
rbt said:
Do federal railway rules still require 2 people onboard every train (engineer and a conductor?). Does the attendant on UPX double as the conductor?

I'd like them gone too; faregates at Union and Pearson (both entry and exit; Presto and barcode) would take care of 99% of their fare-checking job.
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Once - at the very beginning of UPX service, I asked why there were not fare gates. This was the 'Kathy Haley' days. The attendant told me that they wanted it to be 'open' for their guests. I filled in a survey afterwards and lo and behold, I was on their list of people to survey about everything.

I filled in a pair of surveys. They asked how to improve the service. I told them to lose the president of the division, the bureucracy, and the train attendant/ticket checker and install fare gates.
 
rbt said:
I don't use the service very often but the last couple of trips I made had 1 fare inspector (I assume, as they were going between cars at each stop). Both trips were 2-car trains. I'll pay closer attention on my next trip.
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Palma said:
thats the way it is in england and italy - inspector goes through the train to ask for proof of payment. So not a surprise they have it on UPX. But on the UPX do they come around to check is customers have paid?
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One per train....checks for payment by walking through train.....at very busy times it is augmented by people on platforms at Union and Pearson checking fares as people get on the train....that way they only have to keep track of who got on at Weston and Bloor.....even then they sometimes get "overwhelmed" by crowds (got on at Weston once on way to a TFC match....overlapping with a Blue Jays game so a huge crowd got on at Weston.....fare inspector/conductor actually had to ask people to raise their hands if they got on at Weston :).....invoking a sort of modified honour system).
 
To be more specific....

There are two running-trades people on board every UPX train. These are categorized as equivalent of an "engineer" and "conductor". This is mandated by Transport Canada.

There is at least one, and sometimes two, onboard services people on each UPX train, called GSAs. These people are not in the running trades, and do not have the right to move up in the company to the running trades.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
 
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The raised guideway, can it support GO trains? Could a 12 bilevel car GO Train be used in and out of the airport?
 
micheal_can said:
The raised guideway, can it support GO trains? Could a 12 bilevel car GO Train be used in and out of the airport?
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No and No

The station can't support a 12 car train, let alone 4 cars.

Unless they rebuilt the connection to the corridor as a wye, can't do an in/out going west without doing a back-in/out from the east. This is one of many failure for this ramp and station.

I know of 2 Ministry of MTO who wanted to have a wye with service to the west, but were told no by their boss.
 
micheal_can said:
The raised guideway, can it support GO trains? Could a 12 bilevel car GO Train be used in and out of the airport?
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Weight wise the raised guideway was built to mainline standards so it could support the weight, even of a freight train.

The current station could not support a 12 car bilevel as its not long enough.

However, considering that GO RER is in motion, it would be seriously unwise to see a 12 bilevel car stopping at the airport.

The bilevels will not be stopping at any stations within the inner GTA, period, let alone the airport, once RER is implemented. So why have it stop at the airport?

Round holes need round pegs. Stop trying to force a square peg into it!
 
robmausser said:
Weight wise the raised guideway was built to mainline standards so it could support the weight, even of a freight train.

The current station could not support a 12 car bilevel as its not long enough.

However, considering that GO RER is in motion, it would be seriously unwise to see a 12 bilevel car stopping at the airport.

The bilevels will not be stopping at any stations within the inner GTA, period, let alone the airport, once RER is implemented. So why have it stop at the airport?

Round holes need round pegs. Stop trying to force a square peg into it!
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So, it could, but highly unlikely.
 
drum118 said:
Is UPX having the same issue since they are the same as Sonoma?? Tracks no issue at all.

Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit startup delayed by turbine, track issues
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UPX had all of those problems, and more, while going through the start-up phase. That UPX has been running for a year and a half now is indicative that they've figured out all of those problems.

The issue here is that each railroad has its own signal standards (and in some cases, differing standards in different operating divisions), and thus what UPX (or any other commuter railroad that operates with EMUs or DMUs) did to solve their signal problems may not be applicable to what SMART is going through.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
 
smallspy said:
UPX had all of those problems, and more, while going through the start-up phase. That UPX has been running for a year and a half now is indicative that they've figured out all of those problems.

The issue here is that each railroad has its own signal standards (and in some cases, differing standards in different operating divisions), and thus what UPX (or any other commuter railroad that operates with EMUs or DMUs) did to solve their signal problems may not be applicable to what SMART is going through.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
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This tweet is the only time I've (kinda) seen the issue addressed "officially". With the price issue, they probably didn't want more bad press.
 
micheal_can said:
So, it could, but highly unlikely.
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More likely, if there is ever fleet commonality between UPX and GO, it will be one 3-EMU or 4-EMU detached from a 12-EMU trainset.

The EMUs are lightweight enough to go on the viaduct, though turning radius is uncertain.

image-png.80872
 
alexanderglista said:
This tweet is the only time I've (kinda) seen the issue addressed "officially". With the price issue, they probably didn't want more bad press.
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There were some serious issues with the units not triggering portions of the signal system reliably, some of which were only finally addressed in the final week before the launch of the service. In part this is due to CN's signal system design, which GO/Metrolinx had chosen to continue to use at the time.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
 
Double level EMUs are a good choice for commuter rail but as I stated earlier they are impractical and problematic for a RER type system. Metrolinx {and Torontonians} would regret going double decker EMU for RER.
 
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