mdrejhon
Senior Member
Interesting!
Did not know the UPX trains were being considered for transfer to a low-ridership GO corridor (e.g. offpeak on some routes). That would make sense, as those are fairly efficient trains, though the baggage racks would need to be converted to additional seats. And it'll need to be repainted into a GO wrap. I am wondering how UPX performs this winter.
One question I have is: Will UPX ridership taint the upcoming LRTs?
Since there are many skeptical taxpayers, that some of them are not 100% convinced on LRT economicss because of their experience seeing the UPX not being well utilized.
Of course, there's massive Metrolinx successes (e.g. Lakeshore West). We really need to see the opening of a few LRTs (Waterloo and Ottawa, 2017-2018) to see sentiment-changers, I believe opposition for LRTs will reduce when successes from the first Ontario LRTs finally arrive. The economics of LRTs, run at public transit fares, are quite sound in a huge number of cities. That said, it doesn't help if one Metrolinx route is underperforming from the perspective of residents/taxpayers. It may be performing well to Metrolinx's view but with media/residents wondering...
I ask the question about UPX affecting LRT sentiment, as I'm a member of the hamiltonLRT.ca citizen advocacy -- and this is a question I ask as a sentiment on all kinds of rail-based Metrolinx projects, GO/RER/LRT/UPX/etc -- as public/media sentiment of one Metrolinx project can affect sentiment for other Metrolinx projects. Opinion?
Did not know the UPX trains were being considered for transfer to a low-ridership GO corridor (e.g. offpeak on some routes). That would make sense, as those are fairly efficient trains, though the baggage racks would need to be converted to additional seats. And it'll need to be repainted into a GO wrap. I am wondering how UPX performs this winter.
One question I have is: Will UPX ridership taint the upcoming LRTs?
Since there are many skeptical taxpayers, that some of them are not 100% convinced on LRT economicss because of their experience seeing the UPX not being well utilized.
Of course, there's massive Metrolinx successes (e.g. Lakeshore West). We really need to see the opening of a few LRTs (Waterloo and Ottawa, 2017-2018) to see sentiment-changers, I believe opposition for LRTs will reduce when successes from the first Ontario LRTs finally arrive. The economics of LRTs, run at public transit fares, are quite sound in a huge number of cities. That said, it doesn't help if one Metrolinx route is underperforming from the perspective of residents/taxpayers. It may be performing well to Metrolinx's view but with media/residents wondering...
I ask the question about UPX affecting LRT sentiment, as I'm a member of the hamiltonLRT.ca citizen advocacy -- and this is a question I ask as a sentiment on all kinds of rail-based Metrolinx projects, GO/RER/LRT/UPX/etc -- as public/media sentiment of one Metrolinx project can affect sentiment for other Metrolinx projects. Opinion?
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