Here's my fantasy track map for the Georgetown/Kitchener/London line:
West of Mount Pleasant, the configuration would simply be double tracks with whatever platform configuration Metrolinx/VIA chooses.
Click here for the image
The proposal is reasonably conservative as fantasy maps go, the main additions are:
- Extending the CN York subdivision west to Milton in order to free up space on the CN/GO Weston subdivision for passenger trains
- Building a double-tracked mainline tunnel to the airport
- Completely double-tracking and electrifying the corridor from London to Toronto so all trains can use the airport tunnel
Other than that, improvements are pretty much as planned in the Metrolinx Georgetown South Project.
Services: both would be run by GO, the Air-Rail Link would be canceled, and the Sarnia-Toronto VIA train would be rerouted to the Lakeshore corridor (which is faster anyway).
- Express: a regional rail line connecting the cities and major towns in the corridor (London, Stratford, Kitchener/Waterloo, Guelph, Brampton and Toronto)
- Local: a 15 minute all-day suburban service along the Weston corridor.
Sample schedule: westbound services at Pearson Airport (I'm a big fan of clock-face scheduling)
Peak Hours:
Time Destination/Service type
:00 London Express
:06 Mount Pleasant Local
:15 Kitchener Express
:21 Mount Pleasant Local
:30 London Express
:36 Mount Pleasant Local
:45 Kitchener Express
:51 Mount Pleasant Local
To sum up: 15 minute local service between Mount Pleasant and Toronto, 15 minute Express service between Kitchener and Toronto, and 30 minute express service between London and Kitchener.
The uneven spacing at Pearson is due to the fact that the Express and Local services share tracks between Brampton and Pearson even though they have different average speeds. The express trains need to have a longer gap in front of them so that they don't catch up to the local trains before they pull off at Mount Pleasant.
Off-peak, there would be 15 minute local service (at the same intervals as during peak) and one express train per hour.
Notes:
The services would use 160km/h bilevel EMUs in units of 3 to 5 cars. Off-peak, units would operate individually and at rush hour they would operate in sets of two or three.
I think this service configuration is all-around better than the planned Air-Rail Link / GO / VIA combination, because although the number of trains per hour is about the same,
- it connects southwestern Ontarian cities to the aiport (don't forget you can transfer to trains toward Sarnia, Windsor and Chatham at London Station)
- it allows for commutes not destined for downtown Toronto (for example, people who live in St. Mary's and work in London or K-W)
- it does a much better job serving the area along the Weston corridor, including the Mobility Hub at Brampton Station.
- it would encourage more development (including downtown revitalization in the cities/towns it serves) due to all-day, fare-integrated service