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Posted

I haven't heard of any federal contribution to UPX - is anyone else aware of any?

There was significant federal contributions to UPX, committed by Prime Minister Chretien.

Posted

People are drawing comparisons between UPX and other services around the world. Government subsidy aside, there are a couple things to factor before you can make a reasonable comparison:

  • Distance from the City Centre/Downtown (places like Boston with a waterfront airport seems unfair, which still requires a shuttle bus from the adjacent Airport subway station)
  • Directness (would you be willing to pay for a cheaper fare if a transfer or two were involved?)
  • Travel Time/Speed
  • Number of Intermediate Stops (the JFK and EWR AirTrains have no intermediate stops off airport property as they were built as "airport improvement projects", much to the dismay of airport workers who live/work along the route)

A decent airport should have a variety of options to meet these needs. A trip to/from Heathrow offers several options depending on speed and cost with everything from local bus and Tube to airport coaches and express rail service. For those complaining about the price from Union, how many would actually make their way to Union to catch the train? The fare does drop if you board at one of the intermediate stations. I think people are jumping on the complaint bandwagon without actually thinking the whole thing through.

If the UPX suddenly became the ONLY way to reach Pearson by transit, then I'd be more inclined to complain about the cost! Hopefully improved GO (and possibly even VIA?) service along the same corridor will offer another means of reaching Pearson.

Posted

There was significant federal contributions to UPX, committed by Prime Minister Chretien.

that was back when it was a P3 by SNC Lavalin. Did any money actually get paid out? You made the same assertion in the equivalent Urban Toronto thread in 2009 but I don't see any discussion of funding schedules in subsequent posts.
Posted

Someone detailed the breakdown in federal funding to the Georgetown corridor somewhere. It certainly wasn't as significant as the province, but I think the original 2003 promise was kept, though it wasn't necessarily specific to the Georgetown Corridor.

$385 million - http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/prog/csif-fcis-eng.html

Technically though, the federal money all went to the corridors, and not directly to the UPX project. I think the original assumption was that SNC Lavalin would have paid for that directly.

Posted

Only works if you fly to a handful of locations

Air Canada Express offers connections to its network through Montréal. Meanwhile, Porter has a codeshare agreement with JetBlue through its Boston hub. I have friends (who live downtown) who have gone used YTZ to go to Europe and Las Vegas without needing to go to Pearson. The UPX may be a factor when considering which airport to fly out of once it's up and running.

Posted

Air Canada Express offers connections to its network through Montréal. Meanwhile, Porter has a codeshare agreement with JetBlue through its Boston hub. I have friends (who live downtown) who have gone used YTZ to go to Europe and Las Vegas without needing to go to Pearson. The UPX may be a factor when considering which airport to fly out of once it's up and running.

Yeah, not for me. I avoid Pearson. Buffalo all the way.

Posted

Air Canada Express offers connections to its network through Montréal. Meanwhile, Porter has a codeshare agreement with JetBlue through its Boston hub. I have friends (who live downtown) who have gone used YTZ to go to Europe and Las Vegas without needing to go to Pearson. The UPX may be a factor when considering which airport to fly out of once it's up and running.

Yes but with transfers and all that time is money. Most will still rather travel direct most as possible. I have flown from YTZ, YYZ, and BUF many times. Even those YYZ is more expensive I prefer it due to time saved if I am flying outside of Canada and most of the USA.

  • 1 month later...
Posted

They were testing one of the UPX trains on the Lakeshore East line yesterday morning. I spotted one pair heading eastbound around Kennedy Rd at 10:20am.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

They were testing another UPX train on the Lakeshore East line today. I spotted it passing through Danforth station around 2:35pm heading westbound.

I saw the same set as my bus was coming onto the Gardiner from the DVP at around noon.

in other news, the signals are starting to come online along the new spur, the ones at Terminal 1 were on this morning, but all the other ones remained off and turned sideways

Posted

in other news, the signals are starting to come online along the new spur, the ones at Terminal 1 were on this morning, but all the other ones remained off and turned sideways

Really? I don't think so, as they were all turned and on last weekend.

Dan

  • 1 month later...
Posted

there are 1-2 sets usally parked at Pearson T1, one of them has an actual middle car, the other one has 3 cab cars stuck together. I'm heading there today for some buisness stuff, i'll take a peek if it's still there

All of the cars have one cab in them. There are two different car configurations - "A" cars which are numbered in the 1000s and have an aerodynamic car end, and the "C" cars which are numbered in the 3000s have have walkways at both ends and a very small cab at one end.

Dan

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

I would assume the 'cabs' in the C-cars are for depot moves only.

Are B-cars the unpowered non-(aerodynamic-)cab version?

It's a full-fledged cab with all of the same bells and whistles as the regular cab in the A-cars - but smaller.

I don't know if there are plans for a B-car - neither SMART nor Metrolinx has ordered any.

Dan

Posted

GO is tweaking the schedules for the Milton, Kitchener and Barrie lines which share some tracks with the UPX to coordinate with the new service. The trip changes take place May 7. Will the launch be soon afterward or will that simply mark the beginning of test service in actual conditions during the day?

Posted

Note: GOT 623 with flat idlers switching UPX 3005 and 3006 at West end of Willowbrook around 3pm Mon Apr 20


I didn't see the UPX 3xxx in the WiKi - how many are on order?

Posted

UPX 1008 3001 1009 at Union - appears to be readying for a test run - 06:30 Apr 22

I thought they were test running every 15 minutes already. Hmm, can't find the dates on that.

Though with the big announcement today with the Premier, presumably they are preparing a train for that.

Edit. It's official. Service starts on Saturday June 6.

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