GO Transit

[jordankcw]

6 hours ago, smallspy said:

And as well he should. He's trying to improve service to his constituents. Last I checked, that's supposed to be one of the primary jobs of any politician who hopes to stay in power.

Dan

I'm not saying he shouldn't do that, but if this is the only project that gets built under his tenure (which isn't even his and I'm not counting the TYSSE) then he's not doing a really good job of improving constituents, he's just doing what many of the previous mayors did which was a lot of consultation.

[Ed T.]

Note that Park Lawn/Lake Shore has a long history of being a transportation problem, not just on transit forums. The situation has long been discussed in local meetings and every idea that people in this forum can come up with has probably been mooted many times before.

There's an official study going on:

https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/get-involved/public-consultations/infrastructure-projects/parklawnlakeshore/

Just last night, it seems that Councillor Grimes' push for a TTC shuttle to Mimico GO became a go:

http://toronto.citynews.ca/2018/01/18/relief-for-transit-users/

 

18 hours ago, MiWay0310 said:

However, I've had a bit more time to think about it, and perhaps it might not be a terrible idea to replace Mimico with Park Lawn, and add a large parking garage? Yes, there's lots of walking pax, but let's not forget many people would still be driving. I think it'd have to be one or the other, but of course, I could be wrong, as other members know much more. 

I think there are operational considerations why Metrolinx doesn't want to give up the current Mimico location, possibly to do with it being just east of Willowbrook, but I'm not sure. Also there is a lot of development proposed in the area of the existing station, which would be left high and dry if the station was moved wholesale.

What is pretty certain is that no one will welcome a "large parking garage" at Park Lawn and Lake Shore, for a variety of reasons ranging from urban planning for the area to the fact that traffic is already horrible, why do we want to attract drivers from Mississauga to try to park at Park Lawn?

15 hours ago, smallspy said:

For the record, I'm not convinced that a station at right at Park Lawn is the best location. They could go a bit more east and improve the transit connections in a huge way with a station closer to Humber Loop. And it would certainly put the station further out than their arbitrary 1.5km limit.

There is a local group that is pushing for Humber loop to become a "mobility node" or something. In my opinion, it's a non-starter due to site constraints and access issues. Ideally we are trying to residents to walk to GO instead of driving. A location smack on Park Lawn, with additional access at the east end through the redeveloped Mr Christie lands, seems to fit that best.

14 hours ago, Streety McCarface said:

Seeing as shit hit the fan here, I'm wondering if they just shift the platform over 200 meters (12 car platforms are usually around 320-330 meters), couldn't they just do that?

Sure they could move it. What will that accomplish?

[smallspy]

1 hour ago, Ed T. said:

There is a local group that is pushing for Humber loop to become a "mobility node" or something. In my opinion, it's a non-starter due to site constraints and access issues. Ideally we are trying to residents to walk to GO instead of driving. A location smack on Park Lawn, with additional access at the east end through the redeveloped Mr Christie lands, seems to fit that best.

I don't understand your point here. We're not talking about a streetcar platform - GO stations are 1200 feet long. A station could be situated in such a way to allow for a short walk from the bulk of the buildings on Marine Parade and still be a short walk from a very healthy proportion of the Mr. Christie's land. (The distance from the streetcar underpass to the extreme east end of the Gardiner overpass is almost 1400 feet, for reference.)

 

But by situating the station at Humber you also allow for streetcar access/connections for those from further afield. By building the station at Park Lawn you can have the bus access, but that's much more north-south than the streetcars.

 

 

10 hours ago, jordankcw said:

I'm not saying he shouldn't do that, but if this is the only project that gets built under his tenure (which isn't even his and I'm not counting the TYSSE) then he's not doing a really good job of improving constituents, he's just doing what many of the previous mayors did which was a lot of consultation.

So because you think this may be the only thing he does during his term, he shouldn't do it at all? That's just a tad silly.

 

Dan

[Ed T.]

51 minutes ago, smallspy said:

I don't understand your point here. We're not talking about a streetcar platform - GO stations are 1200 feet long. A station could be situated in such a way to allow for a short walk from the bulk of the buildings on Marine Parade and still be a short walk from a very healthy proportion of the Mr. Christie's land. (The distance from the streetcar underpass to the extreme east end of the Gardiner overpass is almost 1400 feet, for reference.)

I know that it's been proposed to put a GO station somewhere east of Park Lawn many times over the years, and it has always been shot down. I think there are technical constraints (possibly because there's not enough room to relocate tracks to put in platforms, other than maybe side platforms on the outside tracks), but honestly I tune most of it out. I don't live around there, and if I'm lucky I travel through as quickly as possible. The amount of discussion that's gone on about GO stations in this area dwarfs any foaming thread seen here.

If you have bandwidth and time to waste, this is a local group's proposal to turn Humber loop into a transit hub, along with an LRT that runs along The Queensway to somewhere in Mississauga. I do consider this a looney-tunes proposal, both for LRT on The Queensway ("Lake Shore is too narrow! NIMBY NIMBY NIMBY!") and for the GO platforms which aren't even 90m long.

I do know I've poked around at Humber loop while waiting for the streetcar. It's not too promising as a GO station site. Track relocation will be a pain even at the west end of the likely zone, although you do have room to move south.

How much of a constraint the bridge over Mimico Creek might be I don't know, but it sure limits how far west the west end of the station can be.

Like I said, it's been discussed ad nauseum. I don't think anyone here will come up with the novel suggestion that makes it all work perfectly, and that no one has ever thought of before.

[Streety McCarface]

http://toronto.citynews.ca/2018/01/18/relief-for-transit-users/

 

[Chinese Daniel]

On 2017/12/21 at 7:28 AM, Cimon8000 said:

is this the demo that you saw?

I have a questions: Does Go transit ENVIRO 500 come with the tag axle steering? 

Because  the Demo bus form ALEXANDER DENNIS  and Coast Mountain Bus Company'S DEMO bus does.

[Doppelkupplung]

1 hour ago, Chinese Daniel said:

I have a questions: Does Go transit ENVIRO 500 come with the tag axle steering? 

That's actually a question I was mulling over asking to anyone who'd know here. Do they? I've never seen them active, only see MCIs with their active tags. Even the older E500s, I've never seen them. 

[Ed T.]

15 hours ago, Streety McCarface said:

http://toronto.citynews.ca/2018/01/18/relief-for-transit-users/

As I already pointed out.

Clearly TL;DR.

[jordankcw]

On 1/19/2018 at 9:14 AM, smallspy said:

So because you think this may be the only thing he does during his term, he shouldn't do it at all? That's just a tad silly.

 

Dan

No, I'm saying he should actually start transit projects instead of just constantly talking about starting transit projects.

[Doppelkupplung]

Oh spiffles:

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/01/23/metrolinx-targeted-by-north-korean-cyberattack.html

[Shaun]

I rode the train from Bramalea to union and noticed that they are adding another track to the line. Is there space under the 401 bridge for another track? The current Etobicoke north station platform will become an island? 

We when will the extra tracks for the Barrie line be complete to reduce train congestion at the bottom of the line? 

[drum118]

9 hours ago, Shaun said:

I rode the train from Bramalea to union and noticed that they are adding another track to the line. Is there space under the 401 bridge for another track? The current Etobicoke north station platform will become an island? 

We when will the extra tracks for the Barrie line be complete to reduce train congestion at the bottom of the line? 

You are late to the new track 1# being added to the KW line as it was always plan for when the corridor was built. As for the 401, its a new tunnel and been in the news and on the board with a contract to build it now. Need to Google for the 401 tunnel to get the full detail plan for it.

South of Bloor St, there will be 8 tracks to Bathurst St with 2 for the Barrie line, 2 for the Milton Line and 4 for the KW/UPX. The mast bridge have been in place since day one for 8 track with signals on them. Can see them at King & Queen clearly.

[Shaun]

How are they going to build another tunnel? Are they planning on building a tunnel beside the existing track? 

Or under the existing track? 

[Doppelkupplung]

Hooray!!

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/01/28/commuters-rejoice-the-new-gardiner-exit-ramp-is-open.html

Anti icing feature is pretty neat. 

[Transit geek]

44 minutes ago, MiWay0310 said:

Hooray!!

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/01/28/commuters-rejoice-the-new-gardiner-exit-ramp-is-open.html

Anti icing feature is pretty neat. 

And the best part that, just like the Canada Line in Vancouver, the project came in on time and on budget. When was the last time that was the case for a major construction project here in Toronto? Certainly not for this one:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/union-station-renovations-22-8m-over-budget-as-project-is-delayed-yet-again-1.4498646

[Transit geek]

And also, does anyone have media of those new digital signs that GO is installing at terminals? I got an ON THE GO email alert saying these signs were now in use at Scarborough Centre terminal.

[DavidH]

18 hours ago, Transit geek said:

And also, does anyone have media of those new digital signs that GO is installing at terminals? I got an ON THE GO email alert saying these signs were now in use at Scarborough Centre terminal.

I didn't think to take pictures when I passed through on Wednesday, but I can at least describe them.

It's two screens, white background, with the following listed: departure time, route number, minutes until (or "departed" for recent departures), a list of stops, and the platform number.  The text alternates between English and French, at what I'd guess is 30 second intervals.  I was surprised at how different they look from the train signs - perhaps this is a next generation.

Overall, I liked them.  I doubt they'll make much difference for regular riders with the Transit app on their phones, but for occasional riders they'll be a big help.  

[Doppelkupplung]

Anyone know what those ticking noises are from the new cab cars? Where I sit (by the doors facing forward), it’s really audible (comes from right behind the seats) and I assume has something to do with the release and application of the brakes. Multiple ticks usually heard when leaving or approaching a station accompanied by the faint sound of airflow.  What makes that noise?

Curious because if my memory serves correctly, I don’t recall hearing these sounds on the 200s. Any takers? 

[newflyerinvero]

Last Thursday and now this afternoon, Go Trains on the midday Aurora/Union service were operating to as far north as Maple GO with GO Buses taking people to King City and Aurora with those other bus connections to/from Barrie. This is all due to freight train traffic.

Now, I'm not as knowledgeable in freight train lines, but how would a freight train find itself on the Barrie Line? This much I know is that the line is CN. Newmarket Subdivision, correct? I'm unsure where those freight trains would find themselves on the line from?

[Doppelkupplung]

This is a good read. Page 31 has me dead:

http://www.gotransit.com/EtiquetteFail/Etiquette_Book.pdf

[Articulated]

3 hours ago, newflyerinvero said:

Last Thursday and now this afternoon, Go Trains on the midday Aurora/Union service were operating to as far north as Maple GO with GO Buses taking people to King City and Aurora with those other bus connections to/from Barrie. This is all due to freight train traffic.

 

Now, I'm not as knowledgeable in freight train lines, but how would a freight train find itself on the Barrie Line? This much I know is that the line is CN. Newmarket Subdivision, correct? I'm unsure where those freight trains would find themselves on the line from?

A freight train would find itself on the Newmarket Sub by travelling along the tracks from another subdivision or yard and taking a switch that leads it onto the Newmarket Sub. Same way that a passenger train would.

There are still a few industries and companies along the Newmarket Sub that are served by freight trains. I photographed a CN freight train north of Rutherford GO just two weeks ago. Since the Newmarket Sub is only a single track, any time a freight train needs to do drop off/pick up some cars or do some switching, they need to stop passenger traffic on the line. And since train service now runs 7 days a week from 5:18am until 11:49pm, it isn't possible to move all the freight traffic to the 5.5 hours a day that trains are not running.

[Shaun]

A lot of this track is now double tracked. Are there industries served by freight in that area? 

[smallspy]

13 hours ago, Articulated said:

There are still a few industries and companies along the Newmarket Sub that are served by freight trains. I photographed a CN freight train north of Rutherford GO just two weeks ago. Since the Newmarket Sub is only a single track, any time a freight train needs to do drop off/pick up some cars or do some switching, they need to stop passenger traffic on the line. And since train service now runs 7 days a week from 5:18am until 11:49pm, it isn't possible to move all the freight traffic to the 5.5 hours a day that trains are not running.

Indeed, this is now what the situation is. There is a scheduled job on Mondays and Thursdays that leaves MacMillian Yard around 10 am and switches the industries along the Newmarket Sub, sometimes going as far north as Bradford. CN doesn't have their change of card until April, so it's likely that this will continue to impact the mid-day GO service until then.

 

Dan

[Shaun]

Go didn't know that a CN local is scheduled on the same line at the same time? 

I guess it would only impact trains north of Aurora GO? 

 

[Articulated]

46 minutes ago, Shaun said:

Go didn't know that a CN local is scheduled on the same line at the same time? 

I guess it would only impact trains north of Aurora GO? 

 

Reverse - I think it's more that CN may not have had enough notice to change its crew schedules to not affect GO's midday service. @smallspy likely has more details than I do on this.

Because there are no GO trains north of Aurora during the midday, any deliveries north of Aurora do not impact GO's service - the freight train can easily fit in between GO trains, as the scheduled pass point between GO is south of Rutherford (and there is another passing siding between Maple GO and Kirby Rd). The real issue is when CN needs to do deliveries to customers on the section of track south of Aurora GO (and yes, there are rail-served industries on that section). The freight train will need to occupy the single track, preventing any GO trains from passing. And no, it's not possible for the freight train to either 1) quickly pull into the siding for the GO train to pass, or 2) go up, drop its cars and return to the passing track in between the train frequencies.