GO Transit

[Doppelkupplung]

2 hours ago, smallspy said:

All of the time.

 

Well, obviously less now that they aren't running as many trains. But they still do go out.

 

Dan

I haven't been around the tracks much; are they still running them in pairs or are they now on their own?

[Ed T.]

15 minutes ago, GO Transit Fan said:

This is my thoughts not facts!

Well, I prefer facts....

[nfitz]

On 7/25/2020 at 1:13 PM, GO Transit Fan said:

Anybody want to talk about the abandoned proposal for GO ALRT (Government of Ontario Advanced Light Rail Transit)?

Again? Why again?

Conservatives cancelled this under Premier Miller over 35 years ago ...

1 hour ago, GO Transit Fan said:

Sorry, but the facts have nothing to do with the 21st century.

How was the last millenium the 21st century?

[Bus_Medic]

1 hour ago, GO Transit Fan said:

Sorry, but the facts have nothing to do with the 21st century.

Neither do your irrelevant ramblings.

[G.A]

Seems Metrolinx are starting to cause issues with the residence of Guelph (that won't go well). Also note that Transport Canada closed the Dublin St crossing. Metrolinx wants to close all crossings at Glasgow St, Yorkshire St and Alma St. This would leave only Gordon Street as a north-south into downtown. They are also proposing to cut down trees as well in a park. Metrolinx is not very well liked in Guelph by many who live there so there will be many issues coming soon.

https://www.guelphtoday.com/letters-to-the-editor/letter-metrolinx-plans-a-threat-to-guelph-neighbourhoods-2607360?fbclid=IwAR3FqOoX-a_ZZYTgeMt41dRRaqIjuslNDasuERKmSAEmp1wfjenD_9ySWxo

https://www.metrolinxengage.com/en/content/guelph-wellington-proposed-infrastructure?fbclid=IwAR2TKZSZr5xUi2tZ9EcMvSkPi8YMvk_mP5t4Wez6Zj5bdrGLC8wCU3wQ2fg

[MCIBUS]

Former Queen Elisabeth GO Terminal?

 

Question?

 

The last time I was in Toronto(and it's been sometime)the former QE Go Terminal next to the Main Coach Terminal Greyhound and other providers where using one side as drop off and If not mistaken the other side was parking for cars(not sure why no buses parked there).

 

Is that part of the "Inter-city Terminal" still being used as a drop off and the other side for car parking or do they allow buses to park there? Or that part of the Terminal still there?

 

I wish it was still a Go Terminal it was some much easier crossing the street especially if you where getting off a Voyageur/Greyhound coach coming from Ottawa going to Hamilton? Now you have to go to Union Station(or least the last time I checked it was?

 

Thats the one ting I hated about Toronto's Inter-City bus terminal you had to wait outside to catch your coach(Yes there a waiting area inside)but if you waited inside til your coach was scheduled to leave you'd end up at the end of the line.

 

As well by waiting outside in the line up you got on near the front of the line, although you'd be breathing in all the diesel fumes from the buses. I'm not sure how cold TO gets in the winterbut here in Ottawa in can get quite cold. I'm sure glad our Central Station is designed so you wait inside, then step out the door right into your coach.

[Gil]

7 minutes ago, MCIBUS said:

Former Queen Elisabeth GO Terminal?

 

Question?

 

The last time I was in Toronto(and it's been sometime)the former QE Go Terminal next to the Main Coach Terminal Greyhound and other providers where using on side as drop off and If not mistaken the other side was parking for cars(not sure why no buses parked there).

 

Is that part of the "Inter-city Terminal" still being used as a drop off and the other side for car parking or do they allow buses to park there? Or that part of the Terminal still there?

 

I wish it was still a Go Terminal it was some much easier crossing the street especially if you where getting off a Voyageur/Greyhound coach coming from Ottawa going to Hamilton? Now you have to go to Union Station(or least the last time I checked it was?

 

Thats the one ting I hated about Toronto's Inter-City bus terminal you had to wait outside to catch your coach(Yes there a waiting area inside)but if you waited inside til your coach was scheduled to leave you'd end up at the end of the line.

 

As well by waiting outside in the line up you got on near the front of the line, although you'd be breathing in all the diesel fumes from the buses. I'm not sure how cold TO gets in the winterbut here in Ottawa in can get quite cold. I'm sure glad our Central Station is designed so you wait inside, then step out the door right into your coach.

The goal by the end of the year is to consolidate both the Toronto Coach Terminal and GO's Union Station Bus Terminal at a new 2-level facility in CIBC Square at Bay and Lake Shore across from the Scotiabank Arena.  I think the plan is to have GO using one level and all the other carriers using the other.  Switching would then just be a matter of going up or down one level.  There will be a waiting area indoors.  There will also be PATH connections into Union Station for transfers to VIA, GO and UP Express trains as well as the TTC subway.

[Articulated]

1 hour ago, MCIBUS said:

Former Queen Elisabeth GO Terminal?

 

Question?

 

The last time I was in Toronto(and it's been sometime)the former QE Go Terminal next to the Main Coach Terminal Greyhound and other providers where using one side as drop off and If not mistaken the other side was parking for cars(not sure why no buses parked there).

 

Is that part of the "Inter-city Terminal" still being used as a drop off and the other side for car parking or do they allow buses to park there? Or that part of the Terminal still there?

 

I wish it was still a Go Terminal it was some much easier crossing the street especially if you where getting off a Voyageur/Greyhound coach coming from Ottawa going to Hamilton? Now you have to go to Union Station(or least the last time I checked it was?

 

Thats the one ting I hated about Toronto's Inter-City bus terminal you had to wait outside to catch your coach(Yes there a waiting area inside)but if you waited inside til your coach was scheduled to leave you'd end up at the end of the line.

 

As well by waiting outside in the line up you got on near the front of the line, although you'd be breathing in all the diesel fumes from the buses. I'm not sure how cold TO gets in the winterbut here in Ottawa in can get quite cold. I'm sure glad our Central Station is designed so you wait inside, then step out the door right into your coach.

First off, it was referred to as the "Elizabeth Street Terminal" because it was named after Elizabeth Street, which it was located on, not after the (still-current) Queen.

Although I have not been downtown since the start of the pandemic, the Elizabeth Street Terminal should still be used for arriving intercity buses. The southernmost lane (closest to the closed indoor waiting area) is always kept clear for arriving buses, while buses on long-term layover or standby can park in the other two lanes inside the building. No public car parking should be allowed inside the terminal building, although there is a Green P public parking lot to the south of the terminal building.

GO buses use Union Station Bus Terminal for a variety of reasons. There is much more transfer traffic between the GO trains and buses than there is from the intercity buses. Its also simpler from a marketing/communications standpoint to have one central location for all of your services, rather than spread out. Especially important when all of the locations served by buses are also served by trains at some point in the day. USBT is also closer to the Gardiner, meaning buses don't spend their time winding through congested downtown streets.

Yes, the current terminal sucks. It's old and outdated, and the services using it have outgrown it. It was not designed for 45 foot coaches, as well as the frequency of buses currently using it (at least pre-Greyhound shutdown). A replacement terminal has been discussed for decades now, but various reasons (political and otherwise) have delayed its construction until now. While I'll miss the current terminal, if only because of the amount of time I've spent fanning there, a replacement is much needed and long overdue.

[John Oke]

With the low demand GO is taking advantage of it and putting in Tactile Yellow Tiles and Digital Signs on the platforms at some stations including Whitby, Oshawa and Scarborough. As well as putting digital signage in bus loops.

[John Oke]

On 8/3/2020 at 11:44 PM, John Oke said:

With the low demand GO is taking advantage of it and putting in Tactile Yellow Tiles and Digital Signs on the platforms at some stations including Whitby, Oshawa and Scarborough. As well as putting digital signage in bus loops.

Here’s the platform at Whitby this morning 

[FutureHeartsJunkie]

On 8/3/2020 at 11:44 PM, John Oke said:

With the low demand GO is taking advantage of it and putting in Tactile Yellow Tiles and Digital Signs on the platforms at some stations including Whitby, Oshawa and Scarborough. As well as putting digital signage in bus loops.

I'm hoping that they are taking the time on deploying Wi-Fi on their buses and trains too! Worse case scenario, it might be delayed until next year....;(

[Doppelkupplung]

Stumbled on these on my ride this morning. 

I wanted to say these were the electrics but looking at the drive axle it doesn't seem that way. 

What's the reason behind those non-vented engine covers? Prevention of grit and spray etc. flying back in from the draft? I've seen a fair number of 83 and 84s that have received a solid black cover that's been drilled in. 

[sdgta2008]

Are the 8100 and 8200 series still off the road?

[G.A]

6 minutes ago, sdgta2008 said:

Are the 8100 and 8200 series still off the road?

Yes they are.

[8006]

Today some mechanics at a maintenance company welcomed me to look at some buses and I spotted some new GO buses with no logos, fleet numbers or bike racks. The fleet number was written on a piece of paper stuck to windshield of the bus. I spotted 8541 in action.

 

 

[Articulated]

GO Transit has announced service changes taking effect next month (largely starting on Saturday September 5th or Tuesday September 8th).

Rail changes:

• Lakeshore East/West increasing to 15-30 minute service during rush hours; off-peak service will remain hourly.
  • West Harbour GO will reopen, with 2 trains daily per direction.
• The branch lines will see additional trains added during rush hour, but all will remain at 6-car lengths for now.
• Off-peak service on the Barrie, Kitchener, and Stouffville lines will mostly return with hourly service. Some changes to the pre-pandemic schedules will occur. Weekend service on the Barrie line will resume on September 12th.
• In a bit of a blast from the past, all train lines will be assigned their own platforms at Union Station again:
  • Platform 3: Richmond Hill
  • Platform 4: Milton
  • Platforms 5/6: Lakeshore West
  • Platforms 7/8: Kitchener
  • Platforms 9/10: Barrie
  • Platform 24: Stouffville
  • Platforms 25/26: Lakeshore East

Bus changes:

• Various schedule changes to reflect changed/increased/restored train service.
• The downtown Oshawa Terminal will be closed, with routes 52 and 92 extended to Oshawa GO instead.
• Route 30 will now serve Meadowvale Business Park in both directions.
• Route 34 reduced to every 2 hours on weekends.
• Route 40 resumes 30 minute service during rush hours.
• All route 45 trips will extend east to Richmond Hill Centre and Unionville GO as route 45B. Buses on this route are noted to return to using Hwy 407.
• Route 61 reduced to every 2 hours outside of the shoulder peaks, and the "express trips" will be cut (all trips making all stops).
• Route 91 will be replaced by new route 88A, operating on a similar schedule with 3 trips per direction.
• A new route 94 will be introduced, operating between Pickering GO and Square One via Scarborough Centre, Yorkdale, and Keele/401.
• Route 96 will see reduced service, with the elimination of "express" trips (all trips making all stops) and off-peak service reduced to every 2 hours.

[Doppelkupplung]

6 minutes ago, Articulated said:

A new route 94 will be introduced, operating between Pickering GO and Square One via Scarborough Centre, Yorkdale, and Keele/401.

Wow, this is very interesting. That's quite the route. Any more info on this? I suppose it would use the Mississauga T'way on the west end. 

[Articulated]

1 minute ago, Doppelkupplung said:

Wow, this is very interesting. That's quite the route. Any more info on this? I suppose it would use the Mississauga T'way on the west end. 

https://www.gotransit.com/static_files/gotransit/assets/pdf/TripPlanning/FullSchedules/FS05092020/Table94.pdf

I do not believe it uses the Mississauga Transitway, as neither Renforth nor Dixie Transitway are listed as stops. Which I prefer, as I have found the Transitway to be a much slower trip anytime I've needed to use the 19 or 40. The 40 has actually lost nearly all of its time savings over the all-stops 47 thanks to the addition of the Transitway routing and Burlington Carpool stop.

[Doppelkupplung]

56 minutes ago, Articulated said:

https://www.gotransit.com/static_files/gotransit/assets/pdf/TripPlanning/FullSchedules/FS05092020/Table94.pdf

I do not believe it uses the Mississauga Transitway, as neither Renforth nor Dixie Transitway are listed as stops. Which I prefer, as I have found the Transitway to be a much slower trip anytime I've needed to use the 19 or 40. The 40 has actually lost nearly all of its time savings over the all-stops 47 thanks to the addition of the Transitway routing and Burlington Carpool stop.

Totally agreed, the Transitway makes the 19 and 40 much slower. Especially now that the Carlingview ramp is closed. 

[nfitz]

27 minutes ago, Doppelkupplung said:

Totally agreed, the Transitway makes the 19 and 40 much slower. Especially now that the Carlingview ramp is closed. 

When there's no traffic perhaps. But that's not my experience trying to commute to Mississauga, in pre-Covid days.

[Doppelkupplung]

2 hours ago, nfitz said:

When there's no traffic perhaps. But that's not my experience trying to commute to Mississauga, in pre-Covid days.

Having taken it almost every day pre COVID, I disagree. To Mississauga 401/403 is way quicker because the rush hour traffic ends at 401 WB @ 427. By the time you get to Renforth/T'Way a 401 bus would be on or close to the 403 SB. They have the HOV lane coming into Hurontario, so really, traffic only affects you when you're cutting across 4 lanes trying to get to the off ramp. "Much slower" or "way quicker" may be an exaggeration on my part but I have seen the difference save me 5-10 mins. 

[smallspy]

17 hours ago, Articulated said:

GO Transit has announced service changes taking effect next month (largely starting on Saturday September 5th or Tuesday September 8th).

Rail changes:

• Lakeshore East/West increasing to 15-30 minute service during rush hours; off-peak service will remain hourly.

Weekday mid-day service will revert to being half-hourly, with hourly service during the other off-peak periods.

 

More interesting is a major rejigging of the Lakeshore schedules away from the traditional :13/:43 times at Union that had been in place since the launch of GO service in May 1967.

 

Dan

[nfitz]

13 minutes ago, smallspy said:

More interesting is a major rejigging of the Lakeshore schedules away from the traditional :13/:43 times at Union that had been in place since the launch of GO service in May 1967.

What? Wait ... I'm going to have to think about the schedule?  That one mid-afternoon exception where the train always went 10-minutes early was bad enough ... 

 

[Gil]

On 8/17/2020 at 4:50 PM, Articulated said:

https://www.gotransit.com/static_files/gotransit/assets/pdf/TripPlanning/FullSchedules/FS05092020/Table94.pdf

I do not believe it uses the Mississauga Transitway, as neither Renforth nor Dixie Transitway are listed as stops. Which I prefer, as I have found the Transitway to be a much slower trip anytime I've needed to use the 19 or 40. The 40 has actually lost nearly all of its time savings over the all-stops 47 thanks to the addition of the Transitway routing and Burlington Carpool stop.

I'm guessing they were getting enough pushback from passengers wanting a cross-401 route without having to transfer at either Finch or Yorkdale?  I don't know what the schedule for the various routes were like before the pandemic, but reductions in service since would likely have made connections difficult.  If post-secondary classes ever return to normal, I could see this as a benefit to both Sheridan and Centennial College students.

[Articulated]

14 hours ago, smallspy said:

Weekday mid-day service will revert to being half-hourly, with hourly service during the other off-peak periods.

More interesting is a major rejigging of the Lakeshore schedules away from the traditional :13/:43 times at Union that had been in place since the launch of GO service in May 1967.

Dan

Thanks for the corrections and additional notes Dan. I was distracted by both GO and YRT releasing their September service changes on the same day, and neglected to check the schedules, instead relying solely on the description of the changes on GO's website.

The move to break the :13/:43 departures for Lakeshore trains is a bit overdue and welcome. With extra stops and higher ridership causing longer station dwell times, recovery and turnaround times at the ends of the line had shrunk to the bare limit. The 10 minute offset schedule after AM rush was a result of that, westbound trains couldn't make the scheduled departure, causing a cascading effect until they could be "reset" to match the schedule. Now with the new schedule giving 20 minutes at each end, the schedules are consistently timed throughout the day, and operators have enough recovery time to turn the train around and have a necessary break.

4 hours ago, Gil said:

I'm guessing they were getting enough pushback from passengers wanting a cross-401 route without having to transfer at either Finch or Yorkdale?  I don't know what the schedule for the various routes were like before the pandemic, but reductions in service since would likely have made connections difficult.  If post-secondary classes ever return to normal, I could see this as a benefit to both Sheridan and Centennial College students.

This new 94 along with the 45B extension east to Unionville is making me think GO is almost moving away from a hub-and-spoke system to a more direct point-to-point system, similar to how airlines have moved over the past decade or so. So there will be more routes to more places, but service will be less frequent. Some overlapping routes (such as 19 and 94 both going between Square One and Yorkdale, and 19, 27, 34 from Yorkdale to Finch) may offset possibly permanently decreased service.

Btw, Centennial College students do not benefit much, as the 94 does not stop at the college; currently they can take 45/46/47 to Hwy 407 and transfer to 51/51C; now, they can take 94 but need to transfer to TTC. Not sure if it's faster but still a transfer required. Also, not sure how many students from Mississauga attend Centennial; there's many colleges that are closer to there.