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kEiThZ said:
Question. Is there any way place to find projected completion dates for all these projects? Metrolinx's website isn't great on this.

It's especially lacking in information on GO Expansion. No idea what will be delivered by when.
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I don't know those dates but I will give you two pieces of information:

1. Metrolinx won't even tell us what service will run a month from now. They are upset that someone leaked the description of the April 2024 service changes.

From the Toronto Star article:
In its largest service expansion since 2013, GO Transit will be introducing 308 new weekly rail trips on April 28, according to an update from Metrolinx that was mistakenly published early.
While the original post from Metrolinx has since been taken down, it has been re-shared on Reddit. A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to the Star that the update is correct and was published early by mistake.
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2. The letter on the previous page which was a response from the Metrolinx CEO to a direct request from the Government of Canada for their Kitchener Line plans also avoided actually saying what their plans are.
 
crs1026 said:
The transcript from that day's appearance will interest UT'ers for a variety of reasons. Well worth a read. I am resolving to keep a closer eye on that committee's activities.

- Paul
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I have to say, I found the transcript..........perhaps not appalling, but troubling.

The short amount of time allocated to speakers and questioners would, at best, seriously limit the utility of such proceedings.

But worse than that, the questions betrayed some ill-informed members of committee; some pablum and a degree of evasive bafflegab from responding invitees.

I would describe the entire thing as a waste of time.

The players can submit prepared statements in writing, and politicians can pontificate ad nauseum.

Proceedings such as these, paid for by government ought to have a higher purpose, one to lend insight to the general public and the government in making wise policy choices. If anyone learned much of anything from what was said in those transcripts it suggests a level of ignorance making them unsuitable to have attended at all.
 
The most cringeworthy theme to me was the clear consensus that timelines don't matter and that it's in poor taste to press for them.

I did take some heart that the question of passenger priority over freight was at least being asked about.

Verster's statement was pointless, and CN's even a bit more of a talk down to the parliamentarians.

It was interesting to hear CN complain that they are doing all the heavy lifting and CP gets off easy. Perhaps every second Canadian should take the CP route as a matter of fairness /s

- Paul
 
As a PS to my earlier post about the status of work on the Kitchener line - I forgot to mention that the signals on the new fourth track between Nickle and Humberview have not been cut in. Without that signalling, the fourth platform at Weston is not usable and any trains routed on that track would belimited to, restricted speed (15 mph) throughout. Also the passing constraints through Etobicoke North will remain.

If ML intends to ramp up service in April as leaked info suggests, they may have a new dispatching plan that utilises only the three existing tracks - but the operation would likely run much smoother if that bit of fourth track were available. Maybe there is some last-minute commissioning happening before the end of April.

- Paul
 
crs1026 said:
As a PS to my earlier post about the status of work on the Kitchener line - I forgot to mention that the signals on the new fourth track between Nickle and Humberview have not been cut in. Without that signalling, the fourth platform at Weston is not usable and any trains routed on that track would belimited to, restricted speed (15 mph) throughout. Also the passing constraints through Etobicoke North will remain.

If ML intends to ramp up service in April as leaked info suggests, they may have a new dispatching plan that utilises only the three existing tracks - but the operation would likely run much smoother if that bit of fourth track were available. Maybe there is some last-minute commissioning happening before the end of April.
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It wouldn't be the first time that Metrolinx left track commissioning to the last minute. The double-track segment between Downsview Park and Rutherford stations was commissioned on the 17th of December 2017 and was required to run the new 60-minute two-way service that started on the 30th of December 2017.

On the Weston sub there should be plenty of capacity available to run up to 4 local trains per hour on the same tracks as the 4 UP Express trains per hour, switching onto the third track to serve Etobicoke North alternately. (Or maybe serve Etobicoke North only eastbound in the AM and only westbound in the PM).
 
I may be the last to notice, but on a recent trip on the GO I discovered to my surprise and pleasure that the Bloor bridge on the Weston Sub retains both its original 1925 builder's plate and also the concrete time stamp in the abutment. With all the work to refurbish this underpass, it would have been tempting to remove those artifacts - happily, with the bridge now good for another few decades, they will remain.
My hat is off to ML for this small but meaningful bit of heritage.

- Paul

20240314 Bloor Bridge c.jpg
20240314 Bloor Bridge.jpg
 
Quick ask - does anyone know of a (readable) map which shows all U/C or completed projects as part of RER works? (ie. station revamps, extensions, grade separations, double tracks, etc.)

If not, is there some kind of database that exists for that kind of thing?

Thanks in advance.
 
Bojaxs said:
What's being done on LSW this weekend? Will riders notice and difference on Monday?
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Lots and lots of work. Saw major track work east of Park Lawn, there is a track re-alignment at Exhibition GO, and track re-alignment at Long Branch GO (plus more work projects). Metrolinx is truly making the best of the shut down. Here’s the Long Branch work from tonight:

IMG_7180.jpeg

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