News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 02, 2020
A Message to Our Readers
 10K     0 
News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 01, 2020
EarthCam Time-Lapse Documents Rafael Viñoly-Designed New Stanford Hospital Construction
 42K     0 
News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 01, 2020
Resort Town
 6K     0 

Northern Light said:
GO 2.O, in theory is even more ambitious..........but ....a very long way from achieving its not yet publicly stated objectives. I believe it was @Willybru21 that first gave clear hints of what is now envisioned, some time back. While some of the details have changed since......his posts are probably the closest thing in the public domain
Click to expand...
At the end of the day nothing is ever official until it’s announced, which goes for GO Expansion service too; every public service plan is extremely outdated. GO Expansion service levels could be much more ambitious than what was promised back in 2018, or it could be what everyone expects.
 
Willybru21 said:
At the end of the day nothing is ever official until it’s announced, which goes for GO Expansion service too; every public service plan is extremely outdated. GO Expansion service levels could be much more ambitious than what was promised back in 2018, or it could be what everyone expects.
Click to expand...

While I've always said nothing is every official til after its already implemented.........

I do think we need to be clear that the models Mx and Ontario are working with for GO's medium term future are now very ambitious.

Whether the current government has the ability to deliver that ......given how Crosstown, among other projects have gone.......is a different matter.
 
Northern Light said:
I do think we need to be clear that the models Mx and Ontario are working with for GO's medium term future are now very ambitious.
Click to expand...
Metrolinx has definitely decided to play the safe game recently, and stick to the “as frequent as every 15 minutes on the core network” tagline.

The main GO Expansion banner has gone through a few revisions over the years that’s shown how they’ve changed the way they wanted to communicate the project to the public:

IMG_5707.jpeg
IMG_5708.jpeg
IMG_5709.jpeg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
6ixGod said:
I’ve always been of the opinion that the train to Niagara Falls is shortsighted….

Ideally (and if logistically possible), I’d cross the border into Niagara Falls, NY and down all the way to Buffalo Exchange Street Station. The likelihood of this happening is slim to none, but it would be a convenient link to have and would justify year round service.

The summer months would be filled with tourists to Niagara Falls, while the winter months could be used for people wanting to access Buffalo Airport for cheaper flights to Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean. Up until the COVID pandemic I think around 47% of all passengers using Buffalo Niagara Int’l Airport were from Canada (ie. Southern Ontario). That and transporting the horde of Leafs fans for the twice annual invasion and Bills fans from southern Ontario.

EDIT: This is assuming NFTA builds their airport extension.

I mean it’s a no brainer….with Trump now in office and the border being put into question, I realize this is practically impossible.

But I recall in 2019 the Niagara Falls, NY mayor even publicly stating he’d like GO to expand into NF, NY.
www.wkbw.com

Travel from Niagara Falls, N.Y. to Toronto in 90 minutes

Niagara Falls, N.Y. is trying to bring Canada's Go Train across the border to offer service from the falls to the largest city in Canada.
www.wkbw.com www.wkbw.com
Click to expand...
One of the main reasons a GO Train will never have a route crossing a national (or even provincial border) is that it would then become a federally regulated railway. That opens up a litany of bureaucratic issues. If Ontario ever wanted to run a service to Buffalo, it would be easier to incorporate a new Crown Corp to do it.
 
The number of commuters from Stoney Creek, Grimsby, St. Catherines, and Niagara to the large employment areas in Hamilton and Burlington could likely support a fairly frequent train service (30-minute peak, hourly off-peak) starting in St. Catherines.This report indicates there were about 10,500 commuters into Hamilton from the communities along the QEW corridor in 2016. Based on what I've seen, I expect that number has increased substantially over the last 10 years. Reducing travel times on the line to be car-competitive from St. Catherines to Downtown Hamilton and increasing frequencies so that people don't feel that missing 1 train would severely impact their commute could probably grab 10-15% of commuters, which should make the service viable if run with shorter trainsets.

I'd agree that the primary service should start and stop short of the canal, with only a few trains crossing it, and bus service to meet the other trains. I'd also want to see GO slowly grow the station count with stations in the following general areas:
  • Merriton (as suggested above as strong candidate for a terminus station)
  • Beamsville
  • Grimsby (Should be a quicker one to implement)
  • Winona (Fifty Road)
  • Crown Point (Ottawa St. in East Hamilton)
This is probably getting into the fantasy realm, but the QEW will continue to get busier, and widening is not a great option through this stretch.
 
tsm1072 said:
The number of commuters from Stoney Creek, Grimsby, St. Catherines, and Niagara to the large employment areas in Hamilton and Burlington could likely support a fairly frequent train service (30-minute peak, hourly off-peak) starting in St. Catherines.This report indicates there were about 10,500 commuters into Hamilton from the communities along the QEW corridor in 2016. Based on what I've seen, I expect that number has increased substantially over the last 10 years. Reducing travel times on the line to be car-competitive from St. Catherines to Downtown Hamilton and increasing frequencies so that people don't feel that missing 1 train would severely impact their commute could probably grab 10-15% of commuters, which should make the service viable if run with shorter trainsets.

I'd agree that the primary service should start and stop short of the canal, with only a few trains crossing it, and bus service to meet the other trains. I'd also want to see GO slowly grow the station count with stations in the following general areas:
  • Merriton (as suggested above as strong candidate for a terminus station)
  • Beamsville
  • Grimsby (Should be a quicker one to implement)
  • Winona (Fifty Road)
  • Crown Point (Ottawa St. in East Hamilton)
This is probably getting into the fantasy realm, but the QEW will continue to get busier, and widening is not a great option through this stretch.
Click to expand...
The QEW is actually already fully built to easily accomodate a widening to 8 lanes from St Catharines to Hamilton. I believe only a single structure even needs to be widened - a river overpass just west of St. Catharines. Otherwise the highway is fully built for 8 lanes.

I'm almost surprised MTO hasn't widened it to be honest, it would be one of the cheapest road widenings on the provincial road network as so much work has already been done.

That said - GO isn't a terrible idea, but most employment in Hamilton and Burlington is quite dispersed and not easily walkable from GO. Not to say you couldn't divert any riders though.
 
denfromoakvillemilton said:
What projects do you want to see be completed for 2025?

Besides OnExpress.
Click to expand...

1) Complete Ontario Line trackshift and restore 3rd track on LSE
2) Complete design and procurement for Birchmount overpass - LSE
3) Complete West Highland Creek bridge - Lincolnville line
4) Complete Randolph entrance to Bloor GO - Kitchener line
5) Install Separate track for Barrie line Strachan - Parkdale
6) Fourth track Strachan - Humberview - Kitchener line
7) Complete design and procurement - CN Halton Sub expansion
8) Complete design, procurement, and installation Guelph second track and Hanlon junction - Kitchener line
9) Complete Acton siding - Kitchener line
10) Establish project team - Milton 2WAD
11) Procurement - Woodbine station
12) Complete tie-in - West Harbour turnouts
13) Acquire and complete Niagara Falls siding/layover track and CTC - Niagara Falls spur
14) Extend second track Concord - Maple - Teston - Barrie line
15) Complete Maple station
16) Complete second track Aurora station
17) Complete sound fencing and grading for second track Snider South - Parkdale - Barrie line
18) Complete Sheppard bridge for second track - Barrie line

Am I asking too much?

- Paul

PS
19) Complete design 4th track platform - Danforth - LSE
20) Complete Centennial station and extension - LSW
21) Complete procurement - Caledonia station - Barrie line
22) Negotiate project agreement to restore second track - CN Grimsby Sub
 
Last edited:
rdaner said:
^Grimsby GO! This would give Hamilton a GO rail network.
Click to expand...
I’m selfishly hoping track speeds through the industrial sector won’t be glacially slow- as a North-ender, it’ll give me a very fancy subway to the East end Walmart!

It’s too bad that West Harbour and Confederation are so far from the General, a ton of nurses and doctors commute from Grimsby and I doubt many professionals would bother with a two seat ride along Barton vs just getting parking. As a Hamiltonian, I’ve always thought that the Barton St bus is a great example of how we prioritize transit investments based on class/income. It’s a very intense bus corridor that moves a ton of people, but the people that take that bus tend to be working poor or marginalized, yet the B line and A line get all the attention! If the bus wasn’t so cracked out and if it moved through the city faster, more professionals would bother to use it. There’s even a local music video about how awful riding that bus is:
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top