[ProjectEnd]

yup i was on the northbound train that departed kennedy at 540. was surprised to see that finally during the weekday theres simultaneous trains.

So is the bridge in place? Or does the track start to duplicate just north of where that bridge will eventually sit?

 

[crs1026]

So is the bridge in place? Or does the track start to duplicate just north of where that bridge will eventually sit?

The in-service double track runs from Oakworth (just north of the platform at Kennedy) to Highland (just south of where the bridge is supposed to be).
There is double track installed from the north end of the missing bridge (south of Agincourt) to Underwood (north of Milliken)… but without the bridge, it’s not useable.

- Paul

 

[cplchanb]

The in-service double track runs from Oakworth (just north of the platform at Kennedy) to Highland (just south of where the bridge is supposed to be).
There is double track installed from the north end of the missing bridge (south of Agincourt) to Underwood (north of Milliken)… but without the bridge, it’s not useable.

- Paul

i cannot understand why its so difficult to do a simple bridge over a ravine. what is so hard that they had to stop all work for a decade? or is it once again CN/CP being the asshole here?

 

[reaperexpress]

Lack of parking for the station been an issues a few months after service started on the line and more so today with better service now. I guess Guelph will have to improve transit service before the 2 way al day service start with more service 7 days a week.

Guelph Central Station is in downtown Guelph. It's good that there's no parking - we don't want to encourage people to drive downtown just to park their cars there.

Local transit doesn't need frequent service to be a competitive option to access all-day train service, since the trains will only run once per hour anyway. And based on the track configuration, my guess is that the trains in both directions will meet in Guelph, so a single bus per hour can connect to both directions of the GO train.

What's more important is good coverage from the station, and they already have that. The bus terminal has 20 bus bays, which makes it possible for up to 20 buses to be timed to meet each GO train.

The route network already provides excellent coverage across the city directly from the train station:
https://guelph.ca/wp-content/uploads/GuelphTransit_SystemMap.pdf

And Guelph Transit is free for GO Transit customers:
https://guelph.ca/living/getting-ar...ph-transit-and-go-transit-fare-integration-2/

To further improve coverage from the station, particulary for people outside Guelph, GO could run a route to Elora and Fergus (currently there's just one bus per day). Guelph Transit could also set up park-and-ride lots along the main Route 99 bus corridor, potentially including express service.

 

[urbancog]

Can't speak to Acton, but Guelph seems to be grinding along at a snail's pace. The east signal (Conti) is done and plugged in, the bridges and retaining wall rehab west of Guelph Central are done, the extra ballast is there, and (as previously posted) some track segments are stockpiled. Just waiting for design drawings and contracts. This is where better transparency is warranted, but not given by an agency that's notorious for delays.

Metrolinx's commercial pipeline spreadsheet for Jan 2025 stated that the following Kitchener Line work would be released in the 2nd quarter 2025 but nothing emerged:

• Kitchener Extension | Guelph Subdivision Package 2A: Track and signals work, grading, drainage, and utility relocations in the Town of Halton Hills (Acton) in support of Kitchener GO service extension. - RFP release 2Q2025
• Mount Pleasant GO Station Modifications: Renovations including removal of the north platform to create space for a future track and modifications to existing tunnels, north stairs, and elevator. - RFP release 2Q2025
• Georgetown GO Station Improvements & Layover (Phase 1): Construction of a new island platform, bus loop, passenger pick-up and drop-off area, and a pedestrian bridge. - Prequalification 2Q2025

The only request that has been issued is for "Environmental Services for the Kitchener GO Line Corridor". No detail is provided in the public description, of course, but just conceivably, this might be to produce the environmental report for the rail-rail grade separation that's proposed between the Credit bridge and Winston Churchill Blvd.

 

[urbancog]

OnXpress has a LinkedIn post on constructing the "Resources Road Logistics Hub"

 

[crs1026]

ML posted construction notices today for the Barrie Line for Sept and Oct. The ones pasted in below pertain to work between Concord (south of Rutherford) to north of Maple. From the descriptions, this work will bring things a lot closer to opening double track all the way from Concord to Teston, which will enable opening of the new second platforms at Rutherford and Maple, and create double track all the way from Steeles to Kirby Road. Not sure that all this will be open by October, but it's a whole lot of small things completed. Definitely progress on this part of the line.

- Paul

 

[cplchanb]

Awww... no love for the stoufville line

 

[KhalilHeron]

What's more important is good coverage from the station, and they already have that. The bus terminal has 20 bus bays, which makes it possible for up to 20 buses to be timed to meet each GO train.

The route network already provides excellent coverage across the city directly from the train station:
https://guelph.ca/wp-content/uploads/GuelphTransit_SystemMap.pdf

And Guelph Transit is free for GO Transit customers:
https://guelph.ca/living/getting-ar...ph-transit-and-go-transit-fare-integration-2/

To further improve coverage from the station, particulary for people outside Guelph, GO could run a route to Elora and Fergus (currently there's just one bus per day). Guelph Transit could also set up park-and-ride lots along the main Route 99 bus corridor, potentially including express service.

Unfortunately, the buses aren't timed, nor are they planned to be. The network coverage is good though all but a couple of routes run on 30-minute headways. Right now there are very few choice riders, and most people using the GO train walk or drive there. There is a solid 10 year plan to reorganize the network and improve frequencies. It would really make the network a lot more useful but unfortunately it keeps getting watered down by council.

 

[JJTheJetPln]

Metrolinx's commercial pipeline spreadsheet for Jan 2025 stated that the following Kitchener Line work would be released in the 2nd quarter 2025 but nothing emerged:

• Kitchener Extension | Guelph Subdivision Package 2A: Track and signals work, grading, drainage, and utility relocations in the Town of Halton Hills (Acton) in support of Kitchener GO service extension. - RFP release 2Q2025
• Mount Pleasant GO Station Modifications: Renovations including removal of the north platform to create space for a future track and modifications to existing tunnels, north stairs, and elevator. - RFP release 2Q2025
• Georgetown GO Station Improvements & Layover (Phase 1): Construction of a new island platform, bus loop, passenger pick-up and drop-off area, and a pedestrian bridge. - Prequalification 2Q2025

The only request that has been issued is for "Environmental Services for the Kitchener GO Line Corridor". No detail is provided in the public description, of course, but just conceivably, this might be to produce the environmental report for the rail-rail grade separation that's proposed between the Credit bridge and Winston Churchill Blvd.

I'm starting to wonder if the tariffs on steel/aluminum or the like have had an impact on work that hasn't started. I've heard of projects having to be terminated and re-released for bids with clauses on explanations for price increases with logic due to the tariffs. I fear that's what is happening here.

 

[reaperexpress]

Unfortunately, the buses aren't timed, nor are they planned to be. The network coverage is good though all but a couple of routes run on 30-minute headways. Right now there are very few choice riders, and most people using the GO train walk or drive there.

If the routes run every 30 minutes then it is possible to time them to meet the trains that run every 60 minutes. Those numbers are multiples of each other.

There is a solid 10 year plan to reorganize the network and improve frequencies. It would really make the network a lot more useful but unfortunately it keeps getting watered down by council.

It is not necessary to improve frequencies to provide short wait times for transfers to/from the GO train. The GO train comes at 1 specific time per hour. For a quick transfer to a local route, all you need is 1 bus per hour to be there at that time. The routes have at least 2 buses per hour already and each route has its own bus bay at the terminal so that is not an insurmountable challenge.

 

[cplchanb]

I'm starting to wonder if the tariffs on steel/aluminum or the like have had an impact on work that hasn't started. I've heard of projects having to be terminated and re-released for bids with clauses on explanations for price increases with logic due to the tariffs. I fear that's what is happening here.

thats what happens when you stretch a project over a generation over completing it asap in the quest to save a nickel from a dollar. you expose yourself to these uncertainties that put the project at risk.

 

[Garuda]

Guelph Central Station is in downtown Guelph. It's good that there's no parking - we don't want to encourage people to drive downtown just to park their cars there.

Local transit doesn't need frequent service to be a competitive option to access all-day train service, since the trains will only run once per hour anyway. And based on the track configuration, my guess is that the trains in both directions will meet in Guelph, so a single bus per hour can connect to both directions of the GO train.

What's more important is good coverage from the station, and they already have that. The bus terminal has 20 bus bays, which makes it possible for up to 20 buses to be timed to meet each GO train.

The route network already provides excellent coverage across the city directly from the train station:
https://guelph.ca/wp-content/uploads/GuelphTransit_SystemMap.pdf

And Guelph Transit is free for GO Transit customers:
https://guelph.ca/living/getting-ar...ph-transit-and-go-transit-fare-integration-2/

To further improve coverage from the station, particulary for people outside Guelph, GO could run a route to Elora and Fergus (currently there's just one bus per day). Guelph Transit could also set up park-and-ride lots along the main Route 99 bus corridor, potentially including express service.

Guelph Central Station is a good example of an urban station with lots of transit options onwards. My frustrated is the lack of service directly to Cambridge and Kitchener. At least Route 17 finally started to cover Hamilton and Waterloo (lack of weekend service is still annoying). Such a service doesn't even need to be run by GO. Grand River Transit could run a bus to Guelph from Cambridge and Kitchener as a stop gap.

You make a good point about Fergus and Elora. Given how popular Elora is during the summer with tourists from the GTA (parking is impossible in downtown Elora). I'm surprised GO hasn't started a bus service the same way Canada's Wonderland or Niagara has seasonal service.

 

[reaperexpress]

You make a good point about Fergus and Elora. Given how popular Elora is during the summer with tourists from the GTA (parking is impossible in downtown Elora). I'm surprised GO hasn't started a bus service the same way Canada's Wonderland or Niagara has seasonal service.

It's not just the tourists, there's also a ton of suburban development happening - it looks like Elora and Fergus will merge into one big suburban blob within a decade. I don't know who thought it was a good idea to approve such a big suburban expansion with literally no public transit, but in any case there will be a fairly large population who will be adding to traffic in southern Ontario unless we provide them a viable alternative.

Similar to your comment on Guelph, the Elora-Guelph bus service doesn't need to be run by GO but I suspect GO could deliver it cheaper than setting up a whole new Wellington County transit agency just for one or two routes. Maybe Wellington County could pitch in a small portion of the operating costs to GO in recognition of the cost savings it would bring them.

It looks like this route would need to be scheduled for about 50 minutes per direction, so it would take 2 buses to run an hourly service timed to meet trains in Guelph. I think a park & ride at the south end of town would help capture some more of the population that isn't directly next to the bus route.

 

[urbancog]

4th track on Western sub of the Kitchener line yesterday evening: