[crs1026]

I've often wondered about the liability for the property owner and/or operators by allowing bikes and pedestrian in close proximity; maybe it's a non-issue. I also often wondered why, if I was a cyclist or pedestrian, how much I'd like to be in the air blast of a train running at any kind of speed.

ML’s whole strategy of building sound walls would have to reverse itself if bike lanes were squeezed into their corridors. Too much money invested already.
And….. next time you are riding a GO train, and imagining how a bike trail might be fitted into the space between existing tracks and the fenceline… have a look at how much of that space is related to drainage. Water is enemy number one for a trackbed. Where ML is adding tracks, the amount of work required to adjust from natural slopes and ditches to more engineered runoff systems is substantial. It can be done…. But that consideration alone will make a bike path very, very expensive.

- Paul

 

[lenaitch]

TBH Even in the 2000's when it seemed more doable it sounded crazy to me. I think some people wanted a big house for their family and either couldn't move or was close enough to retiring to suffer through it for a few more years, but yeah it the mother of all irony!

There is also the subset of those who simply don't want to live in a city, or even a town, but employment compels them to the commute, or their workplace is non-permanent, like some trades.

 

[Milaisacat]

"Oh God I'm choking on irony!"

Years ago (pre pandemic) I worked with someone who commuted from Barrie to 400/401 everyday. He was in bed by 9pm and up at 4:30am every weekday morning. Like, how do you enjoy a work/life balance doing that?

In fairness, I'm up that early because my fiancé is a doctor and her day starts early. I drive her to work on my way to the GO Train that I take to work downtown.

 

[PShells]

Are there any material service upgrades expected this fall? Anything in comparison to the spring 2024 service increase?

If not is the constraint bureaucratic (ONExpress transition), not enough workers or not enough trains?

 

[nfitz]

if not is the constraint bureaucratic (ONExpress transition), not enough workers or not enough trains?

Anecdotally it feels like there's been a lot of operator hiring. I saw a lot more trains slowly edging into platforms, and stopping and restarting 1 to 2 months ago ... than I've seen in a long time.

Hopefully whatever Metrolinx builds come with an automated system. That would reduce dwell times.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Are there any material service upgrades expected this fall? Anything in comparison to the spring 2024 service increase?

If not is the constraint bureaucratic (ONExpress transition), not enough workers or not enough trains?

I suspect service increases are basically on hold until ONExpress takes over, then it'll come (relatively) quickly afterwards.

 

[smallspy]

I suspect service increases are basically on hold until ONExpress takes over, then it'll come (relatively) quickly afterwards.

There needs to be some measure of service increase still to happen in order to have ONExpress be able to meet its contractual obligations. The contract calls for a certain level of service to be running on "Day 0", the day before the handover. The levels operated today are not there yet.

Dan

 

[Metroscapes]

Sorry if this was posted already, but schedules for Niagara trains through West Harbour effective May 17 are up. (before, after)

Comparing trips 1960 (TO-bound) and 1977 (Niagara-bound) suggests, officially, a 7-8 minute time savings. Plus, two more Niagara trains stop at West Harbour now each day.

 

[T3G]

What is the reason for the 4 hour headways after 4 pm on the Stouffville line on weekdays, and will anyone on the forum still be alive when this massive deficiency is finally corrected?

 

[Milaisacat]

Sorry if this was posted already, but schedules for Niagara trains through West Harbour effective May 17 are up. (before, after)

Comparing trips 1960 (TO-bound) and 1977 (Niagara-bound) suggests, officially, a 7-8 minute time savings. Plus, two more Niagara trains stop at West Harbour now each day.

I'm happy to see the additional service to West Harbour. For myself, it still makes more sense to drive to Aldershot where I enjoy the benefit of all Lakeshore West trains from Hamilton GO, West Harbour, and Aldershot intersecting. The additional service frequency this offers is worth the drive.

 

[urbancog]

What is the reason for the 4 hour headways after 4 pm on the Stouffville line

Same as the 6-hour headway on the outer section of the Kitchener Line (inbound to Union). No places for the inbound trains to pass the outbound trains at 30-minute headway.

 

[nfitz]

I suspect service increases are basically on hold until ONExpress takes over, then it'll come (relatively) quickly afterwards.

There were service increases earlier this year, so this shouldn't be a constraint, contractually.

There needs to be some measure of service increase still to happen in order to have ONExpress be able to meet its contractual obligations. The contract calls for a certain level of service to be running on "Day 0", the day before the handover. The levels operated today are not there yet.

That's good news! Do you know roughly what these might be?

It would be nice to see the rest of the Covid cuts restored - such as the weekday off-peak 2-directional 15-minute GO service on the Lakeshore.

 

[WB62]

Anecdotally it feels like there's been a lot of operator hiring. I saw a lot more trains slowly edging into platforms, and stopping and restarting 1 to 2 months ago ... than I've seen in a long time.

Hopefully whatever Metrolinx builds come with an automated system. That would reduce dwell times.

There are no CSA trainees right now, which means there are no new employees are being actively trained at the moment.
On the other hand there are 10 CTO and 8 QCTO trainees out right now, so people are continuing to move up within the company.

 

[reaperexpress]

I'm happy to see the additional service to West Harbour. For myself, it still makes more sense to drive to Aldershot where I enjoy the benefit of all Lakeshore West trains from Hamilton GO, West Harbour, and Aldershot intersecting. The additional service frequency this offers is worth the drive.

There are 40+ trains per day between Aldershot and Toronto, but only 3 trains per day to St. Catharines and Niagara. It is wild that they decided to keep stopping the 3 Niagara trains at Aldershot to benefit Aldershot-Toronto passengers at the expense of the Niagara passengers who have no other train options. (And West Harbour passengers who have half as many train options). Aldershot station provides very little value to people heading to/from Niagara now that Niagara trains can efficiently stop at Hamilton West Harbour.

 

[reaperexpress]

What is the reason for the 4 hour headways after 4 pm on the Stouffville line on weekdays, and will anyone on the forum still be alive when this massive deficiency is finally corrected?

As noted by @urbancog the sidings are 30 minutes apart, which only permits 60-minute bidirectional service. The current peak service is every 30 minutes so counter-peak service is impossible. For 30-minute bidirectional service, double track segments would need to be 15 minutes apart so an additional double-track segment is required between Agincourt and Kennedy.

The second track between Agincourt and Kennedy was installed in 2021 and it has been sitting disconnected since then. The Highland Creek bridge is not required for 30-minute bidirectional service, all they need to complete are the interlockings south of Highland Creek and north of Kennedy. Connecting to the second track through Kennedy station would be good for service reliability but not strictly required.

Major service increases are unlikely until at least three tracks are in service from Scarborough Junction to the USRC, but if they finally activate that track segment it would enable them to shorten the counter-peak gap by an hour and improve peak-direction service to every 15 minutes. Here's a conceptual timetable I made, where I have outlined the places the counter-peak trains meet peak-direction trains on the Uxbridge sub: