[Bojaxs]

Does this mean MX is abandoning ETCS?

I bet they are. It never made sense to announce a new signaling system for GO trains without any consultation with the freight rail companies.

Can a passenger rail network be operated with two different types of signals? Am I suppose to believe that GO trains would have operated under ETCS level 2 up to Burlington GO and then switched over to the older signaling system once at Aldershot?

 

[afransen]

I bet they are. It never made sense to announce a new signaling system for GO trains without any consultation with the freight rail companies.

Can a passenger rail network be operated with two different types of signals? Am I suppose to believe that GO trains would have operated under ETCS level 2 up to Burlington GO and then switched over to the older signaling system once at Aldershot?

As I understand it, this is not unusual internationally. It also allows the core part of the network run with more frequent service, and potentially one operator.

 

[nfitz]

Can a passenger rail network be operated with two different types of signals?

I heard Elizabeth Line trains used 3 systems - part of the delay in opening that line. If that's only one line, how many does Network Rail/GBR use in the UK?

 

[Sunnyside]

Is this replacement of DB with an in-house team for "service concept development" and the signalling required to support the services?

If Metrolinx actually re-hired folks who got fired from ONexpress for in-house teams, I’d take back about half of what I’ve ever said against them.

 

[dowlingm]

“strategic and tactical leadership”

Does the job come with office-worn fatigues?

 

[cplchanb]

If Metrolinx actually re-hired folks who got fired from ONexpress for in-house teams, I’d take back about half of what I’ve ever said against them.

yea but that doesnt guarantee that they will screw it all up in house... we saw the fun and games for line 5....

 

[Sunnyside]

yea but that doesnt guarantee that they will screw it all up in house... we saw the fun and games for line 5....

No it doesn’t, but in-house teams help you make sure Eglinton happens only once, not over and over again because nobody’s there to learn any lessons…

 

[kthing]

From the Capital Projects Group (GO & UP) report here on the September 12th board agenda.

View attachment 594741

Does all of this mean ETCS won't be happening on the Richmond Hill line? Was excited to see some meaningful improvements to the Richmond Hill line.

 

[dowlingm]

Does all of this mean ETCS won't be happening on the Richmond Hill line? Was excited to see some meaningful improvements to the Richmond Hill line.

I don't think I would necessarily hang the likelihood of such weighty changes on someone asking "ETCS over???" and someone replying "I bet! Having two signal systems make locos schizophrenic"

The use of the Metrolinx piece of the Richmond Hill line was probably linked to the new layover at York Mills and/or the frequency on the section being less tricky to deal with than elsewhere for test scenarios. Even if the specific choice of ETCS is abandoned for ACSES or something else, the expectations around the number of trains headed into/out of USRC over the next decade demand a better train protection system of some description (and arguably is multiple decades overdue already) even if some trains have to be routed through in a degraded mode.

 

[smallspy]

The use of the Metrolinx piece of the Richmond Hill line was probably linked to the new layover at York Mills and/or the frequency on the section being less tricky to deal with than elsewhere for test scenarios.

Not the former, absolutely the latter.

This is why Richmond Hill is also the test bed for the GTCS - GO's own signal control system, independent from CN's RTC-II.

Dan

 

[nfitz]

This is why Richmond Hill is also the test bed for the GTCS - GO's own signal control system, independent from CN's RTC-II.

Great, a home-grown Ontario solution. That always works.

 

[smallspy]

Great, a home-grown Ontario solution. That always works.

What makes you think that it's home-grown? There are a number of companies that provide RTC systems and interfaces - they are just going away from using CN's, which is in fact home-grown.

Dan

 

[urbancog]

Because the job posting doesn't ask for ETCS experience as a requirement, simply that candidates must have extensive signalling experience, Metrolinx may have walked back on its adoption. The new in-house team may be charged with doing their own assessment of available options, and implementing one.

 

[nfitz]

What makes you think that it's home-grown? There are a number of companies that provide RTC systems and interfaces - they are just going away from using CN's, which is in fact home-grown.

Dan

Perhaps I misunderstood and assumed that "GTCS - GO's own signal control system" is different than other systems used other railways.

 

[smallspy]

Perhaps I misunderstood and assumed that "GTCS - GO's own signal control system" is different than other systems used other railways.

It's "GO's own" in that they have chosen it, it is their installation, and uses their own materials and facilities. It is still an off-the-shelf product, however.

This as opposed to the system currently in use on most of the network, which is CN's system and materials, and has been modified to allow GO's access in their own RTC office. And which started life as an off-the-shelf product, but had to be extremely heavily modified to overcome the original system's shortcomings.

Dan