[dowlingm]

Likely to be compatible with wide freight loads.

I don’t know how often wide freight is seen on PBX - though with this logistics contract maybe that will be part of it.

I guess they could back up the consist from a stub track once the passengers are loaded and then head up the mainline… Seems more likely that it will just be a mini-high and boarding plates for the accessible cars though.

 

[reaperexpress]

I don’t know how often wide freight is seen on PBX - though with this logistics contract maybe that will be part of it.

I guess they could back up the consist from a stub track once the passengers are loaded and then head up the mainline… Seems more likely that it will just be a mini-high and boarding plates for the accessible cars though.

Even a mini-high seems optimistic. Via's Siemens trains came with onboard wheelchair lifts, and I assume the ONR trains are the same. So given that a ground-level platform meets basic accessibility requirements I'm assuming that's what they'll build.

 

[Bojaxs]

If the Northlander proves successful and sees decent or "better than expected" ridership, won't this put pressure on Metrolinx to improve the Richmond Hill line? Even if we're just talking south of Langstaff. Grade separating the Doncaster diamond, etc.

 

[crs1026]

If the Northlander proves successful and sees decent or "better than expected" ridership, won't this put pressure on Metrolinx to improve the Richmond Hill line? Even if we're just talking south of Langstaff. Grade separating the Doncaster diamond, etc.

The two services serve very different markets with very different needs, and very different logistics. I don't see how Richmond Hill GO customers would be influenced by the success of a service they don't use.

Grade separating the Doncaster diamond needs more than just one or two trains a day beyond current to be justified.

- Paul

 

[Bojaxs]

The two services serve very different markets with very different needs, and very different logistics. I don't see how Richmond Hill GO customers would be influenced by the success of a service they don't use.

Grade separating the Doncaster diamond needs more than just one or two trains a day beyond current to be justified.

- Paul

I understand that GO and Northlander will serve different people. (Although perhaps some GO users will pay a premium to use Northlander at Gromley to get to & from Toronto faster?)

But we'll see an increase in train traffic on the line. Hence the pressure to do some kind of upgrades to the line.

 

[lenaitch]

i really dont understand why they cant make it a high platform level boarding station. they are doing a new build and not a retrofit. how much more can it be?

Note that they (a railfan post - not official) said a "fully accessible platform". I will interpret that to mean access to and on the platform will conform with accessibility rules.

There wouldn't be much sense having high/level boarding at this station when every other station on the route will be either ground or low level boarding. The platform also has to be able to accommodate the PBX which is ground/low level boarding.

 

[lenaitch]

The two services serve very different markets with very different needs, and very different logistics. I don't see how Richmond Hill GO customers would be influenced by the success of a service they don't use.

Grade separating the Doncaster diamond needs more than just one or two trains a day beyond current to be justified.

- Paul

Agree. Even if ridership exceeds projections, a full train vs a half full train is still just one train.

 

[smallspy]

I understand that GO and Northlander will serve different people. (Although perhaps some GO users will pay a premium to use Northlander at Gromley to get to & from Toronto faster?)

But we'll see an increase in train traffic on the line. Hence the pressure to do some kind of upgrades to the line.

Two trains a day - and especially long distance passenger trains which are not particularly time-sensitive and which only occupy the diamond for a minute or less - are not going to move the needle towards requiring a grade separation by any meaningful amount.

Dan

 

[Bojaxs]

Two trains a day - and especially long distance passenger trains which are not particularly time-sensitive and which only occupy the diamond for a minute or less - are not going to move the needle towards requiring a grade separation by any meaningful amount.

Dan

Ah, okay. I wasn't aware we were only talking about two trains per day.

 

[ShonTron]

Construction inaction at Porcupine today.

Driving up Highway 11, there are blue government signs entering each town the Northlander will stop at – Wasago, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Huntsville, South River…

 

[shortbranch]

Does anyone know if there are plans to upgrade Langstaff station for this line?

 

[micheal_can]

Does anyone know if there are plans to upgrade Langstaff station for this line?

What is needed?

 

[roger1818]

Does anyone know if there are plans to upgrade Langstaff station for this line?

It is a GO station, owned and operated by Metrolinx. The Northlander's needs (with 1x 3-car train a day each way) are minor compared to what GO needs (with 4-5x 10ish bi-level car trains a day each way, plus busses) out of the station.

 

[lenaitch]

Construction inaction at Porcupine today.

Driving up Highway 11, there are blue government signs entering each town the Northlander will stop at – Wasago, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Huntsville, South River…

View attachment 671501View attachment 671502View attachment 671506

Seeing as the contract was only awarded a couple of weeks ago, Ellis-Don needs time to line their sub trades up, permitting (maybe), site survey, and on and on. At least they got the hoarding up.

 

[micheal_can]

Seeing as the contract was only awarded a couple of weeks ago, Ellis-Don needs time to line their sub trades up, permitting (maybe), site survey, and on and on. At least they got the hoarding up.

The land looks like it has been cleared.