[Northern Light]

Irrelevant, really,

Have to disagree PE; if one can't have an optimal choice in a given circumstance, you still want to identify the next best choice and try to obtain that. If, in doing so, you future proof for your preferred outcome, so much the better.

as the right thing to do (two way electrified passenger service) isn't something that's even within the realm of possibility in this part of the world...

On the majority of this route, I'm not sure that option is actually the most sensible. I'm a huge proponent of commuter and inter-city train service, but this is a very twisty/turny route to get anywhere that has people in it.

That's not to suggest it was my preference to shut down the line, it was not. Just that that having been done.......

I think there is probably a case to be made using the portion between north Brampton and central Mississauga for that purpose.

Though w/an entire LRT being under construction, it might be a challenge to argue that this is the next important GTA investment of that type.

 

[dowlingm]

Irrelevant, really, as the right thing to do (two way electrified passenger service) isn't something that's even within the realm of possibility in this part of the world...

Difficult when CP are retaining the last stretch of track into Streetsville - if they abandoned that, it would be an interesting potential cross transfer for Milton folks working in central Brampton, but not really compelling without Milton 2WAD. Expensive to go under the CN *and* the new parkland being done immediately south. Catchment north of the CN bears a similarity to the SRT - lots of industrial rear ends.

 

[ProjectEnd]

To be clear, I'm not saying it would be easy or cheap or anything, but if properly implemented, it would be well-used. In the current reality, there are too many hurdles, I get that, I'm just depressed that that's the state of affairs in 2024 Ontario.

 

[Sunnyside]

To be clear, I'm not saying it would be easy or cheap or anything, but if properly implemented, it would be well-used. In the current reality, there are too many hurdles, I get that, I'm just depressed that that's the state of affairs in 2024 Ontario.

I think if we want to address the pseudo-policy failure that is trails to rails, the only argument is to build the case for trails-to-rails. Obviously we have been saying this in this very thread, but I moreso mean at large, as a legitimate solution for our transportation needs across Ontario.

…The inexperienced me thought it was a good idea, then the real world smacked me over the head. But now, I’ve come around again as a pragmatic policy solution.

In light of our cost crisis, these opportunities might now outweigh the headache to pursue them. The railways and highways that exist today fulfill a narrow list of mobility patterns because we prefer upgrading to new greenfield infra, but those have limits. Abandoned ROWs have done the heavy lifting to get where we want to go, often in a better way because they were “first”. Let’s have a framework to leverage that—so we don’t overbuild elsewhere at greater cost, just to deliver worse access by comparison. The need is increasingly apparent in not all, but many cases today.

 

[Allandale25]

Survey by the City of Brampton on the trail for the former OBRY corridor in Brampton.

Brampton-Orangeville Rail Trail Online Survey | Let's Connect Brampton

We are currently seeking the public's comments and suggestions on the design and programming of this future trail. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey to assist our consultants in the upcoming detailed design process. Your comments and suggestions will be valuable in this project...

letsconnect.brampton.ca

 

[bpbpbpbp]

Old Time table from 1959 of the CPR's Orangeville and Owen Sound subdivisions. May have already been posted, but really neat stuff. Pulled it off of http://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/time/timetables.htm. More time tables our there I'm fairly certain of it. The thing that really sticks out to me is the 70 mph speed limit for passenger trains on the entire plan, when not otherwise restricted. I can just imagine a Dayliner thundering down the line at speed, what a sight that would be on this line.

 

[Bojaxs]

Since there will probably be no plans to run GO trains up to Orangeville, what do you guys make of the idea of converting the old OBRY track to a U.K. style, guided busway? From Streetsville up to Mayfield. It would allow for rapid transit and a parallel running walking/cycle path.

 

[Bordercollie]

Since there will probably be no plans to run GO trains up to Orangeville, what do you guys make of the idea of converting the old OBRY track to a U.K. style, guided busway? From Streetsville up to Mayfield. It would allow for rapid transit and a parallel running walking/cycle path.

Not going to happen.

 

[History fan]

Since there will probably be no plans to run GO trains up to Orangeville, what do you guys make of the idea of converting the old OBRY track to a U.K. style, guided busway? From Streetsville up to Mayfield. It would allow for rapid transit and a parallel running walking/cycle path.

Yeah, this is not going to happen. There are parts of track that have already been removed, and there are already plans in place to take out the rest of the tracks and turn the corridor into a trail.

 

[Bojaxs]

Yeah, this is not going to happen. There are parts of track that have already been removed, and there are already plans in place to take out the rest of the tracks and turn the corridor into a trail.

The buses don't run on actual train tracks. In the U.K. they removed the tracks and placed concrete guides.

The land the tracks are on just serve as a ROW for the buses.

 

[JJTheJetPln]

The guided busway would be something similar to what Mississauga has already (The transitway). While it's an interesting idea, there would need to be some form of a consortium operating buses along the corridor, and Caledon, Brampton, Mississauga, and Orangeville would all have to foot the bill in some way - Some more than others, even if most of the population don't use the line to begin with.

Unfortunately, I don't see this happening, and that's primarily because Peel Region would be paying a significant amount of taxes on ridership that may or may not materialize from a smaller population - Even if that means we can connect a town 30-45 minutes away and beyond that. Does the current GO ridership from Orangeville into Peel Region and the GTA warrant the addition of something like this? How about the ridership within Orangeville on their own transit system?

 

[urbancog]

I wouldn't see this proposal as a way of connecting Orangeville and Brampton but instead a way of bringing residents of north Brampton and south Caledon (there are thousands more of both every year) more efficiently to Brampton GO and to Brampton city centre. Hurontario/Main St and the other north-south streets are all busy already and don't have capacity to add the number of buses needed to meet that demand.

 

[History fan]

The buses don't run on actual train tracks. In the U.K. they removed the tracks and placed concrete guides.

The land the tracks are on just serve as a ROW for the buses.

Ah okay, my bad, I misunderstood.

Could this happen in the future? Maybe. But it's a big maybe. And if it were to happen it would be at least 20-30 years from now, if not more. It would also be very difficult since you would be dealing with NIMBY'S.

 

[Bojaxs]

I wouldn't see this proposal as a way of connecting Orangeville and Brampton but instead a way of bringing residents of north Brampton and south Caledon (there are thousands more of both every year) more efficiently to Brampton GO and to Brampton city centre. Hurontario/Main St and the other north-south streets are all busy already and don't have capacity to add the number of buses needed to meet that demand.

My thinking was that the guided busway would terminate at Old school rd. Build a park & ride at Old Scool rd. for people driving down on highway 10 from Orangeville. Also have a GO bus coming from Orangeville that terminates at this station so as to allow riders to transfer to the guided busway from Orangeville.

This guided busway would be more useful if Metrolinx had AD2W service on the Milton line, as it would serve as a good connector between the Milton line and the Kitchener line.

 

[Bordercollie]

My thinking was that the guided busway would terminate at Old school rd. Build a park & ride at Old Scool rd. for people driving down on highway 10 from Orangeville. Also have a GO bus coming from Orangeville that terminates at this station so as to allow riders to transfer to the guided busway from Orangeville.

This guided busway would be more useful if Metrolinx had AD2W service on the Milton line, as it would serve as a good connector between the Milton line and the Kitchener line.

Why would you run buses on a old rail corridor when you have roads?