[ShonTron]

What about a gondola? A monorail? Hyperloop!

 

[Bojaxs]

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

So the guideways are narrower than roads since they only have to be marginally wider than the bus. Which in turn gives you space to add a walking/ cycle path alongside. The guideway setup also allows for level boarding. The buses in the guideway go right up to the edge of the bus stop.

This isn't necessarily a whole new form of transit that requires all new buses. I'm sure it wouldn't require much to install the guide wheels on the existing fleet of buses.

It's something than can be used by Brampton transit to enhance their bus service across the city. Similar to a bus lane or the slip lanes used by ZUM at the intersections.

EDIT: The whole reason I'm proposing this idea, which I know sound kind of bogus at first if you've never seen it before, is because there is already a plan in place to convert the old rai line into a walking trail. This seems like the best solution to still offer a walking/ cycle trail while still providing rapid transit. I believe there are some stretches along the OBRY that wouldn't be wide enough to accommodate two bus lanes and a walking/ cycle path. But you could probably fit in two guideways and a walking/ cycle path.

EDIT: My emphasis on the U.K. style of guided busway is because it's use of concrete guideways seem to best integrate into the surrounding environment. Natural drainage into the grounds etc.. Where as other guided busways in other countries use metal tracks and often don't have walking trails beside them.

 

[smallspy]

So the guideways are narrower than roads since they only have to be marginally wider than the bus. Which in turn gives you space to add a walking/ cycle path alongside. The guideway setup also allows for level boarding. The buses in the guideway go right up to the edge of the bus stop.

This isn't necessarily a whole new form of transit that requires all new buses. I'm sure it wouldn't require much to install the guide wheels on the existing fleet of buses.

It's something than can be used by Brampton transit to enhance their bus service across the city. Similar to a bus lane or the slip lanes used by ZUM at the intersections.

EDIT: The whole reason I'm proposing this idea, which I know sound kind of bogus at first if you've never seen it before, is because there is already a plan in place to convert the old rai line into a walking trail. This seems like the best solution to still offer a walking/ cycle trail while still providing rapid transit. I believe there are some stretches along the OBRY that wouldn't be wide enough to accommodate two bus lanes and a walking/ cycle path. But you could probably fit in two guideways and a walking/ cycle path.

EDIT: My emphasis on the U.K. style of guided busway is because it's use of concrete guideways seem to best integrate into the surrounding environment. Natural drainage into the grounds etc.. Where as other guided busways in other countries use metal tracks and often don't have walking trails beside them.

And what does this give you that operating the buses on the road doesn't? You have to install new infrastructure not just on the ground to run it, but then have a dedicated fleet of vehicles allocated solely to the route.

Consider too that the railroad alignment is curvier and longer than the road is. The top speeds would not be as fast as operating on Highway 10.

While there are locations where this would make sense, here this whole idea strikes me as a solution in search of a problem.

Dan

 

[Bordercollie]

And what does this give you that operating the buses on the road doesn't? You have to install new infrastructure not just on the ground to run it, but then have a dedicated fleet of vehicles allocated solely to the route.

Consider too that the railroad alignment is curvier and longer than the road is. The top speeds would not be as fast as operating on Highway 10.

While there are locations where this would make sense, here this whole idea strikes me as a solution in search of a problem.

Dan

You might as well just put the tracks back in and run conventional equipment like a F59 in L3 configuration.

 

[History fan]

Bids and Tenders - Peel Region

peelregion.bidsandtenders.ca

Peel Region just closed a bid for the removal of the OBRY crossings of Derry Road West and King Street.

 

[Sauga89]

Bids and Tenders - Peel Region

peelregion.bidsandtenders.ca

Peel Region just closed a bid for the removal of the OBRY crossings of Derry Road West and King Street.

Now that the Milton line is getting a study to expand its capacity, the city (EDIT: the region) should hold off on removing the OBRY tracks until the results of the study are released. The province should make them wait with legislation if it has to.

 

[History fan]

Now that the Milton line is getting a study to expand its capacity, the city (EDIT: the region) should hold off on removing the OBRY tracks until the results of the study are released. The province should make them wait with legislation if it has to.

Unfortunately, I don't think this is going to happen. I think the tracks are going to be removed no matter what. The only portion that might stay is the 1 mile that CPKC owns.

 

[JJTheJetPln]

Unfortunately, I don't think this is going to happen. I think the tracks are going to be removed no matter what. The only portion that might stay is the 1 mile that CPKC owns.

The tracks have already been removed along multiple sections between Orangeville/Caledon, and even areas in Brampton. Unfortunately, those are not coming back as the areas crossing roads have already been paved over and decommissioned.

 

[dowlingm]

Now that the Milton line is getting a study to expand its capacity, the city (EDIT: the region) should hold off on removing the OBRY tracks until the results of the study are released. The province should make them wait with legislation if it has to.

If the province wanted the track rail banked, they could have bought out the railway.

 

[ShonTron]

Peel Region is planning to use part of the right of way for a sewer line between Vodden Street and Old School Road. Presumably that work will be in conjunction with the trail construction.

Kennedy Road sanitary trunk sewer project - peelregion.ca

peelregion.ca

 

[bohdan095]

Exploring a small part of the historic OBRY in downtown Brampton.

 

[History fan]

I went to the (now removed) Bovaird drive crossing the other day. This is what it looks like.

I couldn't even find where the crossing was at first.

 

[Dan416]

I just find it depressing how easy it is to tear up tracks, but it's a monumental undertaking to do GO Expansion on existing lines, never mind trying to build new.

 

[micheal_can]

I just find it depressing how easy it is to tear up tracks, but it's a monumental undertaking to do GO Expansion on existing lines, never mind trying to build new.

So long as the ROW is not built on, outside of something like a rail trail, this is a safer option than just leaving the tracks there. It is when things are build on the ROW that would be very depressing.

 

[robmausser]

So long as the ROW is not built on, outside of something like a rail trail, this is a safer option than just leaving the tracks there. It is when things are build on the ROW that would be very depressing.

Even rail trails are often a death knell to ever using the tracks again, especially if the rail trail goes through backyards where there once was rail. You get monumental pushback if you try to make it rail again. A trail raises property values and a rail of course does not.