[BrenWilson]

It would make too much sense to bang out the electrification on UPX and get some EMUs before the current rolling stock ages out.

 

[nfitz]

I think what was missed was that, as the obvious championship game, there is was a very high probability (near 100%) that a significant number of attendees were going to take significantly longer to exit the stadium than normal. As there would be a championship ceremony etc. Proper planning would have had the extra service run from say 40 mins following the game to perhaps 2 hrs. Which given that the expected end of the game would have been around 11:30, the plan should have been to be running service until at least 1:30 if not 2am.

That would have worked on Saturday. But what if they had another almost 7-hour game, like they did for Game 3 last Monday?

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

That would have worked on Saturday. But what if they had another almost 7-hour game, like they did for Game 3 last Monday?

You plan for the norm, and remain flexible to adapt to changing circumstances. Though I understand that there are issues with railroad access that makes being flexible difficult for GO.


Again I think the big ball drop here was that it seems that nobody planned for there to be a championship ceremony slowing the rate at which people were leaving the stadium. The ceremony ended around 1 am, it takes approx 15 mins to walk from Rogers Centre to Union Station. So best guess is that most people arrived at Union shortly after 1.

 

[nfitz]

Again I think the big ball drop here was that it seems that nobody planned for there to be a championship ceremony slowing the rate at which people were leaving the stadium. The ceremony ended around 1 am, it takes approx 15 mins to walk from Rogers Centre to Union Station. So best guess is that most people arrived at Union shortly after 1.

In my experience, few stay for the championship ceremony after the home team loses. And I'd think anyone with a train to catch would have gone.

But yes - it would have been even worse had Toronto won.

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

In my experience, few stay for the championship ceremony after the home team loses. And I'd think anyone with a train to catch would have gone.

But yes - it would have been even worse had Toronto won.

Had Toronto won, the celebration would still be going on

 

[dowlingm]

That would have worked on Saturday. But what if they had another almost 7-hour game, like they did for Game 3 last Monday?

It's a question of mitigation. Game 3 was extremely unusual.

Hell it could have been pulled back to a 4pm/1pm PT matinee but that would probably have interfered with too many college football games, not to mention interfered with coaches wanting to reuse pitchers on 0-1 day rest.

 

[nfitz]

It's a question of mitigation. Game 3 was extremely unusual.

Unusual ... but there have been five 18-inning playoff games in just the last 20 years. That's one every 4 years.

And even the 11-inning game - which isn't unusual - seems to have caused enough trouble. Bottom line is that GO could have done better. (nothing to do with the UPE service though ... which I'd like to see them raise the fares on, so people don't mistake it for a regular transit line).

 

[PL1]

8 ET/ 5PT was also for TV viewership ratings. Apparently they had the most watched game in years

 

[dowlingm]

Unusual ... but there have been five 18-inning playoff games in just the last 20 years. That's one every 4 years.

And even the 11-inning game - which isn't unusual - seems to have caused enough trouble. Bottom line is that GO could have done better. (nothing to do with the UPE service though ... which I'd like to see them raise the fares on, so people don't mistake it for a regular transit line).

I just struggle with the notion that the City's and Provinces transit systems must have enough spare capacity in vehicles and crew that they can continue to provide service for an arbitrary length of time, for the sole benefit of a private commercial activity.

Compare with Downsview Park - are those concerts subject to licensing including ending times? Surely they are.

 

[grammin]

Earlier this year, my son and I went to BMO for a TFC game, maybe about 20,000 fans there so no where near capacity. After the game we walked to Queen and Dufferin to avoid the crowds. I'm not exaggerating, we waited 45 minutes for a Dufferin bus to take us the Subway at Bloor, the first bus that came was full and drove passed us, the second, we barely squeezed on to, there was zero car traffic. Our conclusion, was next time, to simply drive to BMO. I expect busy transit and traffic after a game, but the services provided are just rank.

I love the UPX, I am somewhat fortunate to be a westsider at the moment. I'll prioritize the UP over anything when I head in to the city and it makes sense. It's so much better than anything else around. I desperately cant wait for the tunnel at Dundas to be complete then I can cleanly transfer. This (and the addition of Mount Dennis) might force the UPX to become a proper dedicated metro like we haven't seen here and drive significant change down the road. Could also use some fare integration, don't mind the 5 bucks but please let me use my $3.30 from the subway ride!

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

The message should be that it's time to get Kitchener line frequencies up to 15 min intervals ASAP. If not the whole line than at least to Malton or Bramalea

 

[crs1026]

The message should be that it's time to get Kitchener line frequencies up to 15 min intervals ASAP. If not the whole line than at least to Malton or Bramalea

I don't disagree, but I learned a new internal Metrolinx acronym this week : MVP.

No it's not baseball, it stands for "Minimum Viable Product". ie how little can we build without completely walking back GO Expansion.

The Kitchener corridor is clearly going forward, at least as far as Georgetown.... but I'm not sure 15 minute anything is coming beyond that..

- Paul

 

[Northern Light]

I don't disagree, but I learned a new internal Metrolinx acronym this week : MVP.

No it's not baseball, it stands for "Minimum Viable Product". ie how little can we build without completely walking back GO Expansion.

The Kitchener corridor is clearly going forward, at least as far as Georgetown.... but I'm not sure 15 minute anything is coming beyond that..

- Paul

Paul, there has already been 15 minute service on Lakeshore on weekday-middays and currently on weekends from mid-afternoon through evenings.

There is no impediment to 15 service (once the USRC and joint corridor works are complete) between Oakville and Oshawa.

As no other line has yet delivered 15 minute off-peak I will leave it others to make assertions.

 

[Bordercollie]

Makes a lot of sense! Only one station needs rebuilding, which is Pearson. Unions UP terminal is already going to be abandoned, and the raised portion can just be removed from the other 3 stations as easily as they were installed.

Transitioning to low floor also allows UP to stop at additional stations once it’s electrified, without any additional infrastructure.
King-Liberty, St. Clair-Old Weston, and 1 additional station along the corridor are all potential stopping locations for UP post-electrification.

As said above the UP Express is becoming more or fully integrated with GO, which includes potentially interlining it with a service in the east, this can only be done with low floor trains.

Will these trains need to be put through a light rebuild soon?

 

[urbancog]

The Pearson Subdivision Guideway Engineering Study could be to understand options for using different rolling stock on the Pearson Airport service; what stock could be used with the guideway as it is? is it possible to utilize 2-deck GO cars?

As usual, the RfQ description is too opaque for us to know but given the statements above about the future of the service it seems like something Metrolinx would want to know.

Once there's a 4th platform at Bramalea and the Weston subdivision has 4 tracks, surely that would support 4 trains per hour to both Pearson and Bramalea, plus the service to Kitchener?