Over on the ALTO page, everyone seems to want a future ALTO West to be able to serve all that is missing. They want high speed over a relatively short distance, particularly along the Weston and Guelph subdivisions.
So, lets imagine a world, somewhere around 2050. ALTO West is completed between Union and Windsor. Where are the stops? What else serves the lines? What route does it take?
1) What is the route it takes?
This is by far the biggest unanswered question. It is obvious between Windsor and London it will likely use the Strathroy and Chatham subdivisions. There is lots of land to drop 2 tracks through most of it without issue. That is the benefit of farmland.
Between London and Union, there are 2 obvious options, through Kitchener or through Brantford. There could also be the option of using the CPKC Galt sub routing. Before someone argues this, look to the ALTO routing using the CPKC Havelock sub routing through eastern ON. If I understand correctly,the routing through Mississauga is problematic for space, so, we are left with one of the CN routes.
2) What stops will it serve between Union and London?
If we look at the existing ALTO plan, it won't be stopping at either of Ottawa's or Montreal's airports, the 6th and 3rd busiest airports in Canada. To me, that indicates that Pearson could also not be served. Montreal's would be close enough to get to, yet they are not. Ottawa's may be harder to get to of the 3. If the final plan connects either of these, then Pearson is back on the table..
That still leaves 2 possibilities. Either north, or south when going west. The argument of Kitchener may make sense to many, but if we assume that there would be minimal stops,and wanting to serve the most people, then Hamilton would make more sense. And, it would be easy enough to extend the line to Niagara Falls and beyond if the need ever exists.
So, if we assume then that we do the Hamilton routing, would it stop between Hamilton and Union, or Hamilton and London?
No. If you want high speed, you need fewer stops.
How would it serve the downtown GO station at Hamilton, or even would it?
Rebuild the section of ROW between it and the Copetown area. Someone who knows that area better can help me understand whether the terrain would be too much, but from a quick look it might work. It may mean that you are facing the opposite way for part of the trip, which may be a challenge.
3) What other passenger rail service would serve the line?
It may make sense to extend GO to London along this routing. However, if they do it, they need to do it right.
That would mean the last train in the am would need to be at union before 9am. That would also mean the last train in the pm would need to leave after 5pm. Who works 10 - 4?
Another key would be a reverse commute. Trains could be stored in the Brantford area and stop at all existing Via stations heading to London. Just this section could be done both ways in the am and pm as many people commute to Woodstock for the car plant from London.
I could see Via still run several times a day with their normal stops between Hamilton(Aldershot) and Union.
No part of HSR west of Union has ever been released or even had any funding for a study in recent years, so, at this time,it is all fantasy,but my armchair ideas are the Oakville and Dundas subdivisions routing with stops at Hamilton, London and Windsor.
