kEiThZ
Superstar
Any guesses?
My guess is. "We're launching the Toronto-Kitchener-London-Windsor HFR study today. In the meantime, please enjoy two more trains per day."
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- Thread starter ehlow
- Start date
Any guesses?
My guess is. "We're launching the Toronto-Kitchener-London-Windsor HFR study today. In the meantime, please enjoy two more trains per day."
Urban Sky
Senior Member
Given that the Northern Line operates at only 50% (1 out of 2 daily trains) and the Southern Line at 40% (2 out of 5 daily trains) compared to pre-covid schedules, I highly doubt there will be any additional frequencies announced, as it would simply be an ordinary service resumption, just like VIA has done more than a half-dozen times (June 3rd, 2020 on TOM, July 14th on QMO, September 1st across the Corridor, September 11 on TOM, April 1st, 2021 on Corridor East, May 17th on TOM and June 12th on Corridor East) without any accompanying federal communications. Restoring 85 and 88 and extending it back to Sarnia would be a different thing, but it would be a very suspicious timing and a break with a decade-long tradition of the feds controling VIA's funding while letting VIA figure out what changes in frequencies allow them to stay within the prescribed funding envelope...
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Bordercollie
Senior Member
With faster speeds on the northern corridor how much faster can you get from Union to London through Kitchener instead of using the Dundas sub?
North Route 3:21
South route 2:19
Would be be possible to make it a 30min or 15 Mon difference?
Since they can travel through Guelph at 80km instead of 30kmph?
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Urban Sky
Senior Member
I did quite an extensive (but still strictly amateurish) comparative analysis of the Dundas and Guelph corridors in one of my very first posts in this forum:
High Speed Rail: London - Kitchener-Waterloo - Pearson Airport - Toronto
I think the argument is that proper RER requires so much investment that building a 320 km/h HSR wouldn't cost much more. The benefits outweigh the costs. RER trains that stop more frequently can use the same tracks, as they do in other parts of the world. The RER would use seperate tracks past...
crs1026
Superstar
^I would not focus on Guelph. There are speed improvements possible all along the line. West of Stratford, VIA travels at an embarassing 65 km/hr.
There's no technical reason why the Kitchener-Stratford-London stretch can't be upgraded to the same quality as the Smiths Falls or Alexandria lines. The cost would not be unreasonable. The result would be time competitive or possibly better than the southern route. Higher frequencies would be possible, without approaching HFR.
However, investing in a line that VIA doesn't control brings the same challenges and uncertainties.
Metrolinx needs to finish its siding installations east of Kitchener before any meaningful service upgrade could happen.
And then there is the Silver-Bramalea stretch. Without getting shovels in the ground there, it's a very significant chokepoint.
- Paul
There's no technical reason why the Kitchener-Stratford-London stretch can't be upgraded to the same quality as the Smiths Falls or Alexandria lines. The cost would not be unreasonable. The result would be time competitive or possibly better than the southern route. Higher frequencies would be possible, without approaching HFR.
However, investing in a line that VIA doesn't control brings the same challenges and uncertainties.
Metrolinx needs to finish its siding installations east of Kitchener before any meaningful service upgrade could happen.
And then there is the Silver-Bramalea stretch. Without getting shovels in the ground there, it's a very significant chokepoint.
- Paul
Bordercollie
Senior Member
To highlight the need for more northern service, I drove from Toronto to Kitchener and back today on the 401 and there was an issue at Trafalgar resulting in a detour which took an extra 20 minutes on top of the extra 20 minutes it took to get from Winston Churchill to about Dixie.
It's extremely aggravating and not a fun drive at anytime of the day in any direction.
A normal 1 hour and 15 minute drive became 2 hour's or more. And that's not even going down the DVP to get downtown.
Post pandemic traffic is not going to get any better and the train may not be fast but at least you can get your work done.
It's extremely aggravating and not a fun drive at anytime of the day in any direction.
A normal 1 hour and 15 minute drive became 2 hour's or more. And that's not even going down the DVP to get downtown.
Post pandemic traffic is not going to get any better and the train may not be fast but at least you can get your work done.
Bordercollie
Senior Member
I thought that the construction on the underpass already started.
Allandale25
Senior Member
^ Which underpass?
crs1026
Superstar
Sorry, which underpass?
As I understand it, ML recently released a Business Case comparing the options of a flyover or a flat crossing at Silver. But no construction procurement as yet. Similarly, ML is firming up plans to add a third track at Brampton, but that's also still at the design stage.
I believe Guelph (and Acton?) will get pedestrian tunnels and a 2-track platform, but that's not as serious a choke point. The siding additions are said to be near the end of design but no procurement activity as yet.
I totally agree with your observation about highway congestion. I am more frustrated about the lack of action on Toronto-Kitchener-London train service than about things east of Toronto, and that's saying something. Anyone who takes the 401 will see the business case for better rail service first hand. It's already a problem. The new lanes to Kitchener are filling up faster than they can build them.
- Paul
Bordercollie
Senior Member
Not that traffic between Scarborough and Oshawa is any better but there are ways around it.
I guess you could take a detour on the QEW through Hamilton, but I don't think that's any better in the west end.
drum118
Superstar
July 15 & 20
This maybe the last posting with the laptop until we get home on Friday as it has died 3 times until now. The laptop is 9 years old and looks like the motherboard is going. Cannot do any panorama shots as the laptop dies doing it
The VIA train in Halifax had no Park car with the baggage car at the rear and 3 stainless cars behind it,
From the overpass you can see where the train will be place on one of 2 tracks leading to the main CN yard where the power can do a runabout to push the train back to the stations.
We had a look at a few stations along the coast back to Quebec City with a few having very short platforms for about 6 cars.
This maybe the last posting with the laptop until we get home on Friday as it has died 3 times until now. The laptop is 9 years old and looks like the motherboard is going. Cannot do any panorama shots as the laptop dies doing it
The VIA train in Halifax had no Park car with the baggage car at the rear and 3 stainless cars behind it,
From the overpass you can see where the train will be place on one of 2 tracks leading to the main CN yard where the power can do a runabout to push the train back to the stations.
We had a look at a few stations along the coast back to Quebec City with a few having very short platforms for about 6 cars.
Bordercollie
Senior Member
So on the way back to Montreal the baggage car is at the back of the train?
drum118
Superstar
No, at the front of the train behind the loco's. You expecting the train to be pushed to Montreal?? If so, that will be a very slow ride with CN jump up and down as it delaying their trains.
When the new trains go into service, its possible that there will be power at both end and other can speak better on this than me.
Bordercollie
Senior Member
No.
So forward facing until it gets close to Halifax with locomotives infront with baggage car trailing.
Backs the train into Halifax so now the baggage car is at the opposite end of the locomotives.
So it goes to Montreal this way?
There are no new trains for the ocean, yet.
Urban Sky
Senior Member
The following consist (of the train currently parked in Halifax) has been shared elsewhere:
VIA 614
6427 ("love the way" wrap, forward)
6411 (Reversed)
7009
70230 (Forward facing)
7208 (Rear facing)
7516
7507
7506
79526
7314
7401
7303
7601
8124
8118
Chateau Radisson
8618
As you can see, it has a baggage car (7009 or 8619) followed by coaches directly (or: almost directly) behind it on either end...