It would appear, according to this slide from the VIA Board of Directors, dated June 14 2011 a major investment in track capacity and track improvements is coming. The major investment will be CTC signalling, plus high speed, automated switches, improved sidings, and road crossing protection (such as bells, gates, and warning devices)

This would , in the least provide

• Safer tracks (Avoid near miss accidents such as this which occured in 2006 in New Hamburg west of Kitchener)
• Increased capacity for bi-directional train movements (including reverse commuting)
• And VIA will add two or three trains per direction per day to the line once this is completed (Schedule TBD)

And all of this was planned in the EA for GO Transit expansion, but the news is it appears to be funded. Announcements or confirmation of this is forthcoming, stay tuned.

Some readers may be aware of my issues with or North Mainline, dark territory, and the amount of passenger traffic now on the line..

And then a reader sent this in today:

http://www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail/capital-investment/project/guelph-subdivision

“VIA is improving safety and capacity on the Guelph Subdivision with the introduction of a Centralized Traffic Control system (Wayside Signals) for the control of train movements, upgraded passing sidings plus new and upgraded crossing warning systems and security fencing. These changes allow for three additional round trips on the Subdivision (which is part of the busy Toronto-London-Sarnia route).

• CTC
• new sidings
• fencing
• equip sidings with dual control remotely controlled switch machines
• warning devices, gates, lights and cantilevers”

Questions:

• Is this funded?
• This has been planned for a few years, but has this plan been reactivated?

I have had a reader ask, and get a rather confusing answer, on where to buy tickets. You’d think you’d just buy them at respective stations, but can readers please comment on exactly where you can buy GO tickets?

First of all, those in Kitchener hoping for integrated Transit will have to wait until 2015 at the earliest, while Guelph will begin to use theirs early in 2012.

Or in other terms, those using the Free parking at the Kitchener transit hub site will get to enjoy this amenity for a few years at least.

Secondly, for those new to using Metrolinx/GO — GO will raise fares across the system at the same time for all GO services, and one such hike is on the way.  Reader Trevor Heywood sends this in to GOKW.ORG and his information is given below:

“GO Transit is asking the Metrolinx board to increase fares system wide. The last fare increased occurred in March 2010. It will be a 3-tiered approach, with commuters who travel farther facing a larger increase:

* $4.20 — $5.50: +30 cents
* $5.51 — $7.00: +35 cents
* > $7.00: +40 cents

A memo from Metrolinx chief financial officer Robert Sidall stated that Metrolinx has faced significant growth in its ridership, but revenue from this ridership growth alone is not enough to pay for increasing operational costs and new projects. He also hinted that Ontario's current fiscal situation played a factor, and that Metrolinx needed to consider preparing for the future to keep its budget balanced.

The fare increases will raise Metrolinx/GO Transit revenues by $19.5 million. It would be contributed towards improving parking capacity, customer communications, service reliability, facilities and maintenance, and increased capacity in trains and buses.

Fare increases would be effective February 18. The Metrolinx board will discuss it Monday."

A link to a major newspaper report on the story here

Thanks to a reader tip from Trevor H on the new Guelph City Express bus service to connect to the first GO train:

http://guelph.ca/living.cfm?itemid=80563&smocid=2889

For those considering using transit to connect to the first GO train.

Some new bus services for Kitchener and Guelph starting December 31, from GO Transit, check schedules for details

30 – Kitchener/Bramalea GO Bus (New route)

• New eastbound bus trip departing Kitchener GO Station at 7:55 a.m. will run express to Bramalea GO Station to connect to the 9:35 train to Union Station
• 3 new afternoon westbound trips from Bramalea GO Station connecting to train service from Union.

39 – Guelph/Bramalea GO Bus (New route)

• New trips between Guelph Central GO Station and Bramalea GO Station connecting to train and bus trips serving Union Station.

The following are my thoughts on why we won’t see two way TRAIN service to Guelph and Kitchener anytime soon, despite any percieved market demand:

First of all, the argument for two way service is quite simple — a large proportion of workers commute to Kitchener-Waterloo to the various Technology and Insurance companies in the area from downtown Toronto or the GTA. This fact has been acknowledged by the Globe and Mail:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/globe-to/torontonians-commuting-to-waterloo-frustrated-by-go-transits-new-rail-link/article2250390/

Does reverse commuting out of Toronto exist? Yes! Toronto to Hamilton clearly exists by bus, and partially by train/bus, as does limited commuting from Toronto to Brampton. There is indeed precedent.

But, what stands in the way of two-way commuter train services to Kitchener?

• The Guelph subdivision (as the line from Georgetown, to Kitchener and onward to London) is Dark Territory. This means no signals and few passing sidings for two trains to meet each other in opposite directions
• Dark territory reduces the capacity of a railway line (Density, how close two trains can be to each other)  and has operational limits to capacity
• With the current environment in mind, there are now 4 GO trains, 6 VIA trains and 6 freight trains between Georgetown and Kitchener on a daily basis. I still firmly believe this is the highest passenger carrying capacity of any dark-territory railway line in Canada, and this dark-territory line is running at  capacity. So with this in mind:
• The last GO train departs Guelph in the morning at 0732 and clears the Guelph subdivision at Georgetown at 0800
• The first GO train westward to Kitchener would depart Georgetown after 0800 and arrive at Guelph no earlier than 8:33AM, and Kitchener no earlier than 8:55 AM
• The return Kitchener-Toronto GO train would need to beat the first GO Toronto westward trip in the afternoon, which would mean arrival at Georgetown before 5:46 PM
• The return GO trip from Kitchener to Toronto would depart Kitchener no later than 4:54 PM, Guelph no later than 5:16PM, and arrive Georgetown at 5:49 PM

As you can see, the current schedule is already very tight — there is no place for two trains to meet without significant time delays between Kitchener and Georgetown and this would throw the reverse (Toronto t0 Kitchener, and Kitchener back to Toront0) commute into dissaray, as the arrival and departure times required of the reverse trip is barely enough time for a worker to get in a full work day.

Furthermore, the proposed westward trip now has freight train(s) to deal with as they are operating between the GO trains in the morning and afternoon hours.

Lastly, adding a reverse commuter train would probably require GO to have two engines and 10 coaches available, as they would park in Kitchener for the afternoon hours and this would require a capital cost ($2.5 million per double decker car, $5m per engine) of $30 million just for one departure from Toronto.

Hence, in summary, the following  would be required to make room for reverse train commuting, and would be one of many possible choices:

• Capital cost of $30M for acquisition of new trains dedicated to reverse commuting, for each train departure to be added, AND
• Significant improvements to the Railway plant and property – in the least Centralized Traffic Control to Kitchener, at an estimated cost of $50 million (Refernce: RJ Burnside, Kitchener Expansion EA)
• Addition of a CTC controlled passing siding at Guelph, or an extension of CTC to Guelph at a reduced cost ($25 million) to allow two GO trains to meet at 732 AM and 6:18 PM at Guelph Central Station (This will require the completion of the South platform at Guelph)

As you can see, the bottom line is a reverse commuter train movement is a minimum $30-60M investment, which is double to triple the cost of adding the eastward existing GO trains. If the demands warrants it, I would be hopeful, in light of our current Ontario annual road budget ($700-1B per year) that this is considered as an alternative to highway widening, but it most certainly will take time and may or may not fall under the existing EA (How long are EA’s good for?). Any reverse commuter train option would be years away from fruition if it was feasible of course.

However, in light of the fact that a Bus option for reverse commuting does not even exist today, this would be a good first step, and yes, the market demand must be proven before it can be considered for further expansion.

Please feel free to comment below, any corrections will be incorporated into the above as time permits.

The Pearson Rail Link construction is set to begin in 2012:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/pearson-union-station-rail-link-construction-to-kick-off-in-the-spring/article2276469/

Keep in mind this rail link is intended to be a Union Station to Pearson direct service, but there is a chance that GO may add a station by the Rail Link to allow a connection rather than having to all the way to Union Station and back. This would be a benefit to the North Mainline as our trains would connect directly to the Airport saving time, for those commuters who need to grab a plane at the Airport.

Commuters and fellow transit riders would be advised to make their voices heard as these plans are still 3-4 years from reality and may not include this connection initially.

- Steve

Now that GO trains are running, here are a couple historical tidbits complete with illustrations. For anyone interested in railway history, or even the current stuff, you would be advised to visit http://www.ghra.ca and join the Guelph Historical Railway Association. Send in your membership today! (Note I have been a memeber since 2001)

Some may recall in the late 1960′s CN and CP were shedding passenger lines like it was going out of style. At the same time, GO Transit was formed (1967) and was an immediate success.

1970: In a landmark decision  CN and CP were both granted the permission to abandon passenger services between (Toronto) ,  Guelph and Owen Sound (CN), Toronto to Orangeville and Owen Sound (CP) Stratford and Goderich (CN), Stratford and Palmerston, Kinkardine, and Southampton (CN). However, the Guelph to Toronto commuter train, operated by CN was ordered to remain due to lack of other options and an otherwise healthy business. This train was still operating with old heavyweight coaches from the early 20th century, as can be seen in these photos:

(Photos courtesy of Paul Cordingly, who rode the train frequently)

http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j131/bigsmokemofo/seventies%20slides/?action=view&current=CN987yeah.jpg

Note, the train was operating until 1974, after GO started in Georgetown:

http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j131/bigsmokemofo/seventies%20slides/?action=view&current=HalwestCN987.jpg

And the last month the train ran in 1974:

http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j131/bigsmokemofo/seventies%20slides/?action=view&current=GuelphCommuter.jpg

CN was relieved of this service, likely due to the GO trains at Georgetown which were never extended to Guelph until 1990, as well as the completion of the 401. As many know this experiment was cancelled in 1993

Video: GO Train in 1993 near Guelph (By Paul Tatham) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jv9hbM9XrI

I also posted two videos of the Special free ride on December 18 showing the massive crowds out and inside the train, see two posts below for this.

- Steve

So, did any readers ride the train this morning or afternoon? How was the ride? Was it on time? How many passengers?

UPDATE: video from the first passenger carrying train: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AD5a9duHcjo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVD_iLjm7Ko

And some writing from The Record: http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/641461–riding-the-rails-on-board-the-first-go-train

And the same from the Guelph Mercury: http://www.guelphmercury.com/news/local/article/641732–guelph-s-first-go-train-late-but-still-a-hit

Notice how the Guelph early train does not have a bus connection, and one rider took a taxi! Hola.. I hope these bugs get ironed out soon enough!

Add your comments below to discuss, thanks.