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Hello,
Article writer here. For those not yet aware, I have written two major special features articles for RaiseTheHammer, which are: GO Part 1: Major GO Train Construction for Hamilton GO Part 2: Weekend All-Day GO Trains Possible In Hamilton 2016 Although the Niagara seasonal train season is now over; it's worth noting that the summertime Niagara seasonal GO all-day 2-way weekend trains ALREADY (during season) pass West Harbour GO without stopping. 16 trains per summer weekend; including 8 towards Toronto and 8 towards Niagara. So Hamilton could get all-day summer weekend Toronto GO trains too; just by having the return Niagara GO train stop. This is currently because West Harbour is still a stub of a track: http://www.raisethehammer.org/static...harbour_go.jpg The work is already funded to extend the track as ongoing work according to publicly available info; approximately similar to this guesstimate of a map. http://www.raisethehammer.org/static...go_service.jpg The question is whether this happens by 2016, 2017, 2018 or 2019 (upcoming Centennial Pkwy station). For such a short extension, it should be sooner rather than later. This is needed thanks to the Lewis Road GO Layover Facility, which is being built in Site #3: http://www.raisethehammer.org/static...iagara_map.png Several months ago during the summer, I appear to have been the first person to have ever published construction photographs of the trackage at Site 3, the Lewis Road facility: http://www.raisethehammer.org/static...ings_built.jpg http://www.raisethehammer.org/static...lewis_road.jpg http://www.raisethehammer.org/static...y_panorama.jpg (Credit: Mark Rejhon) The facility completes very shortly (operational 2016), which probably is when they will double the number of peak trains at West Harbour GO (and hopefully an 8:00am train...). As a bonus, hopefully this will also introduce summer weekend all-day GO train service (by virtue of Niagara Seasonal GO trains stopping at West Harbour GO). If not for Spring 2016, then at least hopefully by Supercrawl 2016. It really is just a short section of track extension, and probably double-tracking of West Harbour (both platforms open), which looks like it could finish 2016 -- except for the potential logistics howstoppers shown in GO Part #2: Weekend All-Day GO Trains that I wrote for RaiseTheHammer. Working with CN can be a challenge, with all the http://www.raisethehammer.org/static...rhead_view.jpg We will see if weekend all-day GO service arrives in Hamilton within the next year (and no later than two, at worse case) as a result of the Niagara GO trains stopping... Exciting times indeed as finally lots of GO construction is happening at 3 different Hamilton construction sites (photographed in Part 1). |
I think they're doing the connection for West Harbour, otherwise the Stoney Creek stop would make very little sense.
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Quote:
But Stoney Creek isn't opening till 2019. We could make use of pass-through GO trains much sooner (2016) -- Niagara Seasonal GO Trains would also provide all-day weekend Toronto GO train service to Hamilton. (These weekend semiexpress trains are faster than weekday commuter trains; only 55 minutes to Toronto) 16 existing trains per weekend, 8 towards Toronto, 8 towards Niagara. So weekend 2-way service with Toronto AND 2-way service with Niagara Falls, via an existing GO train. Existing GO trains that passed West Harbour every weekend from late spring through early fall. http://www.raisethehammer.org/static..._annotated.png We can't have West Harbour GO ignore these great opportunity of existing GO trains till 2019. This is what the article advocates: Get those Niagara trains stopping ASAP at West Harbour GO. It's really a low-lying apple that would actually pay immediately (more fares -- the benefit of reducing the operating cost of running that existing Niagara GO train -- by picking up Hamiltonians and bringing visitors to Hamilton too) So that's the purpose of the Article Part #2 -- There's been conflicting information by multiple different parties about "when" these trains can stop. Rumors are there are potential delays caused by the interagency co-ordination (even things like the rumored John St bridge rebuild, financed by CN, which can be known to be slow). This article advocate getting the pre-requisites "sooner rather than later" to take advantage ASAP of the revenue-generating opportunity of stopping an existing GO train that currently just whooshes by. |
Personally I think Hamilton should be advocating for one express train in the morning to Toronto (one stop in Burlington and one in Oakville) that stops in Niagara first. Probably pretty difficult and I doubt GO would do it, but why not at least have the city ask? Anything over an hour on the train is brutal for a commute.
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^Love the new station!
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Some people were saying that parking garage was going to be 4 or 5 level. It looks to be only two. Is it made to be expanded higher if the demand warrants it?
I have also heard that the surface parking lot further west of bay street can be converted to a parking garage if needed. |
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1480/...161788da_b.jpg
Hamilton West Harbour GO Station Construction - 12/26/15 by drum118, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5697/...8d7011ac_b.jpg Hamilton West Harbour GO Station Construction - 12/26/15 by drum118, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5799/...0ca24ba1_b.jpg Hamilton West Harbour GO Station Construction - 12/26/15 by drum118, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1503/...49c3ae08_b.jpg Hamilton West Harbour GO Station Construction - 12/26/15 by drum118, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5773/...af857fe7_b.jpg Hamilton West Harbour GO Station Construction - 12/26/15 by drum118, on Flickr https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5705/...15b98ebc_b.jpg Hamilton West Harbour GO Station Construction - 12/26/15 by drum118, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1651/...3aae7796_b.jpg Hamilton West Harbour GO Station Construction - 12/26/15 by drum118, on Flickr 29 More Photos: |
I have to admit, that's turning out MUCH better than I thought it would.
When I heard they were making a West Harbour GO station a couple years ago, I just assumed it was going to be a very basic set up... a platform and a tiny little place to buy tickets, etc. Instead it's a decent size, looks very modern and integrates well with the surroundings. It's going to look great when it's fully complete. Thanks for the pics. |
Definitely looking very great. I like that they're paying attention to the smaller details in the pedestrian plaza (benches, patterned concrete), and that pedestrian bridge/access at Bay St. is pretty sexy in its own right too.
Hamilton is home to two of GO's most outstanding stations. The new one is uniquely modern, the older is Art Deco and historic. |
I remember a lot of residents in the area were strongly opposed to how modern the design of this station is. I am so happy GO stuck to their guns and built a truly balls to the wall modern station instead of something that attempts to mock or be sensitive to the historic architecture of the area. When this is finished, it's going to look fantastic (it already does)
I'm excited to see it completed with landscaping and the public art display installed |
I have been repeatedly visiting West Harbour to track when during 2016 they'd install the planned spur extension (which would automatically instantly bring us all-day weekend GO train service, via piggybacking off the existing seasonal Niagara train)
While they are doing good progress on the main station, the long awaited "big service increase" spur is still currently untouched -- that's the biggest-impact construction I'm most eager to see at the moment. http://www.raisethehammer.org/static...harbour_go.jpg (Credit: me) http://www.raisethehammer.org/static..._1_phase_1.jpg (Credit: me) All possible indications is that they may not be on time for early 2016 (seasonal service start) but all limited information I have seems to point to it completing later during 2016. One case in point, there's sewer sections currently being stored near the drains that need to be relocated. This is pre-requisite work that should ideally start before winter when the ground would freeze. The sewer sections haven't been moved yet. Staring down from east edge of the James St N bridge over the tracks: http://www.raisethehammer.org/static...ol_aspirin.jpg (Credit: me) At the right edge of the above image, /appears/ they could be replacement storm sewer shaft segments for the planned storm drain relocation. In several months, these haven't moved yet, which could mean construction work on this, has not yet started, to do the preliminary prep work to extend the track -- necessary to get Niagara GO/VIA trains to stop, representing a dramatic increase in service for West Harbour GO (without needing additional trainsets yet, though those will still be needed, as the Lewis layover facility completes). Compounding all of this, is that several parties have mentioned that the John St overpass needs to be replaced by CN eventually, which also has to factor into all of this logistics. Until this 100 meter(ish) spur is done, all we can do is watch the Niagara GO/VIA Trains zoom by West Harbour by mere centimeters without being able to stop: My informed speculation (aka less-than-wild guess): Late 2016, based on all available information I have, including replies from Metrolinx, the progress on the south platform, and other information I've gleaned. If you see any evidence of activity beyond "END OF TRACK" (the million dollar question of timing of major service increases), this is the part of construction that I'm most eagerly watching. And many others. :) So snap a pic, if you see activity towards the east. |
Thanks for the thorough update!
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whats the clearance under the station building to enter the parking lot? doesn't look like much
station is looking good though |
Eyeballing it relative to that construction cone thing I'd guess 2.5-3m?
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I don't know why they still don't have the second track in yet. Almost seems like they won't be doing it until the line is connected up to Niagara service. The nicest, most useless GO station that there ever done been.
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I suspect the track will not be laid until the CP/CN grade separation improvements at Bayview Junction have been completed.
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