GO/VIA Transit - Page 71

matt602 · #**1401** Posted **Mar 24, 2023, 7:57 PM**

Yeah I'm guessing the route will go up Hwy 6 from the 403 so Aldershot station is only one highway exit out of the way. It guarantees that you'll be able to connect to a Lakeshore West train if theres no service at West Harbour (looking more likely since they're cutting service back there as well).

Great new route to see tho, I had to do the trip a few times a year ago to see a friend and it was terrible. Usually got stuck at Square One awhile waiting for my connection and the Route 40 bus was usually packed at rush hour.

TheHonestMaple · #**1402** Posted **Mar 24, 2023, 8:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt602

Yeah I'm guessing the route will go up Hwy 6 from the 403 so Aldershot station is only one highway exit out of the way. It guarantees that you'll be able to connect to a Lakeshore West train if theres no service at West Harbour (looking more likely since they're cutting service back there as well).

Great new route to see tho, I had to do the trip a few times a year ago to see a friend and it was terrible. Usually got stuck at Square One awhile waiting for my connection and the Route 40 bus was usually packed at rush hour.

But the Hamilton GO Centre to Aldershot trip is already served by the 18 bus and the GO Train. So for me this route makes no sense, and it will just make the trip to Guelph that much more inconvenient.

This route would be much better if it eliminated both the Mac and Aldershot stops.

matt602 · #**1403** Posted **Mar 24, 2023, 10:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

But the Hamilton GO Centre to Aldershot trip is already served by the 18 bus and the GO Train. So for me this route makes no sense, and it will just make the trip to Guelph that much more inconvenient.

This route would be much better if it eliminated both the Mac and Aldershot stops.

I agree that it definitely doesn't make sense to make those stops in the Waterloo bound direction since you'd just take the 18 or go to West Harbour if you wanted a LW train but in the Hamilton bound direction it makes sense since those customers probably will want to grab a LW train without going into Hamilton to grab another bus back in the same direction they just came from. This whole problem stems from the fact that Hamilton is still getting the shaft on train service of course. If that problem ever improves, hopefully they can axe the Aldershot stop.

ScreamingViking · #**1404** Posted **Mar 25, 2023, 5:06 PM**

This is a good start. So much service is Toronto-centric and there are good reasons for that. But intercity connections between Hamilton and KW, Guelph, Brantford, Niagara, and even as far as London are all important too and will become more so as populations swell.

Innsertnamehere · #**1405** Posted **May 14, 2023, 10:07 PM**

Confederation GO today. Not too much to look at quite yet.

North side:

South side:

Fruitloops · #**1406** Posted **May 15, 2023, 11:59 AM**

I drive by here 5, 6 times a week. Always something happening lately,what, not sure. 4 excavators on site, several cranes. Working at or along the tracks a lot.

Innsertnamehere · #**1407** Posted **May 15, 2023, 1:07 PM**

I imagine the work right now is centred around building the pedestrian tunnels to access the future platforms, as well as building the track itself for the station.

NortheastWind · #**1408** Posted **May 2, 2024, 8:20 PM**

They've put cladding on the train bridge over Centennial Pkwy at Confederation Station and have installed a digital sign on it, like the kind on the 400 series highways.
I wonder what it's for? Maybe time of the next train, or for advertising the new station?

ScreamingViking · #**1409** Posted **May 2, 2024, 9:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NortheastWind

They've put cladding on the train bridge over Centennial Pkwy at Confederation Station and have installed a digital sign on it, like the kind on the 400 series highways.
I wonder what it's for? Maybe time of the next train, or for advertising the new station?

Could even be to display the estimated driving time on the QEW to Toronto vs. taking the train, during morning, evening, and weekend peak traffic or when there's an issue like a collision slowing things down on the highway. During off-peak periods probably advertising.

TheHonestMaple · #**1410** Posted **Jun 26, 2024, 1:21 PM**

What's stopping Metrolinx from building an additional GO dedicated line between West Harbour and Burlington station? You would think this would be a high priority, and frankly there is the space to do it.

ScreamingViking · #**1411** Posted **Jun 26, 2024, 4:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

What's stopping Metrolinx from building an additional GO dedicated line between West Harbour and Burlington station? You would think this would be a high priority, and frankly there is the space to do it.

Metrolinx has been making improvements, and added a track between Bayview Junction and the rail yard.
https://www.metrolinx.com/en/discove...niagara-region
https://www.metrolinx.com/en/discove...-into-hamilton

Metrolinx owns a lot of the tracks in its network, but not the western end of the Oakville Sub nor the corridor into Niagara, which still belong to CN. I imagine there will be a deal to add track between West Harbour and Confederation at some point to support new service.

TheHonestMaple · #**1412** Posted **Jun 26, 2024, 8:21 PM**

The track between west harbour and Bayview junction is a much needed and welcome addition, but what they are also really needing is a dedicated track all the way from Bayview Junction to Aldershot.

Also, why do trains move so slow from West Harbour to Bayview? Any plans to increase the speed limit. Currently it takes 12 minutes to get from West Harbour to Aldershot, which really should be more like 5.

ScreamingViking · #**1413** Posted **Jun 26, 2024, 8:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

The track between west harbour and Bayview junction is a much needed and welcome addition, but what they are also really needing is a dedicated track all the way from Bayview Junction to Aldershot.

Also, why do trains move so slow from West Harbour to Bayview? Any plans to increase the speed limit. Currently it takes 12 minutes to get from West Harbour to Aldershot, which really should be more like 5.

Ideally there'd be two dedicated tracks for GO service. With a work-around through the rail yard.

I don't know why they're slow, but it may be due in part to the many switches? And the freight traffic that takes precedence?

CN would probably want Metrolinx to build a grade-separated "fly over" to increase speed and capacity of commuter service. I seem to recall something about that idea, but the cost was enormous and prohibitive (at least at the time).

TheHonestMaple · #**1414** Posted **Jun 26, 2024, 11:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Ideally there'd be two dedicated tracks for GO service. With a work-around through the rail yard.

I don't know why they're slow, but it may be due in part to the many switches? And the freight traffic that takes precedence?

CN would probably want Metrolinx to build a grade-separated "fly over" to increase speed and capacity of commuter service. I seem to recall something about that idea, but the cost was enormous and prohibitive (at least at the time).

The Kitchener flyover they just built in Toronto.... yes we need one here. I wish Metrolinx took Hamilton more seriously. The only reason West Harbour isn't used that much is because the service level is terrible.

ScreamingViking · #**1415** Posted **Jun 27, 2024, 2:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

The only reason West Harbour isn't used that much is because the service level is terrible.

It's still usually easy to drive to Aldershot. Even from the east end of Hamilton.

TheRitsman · #**1416** Posted **Jun 27, 2024, 3:15 PM**

West Harbour is actually incredibly well used. I'm hoping to FOI the ridership numbers but I suspect they'll be in the multiple thousands per week.

TheHonestMaple · #**1417** Posted **Jun 27, 2024, 3:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

West Harbour is actually incredibly well used. I'm hoping to FOI the ridership numbers but I suspect they'll be in the multiple thousands per week.

Please do and let us know. I'd be curious how it compares to other stations on the line.

craftbeerdad · #**1418** Posted **Jun 27, 2024, 7:48 PM**

Why is it slow?
The tracks aren't electrified until closer to Aldershot, hence why it takes longer than any other station to station transit time. There's a different ambient sound when the tracks become electrified, it's quite noticeable.

They're currently laying out the foundation for a continuation of the tracks (platform one) past West Harbour. You can see this if you walk over the John Street bridge. I assumed it has something to do with Metrolinx trying to rectify the problem and gain more scale of track bandwidth.

And sadly, freight train cargo takes precedent over humans on the GO. Almost daily I experience the, "waiting for a signal to proceed announcement." So that switching takes time at Bayview.

TheHonestMaple · #**1419** Posted **Jun 27, 2024, 8:57 PM**

Electrified? No tracks are electrified in the entire network.

And the reason they are extending the track past West Harbour is because currently a train heading east towards Niagara Falls departing West HArbour has to first pull out west, then back east. Soon it will be able to just transit through West HArbour without that back and forth.

matt602 · #**1420** Posted **Jun 27, 2024, 9:17 PM**

When I took the train back in the winter for an off-peak trip into Toronto, I was actually surprised by the amount of people who got on with me. I noticed even more people when I spent a few hours at Bayfront park a few weeks ago. Its nothing compared to the rest of the stations between here and Toronto but its still far from the dead station that it used to be before all-day service was introduced.