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Originally Posted by ScreamingViking
It's unfortunate that the tunnel is both a help and a hindrance. Rebuilding it to carry two tracks would be a massive and disruptive project, which CP would balk at because of impacts to their operations. But the downtown station is very close to so many city bus routes and makes a lot of sense to use for all-day GO services despite not being able to extend those eastward (at least not without further massive investment). Aside from rebuilding the tunnel, there are probably other ideas for large-cost projects that would alleviate the issue or allow for improved passenger and freight services.
It's also unfortunate we don't do incremental transit improvements, at least not with respect to the infrastructure. Metrolinx/GO buying up portions of CN's freight network didn't happen all at once, and I don't think it was as incremental as what you mean, but it has allowed the agency to do things it would otherwise not have been able to accomplish. Toronto's subway network could be very different today had it been expanded on an ongoing basis in shorter steps. While transit infrastructure budgets have increased a lot in the past two decades, I think there's still a "big spend" mentality in how they're apportioned that differs from how we tend to treat improvements to our highway network.
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For sure; it would be interesting to find out exactly how much cost and disruption would be involved. From what I've read it used to be double-tracked and is only single tracked now since CN wanted to increase the clearance for double-stacked container cars. I assume because having a single track in the center of the tunnel would allow extra clearance since the ceiling is must be arched. So all that would really be needed is to raise the ceiling or lower the floor, both of which would probably be easier than having to widen it. Apparently there have been proposals to lower the floor and the only reason it wasn't done was that it wasn't really needed based on the level of traffic the route received.
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