GO/VIA Transit - Page 25

movingtohamilton · #**481** Posted **May 1, 2013, 8:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by thistleclub

So technically MacNab North station, James North transit hub/pedestrian plaza. What are the odds that the (460-vehicle parking lot) will end up at Barton/Tiffany?...

I must be clueless. Why so much parking? I thought the modern idea is to discourage people from driving to a GO station, especially in the downtown core (kinda). Aren't we trying to link inter-city transit with intra-city transit?

So we will have a situation where people drive into the core from the mountain, tie up traffic at rush-hour, park, and drive home in the evening rush-hour.

The Lakeshore West line passes through many densely populated areas. Station parking is limited. People take transit to connect to the train. Oh, I forgot: Hamilton worships cars.

Frustrated.

matt602 · #**482** Posted **May 1, 2013, 8:53 PM**

Not exactly awe inspiring but I guess it's not horrible either.

Berklon · #**483** Posted **May 1, 2013, 11:02 PM**

The station looks "good enough". It doesn't have to be amazing, just as long as it's not an eye-sore and it provides everything that's needed.

So this will be done in time for the Pan-Am games... and will help to support the games. So people from the GTA will take the GO Train down to the James St. station and... take a bus to the stadium? Walk? Take a cab? Talk about inconvenient. I can only imagine what people from the GTA will be thinking when they wind up living the Planes, Trains and Automobiles movie. We'll market this as the John Hughes special to make it go over well.

Beedok · #**484** Posted **May 1, 2013, 11:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berklon

The station looks "good enough". It doesn't have to be amazing, just as long as it's not an eye-sore and it provides everything that's needed.

So this will be done in time for the Pan-Am games... and will help to support the games. So people from the GTA will take the GO Train down to the James St. station and... take a bus to the stadium? Walk? Take a cab? Talk about inconvenient. I can only imagine what people from the GTA will be thinking when they wind up living the Planes, Trains and Automobiles movie. We'll market this as the John Hughes special to make it go over well.

When you take the Go Train to Union Station you then have to transfer, is an overcrowded subway really that much better than a bus?

SteelTown · #**485** Posted **May 2, 2013, 12:02 AM**

Dr Awesomesauce · #**486** Posted **May 2, 2013, 12:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt602

Not exactly awe inspiring but I guess it's not horrible either.

That pretty much sums things up, doesn't it? We're so used to being fed one sh*t sandwich after another that it starts to taste pretty good after a while.

And why exactly can't the Province partner up with the private sector to make this a proper development with condos and commercial, etc.? Far too complicated for what is already a totally clusterf*cked system, I suppose.

CaptainKirk · #**487** Posted **May 2, 2013, 2:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Is that bridge crossing the tracks going to the park/waterfront trail?

Hess Street maybe?

They did say that the platform will be 350m long stretching from James to Hess

SteelTown · #**488** Posted **May 2, 2013, 2:45 PM**

Hope MeThomas doesn't mind but this picture helps to explain

So that bridge you see is the MacNab bridge.

CaptainKirk · #**489** Posted **May 2, 2013, 2:52 PM**

Just realized that's Bay St. bridge behind the MacNab bridge

http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/news/story/2013/05/01/hamilton-james-street-north-go-station.html#custom

SteelTown · #**490** Posted **May 2, 2013, 2:55 PM**

It'll look very similar to Whitby GO Station Bridge

http://dineen.com/2011/whitby-go-bridge/

Beedok · #**491** Posted **May 2, 2013, 3:03 PM**

It looks nicer and less exposed though.

drpgq · #**492** Posted **May 2, 2013, 8:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by movingtohamilton

I must be clueless. Why so much parking? I thought the modern idea is to discourage people from driving to a GO station, especially in the downtown core (kinda). Aren't we trying to link inter-city transit with intra-city transit?

So we will have a situation where people drive into the core from the mountain, tie up traffic at rush-hour, park, and drive home in the evening rush-hour.

The Lakeshore West line passes through many densely populated areas. Station parking is limited. People take transit to connect to the train. Oh, I forgot: Hamilton worships cars.

Frustrated.

It's not really downtown though is it? Frankly I don't get why Bratina is so excited about this. As long as the bus still runs from THB usage will be minimal. Getting to this new station on transit from the Mountain will waste you a lot of time.

Dr Awesomesauce · #**493** Posted **May 3, 2013, 12:49 AM**

^Because he's mental.

There's an awful lot of asphalt in this project - surface parking, a parking garage. Driving to the train station defeats the purpose in many respects, although it's been pointed out that this station isn't exactly very central. Getting to this station will likely involve some sort of transfer or a bit of a hike, perhaps.

To be perfectly honest, I don't really understand this project at all. The Stoney Creek extension is just to attract GTA commuters/ more sprawl development, I know that but otherwise it seems quite unnecessary.

movingtohamilton · #**494** Posted **May 3, 2013, 1:23 AM**

So pEte, exactly what is the point of this soon-to-be-fustercluck? What do you and the other Hamiltonians consider to be downtown? In TO, Bay & Dundas is downtown, Bay & Front (Union Stn) is downtown yet its a good walk from one to the other. Or you can take a bus.

When we moved here, it felt to us that King & James was the essential part of the core, with James N being a business district heading towards Liuna. A good walk from one to the other.

If people here perceive the new GO station as being out of the way, then there's no hope for its success as a people-mover. Residents on the Mountain won't use it, and people in the "lower city" will stay away too, no?

Beedok · #**495** Posted **May 3, 2013, 2:30 AM**

It's not King and James, that's true, but the current GO station is a 7 minute walk from there, is a 13 minute walk really that unreasonable of an increase?

beanmedic · #**496** Posted **May 3, 2013, 4:33 AM**

I'm so confused about this project. I've heard a hundred different things.

Can somebody please explain what sort of GO service this station will have? Am I right that GO 16 QEW Express service will remain at Hunter St? Will the morning and afternoon trains be moving North? And that's it?

If that's true, I'm not really impressed. I hope there's more to it.

Dr Awesomesauce · #**497** Posted **May 3, 2013, 12:37 PM**

^You're not the only one who's confused. I hope it's made really, really clear which trains will be coming and going from this new station. Actually, won't this station be used for off-peak trains, like at midday and weekends? Sorry, I'm too lazy to track that down right now.

In terms of location, I'm not sure what effect that will have. Historically, there has been a train station in that - general - location for over 150 years so there's precedent. If the service is good, then people will use it. However, with the parking infrastructure being planned, most will drive which is a shame. Just imagine the aesthetic changes they could make to the station itself if they ditched the garage, etc.

CaptainKirk · #**498** Posted **May 3, 2013, 1:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by beanmedic

I'm so confused about this project. I've heard a hundred different things.

Can somebody please explain what sort of GO service this station will have? Am I right that GO 16 QEW Express service will remain at Hunter St? Will the morning and afternoon trains be moving North? And that's it?

If that's true, I'm not really impressed. I hope there's more to it.

Not sure about details yet in terms of bus service, but I recall reading that the James N station will provide all day GO train service to Toronto. Wasn't there also mention of eventual express train service too?

AFAIK, the bus service and 3 or so daily rush hour trains will continue at Hunter St, where track capacity is limited (partly due to the natrow, 100 year or so old tunnel under Hunter) and is why the Hunetr St. station couldn't be used for expanded service.

movingtohamilton · #**499** Posted **May 3, 2013, 2:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainKirk

...AFAIK, the bus service and 3 or so daily rush hour trains will continue at Hunter St, where track capacity is limited (partly due to the natrow, 100 year or so old tunnel under Hunter) and is why the Hunetr St. station couldn't be used for expanded service.

Interesting. A GO staffer told me that the tracks to Hunter are CP (interconnect is beyond Aldershot), and that the rest of GO runs on CN tracks. CP controls all usage and gave GO limited access. Beyond the control of Metrolinx. Said that the Federal Minister of Transport "needs to knock some heads together"!

Dr Awesomesauce · #**500** Posted **May 3, 2013, 3:16 PM**

The rail yard just up from the planned station isn't even owned by Canadian interests anymore. Our railroads are a mess.