The Great Canadian Transit Thread

[vid]

Toronto does have those long, oppressively hot summers though. Not much point being on a great lake if all it does is make the heat worse.

[caltrane74]

Anyways back to transit.

God knows we don't need another weather thread.

Anything new going down in Thunder Bay?

[Beedok]

The automated stop readout likes to pronounce Algoma Street as Alogma Street, but that's all I can think of.

[Southcore]

An interactive look of the $1B makeover of Toronto's Union Station:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toro...uter-city-of-the-future/article12060349/

[Innsertnamehere]

that's really cool. I am getting really excited for it to be finished, it will be nice to see Canada finally have a true large, modern, nice rail station.

[caltrane74]

A picture I took last night. - Caltrane74

[J.OT13]

I hope other cities follow suit, starting with Montreal. Although the concourse area is impressive, the exterior is dismal and the underground platforms are a dark and gloomy like "parking garage meets New York subway station".

Ottawa is no better; although the station isn't that bad, its location is absolutely asinine. Central train stations should be downtown, not 5 km away off a highway surrounded by strip malls, parking and grass.

[Innsertnamehere]

at least Ottawa is finally getting a rail connection from the station to downtown.

Now that VIA can double it's Capacity at Union, maybe it is time that we get HSR?

[Chadillaccc]

That is a great video. It gives Union a very romantic feel, for the history and the future beauty/restoration and what not.

[Chadillaccc]

Is Calgary the only city for a week every year that has 24-hour rapid transit service? I know we have it for the enire week and a half of Stampede. Does any other city do this for their exhibitions?

[Innsertnamehere]

not that I know of. Many Toronto transit networks have extended hours on New Years though, and it is free to ride.

[Chadillaccc]

Kichener does that too.

I'm not sure, but I think Vancouver may do that for new years... or did once.

[north 42]

Transit windsor is also free with extended hours on New Year's Eve.

[travis3000]

I think Toronto should just have their transit run 24/7. It's the logical next move. Why close it from 2am to 6am every day? Might as well just run non stop and work around the maintenance like NYC.

[caltrane74]

There needs to be express or relief lines before we get 24 hour service on the Yonge or University Lines.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by travis3000

I think Toronto should just have their transit run 24/7. It's the logical next move. Why close it from 2am to 6am every day? Might as well just run non stop and work around the maintenance like NYC.

and New Yorks subway is just in such wonderful condition.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

at least Ottawa is finally getting a rail connection from the station to downtown.

Now that VIA can double it's Capacity at Union, maybe it is time that we get HSR?

That's why we need to sell VIA rail to a private company that is willing to invest in HSR to compete with airlines.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by north 42

Transit windsor is also free with extended hours on New Year's Eve.

I think Hamilton does that as well.

[Chadillaccc]

I wonder why no cities other than Calgary do 24-hour RT service during exhibitions/major events though. It just seems like the most obvious way to limit drinking and driving. Though, that doesn't really work even here haha

[Innsertnamehere]

budgets. they don't have the budget for it, but the free transit thing on new years is a special program set out by the government. it costs a TON of money to operate a transit network and even 4 or 5 extra hours of operation can cost millions of dollars. with minimal transit revenue during that time, cash strapped transit agencies such as the TTC just can't afford to do it unless the government directs them to, and so far the government has only directed them to do it on new years.