The Great Canadian Transit Thread - Page 320

MalcolmTucker · #**6381** Posted **May 6, 2015, 4:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aylmer

I think a simple, inexpensive DMU connection to Calgary would do wonders for Banff as well as the suburban towns to the west of Calgary like Cochrane. I know there's the Rocky Mountaineer, but I'm talking about something way more frequent (several times a day) and way less expensive ($20-30?).

Quote:

Originally Posted by niwell

That would be awesome, but I'm not sure how feasible it would be without major expenditures on new infrastructure. Or a very infrequent and unreliable timetable. Probably would have to add a new track along most of the length since the corridor holds the CP mainline, and is generally single-tracked. Lots of environmentally sensitive areas too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoTrans

I don't believe the CP mainline is particularily overtaxed, otherwise CP would or should have built more sidings over the past few years. The main problem is long trains so building several short sidings just for DMU useage might be the most effective use of infrastructure funds. Even if there were only 3 or 4 round trips per day to begin with, we would see a marked improvement in travel options. The train would have to operate at an avg. speed of 100km/hr to make it competitive with the bus or auto. A early morning trip into Calgary would also provide commuter service to Canmore and Cochrane. Maybe the new government of Alberta could convince the feds to share some costs for the improvement. I think the PC's in Ottawa might be a little worried now and be more willing participants.

The CPR main line is maxed out. From an article in the Calgary Herald from 2013:

Quote:

There is no such train plan in RouteAhead, the city's new 30-year plan for train and bus expansion throughout Calgary. When the city's regional neighbours pitched an inter-city heavy rail system to Airdrie, Cochrane and Okotoks, the regional alliance and railways had spoken of likely having to double the tracks, rather than using the existing train lines.

#**6382** Posted **May 6, 2015, 6:47 PM**

Content removed

SteelTown · #**6383** Posted **May 6, 2015, 8:44 PM**

^ Nice, so West Harbour GO Station?

This is gonna be a huge station. It's basically an entire block long station.

lrt's friend · #**6384** Posted **May 6, 2015, 11:17 PM**

Will the opening of the West Harbour Go Station facilitate all day rail service to Hamilton this year?

SteelTown · #**6385** Posted **May 6, 2015, 11:38 PM**

No, think it's going to get maybe the most 8 trips per day.

1overcosc · #**6386** Posted **May 7, 2015, 12:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelTown

No, think it's going to get maybe the most 8 trips per day.

What is the current status of AD2W to Hamilton? Is it the old station that's going to be getting it?

SteelTown · #**6387** Posted **May 7, 2015, 12:42 AM**

^ No clue, ask Premier Wynne. I think it said in the last budget perhaps in 2025.

Originally we're told we'd have all day GO Train service to the new Station before the Pan Am Games, even had a huge elaborate media event for the announcement with Premier McGuinty. News article about it: http://www.thespec.com/news-story/2217536-mcguinty-promises-all-day-go/

Now we're lucky to get a few more trains and the Station definitely won't be completed before the Pan Am Games.

hipster duck · #**6388** Posted **May 7, 2015, 12:49 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MeIsThomas

Hamilton's James Street North GO Station has been officially named the West Harbour GO Station.

Sometimes I think that public transit agencies in North America don't understand the idea of customer friendliness, intuitiveness or just common sense. Have the name of the city in the station, otherwise it's just a useless name that signifies nothing.

What is West Harbour? How do people who are going to Hamilton for the first time know they should go to a "West Harbour" station? If they insist on having the words "West Harbour" in the name, why not call it "Hamilton - West Harbour"?

It's the same thing with "Allandale Waterfront". Why not call it "Barrie: Allandale Waterfront"? You need to have a sense of where you're going based on actual place names, and not just name things after committee-appointed names or landmarks.

Doady · #**6389** Posted **May 7, 2015, 2:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hipster duck

Sometimes I think that public transit agencies in North America don't understand the idea of customer friendliness, intuitiveness or just common sense. Have the name of the city in the station, otherwise it's just a useless name that signifies nothing.

What is West Harbour? How do people who are going to Hamilton for the first time know they should go to a "West Harbour" station? If they insist on having the words "West Harbour" in the name, why not call it "Hamilton - West Harbour"?

It's the same thing with "Allandale Waterfront". Why not call it "Barrie: Allandale Waterfront"? You need to have a sense of where you're going based on actual place names, and not just name things after committee-appointed names or landmarks.

Should Port Credit station be renamed the "Mississauga Port Credit" station?

I think "Hamilton Harbour" station would have been fine. I see nothing wrong with "Allandale" which is the actual neighbourhood name.

If anything, the names that need to change are names like "Burlington" station and "Oakville" station. There are three stations in Burlington. It makes no sense to have a station just called "Burlington".

Same with "Scarborough" station. How many GO stations are there in Scarborough? Five? Six? It is an idiotic name.

hipster duck · #**6390** Posted **May 7, 2015, 2:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doady

Should Port Credit station be renamed the "Mississauga Port Credit" station?

I think "Hamilton Harbour" station would have been fine. I see nothing wrong with "Allandale" which is the actual neighbourhood name.

If anything, the names that need to change are names like "Burlington" station and "Oakville" station. There are three stations in Burlington. It makes no sense to have a station just called "Burlington".

Same with "Scarborough" station. How many GO stations are there in Scarborough? Five? Six? It is an idiotic name.

No, Port Credit should remain "Port Credit" because it's an actual place people know, not some invented name.

If there were to be a Mississauga station, it would hopefully be a major transit hub located at Mississauga city centre.

I agree that "Scarborough" station is misleading for the same purpose. If there were to be a Scarborough station, we would hope it would be at Scarborough town centre, with connections to Scarborough Town Centre RT station (essentially being the same station).

Another bad name: Eglinton. This is confusing since there's already a TTC subway station with the same name, thus confusing any attempts in the future for system integration.

Innsertnamehere · #**6391** Posted **May 7, 2015, 2:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelTown

^ No clue, ask Premier Wynne. I think it said in the last budget perhaps in 2025.

Originally we're told we'd have all day GO Train service to the new Station before the Pan Am Games, even had a huge elaborate media event for the announcement with Premier McGuinty. News article about it: http://www.thespec.com/news-story/2217536-mcguinty-promises-all-day-go/

Now we're lucky to get a few more trains and the Station definitely won't be completed before the Pan Am Games.

It'll be sooner than that. The plan is a 10 year plan, and journalists incorrectly assumed that all upgrades will occur on year 10. By 2025 the initial GO RER network will be built out, but it will be phased in over time with different service upgrades. Kitchener will get all day service by the end of the year, Barrie and Stouffville will join in 2017, etc. Most of the diesel service is going to come sooner, its the 15 minute electrified service that waits towards the end of the 10 year period. Oddly however, it did not mention when exactly the plan is for Hamilton to get full service.

I suspect Hamilton will get all day service (hourly) before the end of the decade.

SteelTown · #**6392** Posted **May 7, 2015, 12:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Oddly however, it did not mention when exactly the plan is for Hamilton to get full service.

HAHA yeah much like it mentioned rapid transit for Hamilton but no real timeline, no funding amount or either it's going to be LRT or BRT. At least give us the funding amount on a budget and maybe we could move forward. Instead we're left wondering what to do next.

lrt's friend · #**6393** Posted **May 7, 2015, 1:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelTown

HAHA yeah much like it mentioned rapid transit for Hamilton but no real timeline, no funding amount or either it's going to be LRT or BRT. At least give us the funding amount on a budget and maybe we could move forward. Instead we're left wondering what to do next.

Learn from other cities. You won't get money until you have an approved plan that has been costed out. As long as Hamilton hedges on what they want to do, they won't get any funding. Time to work out whether you want LRT or BRT and work out the details.

WhipperSnapper · #**6394** Posted **May 7, 2015, 1:35 PM**

How will people know which Hamilton Station to go to? Will Go own the tracks in this station?

SteelTown · #**6395** Posted **May 7, 2015, 1:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Learn from other cities. You won't get money until you have an approved plan that has been costed out. As long as Hamilton hedges on what they want to do, they won't get any funding. Time to work out whether you want LRT or BRT and work out the details.

ETA for B-Line LRT - checked
Unanimous council support for B-Line LRT - checked
Business case for B-Line LRT - checked
B-Line LRT funding request to Metrolinx - checked

tick tock tick tock we're waiting Premier Wynne.

SteelTown · #**6396** Posted **May 7, 2015, 1:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

How will people know which Hamilton Station to go to? Will Go own the tracks in this station?

GO Transit hasn't released the schedule yet. All we know is that it'll be running during the Pan Am Games.

It'll be a huge adjustment once both GO Stations are up and running. Lucky there's A-Line bus that will connect both stations, though the City will have to increase frequency.

GO doesn't own the tracks, CN does.

caltrane74 · #**6397** Posted **May 7, 2015, 2:15 PM**

Hey Hamilton might not be getting an LRT but it is getting a mighty fine, GO Station... hopefully Metrolinx can do something about track ownership and get that 15 minute service going to Hamilton once the right-of-way issues are resolved.

Riise · #**6398** Posted **May 7, 2015, 3:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aylmer

I think a simple, inexpensive DMU connection to Calgary would do wonders for Banff as well as the suburban towns to the west of Calgary like Cochrane. I know there's the Rocky Mountaineer, but I'm talking about something way more frequent (several times a day) and way less expensive ($20-30?).

A train to Banff would be brilliant! I'd definitely be heading there regularly if there was a train.

1overcosc · #**6399** Posted **May 7, 2015, 5:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelTown

ETA for B-Line LRT - checked
Unanimous council support for B-Line LRT - checked
Business case for B-Line LRT - checked
B-Line LRT funding request to Metrolinx - checked

tick tock tick tock we're waiting Premier Wynne.

The issue is that Hamilton is still dithering on transit overall... for example, they removed the King St bus lane.

Though, Hamilton really does seem to be getting a short stick lately.. I suspect politics is at play.

Beedok · #**6400** Posted **May 7, 2015, 5:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

The issue is that Hamilton is still dithering on transit overall... for example, they removed the King St bus lane.

Though, Hamilton really does seem to be getting a short stick lately.. I suspect politics is at play.

As I've said before, it seems like both sides dither the worst on the rare occasion the other one starts getting productive. When Hamilton pushes the Province locks up. Then when the Province starts opening up Hamilton gets distant and convinced of a scam.