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View Full Version : GO Train Scheduling, It can be done



C.Ronaldo
12-07-2011, 10:51 AM
http://transit.toronto.on.ca/archives/weblog/2011/12/06-go_adds_ex.shtml?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+transit-toronto+%28Transit+Toronto+-+Weblog%29&utm_content=Google+International

After the Ultimate Fighting Championship (http://bit.ly/vUmcJG) (UFC) fight card ends this Saturday, December 10, GO Transit (http://bit.ly/SP4vb) is operating one extra late-night trip in either direction from Union Station along the Lakeshore corridor. The two extra trains leave Union about 30 minutes after the end of the event so spectators have enough time to get from the Air Canada Centre (http://bit.ly/v1gQQU) to their train.
About 30 minutes after the fight ends, GO will operate:

A westbound train along the 01 Lakeshore West line. The train serves all stations along the line to Aldershot GO Station.
A westbound bus along the 18 Lakeshore West route, to carry passengers further west to the Hamilton GO Centre.
An eastbound train along the 09 Lakeshore East line. The train serves all stations to Oshawa GO Station.
An eastbound bus along the 91 Newcastle / Oshawa route to carry passengers further east to Bowmanville and Newcastle.

nfitz
12-07-2011, 10:53 AM
Sure it can be done. But need it be done. From GO's perspective, they add extra trains for events like this, when the existing trains become overloaded.

And although the trains that leave after the current games are busy, they aren't overloaded, so from GO's perspective, extra service isn't necessary.

What we need is the increase to 30-minute service to continue. This should happen slowly over the next 3-5 years or so.

ginkster88
12-07-2011, 11:08 AM
Good god I feel sorry for any non-UFC patron with the misfortune to be on one of those trains.

TorCanSoc
12-07-2011, 11:13 AM
Post event, pump'd up, possibly drunk, UFC fighter wannabees frustrated by GO train service. I can't wait to read the next day's out of octagon fight report.

phonzo
12-07-2011, 11:26 AM
I hate living near the ACC...time to lock myself away for that day.

Wagner
12-07-2011, 11:58 AM
I hate living near the ACC...time to lock myself away for that day.
Embrace it.
Get some affliction gear.
Crush some redbull/monster

Sidenote, there is a dude in downtown hamilton that wears Ufc gloves as a fashion accessory

__wowza
12-07-2011, 12:01 PM
Post event, pump'd up, possibly drunk, UFC fighter wannabees frustrated by GO train service. I can't wait to read the next day's out of octagon fight report.

so an LTGBQ flash mob would be a bad idea that night then?

brad
12-07-2011, 12:35 PM
Good god I feel sorry for any non-UFC patron with the misfortune to be on one of those trains.

I've heard people say that same thing about the trains post TFC (about TFC patrons, not UFC ones obviously)...

Just saying...

twistedchinaman
12-07-2011, 01:28 PM
so an LTGBQ flash mob would be a bad idea that night then?

:lol:

__wowza
12-07-2011, 03:33 PM
I've heard people say that same thing about the trains post TFC (about TFC patrons, not UFC ones obviously)...

Just saying...

erroneous, i sparsely hear the word "bro" used on the GO TRAIN coming back from TFC games, the presence of axe body spray is infrequent.

rocker
12-07-2011, 03:44 PM
In 2007, rowdy TFC fans caused a train I was on to be stopped... those fans were pulled off the train. We were delayed 20 minutes. I think it's gotten better over time.. but back in 2007 and 2008 I doubt anyone coming home from work wanted to be a train with drunken TFC fans, particularly with the singing.

brad
12-07-2011, 03:48 PM
If you want to talk weird fan experiences - try hanging out Downtown on Monster Truck night.

Brooker
12-07-2011, 03:56 PM
Good god I feel sorry for any non-UFC patron with the misfortune to be on one of those trains.

My thoughts exactly. I would rather walk than be stuck on a train with the likes of them. Jesus christ.

nfitz
12-07-2011, 04:22 PM
In 2007, rowdy TFC fans caused a train I was on to be stopped... those fans were pulled off the train. We were delayed 20 minutes. I think it's gotten better over time.. but back in 2007 and 2008 I doubt anyone coming home from work wanted to be a train with drunken TFC fans, particularly with the singing.There was that single incident that was widely reported where the train was delayed 20 minutes as they threw out some drunks.

However, I routinely take the eastbound out of Exhibition after games, and I rarely notice much noise at all. Perhaps I'm not in the rowdy coach?

prizby
12-07-2011, 07:53 PM
extra go train cuz the bars will also have an influx of people...im sure real sports will be about 750-1000

james
12-09-2011, 08:13 AM
i always thot they should stop having the GO train come once an hour with 10-12 carts that are often not close to full. Why dont they make the GO train only 4-6 carts long and come every 20min- 30mins. Maybe more people would actually take the Go train as the hour the train comes may not line-up with the time many people want to get to there destination, once an hour its rediculous once you've been to some other cities abroad and see how often there transit goes further distances umpteen times an hour.

Another issue, fine have last trains back at around 12:40 or whatever they are, but they do have a last bus back at 1:30am to the westbound. Ive only been on it a few times but everytime it was pretty full, so why could they not add another bus at 2:30am and if that fills up make another at 3:30am and so forth till the Go Trains start back up again. A city with the Greater Toronto population of over 4million people there should be some sort of transit to the heart of the city at all hours of the day and night you would think.

I could rant for ever how shit the transit is in Toronto unless you live right in the city!

Mulder
12-09-2011, 08:45 AM
i always thot they should stop having the GO train come once an hour with 10-12 carts that are often not close to full. Why dont they make the GO train only 4-6 carts long and come every 20min- 30mins. Maybe more people would actually take the Go train as the hour the train comes may not line-up with the time many people want to get to there destination, once an hour its rediculous once you've been to some other cities abroad and see how often there transit goes further distances umpteen times an hour.

Capacity issues at Union Station will not allow this.

__wowza
12-09-2011, 08:53 AM
I could rant for ever how shit the transit is in Toronto unless you live right in the city!

i used to have the same issue leaving from scarborough, i'd have to leave at 12:45 or earlier to make it home.. then my girlfriend moved downtown :D

what i'm trying to say is.. no ones going eastbound is going to have to see me drunk at 7:30 tomorrow night :drinking:

brad
12-09-2011, 09:16 AM
I could rant for ever how shit the transit is in Toronto unless you live right in the city!

While not as bad as GO, Transit in the city is awful. And it's only getting worse as more high rises go up and routes get cut back.

nfitz
12-09-2011, 10:08 AM
Capacity issues at Union Station will not allow this.For off peak service?

It's pretty much what GO was proposing themselves with their GO ALRT project that Premier Miller cancelled. Smaller electrified trains every 5-10 minutes or so.

GO themselves have already promised that they will up the service to every 30 minutes in the next few years ... and started the process already in September by adding some late afternoon, early evening trains (those heading westbound to BMO Place for 7:30 pm weeknight games (or who want to get their early for 8 pm games) got one of those new trains, with arrivals westbound now at 6:49 pm, 7:19 pm, and 7:49 pm. Expect more trains to slowly be added to the schedule in the next 3-4 years.

GO's also been talking about electrifying the line and going to every 15-minute service in a decade or so.

It will come.

The capacity issues GO has been discussing at Union are at rush hour.

kitchener-TFC
12-09-2011, 07:48 PM
i always thot they should stop having the GO train come once an hour with 10-12 carts that are often not close to full. Why dont they make the GO train only 4-6 carts long and come every 20min- 30mins. Maybe more people would actually take the Go train as the hour the train comes may not line-up with the time many people want to get to there destination, once an hour its rediculous once you've been to some other cities abroad and see how often there transit goes further distances umpteen times an hour.

It believe it costs GO just as much to run a 12 car train as it does running a 4-6 car train. It's the cost of paying the 3 employees per train, as well as the diesel consumed by the locomotive.
I don't know what extent MLSE has been pressuring GO Train to increase service on game days, if any! Capacity at Union on saturdays shouldn't be an issue, so lets hope that the new board of directors (whenever they get installed) work with GO Train to accomodate all of the passenger activity related to all of their sports teams, especially TFC.

james
12-10-2011, 09:19 AM
Capacity issues at Union Station will not allow this.


if they can fit more trains in at rush hour which they do everyday then they could easily add a few extra trains on off peak hours rather then 1 an hour. I guess the only issue then tho is if more people start taking the trains in off-peak hours then more people will also start to take the trains in rush hours which you may be right that union cant handle more people at rush hour. But Union is way to small anyways for a city the size of Toronto, are transit is decades behind compared to some other cities, make Union bigger or do whatever needs to be done its something that needs to be done.

james
12-10-2011, 09:23 AM
It believe it costs GO just as much to run a 12 car train as it does running a 4-6 car train. It's the cost of paying the 3 employees per train, as well as the diesel consumed by the locomotive.
I don't know what extent MLSE has been pressuring GO Train to increase service on game days, if any! Capacity at Union on saturdays shouldn't be an issue, so lets hope that the new board of directors (whenever they get installed) work with GO Train to accomodate all of the passenger activity related to all of their sports teams, especially TFC.

well maybe, but having less train cars may mean they dont need to buy as many train cars that they dont need to use?? maybe then trains wont be taking up as much space on the tracks? maybe they just dont need to build every GO Train a double decker, might cost the city less money to buy some single decker trains, and double deckers arent always needed. i dont know.

nfitz
12-10-2011, 12:36 PM
But Union is way to small anyways for a city the size of Toronto, are transit is decades behind compared to some other cities, make Union bigger or do whatever needs to be done its something that needs to be done.Which is why they are spending almost $1-billion on various projects at Union to completely rebuild and expand the concourses, replace the train shed, add the new subway platform, add the new train platform (which was completed first), all to be completed by 2015-2016. With unfunded plans for even more to add yet another platform, extend some of the platforms to allow 2 trains to fit on a platform, and expand the LRT loop. And also studies looking at further options, such as new GO stations at Summerhill, Bathurst/Front, and adding 4 more tracks under the existing station.

james
12-13-2011, 10:56 AM
Which is why they are spending almost $1-billion on various projects at Union to completely rebuild and expand the concourses, replace the train shed, add the new subway platform, add the new train platform (which was completed first), all to be completed by 2015-2016. With unfunded plans for even more to add yet another platform, extend some of the platforms to allow 2 trains to fit on a platform, and expand the LRT loop. And also studies looking at further options, such as new GO stations at Summerhill, Bathurst/Front, and adding 4 more tracks under the existing station.

well that good to here because this should of been done long time ago. I hope they make it where trains coming from eastbound,westbound and anywhere from the North are coming into Union at least every 15 minutes. And Hamilton also should fix there main train station, should beable to get a train straight from Union all the way to downtown hamilton, shouldnt have to get off at aldershot and get a bus. The tracks are there i guess they just need to improve them.

Roogsy
12-13-2011, 11:00 AM
The fact that there doesn't exist a Toronto to Hamilton train is ridiculous. At the moment, you have to Go Train it to Burlington then take a bus. It's a joke. In Europe, you can go to the smallest towns with populations of 2 block neighbourhoods in Toronto but here you can't go from one major city to another. :rolleyes:

nfitz
12-13-2011, 11:34 AM
The fact that there doesn't exist a Toronto to Hamilton train is ridiculous. At the moment, you have to Go Train it to Burlington then take a bus. It's a joke.There are 4 trains in each direction daily from Hamilton (Hunter and James) to Toronto, along with connecting buses (http://gotransitnlb.gotransit.com/publicroot/en/PDF/Quicktables/UNION/CurrentBoard/HMGO.pdf). There's also a separate non-stop express bus that GO runs all-day every 20-30 minutes (http://gotransitnlb.gotransit.com/publicroot/en/PDF/Timetables/CurrentBoard/Table16.pdf) - and has run at least since the 1980s when I was a student.

The trains only get to Hamilton in rush-hour ... but the government did promise all-day GO Train service to the other (currently unused) station at James and Barton in the last election. This is part of their St. Catharines service, and apparently will be in service by 2015. This could also see VIA Rail and Amtrak return to Hamilton as well, as they both run through this station currently without stopping. This would help people get to Exhibition station - and perhaps even those getting to an event (future team?) at Ivor Wynne stadium, as it's a simple 10-minute bus ride down Barton Street from that station to Ivor Wynne on a very frequent line.

I don't disagree that service here generally sucks, especially compared to Europe, but the current government seems to be moving mountains to put in the kind of frequent service people are talking about.

Roogsy
12-13-2011, 11:58 AM
I knew about the bus, I didn't know about the train. I stopped taking the GO Train when I moved jobs a couple of years ago.

If they now have even partial train service into Hamilton, then kudos to them. That was very much needed.

nfitz
12-13-2011, 12:19 PM
If they now have even partial train service into Hamilton, then kudos to them. That was very much needed.As far as I know GO has run one or two rush-hour trains into Hamilton (the currently unused station originally) continuously since 1967, transferring service to the new station in 1996. The GO service replaced existing CN trains that had run since the 1800s.

But not much use unless you trying to commute in rush-hour. What we've seen recently however, the expansion of rush-hour service into the new station, and the promise of running all-day service to the old station is very promising.

The old station itself is quite a piece of architecture!
http://historicalhamilton.com/media/images/422.jpg

james
12-15-2011, 08:56 AM
ya unless a train service is provided all day it is pointless for many to only have service only durring rush hour.

james
12-15-2011, 09:04 AM
The fact that there doesn't exist a Toronto to Hamilton train is ridiculous. At the moment, you have to Go Train it to Burlington then take a bus. It's a joke. In Europe, you can go to the smallest towns with populations of 2 block neighbourhoods in Toronto but here you can't go from one major city to another. :rolleyes:

i know that to well, and even those small towns trains can be coming and going every 15mins things like that with smaller populations and sometimes much much further distances away then say Hamilton and Toronto are away from each other, and it just drives me mad when i think of Toronto. A city of 500,000 and another of 2.5million only 45minutes away from each other and yet no train service...its fucken nuts.

celt-nick
12-15-2011, 09:06 AM
In 2007, rowdy TFC fans caused a train I was on to be stopped... those fans were pulled off the train. We were delayed 20 minutes. I think it's gotten better over time.. but back in 2007 and 2008 I doubt anyone coming home from work wanted to be a train with drunken TFC fans, particularly with the singing.

Those were fun train days! (I was never on a train that had to be stopped/delayed though, that'd suck)