TORONTO — The government of Ontario has awarded a contract for major expansion of Go Transit service in the Toronto area, a plan calling for more than 120 miles of new track and electrification of more than 370 miles of the system. The electrification will also bring new trains capable of speeds exceeding 85 mph, and bring two-way, all-day service on some lines, along with service on headways of 15 minutes or less.
Provincial transportation agency Metrolinx and ONxpress Transportation Partners, winner of the multi-billion dollar contract, will now begin a 24-month development phase for design, schedule, and initial construction.
“Transforming the GO rail network and delivering two-way, all-day service will be a game-changer for the people of the Greater Golden Horseshoe,” Stan Cho, Ontario’s associate minister of transportation, said in a press release from the provincial government. “With quicker and more convenient ways to get from Point A to Point B throughout the region, people will thrive with easier access to home, work and recreation.”
Construction is expected to begin in 2023, with the first additions to service coming in 2025 or 2026.
In an article outlining the expansion plan, Metrolinx says the two-way, all-day service is planned on the Lakeshore East and West lines, Kitchener Line, Barrie Line, and Stouffville Line, and is designed to transform the system from one focused on those commuting to downtown Toronto into “a regional backbone that connects high-growth communities across the region.”
Over C$11 billion of early work and off-corridor projects are already under way, including renovation of 16 stations, improvements at 29 other stations, and expansion projects on six corridors. A map showing the initials projects is available here.
The GO project, along with ongoing subway and light rail projects in the Toronto area, represent a total investment of C$61 billion.
Notwithstanding the Metrolinx propaganda the past, present and apparently future GO network is indeed arranged to take people to, from and through Toronto and hardly “a regional backbone that connects high-growth communities across the region.”
Most of the GO rail lines were either former freight lines or built next to them, none of it has ever been electrified. So for C$11 billion we may get increased frequency and nicer stations bit I seriously doubt that “… people will thrive with easier access to home, work and recreation.”
Union Station is the center of the rail network so anything that goes wrong there can significantly disrupt all rail service in the region. The signal workers at Union Station just went on strike.
It will also allow for commuting in the other direction, not just from Toronto but from other points on the network, encouraging growth outside the city. Hamilton and Mississauga in particular should benefit. Kitchener-Waterloo should as well, but it’s going to take a lot of work to get the Kitchener Line ready for prime time.
What needs to be done is —
1. Refurbish all the trackwork to what is the equivalent of US class 5 and 6 before all those trains start running. That includes all turnouts and puzzle switches.
2.. The overhead wiring will need to be completed after all the Tronto Union station trackwork is complete. Much easier and less expensive before all the extra trains start running.
3. Wonder if Go will order a version of the ALCEs? Probably some full double deck?
but what about go transit’s diesel locomotive fleet being rebuilt into tier 4 emission standards
There will still be two un-electrified lines, as well as segments on electrified lines without wires. They’ll still have plenty of work.
Hmmm. Deja Vu, all over again. Check out Trains Newswire April 13, 2016: “GO Transit to Electrify its Network”, by Al DiCenso.
Easy to explain Al, just like in America,
2016, Liberal government
2022, Conservative government
The electrification project was put forward by the Liberal government and quietly dropped after the election. Now the Conservative government is less than two months from an election and needs a win.
Yep, exactly the point I was making without using the words “vote buying”
There’s another article today on how VIA Rail wants to electrify 90% of its High Frequency Route between Toronto and Quebec City (with the remaining 10% owned by CN). I wonder if any of that line overlaps with GO’s proposed electrification? I’m not familiar enough with the HFR plan to know.
Not that much outside the Union Station Rail Corridor. It will follow a CP/ex-CP rail line that doesn’t currently see any passenger service. One would hope that GO would jump in after the heavy lifting is done for VIA, but nothing can be taken for granted.
No map.
Click on the red letters “press release”. There’s a map at the bottom of the document.
Thank you, Charles. I foolishly clicked on the word “here,” with negative results.