Canadian Railroads > GO Transit buys part of CN Guelph Sub

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/09/24/go-closer-to-all-day-kitchener-toronto-rail-service

GO Transit now owns the eastern end of the Former CN Guelph Sub. The curent purchase covers from roughly Mile 29 at Georgetown to Mile 64 in Kitchener. The entire Guelph Sub was leased to the GEXR, now a G+W property. Not sure how the sale and the lease are reconciled.

The Province is boasting about its plan to create all day, two way GO service to Kitchener. Local Politicians in the K-W area were quick to point out that the plan has no specific timetable. The line is currently single track and would need a lot of upgrading to get to that point. it was also pointed out that the current GO trains are all-stops milk runs and don't offer faster commuting than just driving, even with Toronto's stop and go rush hour traffic. How Go or Via might Address that isn't clear. Even the new upgraded Weston Sub won't be able to handle mixed express and local service without some additional construction...also an area where there are lots of promises but no clear plans.

All things in time, i guess.

- Paul



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/25/14 08:52 by crs1026.

GO ownership removes a barrier to future electrification, too.

WELL, there is also the issue of the bottleneck on CN's main east west mainline between the malton area and Georgetown, this will surely effect any hourly GO service on the line. GO has lots of plans to keep the politicians happy........

for those that do not the know the track arrangement, the line from malton to Georgetown (silver) is double tracked with ctc. CN freight traffic bound for Buffalo / Sarnia from Mac Yard / Brampton intermodal terminal enter the trackage from the east @ malton then crossover to go west on the halton sub at Georgetown.

With frequent CN long freights, VIA service and an expanded GO service (hourly) this section would be a bottle neck. CN will probably require an east to west fly over at some point. Not to mention how eastbound intermodels sitting on the mainline waiting to get into the Brampton intermodal yard will effect capacity on the line

And there is a major engineering issue if GO wants to electrify, any catenary will have to clear domestic double stacks and tri-level auto racks

The improvements to run hourly GO service will cost big $$$$$$$$



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 09/25/14 14:39 by dxm332.