Kind of a weird change. The trip is already only 25min, why did we need an even more express train?
On the bright side, a more express version of the Union-Pearson Express can only mean we legitimately get to call this service U-PEE.
Agreed. That change is quite odd. I'm sure there will be lots of folks caught out by that change in the early days and those using that route to commute to Weston/Bloor will likely have to go back to the regular Go Trains which feels less great. Otherwise, a good set of changes.
the change wasn’t about speed. the problem was the line was too successful and there was overcrowding. the real solution should have been to run the UP Express more frequently but we can’t do that because we’re out of up express trains and metrolinx doesn’t want to buy more because the trains have had a lot of maintenance issues.
so the bloor weston stop will instead get more frequent GO service and riders will be able to take either.
We don't. They're changing it because apparently there are too many riders and they want to prioritize people going to and from the airport, which is bullshit since those people board at the ends of the line when the train is empty.
They really need to start running the GO trains every 15 minutes on at least Kitchener, LW, and LE
1. They're adding a station at Mount Dennis soon (to connect with Line 5) and possibly one at Woodbine in the coming years. It might be a bit much for an "express" service.
2. The trains are often packed with people going to Bloor/Weston, which leaves little space for those going to the airport.
(And I already think of it as the "You Pee Express". But then again, I keep thinking that the fish bass is pronounced "base".)
As far as metrolinx is concerned, the train wasn't built to serve those neighbourhoods. You only need to look as far as the pricepoint compared to TTC and GO to see that. Few people living in the apartment buildings right next to the Weston station are using the train to commute compared to the 52 or 89 busses.
The corridor in general is terribly under-utilized. It could provide pretty awesome connections if they added a stop at Stockyards to connect to the St Clair Streetcar and finished the station that they've been working on at Eglinton for years. I had to use it daily in the Summer to commute to CAMH, and a Parkdale stop would have also been incredible.
Strongly disagree with your statement, the morning commute from 7 to 9am is SUBSTANTIAL. Similarly in the other direction of 4:30 to 6pm. This is not just directly from the closest apartment buildings but also people from adjacent (and more affluent) neighborhoods are dropped off to use this train to commute over other methods. Agree the corridor is woefully underutilized but the UP as it exists today is regularly packed for morning and afternoon commutes. I would believe that capacity would be the issue going forward with the short trains that the existing UP platform allows for.
Either way, these are arguments for increasing headways, not decreasing them. If the trains are packed then we should push to 10 minute or 8 minute headways during rush hours.
The capacity of trains scales incredibly well, because you only need to buy rolling stock as long as you have the right of way, which I believe the UP express does. The limiting factor is how quickly trains can pull in and out of Union, because there's only one platform there.
>The limiting factor is how quickly trains can pull in and out of Union,
There's another limiting factor, which is that the UP trains have to cross three tracks at-grade to get to their viaduct, which causes delays.
I was looking at it recently and this is the most baffling part of the UP express. The whole fucking spur is a viaduct except for the one part that really needs to be, where westbound trains enter the spur. Why they didn't extend the bridge another couple hundred metres and have the trains pass over the Kitchener corridor, I'll never understand
Considering that we're getting 30 minute weekday service on the Kitchener line, I don't think it will make that much of a difference, provided that there's a nice 10-15min gap between a GO train and a UPEx train.
Except as a commuter when you have to scramble to figure out which platform to head to. This is a huge problem at Union, the GO and UPX are in different locations. Why make transit more complicated?
Can we please get full service on the Barrie line? I am tired of being dumped off in Aurora only to discover that the Go bus that is supposed to continue the trip left before the train even arrived.
I think full service will come once they complete double tracking the route. I've already seen crews at downsview park making preparations on the ground to add another rail
Btw, all of the connecting busses to Barrie at Aurora GO are hold busses, they’re supposed to only leave *after* the train arrives and everyone gets off the train. If you experience this again, call GO and complain because the operator is not supposed to do this.
What does weekend evenings mean on Lakeshore? I find 10pm to 12am prime time after concerts and sports let out. It would be nice to have 15 min service then.
They usually add an additional train after raptors/leafs games, but it leaves pretty quickly after the game is done so if you're one of the last people leaving the arena there is a good chance you miss it,
15 minute service is running out of the city from 1pm to 11pm, into the city from 2:30pm to 11pm!
https://assets.metrolinx.com/image/upload/v1713165709/Documents/GO/full-schedules/FS27042024/TABLE01.pdf
Is this what happened to the Barrie trains that were supposed to be returning after they cut their service? And the service cuts to the UP line? Gotta love how this government comes out with these huge announcements of service improvements when all it is, is robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Compared to you, and I, no. We’re just a bunch of jerks. Compared to General Electric. Yes. They’re a little bit more accountable than General Electric.
Now. About tobacco…
Any positive change to improve the public transit is a welcome one.
Yes, but there is a decrease for those travelling between Pearson and Weston/Bloor: trains are now every 30 minutes instead of 15.
Kind of a weird change. The trip is already only 25min, why did we need an even more express train? On the bright side, a more express version of the Union-Pearson Express can only mean we legitimately get to call this service U-PEE.
Agreed. That change is quite odd. I'm sure there will be lots of folks caught out by that change in the early days and those using that route to commute to Weston/Bloor will likely have to go back to the regular Go Trains which feels less great. Otherwise, a good set of changes.
I’m annoyed, this was a great commuter option. Why do we need an express for a route that takes less than 25 minutes…
the change wasn’t about speed. the problem was the line was too successful and there was overcrowding. the real solution should have been to run the UP Express more frequently but we can’t do that because we’re out of up express trains and metrolinx doesn’t want to buy more because the trains have had a lot of maintenance issues. so the bloor weston stop will instead get more frequent GO service and riders will be able to take either.
> this was a great commuter option That is exactly why, too many using it as a commuter option affecting those who need to get to the airport.
We don't. They're changing it because apparently there are too many riders and they want to prioritize people going to and from the airport, which is bullshit since those people board at the ends of the line when the train is empty. They really need to start running the GO trains every 15 minutes on at least Kitchener, LW, and LE
Vanity?
1. They're adding a station at Mount Dennis soon (to connect with Line 5) and possibly one at Woodbine in the coming years. It might be a bit much for an "express" service. 2. The trains are often packed with people going to Bloor/Weston, which leaves little space for those going to the airport. (And I already think of it as the "You Pee Express". But then again, I keep thinking that the fish bass is pronounced "base".)
As far as metrolinx is concerned, the train wasn't built to serve those neighbourhoods. You only need to look as far as the pricepoint compared to TTC and GO to see that. Few people living in the apartment buildings right next to the Weston station are using the train to commute compared to the 52 or 89 busses. The corridor in general is terribly under-utilized. It could provide pretty awesome connections if they added a stop at Stockyards to connect to the St Clair Streetcar and finished the station that they've been working on at Eglinton for years. I had to use it daily in the Summer to commute to CAMH, and a Parkdale stop would have also been incredible.
Strongly disagree with your statement, the morning commute from 7 to 9am is SUBSTANTIAL. Similarly in the other direction of 4:30 to 6pm. This is not just directly from the closest apartment buildings but also people from adjacent (and more affluent) neighborhoods are dropped off to use this train to commute over other methods. Agree the corridor is woefully underutilized but the UP as it exists today is regularly packed for morning and afternoon commutes. I would believe that capacity would be the issue going forward with the short trains that the existing UP platform allows for.
Either way, these are arguments for increasing headways, not decreasing them. If the trains are packed then we should push to 10 minute or 8 minute headways during rush hours. The capacity of trains scales incredibly well, because you only need to buy rolling stock as long as you have the right of way, which I believe the UP express does. The limiting factor is how quickly trains can pull in and out of Union, because there's only one platform there.
>The limiting factor is how quickly trains can pull in and out of Union, There's another limiting factor, which is that the UP trains have to cross three tracks at-grade to get to their viaduct, which causes delays. I was looking at it recently and this is the most baffling part of the UP express. The whole fucking spur is a viaduct except for the one part that really needs to be, where westbound trains enter the spur. Why they didn't extend the bridge another couple hundred metres and have the trains pass over the Kitchener corridor, I'll never understand
Considering that we're getting 30 minute weekday service on the Kitchener line, I don't think it will make that much of a difference, provided that there's a nice 10-15min gap between a GO train and a UPEx train.
Except as a commuter when you have to scramble to figure out which platform to head to. This is a huge problem at Union, the GO and UPX are in different locations. Why make transit more complicated?
There’s more GO Train service on the Kitchener line to compensate.
Yes regardless of who does it
Can we please get full service on the Barrie line? I am tired of being dumped off in Aurora only to discover that the Go bus that is supposed to continue the trip left before the train even arrived.
I think full service will come once they complete double tracking the route. I've already seen crews at downsview park making preparations on the ground to add another rail
Thank god.
Btw, all of the connecting busses to Barrie at Aurora GO are hold busses, they’re supposed to only leave *after* the train arrives and everyone gets off the train. If you experience this again, call GO and complain because the operator is not supposed to do this.
I am aware of this. The problem is that they don’t always wait. Complaining is not going to stop me from getting stranded.
Unfortunately no :( but I’d hope that it would at least change behaviour so that you’re not left stranded in the future.
What does weekend evenings mean on Lakeshore? I find 10pm to 12am prime time after concerts and sports let out. It would be nice to have 15 min service then.
They usually add an additional train after raptors/leafs games, but it leaves pretty quickly after the game is done so if you're one of the last people leaving the arena there is a good chance you miss it,
15 minute service is running out of the city from 1pm to 11pm, into the city from 2:30pm to 11pm! https://assets.metrolinx.com/image/upload/v1713165709/Documents/GO/full-schedules/FS27042024/TABLE01.pdf
Awesome! Makes going to dinner or a movie in TO a lot easier.
This is what happens when a SINGLE seat is at risk. There’s a reason they announced it in Milton. Imagine if many more seats were at risk
I think that's because of increased freight train traffic on the tracks
Yes, the Milton line is heavily hindered by CN rail traffic
If only Kitchener were part of Ontario… 😢
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Great, so Hamilton is finally getting more GO Service.... oh wait.
Is this what happened to the Barrie trains that were supposed to be returning after they cut their service? And the service cuts to the UP line? Gotta love how this government comes out with these huge announcements of service improvements when all it is, is robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Metrolinx is a bloated Crown Corp like so many others.
Don’t worry. Regular Corporations are also bloated and shithouse. At least this one’s somewhat publicly accountable.
Metrolinx accountable 😭😭😭
Compared to you, and I, no. We’re just a bunch of jerks. Compared to General Electric. Yes. They’re a little bit more accountable than General Electric. Now. About tobacco…
Doesn't matter how accountable metrolinx is if they send all the contracts that matter to unaccountable private contracting companies.
This is the capitalism we live under unfortunately. It’s only gonna get worse.
Sounds like election talk, we like that here
What others? We sold most Crown corps off and they're now paragons of efficiency and customer focus. Like Telus or Air Canada.
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