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Toronto’s GO Transit has a lot of bilevel cars and diesel locomotives, but with the electrification of the system, a new type of train is needed. We talk about it in our latest video!
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Ever wondered why your city’s transit just doesn’t seem quite up to snuff? RMTransit is here to answer that, and help you open your eyes to all of the different public transportation systems around the world!
Reece (the RM in RMTransit) is an urbanist and public transport critic residing in Toronto, Canada, with the goal of helping the world become more connected through metros, trams, buses, high-speed trains, and all other transport modes.
22 Comments
10:30 I think you mixed up the orders the 130 new EMUs are regional trains not S-Bahn trains and the order included 30 years of maintenace and an option to order 100 more.
The platform hight is very important here in Baden Würtemberg we have 3 hights the S-Bahn Stuttgart uses 96 cm, while regional trains use 55 cm. Platforms used by the S-Bahn Rhein Neckar, DB Fernverkehr and mixed use, use 76cm hight so standartisation is a big oppurtunity GO shouldn't waste.
I suspect that they'll go forward with the current plan, discover the issues and 10 years later convert to EMUs and in between service will be suboptimal.
This might be one of my favourite videos you've done in recent memory. I've been so stoked about the plans for the Kitchener line that i failed to think of the EMU missing piece – thank you so much for this breakdown!
This video is a genuine masterpiece! _ "Hard work and unwavering resolve pave the way to triumph."
Thats exactly what im telling Gwinnett Transit in Georgia. They should buy the old cars from Marta (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) and build their own lines, but they wont listen to me.
You have way too much faith in Toronto. I don't expect any significant improvements in Toronto public transit. Not in the next 50 years.
Now that you mentioned the x60, do you have any plans to make a video on Stockholms commuter/light rail network? Like the video you made on Copenhagen for example
4:38 Vienna also, big time! On the high frequency trunk line. But our next round double deckers are going to be Stadler Kiss like everywhere else…
hah, there's other toronto expats in nz who watch your vids?? go figure. I figured I was a biiig anomaly for your stats
Why don't they just move to EMUs one line at a time? No need to do it all at once. Just get rid of the oldest carriages first and test the waters with the new stock. You wouldn't need extra yard space because it would be one in one out kinda thing, right? One question I'm not sure about is would going to single level EMUs require longer trains and therefore stations? Or is the idea that the frequency would double and so capacity wouldn't suffer?
Let's not forget that by changing to electric, especially in the urban core, use of air rights over tracks is possible.
You should do a video on the level boarding progress for the GO Network
Metrolinx please hire this guy as a consultant. As a Toronto taxpayer, I insist!
4:41 didn't know paris has swiss trains
When the Re450 was introduced in Zurich in 1989, the normal carriage used on the network was still EW II and EW III, where the EW III was operated mainly for intercity service. The Re450 fleet went through a modernization program from 2011 to 2018 to continue operation until the fleet is retired. Maybe the situation in Zurich is indeed a bit comparable to Toronto, even though the City of Toronto is bigger. The population densities are in the same range, at least in average. Both have had a more or less dense rail network before level boarding and EMUs were a thing. Running a mixed fleet in transition is not a bad thing. High frequency services can benefit from newer rolling stock. On longer distances the old rolling stock still makes a lot of sense IMO.
While I don't have access to UP Express passenger data, I would hazard a guess that it's more useful as a way to get downtown from Weston or Bloor/Dundas than an airport shuttle. Given that I never see the original 3 car consist passing by, my impression is that it's not considered a good airport/downtown mode of travel. An airport limo will get you right to your destination door. Would love to see EMUs on Go and Via Rail but will likely pass away from old age before anything like that could occur.
One of the reasons that Metrolinx often claims to keep from electrifying is the amount of track they use that is owned by CN or CP, and neither of those want to see electrification. It's an easy excuse given how much of their routing is on their own track at this point.
Why can't we have bi-level emus?
The grade is there. Vertical stations are smaller than longer stations, even with the added grade work
Love your videos. I dont understand why you dont work for the city. You are so smart. I work at the ttc and literally nobody theres even uses public transportation.. so frustrating!!!
We need you to be the transport minister!
On Long Island, this is the same way with the EMD DE30AC and DM30AC locomotives and C3 coaches as much of the LIRR is non-electrified like the Greenport section of the Ronkonkoma Branch between Ronkonkoma and Greenport, between Huntington and Port Jefferson on the Port Jefferson Branch, the Oyster Bay Branch, and the Montauk Branch. The reason they're bi-levels compared to the rest of the LIRR fleet is because the platforms on the diesel branches are shorter, and so using bi-levels will help get the capacity they want while making up for the shorter platforms. The difference between the DE30ACs and DM30ACs, is that the DM30ACs can turn on electric mode to enter Penn Station.
Because of the fact the DM30ACs are limited, direct service to Penn Station from the diesel branches only happen during peak hours, but that's not the only major problem. In the case of the Montauk Branch, it is single-track between Sayville all the way to Montauk. Double-tracking all the way to Montauk may not be realistic, but there is no excuse not to electrify and double-track at least up to Speonk where regular commuter service ends. Electrifying, let alone double-tracking, would make a huge difference for those who live on the South Shore of Suffolk County and rely on the Montauk Branch as their connection to the big city. Not to mention those who live on Fire Island year-round and take ferries to the stations.
as a native torontonian whos moved to NZ this year, appreciate the shoutout lol.