05-07-2018, 08:33 PM
(05-07-2018, 07:48 PM)MidTowner Wrote:(05-07-2018, 01:47 PM)Viewfromthe42 Wrote: It should be said that the idea of running trains from Cambridge up onto the (now) Kitchener line is not great. In addition to being even longer than the already horrendously long journey, and taking off pressure to do the good idea of extending Milton line, now every train to Cambridge is a train that's not to Kitchener, every train to Kitchener is a train that's not to Cambridge, and we've fed back into the divisive sectarian politics that seem to define this region.
I can't see any other way to view it than this. I understand (well, to an extent) the challenges of extending service on the Milton line, but it's far and away better than this idea of running up to Guelph and then on the Kitchener line. And the timing really does seem like it's a politically-motivated attempt at making it seem like something might be happening for Cambridge; I don't think you need more than a healthy dose of cynicism to wonder how serious the idea is.
Branching means reduced frequency. The last thing we need as a Region is splitting the Kitchener line in two. If getting residents of Cambridge to downtown Toronto is really best done along the Kitchener line (I don't think it is), we'd be better served by continuing to advocate for fast frequent service to Kitchener, along with some kind of rapid service from Cambridge to Kitchener.
We're already planning rapid transit from Cambridge to Kitchener, but that's actually worse for Cambridge than going to Guelph, which is a more direct route. Also, Cambridge <-> Guelph is itself a valuable route.
Branching wouldn't be ideal, but there's probably room on the Kitchener line (once enhancements are done) for say 10 minute service with 20 minute service in Kitchener and 20 minute service in Cambridge which I think would be reasonable. But that's to say nothing of the option of simply having Cambridge <-> Guelph be a shuttle. Even better, if enhancements to the Kitchener line are substantial enough (say for HSR), it could even be competitive with or faster than the CP route.
The bottom line is, Milton seems to be a dead end. Yes, it would be nice, but short of appropriating the line from CP, it doesn't appear to be politically or technically feasible. I don't really know why, but nobody seems willing to touch it, Metrolinx has consistently failed to put it on their long term plan.
On the other hand, this appears to be a reasonable plan that could get actual useful transit to Cambridge.
At the end of the day, we can be cynical or blindly hopeful about the motivations of those involved, but realistically, I don't care how we get transit to Cambridge, what's important to me is that it happen, and if this is a more viable option (which I argue it is) then we should pursue it. I think the dream of the optimal solution that it appears we cannot have could get in the way of realistic solutions we can have.
Not to say I wouldn't support continuing to press on Milton (frankly, *both* wouldn't be unjustified I think, given that travel to destinations other than Toronto is also useful), and the best argument against this is that it could reduce the business case for the Milton line, but it all depends on if you think Milton could actually happen in a reasonable timeframe, which seems to not be the case.