09-01-2021, 01:26 PM
(09-01-2021, 12:10 PM)jamincan Wrote: It's not just been one train, they've been running test trains almost daily now apparently. It's also not out of the blue - the Ontario government announced they were looking to introduce train service to London two years ago.
The problem, as I see it, is that some of the ground work needed to make it work is still missing. If the train is to leave at a reasonable time in the morning, it would either have to deadhead there from Kitchener (plausible, but wasteful), or they would need to install wayside equipment in London for overnight power. I'm not sure there is even track space to overnight in London right now. The track condition west of Kitchener is also terrible, so service will be very slow. It would easily be the longest train journey on GO if it happens.
Interesting, I had no idea they were looking into that. Given that the track condition west of Waterloo Region is bad, I wonder if they'd instead use the CN Dundas subdivision or the CP Galt subdivision. The latter would be interesting because it could legitimize the request that Waterloo Region (specifically, the City of Cambridge), Halton Region and the Town of Milton have petitioned to Metrolinx.
Anyway, I don't want to derail (ha) this thread with GO Transit stuff too much since there is a thread for that. I wasn't sure where to put the Amtrack announcement.