12-08-2023, 05:03 PM
(12-08-2023, 02:50 PM)SF22 Wrote:(12-08-2023, 02:42 PM)neonjoe Wrote: Does anyone think that the region will ever try to improve the ion route? Such as adding grade separations, gating intersections or or rerouting slow portions? Or will the contract with Keolis always limit what they can do.
I've thought about this before, particularly for things like filling in station gaps (McCormick, for example, or Beverly/Dundas for Stage 2). It feels like it would be really hard to manage, just because of the absolute disruption it would cause to rip out sections of the track. You'd have to run shuttle buses for months to get around construction areas, and I think you'd have a hard time selling people on it. That said, Metrolinx is currently adding new stations along the Kitchener GO line within Toronto with seemingly little disruption, so maybe it's plausible?
With careful staging most changes can be done with little disruption. Adding a station at McCormick would depend on whether there is an existing straight area. If there is, it should be possible to shutdown the shared freight/LRT track for a weekend or 2 to install the gauntlet track. Everything else would be a matter of staging construction of the platform and other items that are near the tracks during overnight closures. If there isn’t a straight, they would have to decide whether to allow a curved platform or put in a lot of work to change the actual path of the tracks, which would not be easy even without having to worry about keeping service going.