GO In The Snow
For up-to-date
trip information, visit the
Service Updates page.
With temperatures
dipping and snow in the forecast, GO is a safe and comfortable choice
for commuting during winter weather. We’re committed to getting you
where you need to be, so let us do the driving while you relax,
especially when it’s snowing outside.
Winter weather can
present challenges for any type of travel, including GO Trains and GO
Buses which are exposed to the elements and must operate in all types of
weather conditions. On an average winter day, we expect it to be
business as usual on the GO. But when the weather turns nasty, we’re
prepared to help get you where you need to go and we will keep you in
the know with information that is affecting your trip.
Our plan is simple and
puts you first. We promise to keep you informed about any
weather-related changes to our schedules. In cases of
very severe winter weather
– the type that usually only occurs a couple of times each year – we
will run an adjusted schedule.
Adjusted Winter Storm Schedule
The goal of the
adjusted schedule is to run as many trains as possible to get you to
your destination. That means express trips become all-stop, local
service to ensure that everyone has commuting options. It also means
fewer trains switching from one track to another, preventing delays and
reducing the ripple effect one delay can have on other trips. The
adjusted schedule will also include earlier homebound trains and
stations will be open later to offer a warm place to wait for your ride
or connecting bus trip.
We will follow
Environment Canada’s storm weather warning system and use this as our
basis for deciding when to run the adjusted schedule. Here is how we
will keep you informed:
-
When a severe storm is in the forecast (as per Environment Canada's
warning system), we will closely monitor the conditions and use
Environment Canada’s information to determine if the adjusted
special schedule will be used
-
If the decision is made to use the special schedule, we will update
our
Service Updates page with adjusted snow schedule information,
make announcements onboard your train, send out
E-News messages, and post messages on your station's LCD screens
and on Union Station departure boards.
Please always check our
Service Updates page for the most current information.
Overall, winter on the
GO is business as usual and we will work just as hard to get you where
you need to be comfortably, on time and safely. Here are some tips to
help make your winter commute less stressful and to ensure you have the
latest info:
- Check GO’s Service Update page for up-to-date information
- Sign-up for E-News to get customized, up-to-date information
about your service
- Stay tuned to local media, such as CP24 and 680News for GO
information
- If possible, consider taking an earlier trip
- Check weather forecasts
- Always carry important contact information with you
- Arrange for back-up child or pet care so if you need it, it’s
there
- Read the
GO
in the Snow newsletter
- And of course, feel free to contact us anytime if you have
questions
Snow Clearing Devices
GO Transit continues to add Snow Clearing Devices (SCDs) to our track
switches. These devices blow hot air on the switches to prevent them
from freezing during winter months. Over the course of the 2010 and 2011
installation programs, done in parallel to track switch upgrades, over
90 SCDs were installed across the GO system, 25 of which were installed
in the Union Station Rail Corridor (USRC). Current plans call for an
additional 12 units to be installed in the USRC in 2012. Properly
working switches help GO get you where you need to be – when you need to
be there.
Here’s to a safe and comfortable winter as we GO in the snow
together!
