Midday Storage
For years GO Transit had a midday train storage location –
Bathurst North Yard – just west of Union Station (between Spadina Ave.
and Bathurst St.), which was used to hold seven trains downtown between
the morning and afternoon peak periods. Having the trains nearby helps
reduce train congestion as empty trains can be quickly moved in and out
of Union with minimal interference with other in-service trains. This
makes our operations more efficient and helps to ensure smoother peak
period service in the morning and at the end of the workday. During the
summer of 2010 the upgrades to the Bathurst North Yard were
completed. The refurbished facility now provides storage for eight 12
car trains.
Improvements to Bathurst North Yard included:
- Extending track lengths to accommodate longer 12-car GO Trains
- Upgrading power systems, signals, tracks and roadways
- New conduit network supporting the signal upgrades throughout
the corridor
- New gas metering station to increase supply of gas for more snow
clearing devices
In September 2007, GO completed a similar facility on the east side
of the station between the Don River and Cherry St., which allows
efficient staging of trains. The new Don Yard can accommodate 10 GO
Trains, including longer trains that have 12 passenger railcars, and
allows access for light cleaning and maintenance on board the parked
trains during the day.
Holding these additional trains in the downtown area eliminates 160
km per day or 40,000 km per year of train travel, significantly saving
fuel and reducing emissions. Storing them near Union Station also
reduces the number of trains that have to be handled on the busier west
end tracks. In the past, all GO Trains had to start afternoon service by
coming into the station from the west.
The yard was built on land previously used to store freight cars.
