Midday Storage

For years GO Transit has had a midday train storage location – Bathurst North Yard – just west of Union Station (between Spadina Ave. and Bathurst St.), which is 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 evening service.

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.

The project was completed in September 2007, and the yard is fully operational.