Track Improvements

Upgrades to the tracks will improve reliability and make your ride smoother.

When the track layout around Union Station was designed, the emphasis was on moving intercity long-distance passenger trains and freight. Those requirements have largely been replaced by the need to move commuters in and out of downtown Toronto.

As part of the renewal program, the tracks will be streamlined, with some sections removed. While the total number of station tracks will remain the same, two new approach tracks will be added and will be better aligned; trains will have more straight runs in and out of the station, rather than switching from one section of track to the next and so on, which can be difficult in winter weather.

New track in the “fly-under” west of Union Station

The main objective of this project is to build a third main track through the fly-under (tunnel) west of Union Station, providing an additional route from the Georgetown and Lakeshore West corridors through to Union Station. This will give us added capacity on the west approach to Union Station for growth in train service, provide more routing options, and help to lessen the impact of train delays. Construction of the new, third track will require new retaining walls leading to the fly-under, along with grading and drainage work. This work will begin in February 2010 and involve night work in order to reduce impacts on the current schedule.

Improvements to Bathurst North Yard include:

• Extending track lengths to accommodate longer 12-car GO Trains.
• Upgrading power systems, signals, tracks and roadways.
• New conduit network supports the signal upgrades throughout the corridor.
• New gas metering station to increase supply of gas for more snow clearing devices.

Overall Target Completion Date: 2010

STATUS

• Construction started in spring 2009 with track completion in late 2010.

Switch replacement

There are about 100 track switches that need to be replaced in the Union Station Rail Corridor. New switches will allow trains to run faster into and out of Union Station giving us options to add more service as ridership increases.

Track switches move trains from one track to the next, allowing an approaching train to take either one route or the other. Some of the switches around Union Station have more complicated designs; these are called slip switches (single or double). Switch replacement is a complex process involving advance planning and preparatory work, installation, and testing. The installation and testing of a single switch is an around the clock operation, starting after the Friday rush and ending just before the Monday morning operations start up.

Speeds through the double slip switches are limited to 25 km per hour. After the switches are replaced, we will see speeds of 50 to 70 km per hour.

This work on the track switches is being done over a five-year period. Crews are working at night and on weekends to minimize disruption to GO Train service.

Overall Target Completion Date: November 2011

STATUS

• Of the 100 locations where switches need to be replaced, nine locations were completed in 2006, 22 were done in 2007, 18 in 2008 and the schedule of work for 2009 calls for 23 more to be completed.
• Major work at Cherry St. was finished during the summer of 2009, in advance of the signal modernization work planned for this area.