Comment 114215

By mdrejhon (registered) - website | Posted October 10, 2015 at 10:09:46 in reply to Comment 114203

As far as I know, negotiations is happening or already happened. In mid-August for the first article, Alex Burke of Metrolinx said:

Currently, we are working with CN and the City of Hamilton to develop the infrastructure requirements and staging plan to introduce increased levels of service in Hamilton beyond 2015. Negotiations are underway with CN to secure access to the rail tracks to finalize the number and timing of trains. Those negotiations are progressing well.

However, it's wholly possible that the CN situation has changed. If it's CN holding things up, let's find a way to make it easier for CN.

If this does not open sometime 2016, then the completed Lewis Layover facility (Photographed in Part 1) is dormant and useless for a period of time until the infrastructure is completed. Presumably, one hopes the negotiation started years ago, and that these are simply final negotiations, and we'll get passthrough capability 2016. One would hope. But this simple "100 meter extension" (or whatever existing plan approved) needs to be done expeditiously, for example - we don't want 2017 to turn into 2018.

This article is also an Open Letter to CN, to City of Hamilton, to Metrolinx, and all parties. This reminds CN it's in their interest due to (1) goodwill with the City, and (2) it actually improves CN efficiency on Metrolinx's dime, and (3) they can give the go-ahead to elements (e.g. sewer work) long before details of the crossover is finished (e.g. scheduling).

CN should, ideally let things get staged so certain construction elements happen expeditiously where it does not affect CN service.

For example, CN can immediately permit City of Hamilton to do sewer relocation work immediately as it's not as complex as attaching a switch to a mainline. In that photograph, it looks possibly like sections of rectangular drainage conduit(?), sitting on the LIUNA station foundation at the right edge of the photograph, waiting to be buried. Perhaps a construction laborour here can confirm whether it's storm drainage construction materials. This preliminary work can continue, even while all stakeholders are figuring out the final details about the railroad switch.

Dangle any necessary carrot. Give CN some limited running rights through the station at nighttime, in exchange for expediting switch work. This provides a good detour (e.g. future CN track shutdown during bridge rebuild). That could allow things to happen quicker and without taxpayer dime, etc.

City/Metrolinx employees -- any who are reading this -- if not sure, then find out what the holdup is, re-confirm, forward to someone responsible. And if you're one responsible for an element of the project (even the waterworks department) look at what can be done (e.g. splitting up a project so some essential tasks can be done sooner), so we don't miss a 6-month timetable window that could bump the service 2016->2017 or worse, 2017->2018.

Currently, it is one of the biggest GO train capability improvements GO-network-wide, for almost the smallest possible infrastructure. Very, very low-lying apple except for the logistics and potential holdups.

Comment edited by mdrejhon on 2015-10-10 10:43:17

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