Do you have a device to track the exact speed of trains or do you somehow calculate it from the video? :) The design of the GO trains seems so much better than the German double-decker ones. Here, the doors are in the 'middle' part, so first you have to get up two steps, andwhen you're on the train you have to go either up or down for most of the seats. Not very accessible :/ the GO trains seem to lead straight to the lower deck, probably step-free depending on the platform? Cool that there's service at night too!
I calculate the speed from the video. I know the length of the locomotives and train cars, so I divide the total train length by the amount of time it takes to pass a particular point. It took 88 frames for this train to pass the edge of the image (which is not moving), which at 24 fps is 3.7 seconds. Divide the train length (145.6 metres) by that and you get 39.7 m/s (143 km/h). The 5th car of each train is step-free, the lower deck is accessed from a raised mini-platform and a ramp that extends to fill the gap between the train and the platform. But the rest of the cars have two steps to get in, as the platform is much lower than the train floor. I think the best option would be the DB-style trains with level boarding on the middle level, because the platforms would also be the right height to provide step-free access to single-deck trains. Our intercity trains have very poor accessibility because there's 5 big steps to get in from the very low platforms. A lot of people struggle to get in, so they always have staff on the platform to help people get on the train, which takes time and is a bit demeaning to those people. Montréal Gare Centrale has level boarding for intercity trains, and as a result, the double-decker trains in Montréal have entrances on the middle level like European double-decker trains. GO (Government of Ontario) has been expanding the late-evening service over the last few years, the Stouffville line late-evening was just introduced this June. Train service typically ends between 22:30 and 01:00 on the lines with all-day service, then there is bus replacement service until 2:30 am (which works well because the highways move very quickly at night). After 2:30 am, you can still take a local night bus service to the stations within Toronto, but there is no service to the stations outside Toronto.
That's some advanced math! (well... by my standards xD) Aw damn :/ I guess the problem is that not all platforms are the same height, so it's pretty much impossible to design completely step-free trains. Although they're currently redoing all the stations, including repaving platforms & adding elevators/other accessibility. Ah yeah, grew up in a village with the last bus coming at 8pm, and no service at all on weekends... The countryside gets neglected a lot :/
Yeah I guess most of them are fairly new, so they're probably quite good overall, minus the accessibility issue. Did you have anything specific in mind? :)
No. Most things are generally better than things are here (If we're talking about railways). I think the Canadian rail network is slightly better than the American one in that it actually does it's job but other than that, Germany is decades ahead. The Canadian rail system suffers from similar things to the American rail industry. Aging infrastructure, no backing, no funding/money, BIG ASS COUNTRY (that can also be deadly), freight dominates, etc...
Did you have any trouble filming this? I remember a couple of years ago just wanting to get a picture to compare to a picture from '73 on Vintage Toronto's FB page, and found out Metrolinx would expect me to spend BIG bucks on safety courses, and then have to be in proper safety gear on the platform. Yes, all for just *ONE* lousy picture!
I thought that skunk at 1:24 was gonna get obliterated!!!
0:55 it's so cute!
The sb/wb Stouffville trains always use track 1 unless it is unavailable (construction etc.) I've never seen a sb/wb on tracks 2 or 3
Interesting, good to know. I guess track 1 works out better for the Stouffville Line platform assignments at Union.
reaperexpress I guess
Do you have a device to track the exact speed of trains or do you somehow calculate it from the video? :)
The design of the GO trains seems so much better than the German double-decker ones. Here, the doors are in the 'middle' part, so first you have to get up two steps, andwhen you're on the train you have to go either up or down for most of the seats. Not very accessible :/ the GO trains seem to lead straight to the lower deck, probably step-free depending on the platform?
Cool that there's service at night too!
I calculate the speed from the video. I know the length of the locomotives and train cars, so I divide the total train length by the amount of time it takes to pass a particular point. It took 88 frames for this train to pass the edge of the image (which is not moving), which at 24 fps is 3.7 seconds. Divide the train length (145.6 metres) by that and you get 39.7 m/s (143 km/h).
The 5th car of each train is step-free, the lower deck is accessed from a raised mini-platform and a ramp that extends to fill the gap between the train and the platform. But the rest of the cars have two steps to get in, as the platform is much lower than the train floor. I think the best option would be the DB-style trains with level boarding on the middle level, because the platforms would also be the right height to provide step-free access to single-deck trains. Our intercity trains have very poor accessibility because there's 5 big steps to get in from the very low platforms. A lot of people struggle to get in, so they always have staff on the platform to help people get on the train, which takes time and is a bit demeaning to those people. Montréal Gare Centrale has level boarding for intercity trains, and as a result, the double-decker trains in Montréal have entrances on the middle level like European double-decker trains.
GO (Government of Ontario) has been expanding the late-evening service over the last few years, the Stouffville line late-evening was just introduced this June. Train service typically ends between 22:30 and 01:00 on the lines with all-day service, then there is bus replacement service until 2:30 am (which works well because the highways move very quickly at night). After 2:30 am, you can still take a local night bus service to the stations within Toronto, but there is no service to the stations outside Toronto.
That's some advanced math! (well... by my standards xD)
Aw damn :/ I guess the problem is that not all platforms are the same height, so it's pretty much impossible to design completely step-free trains. Although they're currently redoing all the stations, including repaving platforms & adding elevators/other accessibility.
Ah yeah, grew up in a village with the last bus coming at 8pm, and no service at all on weekends... The countryside gets neglected a lot :/
KarolaTea Trust me... Your German trains are way better.
Yeah I guess most of them are fairly new, so they're probably quite good overall, minus the accessibility issue. Did you have anything specific in mind? :)
No. Most things are generally better than things are here (If we're talking about railways). I think the Canadian rail network is slightly better than the American one in that it actually does it's job but other than that, Germany is decades ahead. The Canadian rail system suffers from similar things to the American rail industry. Aging infrastructure, no backing, no funding/money, BIG ASS COUNTRY (that can also be deadly), freight dominates, etc...
What is CN doing down there?
No idea. There are still a few local freight customers along the Lakeshore line, it could be heading to pick up something.
reaperexpress they should pick up the cars on the Stouffville spur. The ones by the lumber yard and the cars by Cineplex Odeon
They utilize the Lakeshore East track on a regular basis. You may hear them pass through the corridor around the hours of 12:30am, or, rarely, 3:30am.
Did you have any trouble filming this? I remember a couple of years ago just wanting to get a picture to compare to a picture from '73 on Vintage Toronto's FB page, and found out Metrolinx would expect me to spend BIG bucks on safety courses, and then have to be in proper safety gear on the platform.
Yes, all for just *ONE* lousy picture!
No, I've never had any issues from GO Transit staff. You obviously don't need safety gear on the platform because the platform is a public area.
Did u get the CN numbers?