Metrolinx has launched a study of substantially increased rail capacity in the Weston Malton corridor to serve the growing demand on several lines in the northwest as well as a Union-Airport shuttle service.
Affected and proposed GO services include:
- Brampton (frequent, express all day service)
- Georgetown (all day service)
- Guelph (peak service)
- Bradford (all day service)
- Bolton (peak service)
For further information please refer to the Metrolinx project homepage. There will be six public meetings between February 3 and 12 in various communities.
Worth noting is the timetable which includes several months of consultation, then the formal assessment of the proposal and public comment.
Updated January 24:
Mike Sullivan from the Weston Community Coalition has provided the following information about proposal.
- From a meeting with Metrolinx Chair Rob MacIsaac, Mike has learned that three tracks are to be added between West Toronto Junction and the Airport, four tracks from the Junction to Union.
- The tracks on the CN only (not the CP) will be in a trench through Weston, and this will be covered (ventillation will obviously be an issue with diesel trains) from just northwest of Church to just southeast of King.
- The John Street crossing just north of Weston Station will be closed and replaced with a pedestrian bridge.
- Air-Rail Link trains will stop at Weston Station.
- The crossings at Strachan Avenue (west of Bathurst) and Dennison Avenue (about .5 km south of Lawrence) will be grade separated.
- Operations will be diesel both on GO and the Air-Rail Link. Electrification might happen in the 15-25 year timeframe. [By that time, the refurbished Budd cars providing the airport link will be at least 70 years old if they are still in use.]
- Some land expropriation is likely both for the grade separation at Dennison and at the north end of Weston.
- Service to Brampton will be every 15 minutes all day long in addition to the airport service and other trains in the corridor.