On the right track in Toronto

Toronto is currently experiencing a surge in passenger rail investment and service expansion. With the prospect of more to come, getting around by rail should be much easier in future. 

The GO Transit commuter rail network is being expanded and enhanced, with new and improved stations, expanded station car parks, increased services, a revitalized downtown Union Station and an expanding train fleet. The Union-Pearson Express (UP Express), linking Pearson International Airport with downtown Toronto is nearing completion, with opening planned for Spring 2015.

In addition to these ongoing investments, plans are developing for further significant network and service upgrades. Existing plans for incremental, but cumulatively significant, enhancements have been given added impetus with the new provincial government promising the introduction of ‘electric train service every fifteen minutes on all GO lines’. 

Labeled Regional Express Rail (RER), this would see material increases in service across the network (particularly in the off-peak), supported by electrification where appropriate. Steer Davies Gleave has contributed much to this rail renaissance. Our involvement in the UP Express stretches back many years to when we developed demand forecasts for the P3 concessionaire. We continued this role when the regional transit agency, Metrolinx, assumed the project and we were part of a consortium that undertook the 2010 Electrification Study. This study considered the potential benefits and costs of replacing the current diesel operated trains with an electric propulsion system. Recommendations included electrification of three of the seven lines and planning approval for Phase 1 (electrification of the UP Express line) is now complete.

We have recently completed the Lakeshore (Line) Express Rail Study, which sought to crystalize the Express Rail concept set out in the regional transport strategy ‘The Big Move’. Starting with market analysis, we tested a long list of service attributes (frequency, service pattern, motive power, counter-peak service), with the best performing attributes combined into three packages for more detailed evaluation. The key recommendation was to split inner and outer services, conferring both passenger benefits and operational efficiencies. 

With electrification assumed, the case for Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) was also considered. While the technology has merit, there remain a number of key issues requiring further consideration, such as market availability, costs, safety standard compliance and fleet migration. 

The overall study philosophy was to move the service offer from its current peak commuter focus to one providing an all-day, regularized service that provides wider benefits, akin to a European-style urban metro system. Such thinking is the basis of RER development, for which we have just been appointed to advise on ridership forecasting.

This is an exciting time for passenger rail in Toronto, with material improvement both on-going and planned. We hope to continue our involvement in this important endeavour.