Heat wave slows Milton GO Trains
Those familiar with taking the GO Train into Toronto from Milton are well aware of all of the trials and tribulations involved. Those of you thinking about or who have recently moved to Milton and plan to commute into the city via the GO Trains might be interested in this recent article on why you can just throw that handy, dandy train schedule out the window when the temperatures heat up…
From Tess Kalinowski, Transportation Reporter at the Toronto Star:
GO Transit is warning of 15- to 30-minute delays on the Milton line in light of today’s extremely hot weather.
But based on last summer’s experience, which saw delays usually in the two- to three-minute range, those delays could be much shorter, said GO spokesperson Jessica Kosmack this afternoon.
The Milton line is owned by Canadian Pacific, which slows its trains to 64 kilometres per hour (40 miles per hour) once the temperature hits 32 degrees C, she said.
That allows the engineer and conductor in the locomotive to see if a kink has developed in the rail ahead due to heat expansion, explained CP spokesperson Mike Lovecchio.
CN also slows its passenger and freight trains once the temperature hits 30 degrees C but the delays in the Toronto-area tend to be insignificant, said company spokesperson Mark Hallman.
In many cases, because of the number of stops on the GO lines, the trains wouldn’t normally exceed the hot weather speed limit of 105 kilometres per hour. ( 65 miles per hour)
July 19th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
If it’s too hot, the trains are delayed because the tracks change. If it’s too cold the trains are delayed because the switches freeze. If Jupiter is aligned with Mars, the trains are delayed for whatever reason that entails. I think I’ll just take my car. It runs on time.
July 19th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Driving on the 401 from Milton and your on-time?!?!?! I`m always 30 min to an hour late when I travel during rush hour from Guelph to Toronto!!! 15 min late on the GO? That’s fine by me… if only the GO TRAIN’s came to Guelph… The GO buses are just as bad as driving since we share the same highway… rather take Greyhound or Drive ahhh… the complexities of Southern Ontario’s car culture. Any excuse not to take transit.
July 19th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
What would happen if you left 30 min to an hour earlier? Would you then arrive on time, like the rest of us?
July 19th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
I guess this means a delay on top of that caused by the contruction projects on half of the platforms. Plus the additional delays because they won’t open the doors on all cars and people are crammed trying to exit. Oh yeah, plus Jupiter aligning with Mars. Its great to know that Go Transit wants to keep us informed.
July 19th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
How about…’expect delays!’ That way, we will be happy if they arrive on time opposed to being disappointed when they are late.