Rant and peeves from the Georgetown line

Submitted

1. Why do the coaches smell like halitosis even when they are empty? It’s gross enough getting on the train in the morning and smelling everyone’s gingivitis, but when the coach is empty?

2. Why are commuters able to line up at the far end of the platform, but crowd like pigs to the trough at the end near the locomotive (forward end of the platform)?

3. Why does the Georgetown train arriving at Union at 8:45 (ish) unload on platform 26, when there aren’t any other trains occupying platforms 1-13? Do the track engineers get a giggle watching the CCTV at all of us trying to squeeze under the 4-ft wide shelter? I get excited when I happen to take this train, and the CSA announces a track change on our way into Union. I mean, it can only be a lateral move (to Platform 27) or an improvement to one of the closer (and always empty) platforms.

4. How often to the GO-stapo actually hand out tickets? Every time I see them talking with someone, they issue a warning only. Never a fine. “You say it’s your first incident? Okay, here’s a warning.”.... “You are a student, where’s your student card? Oh, didn’t know you needed a GO-issued card? Warning.” Etc...

5. Got to Bramalea last week and tried to tap my presto card to pay my fare. 4 presto readers. First machine I came to, not in service. Second machine, not in service. Third? You betcha. 4th machine finally worked. The hell?! 4 machines and 75% of them are DOA?

6. GO offers a student discount for 10-ride and monthly passes, but not for single passes. Normally I wouldn’t care, but when I took my son to work with me for Take Your Kids To Work Day, I wasn’t overly thrilled about paying a full adult fare for a 14 yr old kid, when there are adults who aren’t paying a full adult fare (see #4 above).