As the Toronto Star pointed out, Metrolinx has been adjusting its operations for months in order to add service to the Lakeshore corridors; these initiative predates the Conservatives’ election victory in June.
We all knew this. The Liberals promised us all day GO train service years ago.
The PC MPPs touting this announcement as a "Promises Made, Promises Kept" on Twitter is eye-rolling. Albeit, at least it wasn't cancelled.
So there is that.
Thursday, September 20, 2018
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Apple picking in Durham. You can do it by GO train and GO bus
When I posted this photo on Instagram, I had to make sure I pointed out that it was staged. I did *not* throw an apple. Problem is, I was a real trouble-maker as a kid and hands down, my mom and dad, when shown the picture, would have called me, tsking, "Some things never change". It's a legacy I can't live down.
I've become a huge supporter of local area farms within a cycling or GO bus distance to my house in Courtice. The photo above was taken at Archibald Orchard on North Liberty Street in Bowmanville, a 35km round-trip bicycle ride from my house. Because I can't ride back with a 1/2 bushel of apples, hubby met me there with the car. Recently I was asked by a follower on Twitter if he were to gather the family and travel from their downtown condo to apple pick without renting a car, how would this be done, on a Saturday?
And surprisingly, it can be. GO train to Oshawa, catch the Newcastle 90 and exit the bus at Maple Grove Road on Highway 2 in Bowmanville. Watson Farms is just west of the bus stop. You can't miss it as the bus travels right past it. There's all kinds of "pick your own" produce and a play area for kids. Bring a suitcase for easier transport of your fruits and vegetables!
I have no idea how one would use GO Transit to apple pick anywhere else in the GTA but this farm is right on a route, and if you're also a downtown Toronto dweller that randomly reads my site, please try the Paula Reds, they are delicious at this time of year!
Mr. Rogers could teach a thing or two to Metrolinx about being a good neighbour
Back in December I published a report from a resident who lives next to the east rail corridor that feeds Go trains into Union Station. Here is an update of how things are progressing:
You're gonna need more than peashooters when Metrolinx brings out a weapon like TPAP
Submitted by Anonymous
Exclusive to ThisCrazyTrain.com
Metrolinx has a secret weapon. It’s called a ‘TPAP’. It is big and heavy and if you get in its line of fire - prepare to be eviscerated!
TPAP stands for ‘Transit Project Assessment Process’. It’s the process Metrolinx uses to evaluate the impact of RER (Metrolinx Regional Express Rail) on surrounding neighbourhoods.
Our neighbourhood recently stared down both barrels of this bazooka and wow – did we ever get burned.
The TPAP was locked and loaded to assess the impacts of electrification along the GTA rail corridors. My neighbours and I live close to the tracks – something we’ve done for years with no major problems. But - just as any other resident would worry when their neighbour talks about moving the fence, chopping down a tree or, ‘running some power to the shed so I can rock out to Death Metal’ - we were keen to know what 3 new tracks, lots of big electricity poles, and trains every 15 minutes would mean to our everyday lives.
So we called Metrolinx.
Metrolinx sent us their TPAP report and then held a series of public meetings to talk to us about their plans.
The meetings did not go well.
The main problem Metrolinx has with its community relations is that they cannot seem to answer very basic questions. TCT readers know this all too well. During one particularly memorable exchange, when a resident asked why Metrolinx was allowed to circumvent its own guidelines which stipulate no new construction within 100 metres of a track, the response was:
‘Well this isn’t new construction and you’re already within 50 metres so…’
Cue the shouting and the swearing.
One resident was actually standing on a sofa, shaking his fist...
In the meeting we learned that one of the new tracks, 'Track E-Zero', will run 13 feet north of the existing northernmost track, between Parliament and Sherbourne (that's right after the Distillery if you're heading in from the east).
TCT readers may be familiar with the already intimate experience of riding along the northerly tracks as you approach Union from the east. Perhaps you saw one of us bending over while doing our laundry, eating our cornflakes or getting our kids ready for school.
Well cuddle up folks - we're about to get a lot closer!
Building E-Zero will not only bring us closer together, it will also decimate our beloved tree canopy. As the pictures below show, this canopy helps to transform our sleepy back laneway (named after the First Nations Marathon runner, Tom Longboat) into a virtual back-yard.
E-Zero will be used for the Richmond Hill line which operates diesel trains. We're all familiar with the noise and vibration of diesel engines - there's a reason we're happy to stand back of that yellow line at the station. It's a shame for us all that, despite being closer and more visible, we won't be able to stop and chat.
After the public meeting debacle we asked for a copy of the TPAP report.
And that's when the barrage began:
- Kalop! The weight of the report knocked us back. It was massive - too big for one person to absorb. As we flailed around under the 1000+ pages, we realized that we needed help. So we formed a neighbourhood association to divvy up the work and spread the pain.
- Ker-huh? The TPAP is technical. Holy crap. It is supposedly scripted for a general audience but the subject matter involves egg-headed engineering principles, mind-numbing electrification specifications and oddball environmental jargon I doubt even David Suzuki would comprehend.
How is an ‘ordinary’ person supposed to review this...?
- Be-oing! The metrics in the TPAP are backwards. For example - if you live close to the tracks and the noise levels are already above federal guidelines – like ours are – the TPAP doesn’t care! It only flags increases in current levels above 5 decibels. So, if your already loud noise is going to get just 4 louder - tough luck!
- Wooosh! Just as with the public meetings, most of our typed out TPAP questions flew over Metrolinx’s heads.
Metrolinx does not listen too well. The Q&A process with the Metrolinx Community Relations Department reminded me of that scene in Seinfeld where Jerry tries to pick up his hire car.
'Sure you can take a question, but if it's not here when I come to pick it up...'
It's not just Metrolinx that has trouble shooting straight. When the TPAP got approved last December, more than 30 of our questions were greeted by garbled answers. But when our group complained to the MoE, they ignored us for several weeks, approved the report, and then sent us an answer to someone else’s question.
After plucking out the TPAP shrapnel and licking our wounds, we decided to seek out another form of defense. Surely the law will defend us? We have rights - right?
Hmm...not really. We've got useless ammunition!
It turns out that when it comes to railways - there are no laws. Not for us anyway. Municipal bylaws are powder-less. Federal laws are blanks (because they are actually only guidelines). The only legislation with any penetration is the Railway Act, which is built to protect railways from people and not the other way around.
No wonder Metrolinx treats us like cannon fodder...Fire at will!
Knowing we were effectively defenseless, we re-grouped and tried to fire back with our little pea-shooters:
'Why do you not have to meet federal guidelines on noise and vibration levels?' we squeaked.
‘Well, we do our best,' boomed Metrolinx
'Er, h-how do you do your best?' we stuttered, 'Because you are not doing too good right now.'
'They aren't laws, they’re guidelines’, they blasted.
Battling with Metrolinx is exhausting. They have bigger guns, better equipment and more manpower.
We are battle-worn, bloodied and weary. The TPAP weapon alone is wearing us down never mind all the other little skirmishes.
But the white flags are not going up just yet. The sirens have sounded again - another TPAP has landed and we are hoping this one doesn't blow up in our faces.
We're not asking for a war with Metrolinx. We support rail expansion. But when it comes to preserving our environment, our safety and our neighbourhood - we just want a fighting chance.
You're gonna need more than peashooters when Metrolinx brings out a weapon like TPAP
Submitted by Anonymous
Exclusive to ThisCrazyTrain.com
Metrolinx has a secret weapon. It’s called a ‘TPAP’. It is big and heavy and if you get in its line of fire - prepare to be eviscerated!
TPAP stands for ‘Transit Project Assessment Process’. It’s the process Metrolinx uses to evaluate the impact of RER (Metrolinx Regional Express Rail) on surrounding neighbourhoods.
Our neighbourhood recently stared down both barrels of this bazooka and wow – did we ever get burned.
The TPAP was locked and loaded to assess the impacts of electrification along the GTA rail corridors. My neighbours and I live close to the tracks – something we’ve done for years with no major problems. But - just as any other resident would worry when their neighbour talks about moving the fence, chopping down a tree or, ‘running some power to the shed so I can rock out to Death Metal’ - we were keen to know what 3 new tracks, lots of big electricity poles, and trains every 15 minutes would mean to our everyday lives.
So we called Metrolinx.
Metrolinx sent us their TPAP report and then held a series of public meetings to talk to us about their plans.
The meetings did not go well.
The main problem Metrolinx has with its community relations is that they cannot seem to answer very basic questions. TCT readers know this all too well. During one particularly memorable exchange, when a resident asked why Metrolinx was allowed to circumvent its own guidelines which stipulate no new construction within 100 metres of a track, the response was:
‘Well this isn’t new construction and you’re already within 50 metres so…’
Cue the shouting and the swearing.
One resident was actually standing on a sofa, shaking his fist...
In the meeting we learned that one of the new tracks, 'Track E-Zero', will run 13 feet north of the existing northernmost track, between Parliament and Sherbourne (that's right after the Distillery if you're heading in from the east).
TCT readers may be familiar with the already intimate experience of riding along the northerly tracks as you approach Union from the east. Perhaps you saw one of us bending over while doing our laundry, eating our cornflakes or getting our kids ready for school.
Well cuddle up folks - we're about to get a lot closer!
Building E-Zero will not only bring us closer together, it will also decimate our beloved tree canopy. As the pictures below show, this canopy helps to transform our sleepy back laneway (named after the First Nations Marathon runner, Tom Longboat) into a virtual back-yard.
E-Zero will be used for the Richmond Hill line which operates diesel trains. We're all familiar with the noise and vibration of diesel engines - there's a reason we're happy to stand back of that yellow line at the station. It's a shame for us all that, despite being closer and more visible, we won't be able to stop and chat.
After the public meeting debacle we asked for a copy of the TPAP report.
And that's when the barrage began:
- Kalop! The weight of the report knocked us back. It was massive - too big for one person to absorb. As we flailed around under the 1000+ pages, we realized that we needed help. So we formed a neighbourhood association to divvy up the work and spread the pain.
- Ker-huh? The TPAP is technical. Holy crap. It is supposedly scripted for a general audience but the subject matter involves egg-headed engineering principles, mind-numbing electrification specifications and oddball environmental jargon I doubt even David Suzuki would comprehend.
How is an ‘ordinary’ person supposed to review this...?
- Be-oing! The metrics in the TPAP are backwards. For example - if you live close to the tracks and the noise levels are already above federal guidelines – like ours are – the TPAP doesn’t care! It only flags increases in current levels above 5 decibels. So, if your already loud noise is going to get just 4 louder - tough luck!
- Wooosh! Just as with the public meetings, most of our typed out TPAP questions flew over Metrolinx’s heads.
Metrolinx does not listen too well. The Q&A process with the Metrolinx Community Relations Department reminded me of that scene in Seinfeld where Jerry tries to pick up his hire car.
'Sure you can take a question, but if it's not here when I come to pick it up...'
It's not just Metrolinx that has trouble shooting straight. When the TPAP got approved last December, more than 30 of our questions were greeted by garbled answers. But when our group complained to the MoE, they ignored us for several weeks, approved the report, and then sent us an answer to someone else’s question.
After plucking out the TPAP shrapnel and licking our wounds, we decided to seek out another form of defense. Surely the law will defend us? We have rights - right?
Hmm...not really. We've got useless ammunition!
It turns out that when it comes to railways - there are no laws. Not for us anyway. Municipal bylaws are powder-less. Federal laws are blanks (because they are actually only guidelines). The only legislation with any penetration is the Railway Act, which is built to protect railways from people and not the other way around.
No wonder Metrolinx treats us like cannon fodder...Fire at will!
Knowing we were effectively defenseless, we re-grouped and tried to fire back with our little pea-shooters:
'Why do you not have to meet federal guidelines on noise and vibration levels?' we squeaked.
‘Well, we do our best,' boomed Metrolinx
'Er, h-how do you do your best?' we stuttered, 'Because you are not doing too good right now.'
'They aren't laws, they’re guidelines’, they blasted.
Battling with Metrolinx is exhausting. They have bigger guns, better equipment and more manpower.
We are battle-worn, bloodied and weary. The TPAP weapon alone is wearing us down never mind all the other little skirmishes.
But the white flags are not going up just yet. The sirens have sounded again - another TPAP has landed and we are hoping this one doesn't blow up in our faces.
We're not asking for a war with Metrolinx. We support rail expansion. But when it comes to preserving our environment, our safety and our neighbourhood - we just want a fighting chance.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)