[Batman]

I have heard about the possibility of Lakeshore West GO trains being extended to Niagara Falls on weekends in the summer but I dont think there is any official word on if or when this is happening, but it seems the Niagara Falls VIA station is under construction. A middle elevated mini-ramp is being added to the platform and the platform is being lengthened apparently to accommodate what looks like at least a 10 car train....sounds like GO trains may be on there way to stopping there this summer...has anyone else heard news of this?

[adam]

LOL! Does this mean you are going to start leaving the bat-mobile at home? :P

[Batman]

Yeah I'm going to have to....you wouldnt believe how bad that thing is on gas

[Millstone]

I've been hearing about such a thing for years but nothing ever happens.

[emge]

Wasn't this in the 15-year plan for Metrolinx, but not in the shorter-term plans?

[matt602]

If they're lengthening the platform at Niagara Falls, that would most certainly mean they're expecting GO trains. VIA trains are not anywhere near 10 cars long, at least not the one that serves Niagara Falls (The Maple Leaf to NYC/Toronto).

Still, I expected that GO Bus service would have come first to Niagara before trains. Either way, it's inevitable that we get some kind of GO service to Niagara.

[SteelTown]

I doubt this summer perhaps next summer. I suspect GO Transit are waiting for the completion of the platforms at James St North before making the announcement. The platforms won't be installed until this fall.

For GO Bus to Niagara again I suspect GO Trainsit will announce GO Bus service once they build a GO Transit terminal at Fifty/QEW. That likley won't happen until 2011 or whenever that retail development starts construction.

[Batman]

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1511405

GO Transit coming to Niagara by September
Posted By Marlene Bergsma
Posted 1 hour ago


MARLENE BERGSMA

Standard Staff

GO Transit is coming to Niagara.

St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley and St. Catharines MP Rick Dykstra announced Sunday $2.5 million in federal and provincial infrastructure funding to build four new park and ride GO bus stations in Niagara. Construction on the first station at Casablanca Boulevard and the QEW in Grimsby will start in June, with service to St. Catharines and possibly two locations in Niagara Falls by September.

[SteelTown]

Good news!

I wonder if the GO Buses will stop at TH&B for the rush hour GO Trains or go all the way to Aldershot. Once the GO Trains stop at the James St North station no doubt these GO Buses from the Niagara Region will stop there.

[matt602]

It begins :)

[bornagainbiking]

I did a map review as well as riding the Stoney Creek to Burlington Go bus.
The Stoney Creek GO stop at Barton and Nash is just off the Red Hill at Barton and less than 15 mins from Burlington. Or 1 hr from Union.
It is about 17 mins from the QEW to James North or even the Hamilton Go Centre. It is 13 mins from the QEW exit @ Burlington Street to the Burlington GO station. So it would be travelling backwards to go from Niagara Region to either downtown Hamilton or the Aldershot. Plus Burlington station is being expanded.
Any GO bus should go direct from say Grimsby or St Catharines to Burlington as the junction point. :tup:

[Batman]

http://stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1511405

The article has been updated and now says the service will begin with nine GO bus trips in each direction running on weekdays. The buses will connect with trains at the Burlington station.

I wonder if this will affect the current Stoney Creek bus connection to the Burlington Station. Perhaps the routes will be somewhat merged and nine Stoney Creek buses a day will begin service in Niagara Falls? Or maybe the Stoney Creek bus will operate separate from the Grimsby/St Catharines/ Niagara bus? I would think that merging the routes would make the most sense, as there must be some demand from people in the Niagara region for service to East Hamilton, and vice versa. But I suppose each stop makes the service less appealing for those who are commuting to Union station, I wonder what GO will do.

[SteelTown]

It'll probably merge with the East Hamilton GO Bus service.

[markbarbera]

I don't see the Niagara service entering the city for either the GO Centre on Hunter Street or the future James North station. It'll connect at Burlington GO. If, down the road, the Lakeshore line gets extended further east to a Stoney Creek location (i.e. Fifty Road), I could see the Niagara service making the train meet there. But, for the reasons stated by bornagainbiking, the rush hour train meet service would not be making a trip into Hamilton.

[SteelTown]

Yes, but I believe the current GO Bus to Stoney Creek or as well call it East Hamilton will likely link with the Niagara GO Bus. The current GO Bus from East Hamilton isn't that high in demand probably get maximum of 10 people on the bus.

So it's likely the Bus will pick up people from Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Grimsby, East Hamilton and to Burlington.

[bornagainbiking]

To get off the QEW eastbound and hit the RedHill, it is just minutes to the Barton Exit and seconds to the Barton/Nash parking lot on the North Side of Barton opposite the "Fool and Flagon" Pub. The GO parking spots are marked and there are quite a few.
This is an under utilized lot and from the mountain could be a faster option over Aldershot even the West mountain (forget the 403 route).
Check the service as it is OK in the a.m. (one hr to Union) but every second hr in the afternoon. This could suit your needs.
So until the Casa blanca stop opens the East hamilton park and ride is an easy GO.
15 mins to Burlington about 5-10 for the transfer and only $18.50 a day, less than gas, parking and wear and tear. Also did I mention time in traffic.
I found the 0630 hrs OK, no hassle free parking. Down town by 8

[Batman]

Looks like it is actually happening! Four trains a day on weekends and holidays to St Catharines and Niagara Falls

http://www.gotransit.com/PUBLIC/en/news/whatsnew.htm

[LikeHamilton]

GO Transit launches 'bike train' service from Toronto to Niagara Falls May 21

The Canadian Press

11 May 2010 03:03

TORONTO - GO Transit wants to make it easier for cyclists to go from Toronto to Niagara Falls, so it's launching new bike coaches on its two weekend excursion trains.

Between May 21 and the end of September, GO will run two trains that have two coaches each with bicycle racks.

The move will allow it to carry 36 more bicycles per trip beyond the two to four bicycles its regular coaches carry.

The roll on, roll off service will let riders easily slide their bikes into and out of the racks on the lower level.

GO Transit managing director Gary McNeil hopes it will encourage more people to take their bikes on the train to Niagara Falls and take advantage of a great tourist area as well as get more cars off the road.

McNeil says GO teamed up with Bombardier to design the bike coaches, which cost about $100,000 each.