To continue my story.
In Toronto I travelled from the Toronto to Niagara Falls. The outbound trip was by VIA on the 17:45 train to Niagara Falls. I'm used to the European model of operating trains (a national rapid transit system) something VIA doesn't get. I arrived at the ticket booth at 5:20pm and it took 10 minutes for them to issue my ticket at $36. They had to punch so many numbers in I was wondering what they were doing, and they needed my name for the reservation.
I had to run to get to the platform and then load by the one and only door onto the train. The journey was good, smooth and fast leaving Toronto and running along side the QEW faster than the cars (I estimated we were travelling at 110km/h - fast by Canadian standards, but slow by European standards where trains run up to 330km/h). We were signal checked on the approach to Oakville as we had to wait for a GO train to clear the station. New platforms are being added to Oakville to solve this problem. The train slowed through Hamilton then picked up for the remainder of the run to Niagara Falls arriving on time two hours after leaving Union Station. The train was not full, but had a decent passenger load - it was a commuter run with many people getting off at Aldershot, Grimsby and St. Catherine's.
The front portion (seven cars) of the 10-car 12:20 Saturday Go Train at Niagara Falls
The return journey was by Go Train, leaving Niagrara Falls at 12:20. The ticket was purchased from the VIA ticket office for $15.90, no need to give a name, and the ticket was valid on any train leaving within 4 hours (standard Go ticket policy). Go had sent a 10-car tri-level trainset to Niagara Falls. I'm not sure why, unless it is just cheaper to not break the train up. The doors on the front five cars opened for us to board. I'm guess that under Transport Canada regulations, because the train was not on a regular scheduled run (it was considered an excursion train) the train conductor had to make safety announcements on leaving Niagara Falls and St. Catherine's stations. A lot of people board the train in St. Catherine's.
On leaving St. Catherine's, GO Transit Special Constables passed through the train checking fares.
We got held by signals at the junction just before Aldershot as we had to wait for a VIA train to clear the junction. We passed the VIA train at Aldershot (the VIA train stops at Aldershot, the GO train from Niagara Falls doesn't). We stopped at Burlington and while stop, the VIA train shot through the station on the other Toronto bound platform (there are four platforms at Burlington). We then got held by signals later waiting for the VIA train to clear a section ahead near Long Branch. We arrived at Union dead on time at 14:18 - just under two hours from leaving Niagara Falls.
In Toronto I had the pleasure of riding the streetcars along King Street. It as the night of Nuit Blanche (White night, all night contemporary and interactive art at around 140 locations in Toronto). It is a little strange to step out into the road and walk across a lane or two to board the streetcar. Cars must not pass a streetcar when the doors are open. It was 2:00am and the streetcars were still running and very busy. So busy, that the driver opened the rear doors to allow boarding. It was fun and friendly.
Downtown Toronto is such a pleasure because of the absence of diesel buses. Most routes are streetcars or the subway. There are diesel buses on some routes, but not many. Normally the Queen streetcar runs all night, the Harbourfront streetcars were running all night for Nuit Blanche, as was the subway. The King streetcar's last run is usually around 2:30am - the streetcars did shut down at this time, but buses were placed on the route after 2:30am due to the Nuit Blanche crowds.
Not in Service streetcar heading eastbound on King just west of Bathurst
And by the way - while I love trolley buses, they have nothing on a streetcar. The streetcars are respected and they own the road. Yes they get stuck in traffic and have to wait for lights, but they can move a large number of people and they're smooth. The only drawback I saw is cyclist need to be careful near the tracks as it is easy to get a wheel stuck, and women in high heels (watching drunk women in high heels crossing the streetcar lines at Bathurst and King was fun).
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