FAQ

What you may, or may not already know about electrification.

Updated August 31, 2009

Metrolinx is working with a Community Advisory Committee to develop a Terms of Reference to study electrification of the GO rail system. The Big Move, Metrolinx’s 25 year integrated regional transportation plan, identified electrified Express Rail and Regional Rail as part of our overall plan for more fast, frequent and reliable rapid transit expansion.

Population growth and urban sprawl are major issues facing the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). Along with fast-paced growth comes congestion. There is a need to reduce the reliance on cars and provide people with better, more efficient transit.

Right now, GO Transit serves commuters across the GTA by offering efficient transit that lessens the impact on the environment. One 12-car GO train takes 1,670 single occupancy vehicles off the road and every weekday, more than 25,000 single occupancy vehicles are removed from GTA roads by passengers taking the GO Train. GO Transit’s current fleet of diesel locomotives are among the cleanest available, using technology that maintains emissions consistent with the US Environmental Protection Act’s Tier 2 Emission Standards.

Electrification is one of many ways to meet the goal of providing better transit options and is one way of lessening GO Transit’s impact on the environment.

FAQs about the Electrification Study

Q. What is the study about?

A. The study will consider options to conventional train technology, such as electrification, as well as other fuel technologies. It will examine the benefits, cost comparisons and provide recommendations.

Q. What will the study look at?

A. The study will address a wide number of things such as:

• The cost benefits analysis of electrification of GO’s rail lines
• Service improvements for riders
• Sources, availability and distribution of power supply
• Union Station capacity
• Rail corridor ownership
• Land use and urban development impacts
• Vehicle technology options and availability
• Corridor/ Land constraints
• Property impacts
• Impacts on GO capital and operating costs

Q. Who will conduct the study?

A. Metrolinx will lead the study with the advice of a study consultant and a study lead.

Q. Who is on the Community Advisory Committee?

A. The Community Advisory Committee members are:

• CHAIR, Daniel Burns, Former Deputy Minister, Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care; Chairman, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health; Trustee, Maytree Foundation
• VICE CHAIR, Pamela Robinson, Assistant Professor and Vice Chair, School of Urban & Regional Planning, Ryerson University; Secretary, Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation
• Frank Giannone, President, FRAM Building Group; President, Ontario Home Builders’ Association
• Dina Graser, Lawyer, Goodmans LLP; Chair, People Plan Toronto
• Dr. Linn Holness, Professor and Director, Gage Occupational and Environmental Health Unit, University of Toronto and St. Michael's Hospital
• Gerry Johnston, Former Assistant Deputy Minister, Ontario Ministry of Transportation
• Ed Levy, Former President and Chairman, BA Consulting Group Ltd.
• Eva Ligeti, Executive Director, Clean Air Partnership; Former Environmental Commissioner of Ontario; Former Principal, Sheppard Campus, Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology
• Eli Malinsky, Member, Center for Social Innovation; Member, Clean Train Coalition
• Brian E. McCarry, Professor and Chair, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University; Chair, Clean Air Hamilton
• Danny Nikitopoulos, Chartered Accountant and Valuation Specialist, KPMG LLP; Member, GO’s Customer Service Advisory Committee
• Bob Oliver, Executive Director, Pollution Probe
• Murray Skinner, Former President, Metroland Media Group; Honourary life member, Canadian Community Newspaper Association
• Jim Tovey, President, Lakeview Ratepayers Association; Vice Chair, City of Mississauga Heritage Advisory Committee
• Michael Warren, Chair and CEO, The Warren Group; Former Chief General Manager, TTC
• Alan Wells, Chair, Rouge Park Alliance; Former Chief Administrative Officer, York Region

Read more

Q. How long will the study take?

A. The Community Advisory Committee will work to develop the terms of reference of the study by Fall 2009. The study will be completed by Winter 2010.

Q. Hasn’t a study already been done?

A. Previous studies on electrification have been done and are available on the Metrolinx website. However, this will be the first study examining the electrification of the entire GO Transit rail system.

FAQs about Electrification

Q. What do you mean when you say "electrification" of rail?

A. Electrification of rail services is more than just running trains by electricity. It requires the upgrading of infrastructure and facilitation of an electrical power supply which may include new substations, overhead power lines and new equipment.

Q. What is involved in electrifying the GO Rail system?

A. To upgrade the existing railway from conventional diesel to electric, a series of activities need to be undertaken:

• Conducting an extensive study to examine the implications and requirements of electrifying all of GO’s corridors that are both shared and owned by others
• Designing and building infrastructure to support electric trains (e.g. overhead wires, power substations, maintenance facilities, track insulations, signalling systems)
• Purchasing property for expansion of corridors
• Manufacturing and purchasing new equipment
• Opening more train storage areas, building new train maintenance and repair facilities
• Retrofitting existing equipment and facilities, including Union Station, while continuing to operate GO service
• Developing new operating and maintenance practices for the service
• Investing billions of dollars in capital costs.

Q. How does electrification fit with VIA and CN use of these lines/corridors?

A. Metrolinx is in discussion with VIA, CN, and CP on their joint interests in managing the rail corridors.

Q. How large is the GO Train system?

A. The GO Train system currently operates 185 weekday trips to 59 stations across 390 kilometres of rail.

Q. Is electrification expensive?

A. Electrification is costly. The study will investigate the potential costs for electrification of GO’s rail corridors.

Q. What would electrification look like?

A. Below is an example of an electrified rail corridor in another jurisdiction.

Q. Why doesn’t GO Transit electrify its system now?

A. Electrification has been part of Metrolinx’s goal of supporting a more sustainable and greener future. The process of moving to electrification is a one which is complex and requires careful consideration. Metrolinx announced on May 26th 2009, its intent to study the many requirements of an electrified system including a review of cost implications to GO Transit and its riders, where the power for electrification will come from and how updates would need to be completed to support electrification.

In the meantime, one GO Train takes 1,670 vehicles off the road and the entire rail removes more than 25,000 single-occupancy vehicles from GTA roads every weekday.

GO Transit is also looking at expanding to serve more potential riders including, Kitchener/ Waterloo, Guelph, Bolton, Oshawa and Bowmanville, measures that will further reduce congestion and traffic across the GT

A. Electrification is just one part of GO Transit’s agenda to benefit the environment through its operations.

FAQs about Diesel trains

Q. Why is GO Transit using diesel technology?

A. Today, the majority of North American commuter rail networks operate diesel engines. GO Transit has used diesel engines throughout its history, with continuous upgrades to use the most up-to-date diesel fuel technology available.

Diesel engines produced in North America today meet the US Environmental Protection Act (EPA) Tier 2 Emission Standards. Research and development is underway to reach a Tier 4 Standard by 2015.

Q. What is the difference between Tier 2, Tier 3, and Tier 4 Diesel technology?

A. GO’s MP40 diesel locomotives use the best, cleanest technology available, meeting all US Environmental Protection Act (EPA) Tier 2 Emission Standards that are equivalent to the new US EPA Tier 3. The Tier 4 Standard will reduce particulate matter by 70 per cent, and NOx by 76 per cent. There are no Canadian emissions standards for diesel trains.

Q. How much quieter is an electric train compared to a diesel train?

A. Studies indicate that the overall noise reduction from electrification is not substantial, as much of the noise is from the train itself. The level of noise depends on the make and model of the trains.

Q. What are the air emission standards for diesel trains?

A. There are currently no air emission standards for diesel trains in Canada.

GO Transit, with an understanding from Transport Canada, voluntarily follows the emission standards applied in the United States (EPA Tier 2 Emission Standards). All of the new MP40 locomotives meet this EPA Tier 2 Standard.

Q. Is GO Transit the only commuter operator in Canada and North America still buying diesel locomotives? What about the rest of the world?

A. Many transit authorities use diesel technology, employing similar locomotives and cars as GO Transit. Some examples: Florida’s Tri-Rail, Seattle’s Sounder, California’s Metrolink and Caltrain, Vancouver’s West Coast Express and Montreal’s AMT.

While diesel remains the predominant fuel source for North American commuter rail networks, electric trains are used in some areas for high traffic lines. In Europe and parts of Asia, electric trains are more common. Both diesel and electricity are common power sources for rail networks around the world.