Welcome to the City of Toronto website

GO Transit owns the Union Station Rail Corridor from Strachan Avenue in the west to the Don River in the east, all rail plant (signals and switches), as well as the trainshed and platforms at Union Station.

As part of its Union Station Rail Corridor Infrastructure Improvement Plan begun in 2002, GO Transit plans to improve its facilities in Union Station and the rail corridor plant, replace antiquated equipment and upgrade the corridor to handle the anticipated doubling of ridership in the next 20 to 30 years. This work is targeted for completion in 2014.

The major program elements include:

• Union Station Facilities
  • improved vertical access to Platforms 4/5, 5/6, 6/7 rehabilitation of the train shed including roof, structure, lighting and signage new platform south of the existing trainshed - platform 13/14 or 14/15
  • installation of double loading platforms (end to end trains)

• Rail Corridor Plant
  • replacement of signal system optimizing and upgrading of track system
  • new control office and improved communications system

• Train Storage
  • development of the Don Yard to store and maintain up to 14 train sets

GO Transit has budgeted over $600 million to complete the Plan.

Yes. The Master Plan states that platform widths now and in the future have been determined to have the ability to safely and efficiently accommodate all existing and forecast passenger flow demands. GO Transit complies with all federal requirements for rail safety. This is evidence by the current operating certificate issued to GO Transit from Transport Canada.

Yes. GO Transit has investigated future capacity requirements and confirms that the existing platform configuration can accommodate anticipated future passenger volumes, provided more vertical access points are provided into the concourse areas of the station. Sufficient passenger handling capacity could be provided at Union Station for at least the next 30 years, without resorting to the expense and disruption associated with platform widening. From a transportation planning and operations perspective, the benefits associated with widened platforms do not presently justify the significant expense (estimated to be in excess of $80 million) in additional expenditures and disruption during construction which platform widening would occur.

This position is also consistent with the transportation infrastructure policies contained in the City of Toronto new Official Plan. The Plan supports the need to maintain the existing transportation system in a state of good repair, the need to make better use of the existing transportation capacity and the need to protect for the incremental expansion of the transit system as demand justifies and funding becomes available.

No. It is not that simple. Platforms and tracks through the station are elevated, supported on columns projecting through the basement/concourses to underlying rock foundations. Passenger movement elements and other active uses are located between the columns. This, in effect, results in individual bridge structures supporting each track within the station. Moving tracks around to widen platforms would require significant structural change and careful planning to minimize impact to rail and passenger operations during construction. Major structural changes such as these require significant capital investment estimated to be in the order of at least $80 million. Consolidating platform space would not increase total platform area, but simply rearrange it. The current flexibility of using platforms on each side of the train for passenger movement would be lost, as each track would have access to only one platform.

The Master Plan supports the assertion that as a result of the expanded concourse and platform improvement plans, passengers will be able to board and disembark from GO trains using doors located on both sides of the passenger rail car, thereby significantly increasing "effective" platform width.

Yes. The train shed's structural elements, roof and platforms are protected by a Heritage Easement Agreement with Parks Canada, as areas that contribute to or define the heritage character of the facility. Union Station is unique as an operating through-track station. The trainshed is also unique as one of few remaining Canadian examples of a "Bush" trainshed (named for the engineer who designed it).

No. GO Transit rail operations are already fully accessible today. Elevators are preferred over escalators as they can also accommodate the elderly, the disabled and people travelling with baggage or strollers.

The Master Plan's principle of Transportation First complements the vision/objective for GO rail operations to optimize the width, location and number of staircases on all platforms to achieve platform clearance requirements. This provides for maximum ease and shortest time for passengers to embark or disembark a train. Platforms are not intended to be waiting areas, but are an interim step that facilitates entering and exiting trains. An entire train can be loaded or unloaded in a matter of minutes. The number of existing and planned staircases will enable passengers to maintain a constant rate of movement in a safe and efficient manner. Since at least two passengers can walk comfortably shoulder to shoulder up or down a staircase, a constant and efficient utilization of capacity is maintained.

As an integral part of the Master Plan's Transportation First principle, the combination of stairs and elevators is preferred as the most effective means of passenger access to and from GO Transit platforms. Escalators present a number of concerns including:

• Escalators travel in one direction at a time. Bi-directional passenger movement is not possible unless two escalators are installed side by side. This is not feasible at most locations in Union Station due to the existing platform widths.
• In the event that an escalator is stopped during an emergency, there is an effective reduction in exit width over what would be available with a stair (reduction caused by handrails and escalator structure/mechanical equipment). Stairs are often installed adjacent to escalators (similar to the TTC condition) to overcome this impediment. This configuration however is not possible at many locations in Union Station due to the existing platform widths.
• An escalator closed for maintenance or stopped because the shutdown button has been activated has significant impact on passenger flows and passenger convenience;
• Escalators have significant capital and ongoing maintenance costs.
• Escalators create overcrowding risks. They continue to deliver patrons into already crowded areas, such as platforms or concourse areas at Union Station, especially in cold weather when patrons tend to shelter inside the stair/escalator enclosures.
• Escalators pose safety concerns when stopped and people walk on the uneven risers situated at the top and bottom.

No. The Master Plan states that opportunities to introduce additional escalators to the platforms could be considered. Planning for any new vertical transfer elements (stairs, escalators or elevators) at Union Station will be based upon passenger capacity needs, safety and operational requirements or jointly with technology changes.

No. GO Transit regularly conducts customer and rail passenger surveys to understand customer satisfaction and travel patterns. There have been no specific requests by GO passengers to increase escalator availability within Union Station. In fact, most comments voice displeasure with escalators (system-wide) that are closed for lengthy periods for maintenance or run opposite to the direction that passengers wish to travel.

Yes. There are 10 escalators now used to access passenger train platforms in Union Station. These are part of an inventory of approximately 60 vertical transfers (escalators, stairs, elevators) between platform level and concourse/street level. These vertical transfers include 20 mechanized elements, of which 10 are escalators.

The majority of existing escalators respond to VIA passenger needs.

While escalators provide a level of convenience over stairs, they do not provide the same level of passenger flow capacity as stairs because of the tendency of people to stand when travelling on escalators. The need for capacity is most important when considering the surge-nature of passengers boarding and disembarking GO trains. This passenger characteristic contrasts markedly with other situations including escalators operated by VIA, the TTC, or surges experienced on escalators in large department stores.