Metrolinx continues major track upgrades into 2021 on Canada’s busiest rail corridor

Metrolinx has been significant progress on overhauling a well-worn section of GO Transit’s Lakeshore West line. To provide better service on the line, Metrolinx is working on demolishing hundreds of meters of track and installing innovative technology.

Metrolinx says its teams have been safely meeting project-related challenges throughout 2020 as they work to upgrade a key segment of the Lakeshore West GO line near Long Branch GO – one that will bring better train service for thousands of GO customers for decades to come.

The entire project is centered around overhauling the Canpa switch plant, a major piece of rail infrastructure composed of track and signaling components that allow trains to safely switch from one track to another, all while maintaining speed. Switch plants in general contain multiple turnouts that act together or individually across any number of tracks.

The Canpa switch is particularly vital as it keeps GO trains running smoothly on the busiest line in the network. It also helps route trains into the Willowbrook Rail Maintenance Facility, the VIA Maintenance Facility, the Canpa Spur and more.

Replacing this infrastructure will also shave off precious minutes for train times. While that may not sound like much, every minute gained makes a difference in cutting down on rail congestion and makes way for future service increases. Metrolinx officials say this work is being done now to ensure the transit agency can add more GO service in the future, increase speeds and improve current service reliability.

On top of the customer benefits, the project is also making Canadian rail history. Instead of using wood  crossties through these turnouts, construction crews are using concrete crossties when installing the new switch plant. Metrolinx’s corridor maintenance team says this type of construction gives the rail infrastructure a longer lifespan and could last 40 to 50 years, instead of the usual 25 years.

Since work began on the project earlier this fall, here are some interesting facts on the work completed thus far:

• Four weekends of work (including three minor closures and one major closure)
• More than 25 workers on site each weekend
• 1,109 meters (3,638 feet) of new track with concrete crossties have been installed
• The first ever concrete crossover installed in Canada
• The old Canpa signal tower was demolished to make room for new rail infrastructure

The installation of concrete crossovers is heavy-duty work. The panels assembled for this kind of installation are approximately 18 meters long by six meters wide (59 feet by 19.6 feet), weighing up to 50 short tons.

Major construction on the horizon

Replacing several kilometers of track and replacing major rail infrastructure is more than a one weekend job, especially on one of the busiest sections of track in the country. Metrolinx says there is still more than 1,800 meters (5,905 feet) of track to install, as well as multiple crossovers and turnouts.

While much of the work will be done while train service still operates, Metrolinx says multiple weekend shutdowns on the Lakeshore West line will be needed over the next year to complete the work. This will allow crews to operate heavy machinery and not have to stop as trains pass. The transit agency says customers will be given advanced notice before any weekend closures and alternative travel options will be put in place to make sure people can still get where they need to go.

The entire project is expected to be operational in late 2021, with total completion in 2022.