VIA corridor trains east of Toronto are detouring via alternate trackage this weekend due to infrastructure work in eastern Toronto. Eastbound trains will head up the scenic Don Valley line used mostly by GO Transit trains (and usually the Canadian), then connect to CN's typically freight-only main to rejoin the normal route at Pickering, ON. Westbounds to Toronto will run the reverse route.
Since several sections of the reroute are single track there should be some interesting dispatching and VIA is advising an average 45-minute delay to most schedules. They've also accounted for missed connections with some creative solutions. Metrolinx (GO) has been less creative and simply cancelled all trains east of Toronto on a weekend with multiple sporting events and other activities. They will resume limited service on Monday with passengers required to pay for local transit "bridges" to complete their journeys. This hasn't helped the beleaguered transit agency's public image. Lately they seem to go from one PR misstep to another. Things aren't supposed to get back to normal for either operator until Tuesday.
I thought briefly about buying a round trip on VIA from my area east of Toronto to Union Station and back but couldn't find a combination that was both schedule and wallet-friendly.
Since several sections of the reroute are single track there should be some interesting dispatching and VIA is advising an average 45-minute delay to most schedules. They've also accounted for missed connections with some creative solutions. Metrolinx (GO) has been less creative and simply cancelled all trains east of Toronto on a weekend with multiple sporting events and other activities. They will resume limited service on Monday with passengers required to pay for local transit "bridges" to complete their journeys. This hasn't helped the beleaguered transit agency's public image. Lately they seem to go from one PR misstep to another. Things aren't supposed to get back to normal for either operator until Tuesday.
I thought briefly about buying a round trip on VIA from my area east of Toronto to Union Station and back but couldn't find a combination that was both schedule and wallet-friendly.
