Robin as suggested I am posting an article I
wrote for our Clubs newsletter about the "GO"
CITY TRANSPORT
As a South African it was real a pleasure to be in a 1st World City,where every thing worked and was on time, and where there was an almost TOTAL respect for the law
On a recent visit to Canada I experienced what it was like to use an extremely efficient Transport system in the City of Toronto.
Leaving my daughters house we drove a few kilometres to the local station car park, to catch The "GO" train knowing that when we returned the car would still be there unharmed.
The " GO"Transit is a municipally funded ,interregional public transport service that serves a population of 4.9 million in the greater Toronto area . It is made up by a combination of trains and bus services, all inter connected. Trains consisting of a F59PH diesel-electric locomotive pulling 10 bi-level railcars seating 162 passengers. Manufactured by General Electric.
The railcars are actually 3 level cars, with a mezzanine level at each end of the car. The bi-level car was engineered specifically for the " GO " commuter service needs,with passenger comfort a prime feature. Heated, air conditioned with clean washrooms,public cellphones and a passenger alarm system, (much lacking on our trains,as was indicated when a friend of mine was thrown from a moving train during a robbery and her husband had to travel to the next station to seek assistance.)
Spoornet is looking into using this type of railcar for the proposed high speed link between Pretoria and Johannesburg.
The diesel units are big ! making our SAR diesels look very small. !7.7m long,3.2m wide and 4.8
In height. Gross weight 118 tons. The trains are not turned and operate on a Pull - Push arrangement with a drivers cab in the back railcar.
Arriving in Toronto (on Time !!)we had the option of using the city’s extensive underground or going up onto the street and using the "Trams " or Streetcars as the are known.
The "GO " system carries on an average weekday 134,000 people ,104,000 by train and 30,000 by bus
All together an illuminating and pleasant experience.
