True about ownership but there are still contractual requirements for Metrolinx to retain freight compatibility, so CN would’ve had to agree.

It’s actually an interchange train with CP between Mac and Lambton yards

It is generally not permitted to build a high platform (enabling level boarding for passenger trains) on a track with mainline freight trains

If this arrangement were possible elsewhere, it would make high speed and regional passenger service much more convenient, faster, and more accessible. But right now, there's no standard to make this possible while making sure we don't hinder Canada's amazing freight rail success.

Here's a video of the impossible. The UP Express has high platforms and level boarding for passengers. That is supposed make it impossible for mainline North American freight trains to pass. And yet, as this shows, CN freight trains roll past the high platform at Weston multiple times per week.

“The time [REM] went from ‘doesn’t exist’ to [revenue service] is mind blowing...”

A masterpiece from @hudsonyuen.bsky.social featuring @chittimarco.bsky.social & @englishrail.bsky.social. So proud to have played a small part.

MUST WATCH for planners who believe the status quo is inevitable

Happy to have written this with Reece and Narayan. There are more details to this but the point is that Spadina can be so much better with a little political will.

I was on CBC Metro Morning today (July 24 if you’re clicking the link) talking about the Bathurst bus lanes, the need for them, the opportunities they bring for further improvements like transit signal priority, and some potential mitigations for businesses.
www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...

I was excited to work with Stephen on this. We’ve locked ourselves into what is really a very small market when we could have access to the global elevator market. This is low hanging fruit to fix!

@englishrail.bsky.social and I have a piece in the Globe & Mail about how Canada can make housing more affordable and accessible, and disentangle itself from its unreliable and hostile southern neighbor: give its elevator industry the option to use the European/global standard, not just the U.S. one

A real life example of how busy Brampton Transit can be! This was at the first stop on the route after 11 at night. Two more buses came right behind. We took the third, which still had many seats filled. Frequent service attracts riders. Would love the 407 route back, though!

Toronto is experiencing a lot of planned subway shutdowns. The city regularly does temporary no parking for road work, filming, etc. We should do the same for planned subway shutdowns to make shuttle buses more efficient. Temporary diamond lanes would be even better!

Great op-ed by @rmtransit.bsky.social and @wklumpen.bsky.social
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/com...

Did an interview with Global News on fare integration. Very exciting that it's doing as well as we hoped. Was very proud to work on helping push this forward. globalnews.ca/video/111286...

And yet California's transit ridership is not meaningfully higher (and in many cases lower, especially when controlling for density), than those states with much cheaper gas.

Prices were much higher for nearly a decade after 1973, though, and the effect on ridership was marginal (especially if you take all the new infrastructure opening into account). People largely just switched to more fuel efficient cars.

I think we also massively overestimate the gas price difference. My comparison in article was Santa Ana. Average price in California today is C$1.79/litre by my math. Looking at a random gas station in Brampton, it's C$1.18/litre right now.

If we look at the history, dramatic changes in gasoline prices have had negligible effects on transit ridership in both Canada and the US. The biggest jump in the 1970s resulted in barely any increase in transit ridership. Pre-pandemic, despite gas prices dropping, transit ridership was growing.

I've written an article on the extraordinary transit success of Brampton, how it was achieved, and the lessons it has for other suburban areas in North America. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...