GO Expansion, previously known as GO Regional Express Rail (RER), is a project to improve GO Transit train service by adding all-day, two-way service to the inner portions of the Barrie line, Kitchener line and the Stouffville line, and by increasing frequency of train service on various lines to every 15 minutes or better on five of the corridors. This would be achieved with the electrification of at least part of the Lakeshore East line, Lakeshore West line, Barrie line, Kitchener line and Stouffville line. GO Expansion is one of the Big Move rapid transit projects.
With GO Expansion, GO Transit will increase the number of train trips per week from 1,500 (as of 2015) to about 2,200 by 2020 and expand to 10,500 weekly trips upon completion. Most of the extra trips will be in off-peak hours and on weekends. The expanded services, new infrastructure and electrification is projected to roll out in phases between 2025 and 2030. The 10-year regional express rail plan will cost $13.5 billion and will require of new track, including new bridges and tunnels.
History
Background
GO Transit has historically offered two-way, all-day service along its Lakeshore East and Lakeshore West lines, while only providing peak rush hour service on its other lines. The Big Move outlined the building of express and regional rail service improvements across the existing GO Transit network. Other improvements included extensions to Hamilton and Bowmanville, as well as new GO Transit corridors to Bolton, Seaton and Locust Hill.
As part of the 2011 Ontario general election, Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty also made a campaign pledge to provide two-way, all-day train service on all corridors. This vision of two-way, full-day train service on all corridors eventually included electrification of the system and was renamed Regional Express Rail.
As part of the Phase 2 announcement, Metrolinx stated that the Kitchener and Lakeshore lines would be electrified, as well as the Union Pearson Express.
With GO Expansion, Metrolinx expects to nearly triple ridership to 175 million riders per year by about 2031 from 65.7 million in 2015.
GO Expansion
On March 31, 2017, the federal government announced it would contribute $1.9 billion of the estimated $13.5 billion cost of GO Expansion. The Kitchener line will receive at least $750 million of the federal funding for infrastructure upgrades including of new track. The Barrie line, Lakeshore East line, and Lakeshore West line will share the balance of the federal funding for upgrades and of new track.
On February 23, 2022, Metrolinx announced that the preferred bidder for the contract was ONxpress Transportation Partners, a consortium that includes Aecon, FCC Construcción, Alstom, and Deutsche Bahn, among others. Under its $1.6-billion contract, ONxpress will complete Phase 1 of the GO Expansion project, which includes designing key infrastructure such as signalling systems and upgrades to Hydro One power infrastructure. Phase 1 also includes determining the full scope of the project. The consortium will also start construction for grade separations at rail and road crossings.
The contract was finalized on April 19, 2022; Alstom announced it will be implementing the European Rail Traffic Management System for the signalling on the upgraded network, the first use of that standard in North America. According to Metrolinx, ETCS would allow more trains to be on the line simultaneously, citing the words of University of Birmingham visiting lecturer Tyson Moore, who stated that systems with ETCS were "allowing trains to get closer together while still respecting basic safety margins".
Electrification
GO Expansion goals would be achieved with the electrification of core sections of the GO Transit train system while also expanding the use of diesel service in others, as follows: The Lakeshore West line between Aldershot and Union Station The Lakeshore East line between Oshawa and Union Station The Kitchener line between Bramalea and Union Station, including the Union Pearson Express service The Barrie line between Allandale Waterfront (Barrie) and Union Station The Stouffville line between Old Elm and Union Station
With electrification, service on the Lakeshore West line could possibly be as frequent as every three-and-a-half minutes during peak periods.