GO Transit Back On Track After Monday’s Chaos
Posted October 31, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The answer appeared to be a qualified ‘yes’. Though the system experienced a few delays after Monday’s massive signal problem created chaos at Union Station and left thousands of travellers looking for a way to get home, it was for the most part back to normal.
The trouble was a CN signal snafu at the Mimico station which forced officials to implement an emergency back-up system. That stopped trains from coming out of the storage facility, led to a few cancellations and waits of up to an hour or more during the afternoon rush. Only the Milton line was unaffected.
But things looked a lot better on Tuesday, and while authorities admitted there could be a few minor problems here and there they didn’t expect to see the same kind of issues they faced the day before.
GO termed the latest delays ‘minimal’ and apologized to those who were inconvenienced, but reminded riders it wasn’t their fault.
“It’s like a freeway system,” explained C.E.O. Gary McNeil. “If all of a sudden in the rush hour one of your lanes goes down because of an accident or because of construction maintenance, the whole thing backs up. And that’s like GO Transit. Our corridors are at capacity right now, that as soon as you take one track out, it has a major impact on us.”
Like the day before, most passengers seemed to be taking the Tuesday morning slowdown in stride.
“I think it’s great the majority of the time, it’s right on time,” suggests a rider named Matt. “I think compared to sitting in traffic going into the city it’s an alternative that turns out to work with your schedule far more often.”
But Fatima Massri has a different stance. “It’s convenient, but the hassle, shouldn’t happen,” she complains. “Ever since the summer. Always delay. Always.”
For those taking the train Tuesday, GO suggests checking their website for updated information on any delays or cancellations. You can find the information here.
