Novell has been selling this protection hard to its Suse prospects (“Linux is scary because Microsoft might sue. But we have a deal with Microsoft…”). Extortion? Sure. But for some it seems that integrity has a price. For those who can’t be bought, just how much protection are you missing?
Filed under: Transit | Tags: CN, CP, GO, Kyle Rae, Summerhill, Terminal, Toronto, Transit
A GO terminal at Summerhill, in Toronto, would be a great idea. Utilizing tracks, that are already available, if they can sort out issues with CN/CP. However, I don’t really want to spend much time on that issue; I’d rather point out my reasoning why I feel Toronto will one day grind to a halt before anyone fixes the gridlock issues that plague the city. In the Toronto Star, on September 15, 2007, Kyle Rae, Toronto city councillor suggested that a GO Terminal at Summerhill would be a bad idea because he “gets complaints about the noise and speed”. Well gosh, darn it I am so sorry! We don’t want to bother the ‘precious’ people in the Summerhill area. Why as if no one else has some type of problem in the Greater Toronto Area. This is what is wrong with the city! I know he is looking out for his “constituents”; however no one ever wants something in their backyard. Everything is fine and others can suffer as “my rights are not treaded on”. Really we need to move planning out of the hands of politicians and back to ‘Urban Planners’ who are professionals in their trade. We all have to work together to make Toronto move and I hope at some point someone will have the guts to fix it.
http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/256985
Read about “GO Transit’s Future Midtown Line” and other developments.
http://transit.toronto.on.ca/gotransit/2106.shtml
http://transit.toronto.on.ca/gotransit/2108.shtml
Check out this New York City subway map — it shows the growth of the subway system in order of the year each line was constructed.You can see that the subways first appeared in the Brooklyn area, not in the dense downtown area. And if you like subway maps, check out the many different NYC subway map manifestations dating back to the 19th century.
Filed under: Transit | Tags: Don Mills, GO, Japan, public, RT, Scarborough, Spadina, Toronto, trains, tranist, York, YRT
Japan is not the perfect model for our situation. I probably would not want to live there, but I saw an amazing program the other day about Japan. You can live in cities hours a way and simply commute to Tokyo via the bullet train, everyday (all-day). I know that this is a simplistic approach, but I am a simple person. How can one group of people realize the importance of transit to urban development needs? GO Transit is trying their best, but until trains are running every 30 min. or less there is no comparison.
The unfortunate problem with public transit over the years has been simple politics. When politics gets in the way you end up with the Scarborough RT or a truncated Sheppard subway or now a subway to York Region. When politics get in the way you end up with “longer GO Trains”, rather then longer or more service. I understand that the train lines, for GO Transit, are not owned by them. I understand that the Government had “great intentions” when they forced the UDTC RT train technology on the TTC. I understand that the “Harris” government only wanted to save money with a “No Frills” subway that stopped at Don Mills. However now look at what this has all accomplished.
The TTC now has to spend millions to replace the RT line, with money tied up in a spadina extension to Vaughan for no reason. With a Sheppard line stuck at Don Mills, with no money to move it to Scarborough (at least Victoria Park/Warden where it should be). Let’s not forget those “longer GO Trains”, that run only on rush hours, when we need it.
The Ontario government says it’s “Purchasing 27 new, more powerful, fuel-efficient locomotives that can pull two more cars, adding 300 more passengers per train”.
Great, 300 people, eh! I was once told “Do it right or don’t do it at all until you get it right”. Where is the vision now? What about the entire GTA? Everyone is doing their own thing. The fact is that governments have to realize that public transit is not a cost, but an investment into the future. We do not always need the most “expensive” technology. Keep it simple, and get people moving!
By: Torontomatic
It seems that our politicians do not understand the “K.I.S.S” way of doing things. Keep it Simple Stupid. Subways are an important, but GO Transit can move large amounts of the population to various regions, at a lower cost then building expensive subway systems. There must be a focus on changing the way the transit system functions. Population growth trends show that the 905 region is ‘bursting at the seams’, but the infrastructure to move large amounts of people quickly and efficiently is not available. Unfortunately GO Transit cannot seem to even operate on time, less any potential labour disruptions?
Government must see transit as an important part of the mix to the G.T.A. If they feel that they cannot do it, then get out of the way and let someone else who can. Although we may not agree on how things were handled with the 407etr, at least there is an option now for commuters. Maybe we should look at building the infrastructure as a public/private partnership? Otherwise, if something is not done soon all of our roadways will look like the ‘Don Valley Parking Lot (DVP)’. Rumblings from David Miller are suggesting the ideas of a London style fee to enter the downtown area. But will this work in Toronto? It may force some out of their car; however will they turn to GO Transit or just find another job? At present they do not even offer all-day service on all of their lines. Coupled with the fact that the lines are not owned by GO and leaving them at the mercy of CN or CP rail, is no option. So what must be done? A politician somewhere must have the ‘guts’ to make hard decisions. I fear that if something is not done soon businesses will make that move for us. Maybe even to the cities above and beyond Toronto; leaving an empty shell of a once vibrate city. It has happened in other places and it can happen to Toronto. We are not that special!
By: Torontomatic
Torontomatic 