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Friday, January 3, 2014

Please hang up and try your call again

I know that's what it feels like across the GO system this morning.
The extreme temperatures are crippling switches, signals and causing doors to malfunction. Trains are being cancelled left and right.
Then there's the frost quakes. Don't get me started on those.

Overnight,  the furnace in my home decided to commit suicide. My husband woke me up at 6 am to tell me it was 11C in the house. I sleep under a mountain of comforters.  The temperature difference was shocking by the time I joined him in the basement. (UPDATE: The furnace is now working. We had an air intake duct clogged with ice. Hubby took care of it).

My phone started pinging shortly after with GO alerts and I was grateful today was a vacation day for me. At least I have a mountain of comforters to crawl back under and I'm not standing on a platform waiting for a train that isn't coming.

12 comments:

Squiggles said...

That sucks. Hopefully it will be fixed soon. I survived a few days with a broken furnace when Enbridge called the wrong number and was told that the furnace was working. Thank goodness for space heaters.

And for once, I was glad I have to take a vehicle in for servicing today. I get to miss the Cold Weather GO Experience.

Maybe I am remembering something else, but hasn't GO normally sent out reminders/notices that there would be problems because of the cold?

Unknown said...

Dayum. That sucks. Your furnace wil be on The Barge of The Dead, heading to Grethor. Call Sears for a new one.
Also... you're welcome to visit here if it gets too cold for you or Jayde.

Anonymous said...

After 6 GO email notices referencing switch malfunctions, was greeted with an 8am email from GO:

'Kitchener Rail Passengers: Due to a weather related track switch malfunction between Bramalea and Etobicoke North trains on your line may be cancelled or delayed up to one hour on arrival into Union Station.'

So GO don't even know if the train is cancelled or delayed 1 hour? Can't they even make a decision? Leaving hundreds freezing on a platform near -18 degree weather. Come on!

George said...

@Anonymous:
Switches on that line are owned and maintained by CN, not GO. If CN doesn't give them any up to date information, they can't say when the problem will be fixed and can't give accurate updates. That's what I think happened in this case.

Anonymous said...

@George
Then GO should say that. Not leave us wondering if waiting an hour it'll be repaired. There were 3 earlier trains, that didn't receive this notice. So what happened between 6-8am that necessitated that type of email? 1 hour or cancelled?

George said...

Ask GO, I have no idea.

Anonymous said...

"About useful as a chocolate teapot", I'd say.

George said...

Well if I worked for GO then I could be more helpful. As I don't, I'd say your comment and your questions directed at me are quite idiotic.

Thanks for playing anyways. Are you going to contact GO or continue to ask questions pertaining to their operation to random strangers on a blogging site expecting a good answer?

I got a chocolate teapot last year for Christmas. It was quite useful. Too bad it only lasted one day.

Anonymous said...

I didn't even try to tap my card on the presto machines that were outside. Didn't want to spend my entire ride to Toronto, wondering if it 'took'.

Anonymous said...

@ Anonymous

I doubt GO would have an answer either or they would have clarified in the first place right?
Why waste your time?
I don't think a straight answer of whether a train is just late or altogether cancelled is too much to ask for anyway. :)
Not at all idiotic, haters.

Anonymous said...

Maybe they meant 'idiomatic'.




Anonymous said...

I think Anonymous is right. We deserve a decisive answer, not a "it might be cancelled".