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Friday, August 28, 2015

Doods... I'm taking a vacation - offline til Sept 8

My daughter has decided a visit to Morrisburg and Kingston were in order, so that's what we'll be doing as well as spending a few days at my sister's cottage in Tiny.
I haven't been posting as much as I normally do this summer and part of it was work-related, and also because I've been spending most of my free time cycling. This month I have cycled a total of 321 kilometres! Tomorrow I am planning to do a 35 km ride, non-stop, because I will be spending my afternoon eating bacon at the Bacon, Beer and Cider Festival in Bowmanville with Bicky.
Behave yourselves, kids!

So this just happened to my cousin

Sometimes when you're on the subway you see cool stuff like this!! #thehighstreets

Posted by Monica Kelly on Friday, August 28, 2015

A trip to Toronto in 1974 - interior shots of Union Station at the 7:49 mark

Douchebags of the GO, I have found your King!



This LSW train was boarding when this guy showed up and claimed this quad as his own, writes AL, using his bike as a barrier. When he was done each section of his newspaper, he tossed each one over his seat despite the fact that someone was sitting in the quad behind him.

He never moved. He didn't care.

ALL HAIL THE KING!

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Another rush hour ride home, another Quiet Zone story

This one comes to us from Stef who rides the LSE.

A father and his two daughters board at Union, along with two very large Minions I presume were won as prizes from some midway ghetto game and head upstairs. Dad decides that each Minion gets a seat so he puts the two of them side by side in a quad and then he and one daughter sit opposite of them, and the other daughter wondered off downstairs.

As you know CJ, the LSE can get quite full, especially the 4:07 pm train, which I was on. People are boarding and giving the WTF look as they look for seats, but no one is asking dad to move the minions. Both he and his daughter have their noses deep into their iPhones.

It's now 4:03 pm and it's becoming standing room only and the Quiet Zone is now full. The Minions still have their seats and at 4:05 pm, a very pregnant lady makes her way upstairs. She surveys the seats and her eyes zero in on the Minions. She makes a face and starts to walk down the aisle towards the quad. The doors are closing message is made and she stands right beside the seats with the Minions and stares at the dad. He's busy looking at his phone. His daughter is playing some game, no headphones, that's making all kinds of blips and bleeps. She looks up. The pregnant lady looks at her. The daughter goes back to her game.

The pregnant lady then asks, loud enough that I can hear her from where I'm sitting, if the Minions have tickets for the seats. The dad looks up. "Pardon?" He asks.

"Did you buy tickets for your guests, here," she asks him. He looks at the Minions. "Uh... no..."

The pregnant lady then leans forward, grabs a Minion and sits down. She passes the Minion to the dad. He takes it from her with an incredulous look on his face.

"Relax," he says to her. "It's been a long day for us and we're getting off at Danforth, so you don't need to be rude," he says, roughly putting the Minion on the floor.

Pregnant lady ignores him as she adjusts herself and looks in her purse.

"Did you hear what I said?" The Dad asks her. His daughter tells him to be quiet. He tells her to be quiet.

Pregnant lady puts in her earbuds.

"I don't care about your long day, your feelings, or your soon to be landfill prize. Please don't talk to me anymore." Pregnant lady says to him and she closes her eyes.

Dad was STEAMING. He starts griping to any one of us who will listen, so finally I said, "Sir, this is the Quiet Zone. If you want to continue your tantrum, you can go downstairs."

He doesn't quit. As we approach Danforth, he tells the whole coach what a bunch of "fucking losers" we are and he huffs his way down the stairs with his carnival prizes, and yells out for the other daughter to get over to where he is.

Stay classy.

Why does anyone need notifications if you're looking at your phone?

In this day and age, with people checking their phones several times in an hour, why do you need sound?

I don't use it. Don't need it. It's annoying. Especially when the person texting is staring at her phone and reading the messages and responding to the messages as they come in.

TURN IT OFF.




*phone

Dammit.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Don't hit your brother! EAT ALL OF THE POPCORN! Don't hit your brother! EAT ALL OF THE POPCORN! Slap! Slap! Slap!

Once again, last night, a parent trudged his way up to the Quiet Zone with two kids, acknowledged aloud to the kids it was the Quiet Zone and sat down in two seats by the window near myself and a Twitter friend of mine (@LoudMouthSoup).

One kid sat on the dad's lap. The other kid bounced, and danced, and wiggled, and fidgeted, and sang, and ate popcorn, and sang, and whined, and kicked his brother, and jumped, and ate popcorn, and SLAPPED HIS FATHER (multiple times) and kicked his brother some more while dad kept saying, "If you don't shut up, we're going to be kicked off the train!" and "If you don't sit still, we're going to get in trouble!"

This was punctuated with SHHH! and BE QUIET! and WILL YOU STOP?! and SIT DOWN! and DON'T HIT YOUR BROTHER! and followed by the dad slapping the kid on the leg and the kid slapping his dad back.

It was the slapping part that really threw myself and my Twitter friend. It's not something you see these days - a parent slapping a child, and so openly. I was also disturbed by the how the kid violently kicked his brother and also slapped his dad. As a kid, we were slapped but we never, EVER, slapped back. I wouldn't dare...

As a result, I don't slap my daughter as punishment. I didn't like it myself as a kid and so I don't do it to my child.

Today, I feel like I should have said something. Watching a kid and a parent get physical is just disturbing and also, I don't feel myself and other passengers should have been subjected to it.

Thoughts?

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Listen up donkeys! COFFEE IS COMING TO THE YORK CONCOURSE

I quote:

"For those of you that need that hot cup of coffee or sweet treat before you get to the office, you'll soon have several shops in the York Concourse Hall to choose from.
  • The Railroad Coffee Co. is now open for business across from our ticket sales counter;
  • Balzac's Coffee Roasters will be popping up in about a week;
  • and a Tim Horton's Café is slated to open next month." 
GO Transit plans on updating us all as more food retailers come on-board.

Kitchener GO Train commuter discovers this website, sends photo of super stealth sleeper from last winter

Yeaaaaaah, no.

German Student Leonie Müller Fed Up With Paying Rent So Lives On A Train

It might sound like every commuter’s nightmare, but for one German student it is a way of life.
Leonie Müller, 23, has decided to live on a train because she has had enough with landlords and high rent.
After a row with her landlord, the student at Tübingen University near Stuttgart decided to pack her bags, invest in a monthly railway season ticket and relocate to a train around Germany.
She moved her things on to a train in spring after a dispute with her landlord about her apartment, she told The Washington Post.
“I instantly decided I didn’t want to live there any more,” she said. “And then I realised: actually, I didn’t want to live anywhere any more.”
Müller carries her clothes, computer and toiletries on the train in a backpack and washes her hair in a bathroom on one of the carriages.

But I wanna sit upstairs so I can see the ocean!

First, please correct your child. It's a lake, not an ocean.

Second, although you know it's the Quiet Zone and you told your three, all under-seven-year-olds it's a Quiet Zone, how about you be quiet yourself? Listening to you hiss, "Shhhhhh!" every five seconds was more bloody annoying than listening to your four-year-old scream out, "Are we on a twainnnnnn? Is this a twainnnnn?"

And as always, the novelty wore off at around Ajax... this is when it's time to take the kids downstairs. Seriously. Just move.

Thanks.

Monday, August 24, 2015

And so it begins...

#gotransit

A photo posted by Tanya Bruckmueller (@bigfatdiva) on

Friday, August 21, 2015

Knock on the window and ask if "Face" is available

But can he prevent delays?

spiderman took the go train today #nopowers #spiderman #gotrainlife #toronto15

A photo posted by @kjduque on

The day when the Stouffville train was pushed all the way to Union Station by another train

You know your morning is shot when the GO ambassador announces that your train must push the train ahead of you (engine failure) all the way to Union station. HUWHAT?! / After about 2 hours and 15 minutes of being stranded in the train, @grampaj0hn and I decided to hop off at Milliken station under the impression that there would be connecting buses ready to take us to Union, as per the ambassador. Also, we weren't about to stay on a train that was pushing another train. Like. Bye. / BUT THEN!!! THERE WERE NO BLOODCLAT BUSES AT MILLIKEN. / After another 40 minutes of being stranded at Milliken, we are now on our personal GO bus heading back home. Everyone else hopped in cabs to head back home right away because they were like "FTS" but we wanted to try to get to work - we failed so we're on the FTS boat now. I think I'm going to take a selfie with our driver because dude is cool beans. / Bah!

 A photo posted by Mrs. Japlyn (@leslynttungol) on Aug 20, 2015 at 7:51am PDT

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Medication with a terrible side effect

Who here knows what a photo finish is? And I don't mean the horse racing kind.

Who here has ever launched themselves off a bus at the first sight of a Tim's or fast food joint to run across a busy highway, tears streaming down your face, hips thrusting against the violent force brewing in your bowels, hand clenched against your stomach, in search of sweet relief?

Anyone?

Let me know how it worked out for you - anonymously of course.

I almost didn't make it. It was *that* close.

In front of the sign, too!

Well goddamn, I'm moving to Edmonton

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

GO boosts Brampton trains and bus service to Pearson

More trains on the Kitchener line and beefed-up bus service to Pearson airport are among the key changes GO Transit is announcing to its fall schedules, effective Sept. 8.

As previously reported in the Star, there will be seven new off-peak, downtown-bound trips from the Mount Pleasant GO station in Brampton and seven corresponding westbound trips…

Park where I want to. Whitby.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Improvements coming to Route 12?

Thanks CJ for flagging this. I’m glad your reader brought it to my attention.

There’s lots in it to investigate but please let your readers know that I have staff looking into it to track down the causes and will ensure there are remedies in place.

I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Thanks again.
Matt Baynie, VO
GO Operations

His wallet was le tired - we should cut him some slack



But wait, there's MOAR...

From SM

Thought I would share this pic of the jerk who got on my train this morning (8:25 Oshawa to Union) Promptly spread out and considered himself far more important than the rest of us.  Yup, even needed to spread out his arm & give his wallet somewhere to rest! Train is not full, but several loads of people have climbed the stairs & he hasn't so much as flinched. Crossed his feet at one point so much so that the sole of his shoe was almost touching my leg. I had to physically move. Wish I was more vocal...should tell him to get his feet down, but alas I do not deal well with confrontation.

Just don't.

Dave and Bob, the guys who install PRESTO machines, have a poem they'd like to share

From Anonymous

"Say, Dave, the Bay Concourse closed today"
"That it did, Bob. A historic occasion"
"I think some kind of commemoration is in order, Dace"
"As a matter of fact Bob, the communications department were asking for contributions. Something between a tweet and a press release"
"I'll get right on it, Dave"

----------

'Twas in the year of '78
 GO Transit's decade two just started
That Bay Concourse operations did commence
 So passenger flows were parted
No more the Great Hall's lofty vaults
 For users of GO's trains that Fall
Such facilities were now assigned
 For those on turbo trains to Montreal

Commuters admired the stairs and walls
 Bedecked in avocado yellow
(Although it's possible history
 Has left colours much more mellow)
They welcomed now staircases two
 Leading to the subway stop
A passage cheered in later years
 With a portable hot dog shop

But alas, GO's subsequent growth
 From three lines up to seven
Meant those staircases broad
 No longer lead to heaven
Instead they jammed and got too full
 With throngs from trains two-decked
So satisfaction survey aims
 Forever stayed unchecked

And so a plan was devised
 It grew and then did hatch
To replace Bay Concourse with a pair
 On either side, to match.
The workers toiled and dug all round
 in front, beside, below
(But not above was soil dug
 Though ScotiaBank did go)

Then at the age of 37
 There came that fateful day
When no more could GO's passengers
 Pass through the Concourse Bay
Instead through teamways the travelers pour
And the concourse by York's own Street
Awaiting that far-off day
 When all works are complete

The lights are dimmed and silence reigns -
 the smell of buns of Cinn
Will ne'er welcome weary travelers
 And tempt with dietary sin
We bid farewell to Concourse Bay
  So long, farewell, adieu
And sincerely hope that your lofty son
 Will open before 2022.

But will there be food?!

I'm better.

No fever. Just a headache. And symptoms similar to West Nile. Maybe it's West Nile again... yay me!

I'm back at work. I'm a trooper I tell you.

I have to say, it was pretty calm when I headed down into the York Concourse. A little congested at platform level... and the TSOs barking at us to stay behind the yellow line was a nice touch. Nothing like being hollered at like it's the first day of school and we need to line up for pencils.

Where was I? Oh yeah... food. People are PISSED that there's no food at York and no food will be available for some time, despite an exciting list that only Metrolinx has seen.

Someone asked me if I knew where Ballsack coffee was? True story.

Eventually Tim's will make an appearance followed by a few other pop-up food choices, but it probably won't be until next summer when you'll be able to buy a full breakfast after you exit the train.

Monday, August 17, 2015

The time Union Station showed up in a Paul Janz video (1990)

Route 12 is steaming and it's not the weather

Special to ThisCrazyTrain.com
by @GOvoygr

New VP of Operations — Same GOng Show

CJ, I know you know the answer to this question, so you can’t play along here.  For everyone else, who is GO Transit’s new VP of Operations?

Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock.

Time is up!  Of course, everyone knew the answer to that one — Matt Baynie.

Mr. Baynie has been in the saddle since March.  We’re now into August, so that should have given Mr. Baynie plenty of time to come up to speed on his organization’s pain points, namely, Routes 90 and 12; not necessarily in that order.

The events of Sunday afternoon brought to light that Matt has not been doing his homework assignments.  What happened?  The following caca went down (times are relative to St. Catharines stop):

·         17:49 … The Niagara Falls to Burlington bus took on some passengers.  The driver then announced his bus was full, closed the doors and drove off stranding about a dozen passengers.

·         17:50 … The Burlington to Niagara Falls bus discharged its passengers.  Irate, stranded passengers confronted the driver of this bus demanding to know when the next Burlington-bound bus would arrive.  The driver contacted Operations, explained the situation and asked when a relief bus would be along to pick up these passengers (and those down the line).  The response from Operations was incoherent, so the driver requested a “10-9” (repeat transmission).  Operations responded that a bus was being dispatched from Niagara Falls and would be there in approximately 20 minutes.  The driver turned on the external speaker and announced to those on the platform what Operations had told her.  Commendation to this driver.  Why didn’t the driver of the Burlington-bound bus do that?  IMO, that driver deserves a CIT.

·         Since a number of passengers had wandered off, I told the driver of the Niagara Falls-bound bus I would relay her message down the platform.  After doing this, I returned to sit with a gentleman sitting on the bench.  He told me he was from Sydney, Nova Scotia.  He was visiting relatives in the Niagara region and was on his way back to Toronto to attend a pipefitters union convention starting tomorrow.  We chatted for a while until I realized 20 minutes was long past.  It was time to call GO Transit.

·         18:23 … I dialed 1-888-438-6646 and had to listen to something, something, blah, blah, blah.  WTF, GO Transit, I want to talk to a live body.  I “zeroed out”.  Well, this was NOT my lucky day, because I think I woke up this young CSR.  After I explained the situation, he told me he wasn’t sure what he could do for me.  I suggested he conference in the Hamilton supervisor or Operations.  After being on hold for what seemed like an eternity, he told me he had contacted Bus Ops who was trying to determine where the bus was.  WTH, the newfangled CAD/AVL tells you exactly where the bus is!  After another eternity, the CSR told me a bus would be there in five minutes.  A woman on the platform who was also in contact with her GO Transit CSR was told the same story.  I pressed my CSR for free rides for the dozen passengers who had been stranded (and now lied to by GO Transit), because GO Transit has accommodated passengers like that before.  This caught the CSR by surprise and he claimed he couldn’t authorize that.  His supervisor had “stepped out” and was unavailable.  He suggested I leave my number, so the supervisor could call back.  I said that was pointless, because the bus would be along in less than five minutes and passengers needed to know now that they would not be charged for this disservice.  He reiterated there were no managers present to authorize that request and he was not making up a story.  We decided to end the call there.  CITs for Customer Service management for “stepping out” and leaving no one in charge.

·         The promised bus did not arrive in five minutes.  Another lie from GO Transit.  CITs for Operations for lying to everyone.

·         18:49 … The next Burlington to Niagara Falls bus arrived and the stranded passengers climbed on wanting to know where their promised bus was.  That driver also “made the call” over the radio and was told the bus would be there within 20 minutes.  Didn’t we hear that earlier from Operations?  When asked what happened to the prior relief bus, the answer was it had loaded to capacity in Niagara Falls, so it had bypassed St. Catharines.  CITs for Operations and Bus Ops management.  The bus driver announced she would sell tickets to all Burlington-bound passengers, which delayed her trip back to The Falls.  Commendation to this driver.

·         19:05 … Bus 2536 finally arrived to pick up the stranded passengers, who had been waiting over an hour for their ride.  I noted that some of the passengers in the queue to board this bus were with the Para Pan Am team from Mexico.

So, Mr. Baynie, your subordinates “got some 'splainin' to do”.  How could Operations commit to delivering a bus in 20 minutes and then have the driver load up the bus elsewhere and not deliver on the promise?  It seems folks on the north side of the lake have a problem keeping a promise.

Earlier this year, a bus operations analyst visited Route 90 to assess the issues there.  IMO, Route 12 needs a whole team of bus operations specialists in the field to clean up the mess in Niagara region.  It’s not sufficient to send a manager of Safety and Training to manage a double-decker overflow situation at Burlington station (13:54, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2015):


IMO, Mr. Baynie needs to deploy Bus Ops supervisors to Niagara Falls and St. Catharines for the rest of the summer and into September.  Labour Day weekend is fast approaching, and it’s guaranteed to be a true shit show, believe me.  It’s time for all hands on deck.  If extra help is needed, I’ll make myself available.

Footnotes
1.    To those who were on the platform with me, especially the woman who was on the phone to Customer Service at the same time I was, please share your perspective of this situation via GO Transit’s Customer Comment Form and by e-mailing cj@thiscrazytrain.com.
2.    To the gentleman from Sydney, I won’t blame you for sharing your disappointment in GO Transit with everyone at the convention and back home.
3.    Were there any e-mail alerts sent regarding this fiasco?  Of course not.  More CITs for Operations.

How bad was it?

Y'all know I was looking forward to this morning's chaos.
Unfortunately, my body had other plans.
I'm home. Sick.
I eagerly await the horror stories!
Did you find York?
Did thousands of people fit down two stairwells?
How bad is your Cinnabon withdrawal?
Did you help anyone?
Is Nana okay?!

Friday, August 14, 2015

Last night

Be on the bus.
Arrive in downtown Oshawa.
Bus is packed.
Guy sits next to me.
Smells like he just crawled out of every all-nighter in the '70s and drank all the whiskey.
He dirty too.
Like 5000 showers are needed.
And a toothbrush.
I'm mad tweeting about him.
Suddenly...
He talks to me.
No.
Never.
Did he just ask me where I live???
I tell him I'm on my way to see my brother in jail.
Someone may have died.
Not sure.
He looks uncomfortable.
Good.

Detour!

For the GO 90 bus friends I`ve made over the years, and who are loyal followers, there will be a detour this afternoon and tonight along King Street (aka Highway) 2 through Bowmanville.

The always hip and happening Blueberry Fest (no joke, it's pretty awesome) starts at 4 pm and the closure is King Street (aka Highway 2) in both directions between Scugog Street and George Street. Passengers are asked to board/exit buses at Roenigk Drive or Simpson Avenue.

If you live in the area, I'm thinking of going. Message me at 9054427423 if you would like to meet up. I'll be there with the man and the kid provided the weather holds up.

But my bags, they are le tired

`

from:BD
to:"cj@thiscrazytrain.com"
date:Thu, Aug 13, 2015 at 5:37 PM
subject:Seriously?!

Obviously her bags are THAT important that they must have their own seat. She got up out of her seat to stand like this about 3 stops into the standing-room-only trip. I get off around stop 10 and she was STILL THERE, blocking the exit of course!

I realize it's a GO blog but I group TTC frustrations in there too. Reading your blog keeps me sane on my commute :)

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Commuters Bar closed down June 30, 2011 and Choo Choo's Bar was gone by 2009. But what happens to the Cinnabon? The Bagel Stop? You asked, I found some answers

Back in late 2009 when David Miller, then mayor of Toronto, announced the plans for a "five-year revitalization project" of Union Station, businesses operating inside were weary of the news.

By 2011, almost all, including GO-GO Cleaners, Amuse-O-Matic Arcade, Leather One, Commuter's Bar and Choo-Choo's Bar had been told their time was up, according to letters from Redcliff Realty Management - the company that took over all the retail leases in 2010.

No one knows if any of the businesses shutting their doors by August 16 in the Bay Concourse will make a re-appearance over at York, or in 2017 (or 2018) when the Bay Concourse re-opens. What is known is that all of them were told in 2013 they were expected to vacate in 24 months. Some, according to this article in the Financial Post, chose to lease month to month, so they could vacate within 30 days.

With retailers leaving, new ones are expected to move in over at York, but not until 2016 (approximate date not known) when the retail concourse fully opens.

For now, hungry GO commuters will have to look to the PATH to fill their rumbling tummies.

Sorry, folks.

Foot riders. Jerks. Accurate.

Found my way without Bay

This morning I decided to try to find my way without the Bay Concourse.

Dudes. It will be fine.

For those who ride at the most eastern end of the trains coming from Oshawa and such, you'll want to move down the train to the coaches past the accessibility coach.

For other corridors, same thing, you'll want to position yourself on your train so you are more to the west end of Union when arriving. If you're one of those people who plan on using the Bay Teamways, nothing changes. You would continue to use the stairwells that take you outside.

Once at Union, take any of the stairwells marked "York Concourse". None of them appear to have doors, so you know you're headed in the right direction.

Once in the York Concourse, there's been some discussion it will be confusing to find the subway. What I found was best was to follow the signs for UPExpress and then go out through the VIA Great Hall onto Front Street, cross the street, go down the stairs into RBC Plaza, and use those doors to get to the subway.

All of this took me one extra minute to get to work.

The evenings should be more of the same as the PATH dumps everyone out at RBC Plaza so you'll want to use the staircases up to Front, cross the street and head to your trains using the VIA entrance of Union Station. And as I mentioned, all of the Bay Teamways will be open.

Good luck!

Sometimes you have to wonder if people just be trolling

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Metrolinx sets some ground rules for campaigning at GO Stations


At Oshawa, regardless of what election is happening, I like to yell out that I live in Courtice to the candidates running for Oshawa (the federal incumbent is Colin Carrie - his website wants your name, email address and postal code before you can even check him out - the hell?) I don't know who to expect to see at the Oshawa GO station in the weeks leading up to the federal election and I don't care, BECAUSE I LIVE IN COURTICE.

Metrolinx, on the other hand, DOES care, and they've got some rules you should know if you feel things are getting out of hand.

Metrolinx will be applying the following principles in managing (campaigning), to ensure the safety and convenience of the travelling public, avoid conflicts and place reasonable parameters around access:
  • At our Lakeshore East and West line stations, there will be a limit of 8 campaign staff members per candidate
  • For stations on all other lines, a maximum of 4 campaign staff members will be allowed
  • GO Transit customers tend to arrive at stations a short time before scheduled train or bus departures. Care needs to be taken to avoid causing congestion or delays for customers to board their desired trains or buses.
  • Candidates and their representatives must remain outside of restricted areas or the "fare-paid" zones, such as train platforms.
Further information is available on Metrolinx's website.

Here's how I felt about the 2010 Oshawa mayor race... check out my sign. I printed that puppy out and gave it to the candidates. It was gold.

Just #ttc things

That's one way to fill your shorts with coleslaw

Soon...

That's all I've got.

Four letters. Soon.

Last week, I finally got some information about the "Where's my GO bus" app that was promised to GO Transit bus passengers to be implemented by January, 2014. I did not get an answer for why the long delay. Because government?

GO Mobile 2.0 will roll out after the field-testing for it is concluded. The new version will include real-time information regarding the location of a bus and its arrival time. This will be real handy during the frigid winter months for those of us who are serviced on rural routes, with no shelter, and usually next to a farmer's field where the snow blows like a merciless witch, where the stop for the local transit bus is two kilometers away, and sometimes, not worth the extra walk (or fare).

Also coming is a telephone system where passengers can call an automated system for arrival times. This is old technology, but is still useful, and should have been rolled out on GO's bus system 15 years ago. Better late than never, I guess.

GO also plans to add this additional information to gotransit.com.

Monday, August 10, 2015

GO Transit - bringing the beach to you since 1967

Presented without comment

Friday, August 7, 2015

Will Metrolinx be holding a gala for the Bay Concourse closure?

I sure hope so.

I'd like to build my own little shrine to the world's largest public washroom and am looking for your help.

Please send in any photos you have, pieces of the escalator you stole when they were ripped out in 2007-8'ish after this incident in 2006...



... Or other mementos you think would look great stuck to my 1986 era Science Project bristol board.

The shrine would then be displayed at a location of my choosing until security kicks me out.

Passenger seeks help in finding Pandora braclet

Y'all remember the time when I left a brand new wallet on the train? One I bought for my husband's birthday?

It's the worst feeling when you lose something and knowing you might not get it back.

If you're familiar with this feeling then you understand the hope people have that whoever found it, returned it.

Maybe we can help out KU and get her Pandora bracelet back to her.

The bracelet has two heart charms (a clear and a pink one), a safety chain, a flower charm and a charm of a little girl and a little boy representing KU's two children.

It was lost on July 16th on the Lakeshore East line - the 8:16 am train going from Eglinton to Union station.

KU was seated in the middle of the train, one coach west of the accessibility coach.

She is positive she lost the bracelet while exiting the train at Union, which continued on to Aldershot.

If you found it, or turned it in, please contact cj@thiscrazytrain.com

Man avoids death when he decides not to take the bus

Not to be outdone by GO Transit this morning, the TTC ups their game


So many fails this morning, but then this happened

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Cue the TVO era Dr. Who theme song - you know, the one that came on after Fables of The Green Forest? Which came on after Today's Special?

These guys should be GO train operators



Two hampsters in a wheel? The most fun that could ever be had. True Story.
Posted by Mamamia on Monday, March 23, 2015

My mom says if she ever caught me doing this she'd slap the polish off my toes

As we prepare to say goodbye to the GO Bay Concourse, let's take a look back (it's a short read)

According to Transit Toronto and James Bow, the Bay Concourse was built into what was once a Canada Post office at Union Station.

The concourse, a network of narrow corridors and stairwells, was designed by Rounthwaite, Dick and Hadley Architects. It cost $10 million or $43 million in today's dollars to build.

What has always resembled a large, public washroom to me opened in 1979 strictly for use by GO Transit passengers.

There are no "throwbacks" of pictures on the Internet that I could find about its grand opening on August 2nd, 1979, and the only news article I could find was this clipping from the Toronto Star on July 27 of that year:

I paid $9.99 plus tax for this clipping. I suggest you print it out and frame it.



It was proposed on Twitter that Metrolinx throw a 70s-themed farewell party. I said we should pay $10 to get a chance to swing a sledgehammer with all proceeds donated to charity.

Change is coming. It will be rough. It will be brutal. It will take at least two years.

Metrolinx is promising it will be worth the wait.

Fancy digital adware arrives at York Concourse - and what's it advertising!? Alcohol! Brought a tear to me eye, ye did


Starbucks coming soon to your GO Station? How about a Longo's

Metrolinx seeks partners to operate retail or restaurants in GO stations.

Could there one day be a Tim Hortons, McDonald’s or grocery store at your local GO station?

Metrolinx is now seeking new strategic partner opportunities, the Star has learned, meaning various companies could eventually set up shop at GO stations across the region.

The regional transportation agency posted a notice of intent to find and secure…

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Pretty sure this is English... sadly, not many are reading it

D-DAY is August 17 - Oh yes, your Monday will be AWESOME - Operation MAMPTYS

No sooner did Karen emerge from her fetal position from April's platform changes, will she find herself curled up in a corner, muttering, "Make it stop..." come Monday, August 17.

That's our D-Day folks. That's the day Metrolinx initiates Operation Move A Million People To York Street or "MAMPTYS" for short.

Officially the Bay Concourse closes August 16, but who cares about Sunday? Only Jays fans care about Sundays. I'm not downtown on a Sunday! It's Monday I'm interested in.

You know this will be the biggest gong show ever. Popcorn vendors should be fighting at the City Hall licensing office for permits.

What can we expect? Well, for starters, I'm sure there will be people wandering around asking:

"You mean I have to walk further...?"

"Can I take the subway there..?"

"Is there food...?"

"But this is where I always buy my coffee..."

"Will there be food...?"

"How will I get to the subway...?"

"Do I still have to go outside...?"

"Can I buy food...?"

GO Transit is offering some advice to those who really hate change. It's advice myself (and Bicky ... and Squiggles ...) have suggested before...

Try the route in advance.

Don't wait 'til Monday at 4:45 pm.

I'll have my violin handy, trust me.

See also:

As we prepare to say goodbye to the GO Bay Concourse, let's take a look back (it's a short read)

I know you're under there. I can see your legs

Shout out on the CBC website and podcast of the radio interview

Being on-air with Helen Mann was nerve-wracking, but it was short and sweet.

Here's the entry on the CBC website and the podcast (fyi... it took some time for this to load for me...).

Presented without comment

Why put up signs if you aren't going to enforce it? @metrolinx #gotransit #unionstatiob

A photo posted by Alex (@thethreefacesofalexandatticus) on

Sunday, August 2, 2015

Will someone please think of the children?!