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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Is there something logistically wrong with Danforth GO Station that causes people to climb the fences between platforms?


This guy eventually fell and tumbled onto the track. These are the people who set the wheel in motion for hour-long delays while the police are called in to investigate these idiots (as in this previous post). Few are charged. Almost all are let go with a warning.

I say enough of this crap. I bet you $50 this guy does this all the time.

One day his luck will run out.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Well someone's upset


Don't worry, I'll transcribe:

To the CSA who find this
Give my regards to the moron who dreamed this bullshit up. This brochure is as useless as the paper it's printed on. No wait, that's not true. I can use it to wipe my ass but instead I wrote you a note. I asked you to make an announcement explaining how the Quiet Zone works because of the bullshit I was putting up with in my carriage. Instead you handed me this brochure and told me to give it to the person bothering. You limey coward. Is this what your boss who came up with this crap really expects you to do or are you afraid someone will beat the snot out of you.
In retrospect, GO didn't want to spend money enforcing this shit so they rolled this into your job with no increase in pay, right?
I suggest you all fucking riot because the Quiet Zone is a complete and total crap and passengers who requested it are obviously being given the middle finger. Here, here's your Quiet Zone, you wankers figure out how to make it work.

- Submitted

Thursday, July 25, 2013

No bench in your TTC bus shelter? Anonymous commuter comes to the rescue



- Submitted

Not sure if Bieber fan or Tim McGraw fan (if you were at Union tonight, you would understand)

Ripped from my Facebook status. In brief...

Mother with (autistic?) son (6 or 7 years old) with severe developmental and mental delayment was on the train this morning. The child was wearing a baseball style helmet and acting out. Non-verbal but kicking, punching and screaming. At Union, she carried him off the train and down the stairs when he bucked and she nearly went flying. I raced down and got in front of them and received a kick in the boob, but we got him down safely. The mother was a wreck. Some guy comes down and breezes past and says the kid deserves a good beating. So I caught up with him and gave him an earful that would make an angel blush. SOME PEOPLE!!! So ignorant. Just don't say that kind of stuff. Makes me so angry.

Hits too close to home



Sure, GO trains don't travel as fast as the high speed commuter trains in Europe but a crash can happen here.

This video shows the train crash that happened in Spain yesterday, in the the city of Galicia. At least 141 people were injured after the 8-coach long train carrying 218 passengers derailed Wednesday night as it came into a bend.

Just awful. 78 people are dead and the toll is expected to climb.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Really? It's come to this?


What?

So sit/stand on the first level or get all your talking done at work. Problem solved.

It's not fucking jail. It's a quiet zone as in keep it down, not act like you're stuck in a closet with a serial killer on the other side of the door.

These people wouldn't last one day on a commuter train in Japan (or certain rail lines in Europe where Quiet Zones are revered, expected and enforced).

I weep for the English language



There's no character limit on Instragram so I don't know what stops people from spelling words how they should be spelled. It's not so much the bastardized short form of words but the spelling of the word "chaos" that brought tears to my eyes.

Trolling the Quiet Zone

I've been told I'm very good at dialing up the crazy. I've never been one to shy away from attention. I don't mind being in the spotlight and I enjoy getting on people's nerves should the opportunity result in comedy gold.

Last night on the LSE 4:53 pm (16:53 for you rail nerds who keep calling me out in email for not using military time) I sat in the upper level of the first coach heading east. I found a spot that had decent a/c blowing because I needed a nice breeze across the puppies and settled into my seat to watch Grave Encounters. A lady took a seat in the next quad over and began browsing through her contacts looking for someone to help her verbally chew through her commute home. She started her conversation and of course, grew annoyed every time the CSA made announcements because they were interrupting her phone call.

The train rolled out of Union and she was off, full of "I-know-right-anyways-whatever-like-so-jelly-like-shut-up" spewing out of her pie hole. I have no beefs with people making phone calls but I gots beefs with people who project and feel the whole train gives a shit about their lives. Girlfriend was loud. She was obnoxious. I was ready.

Guess what? I can be obnoxious, too!

Wrapping myself up in my own bubble and with my eyes never leaving my movie, I said, "Shh!" real loud.

Then I waited a minute and said it again. Then I began to sing Shh to the tune of You are My Sunshine. I did look up at one point and told the guy across from me he could join in, anytime. He shook his head with a smile and went back to fiddling with his phone.

The woman on the phone was staring right at me. I could feel her anger. Good. But she was still talking.

Then I started to sing Shh to the tune of Another One Bites The Dust.

Just after Danforth, I heard the lady tell her friend on the line that she had to go. The very second she said goodbye, I ceased my shh-singing.

She didn't try to phone anyone else for the rest of the ride.

Once again, no one threw me up onto their shoulders, like footballers do when the quarterback wins a game, but you're all welcome.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Help Wanted

Bored with your current job?
Are you a CEO looking for adventure and have a desire to bring cupholders to commuter trains?
Well, have I got the job for you!
The successful candidate will possess an optimal combination of the following:
  • 10-15 years of experience in progressively senior management leadership positions, leading the provision of service to the public; experience in the public sector would be an asset. 
  • Expertise in rail and bus transportation, demonstrated exceptional leadership skills leading complex organizations in highly sensitive, political environments that demand responsiveness, flexibility and decisive, expert leadership. 
  • Proven experience in successfully delivering multi-million dollar operating and capital budgets. 
  • Significant experience in dealing with a large unionized workforce. 
  • A track record of managing in a complex stakeholder environment where relationship skills were a key to success. 
  • Ability to think clearly and move easily from strategic/visionary thinking to day-to-day operational issues concerning large, complex transportation systems. 
  • A management style that is respectful, honest, participatory, empowering, collaborative and enabling; gives staff a voice and respects that voice. 
  • Ability to work effectively with the media and adept at delivering concise, open and effective messaging. 
  • As President, GO Transit, you will draw on your senior level credentials to build credibility, develop partnerships, and align rail and bus operations in pursuit of customer focused excellence.
  • Bachelors degree, ideally coupled with a Post Graduate Degree/Designation.
Apply here. And don't forget about the bar car. I'm counting on you.

Your Tuesday Ewwwwwww



What? You don't like the smell of feet to start your day?

Photo courtesy of macnic05

Monday, July 22, 2013

Imma just hang here for a bit, k?


This guy was too drunk to notice the fence when he ran across the tracks at Danforth station one night last week, according to the text message accompanying this photo.

A VIA train was scheduled to fly by but quick thinking passengers were able to untangle this moron and help him off the tracks. The appropriate authorities were also notified.

This guy, I'm sure, is a Darwin Award nominee.

Look who's back!

After a nearly year long hiatus, our bench-seat-sleeper has made a re-appearance on the LSE!


Click here to take a walk down memory lane.

The Esso drunk sign post from last week caused a reader to dig up this blast from the past

Remember when we had televisions on some of the train coaches and all they broadcasted were weather reports and commercials for Global television shows? This showed up one night:


Don't get off at Oshawa. You will die.

- Lovingly captured by George.

Spend a bit more, ladies. Buy the ones with wings


This was the only seat available on Anonymous' train. Gee, I wonder why! YUCK.

Put down the key and the lipstick, print out one of these instead


Friday, July 19, 2013

So, here we are, two weeks into 30-minute service on the Lakeshore line and what's it been like so far? Glad you asked!

Take it away, Peter!

I had to shake my head on the Canada Day weekend, as the media parroted GO Transit’s announcement of schedule enhancements on the Lakeshore route.  As an example, this article proclaimed “the regional transit system launches its long-awaited, 30-minute, all-day, two-way service on GO’s Lakeshore East and Lakeshore West lines Saturday”.  Let’s take a closer look at the LSE/LSW combined schedule, which you’ll find in the list of bus schedules.

Those of you who headed to the train station early Saturday morning received a dose of bitter reality.  Saturday 30-minute service doesn’t start until 10:34 from Aldershot, and 11:11 from Oshawa.  The same applies to Sunday.

“What about evenings?” you ask.

On Saturday, the last two EB trains from Aldershot are 22:04 and 23:04, and the last two WB trains from Oshawa are 22:41 and 23:41.  On Sunday, the last five EB trains from Aldershot are hourly 19:04 to 23:04, inclusive; similarly, the last six WB trains from Oshawa are hourly 18:41 to 23:41 inclusive.

“Yes, but most of our commuting time is during the week,” you say.  “Surely, GO Transit has us covered there.”

Well, as a busload of passengers from Niagara Region found out last week, that’s not quite the case.  For those familiar with the TV show “Get Smart”, it was a case of Maxwell’s line “Missed it by that much.”  The trip to Burlington didn’t quite synch-up with the EB 16:36 train from Aldershot.  Passengers were required to take the next EB train from Aldershot, namely, the 17:36 – a wait of 55 minutes!

“But surely the GO Transit Control Centre (GTCC) could have held the train for those passengers!” You exclaim.

That’s true, since that train typically sits 3 to 5 minutes in front of the Rogers Centre waiting to enter Union Station.  Even with that wait, it sometimes arrives in Union Station at 17:39 – three minutes early – and then departs at 17:53.

On Friday, June 28, Ontario Transportation Minister Glen Murray tore up a train schedule.  That may have been a bit premature, since GO Transit told us on their website and their Facebook page that trains would follow a Sunday schedule and buses a Saturday schedule for Canada Day, July 1.  If we look closely at the Saturday Lakeshore train schedule, there are exceptions marked with an “X” and explained as “Trip does not operate July 1, 2013”.  Why mark a subset of Saturday trips on that schedule as not running on Canada Day, if trains were operating on a Sunday schedule for July 1?

With all these extra train trips running, will GO Transit be treating us to new coaches?  Don’t hold your breath, because Sunday’s WB 14:41 out of Oshawa had …

Yes, they’re back!  Vinyl upholstered seats – polished, more slippery, and firmer than your gluteus maximus remembers them.  Note the proper form this passenger is demonstrating to rest his weary feet; the cushion flips up.  Pictured is coach 2036.  The coach coupled next to it was 2065 featuring exactly the same décor and sporting the following plaque vouching for its authenticity:

This is vintage rail travel folks – every 30 minutes, more or less!

I guess he didn't like it when I asked him if he wanted a pillow and a blanket

Early morning express train to Union from Oshawa.

Kid gets on with his bike despite the CSA having looked right at him (no announcement over the speaker with respect to no bikes during rush hour but I can't say for sure the CSA clued into the bike). The kid blocks the entire bench with his bike because, as he pointed out to a man (seen near the door in the first photo) who tells him to move his bike, the sign says this is where he should sit.

Then second, in an act of defiance, he lies down for emphasis and ignores the man who stands and stares at him.

For once, it wasn't only me who was enforcing courtesy and respect. The man won't give in. He tells the kid the bike has to go as the train will fill quickly with people and the kid says he's paid his fare, he's allowed to ride and begins asking the guy how he got to the station. His eyes never leave his phone.



"Did you drive, big guy?" He asks. "Well I rode in. You keep on polluting the planet with your car and you're going to stand there and give me a hard time about my bike?"

Finally I decide to back the man up.

"Hey," I say, getting out of my seat to approach the kid. I said something to the following affect:

I don't care what you do with the bike, but do you want a pillow and a blanket to make your ride more comfortable? You've mucked the seat up with your shoes and just an FYI, you're now lying in your own dirt. People have to sit there. Bikes are generally not allowed during rush hour because they are an inconvenience on trains already operating at passenger capacity. So if you want to prevent me from tossing your bike onto the platform because I don't like your attitude, I suggest you sit up and act like the nice young man that your mother thinks you are.



He stares at me. I tell the man I've got this. He mumbles something at the kid and stalks upstairs.

I stand right in front of the kid. I tell him I will stand there for the whole ride until he sits up and acts like a respectful human being. I remind him he paid one fare which entitles him to one seat.

He gets mad and starts slamming his stuff into his bag and announces he's leaving.

"I thought this was fucking Canada not a dictatorship. Fuck you, lady," he says as he takes his bike off the train. (Today's youth truly do have a muddled view of what the words "rights" and "freedom" are actually about).

"I didn't ask you to get off," I said. "I asked you to sit properly. You're only leaving because you know you're in the wrong and if you act like you should act, you feel like you're giving in or that I've won something here and you've lost."

He slams his bike onto the ground and climbs on.

"Make sure you get a refund and pedal your way to Toronto! Enjoy the heat!" I yell after him from the doorway as he rides away on the platform, proudly displaying a middle finger above his head.

I turn to go back into the train. I climb upstairs and pass the guy who had spoken to the kid earlier. I give him a recap.

"So he just left?" He asks.

"Yep," I say.

"Did you think I was being unreasonable?" He asks me.

"No," I said, "The problem is, we've bred a whole society of people - young and old - who think they can do whatever they want because we've all grown complacent and tolerant when it comes to bad behaviour. No one wants to say anything because no one wants to be THAT person."

"I guess we're a minority," he says.

"Look, I feel bad the kid felt he had to leave but he did that on his own accord. I never asked him to get off. He truly believed I was the bad guy. So let him think that. I don't care."

He smiled at me and went back to reading his book.

I really don't care anymore about what people think. I'm just fed up with people thinking they can do whatever they want.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Waitin' for the GO bus last night when the gas station sign changed


- Lovingly submitted by Banno

Go home Esso, you're drunk.

Need a table? Here you "GO"


- Submitted via Instagram

Got on the wrong train? Just push the emergency strip. It worked for this clown!

from: AL
to: cj@thiscrazytrain.com
date: Wed, Jul 17, 2013 at 6:27 PM
subject: Alarm abuse
New low on the GO: dude realizes he's on the wrong train the moment the doors close at Union. So he presses the EMERGENCY ALARM then calmly waits by the door to get off.

Five minutes later, as the car sits on the platform with 1,400 waiting passengers, the emergency crew arrives. He says he wants to get off. They open the doors and he exits, easy peasy. Not a word of warning.

This assface will do it again. Guaranteed.

Shoes that tell a story

Tuesday on the bus my phone rings. It's my dad...

You on your way home from work?

Me: Yep.

Dad: So you know Honest Ed's is up for sale?

Me: Yep.

Dad: Remember my dress shoes? 

(My interest piques as I now know where he's going with this conversation): Of course dad, they're legendary.

Dad: Do you think anyone in the papers wants to know about my shoes?

(That's how my dad talks, every noun has a "the" in front of it for emphasis: the cancer, the papers, the television, the flood, the gas prices, the arthritis, etc.)

Me: How about Breakfast Television? 

Dad: Yeah, yeah! Or how about the Twitter and your GO train site? You should put it on your site!

Me: Dad... how about Twitter? Let's start with Twitter.

Dad: But you'll write about them on your site, too, right?

We started with Twitter.

So what's the story you ask?

In the mid-sixties my dad had very little money having just moved to Ontario from New Brunswick in search of work and a chance at prosperity. He grew up poor and Honest Ed's was a place that fit his budget. He shopped there every Friday night for food, household items and clothing. He worked odd jobs, met my mom and they began dating. For their first official date, he felt he needed to look a little dapper. One item he didn't own were dress shoes. Honest Ed's, in his opinion, was the ideal place to visit. He bought his only pair of dress shoes that he still wears to this day.

A reporter from the Globe and Mail reached out to me via Twitter and asked if my dad would come down to Honest Ed's wearing the shoes as she was working on a story about what Honest Ed's meant to people.

My dad was happy to oblige. The story is supposed to run Sunday.

Below is a now and then of the shoes. The photo on the right is from a digital scrapbook I designed and produced for my mother's 60th birthday. Mom and dad were part of a wedding which is one of the many formal events over the past 45 years where dad wore the shoes.

I promised my dad I would put the photo up on the site.

Yep, this story has absolutely nothing to do with commuting but I'm pretty sure at some point in time, someone rode a GO train to get to Honest Ed's for a free turkey.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Shout out

This is to my bus driver tonight who asked a specific question. Sorry I reacted the way I did. I'm still learning how to deal with recognition. Drive safe my friend!

Imma on a mission to rescue y'all

There's this belief that GO Transit actually listens to me. They don't. But today, they just might.

I'm hearing it's an oven on most of the coaches on most of the corridors and hundreds of you are considering shedding the already light layers of clothing you have on just to make it home.

I've texted and emailed every single GO Transit contact I've cared to save info for. I have put in the call. I will save you!

My advice is if you're reading this on a hot train right now, just screw the fact you copped a seat and move to a coach with better A/C. It's the only way to roll.

The rants, they comin' fast and furious

So the Quiet Zone initiative on the Lakeshore East is nothing more than a big steaming pile of poo. We're only three days in and according to Twitter and email, it's a big #fail.

I figured people were exaggerating, you know, because I want to give adults the benefit of the doubt and prove they can behave, but alas, listening to two hollering five year olds this morning, despite repeated announcements throughout the trip the upper level was the fucking shut up and let me sleep cabin, the parents were oblivious to the glares and ignored the CSA's pleas.

I didn't say anything. I'm tried of being the one always putting myself out there.

It also doesn't help that the on-board signage says BARRIE LINE ONLY. If a person is wearing headphones and playing music at a volume that can be heard from space, do you think they're going to realize the Quiet Zone applies to the train they're on? NOPE.

This money and energy being spent to enforce a quiet zone would be better served on a NO FOOT RIDING initiative. I can help design the stickers. I draw a pretty mean chainsaw.

Look at all this money being spent



Metrolinx is repainting the green limos.

Awesome. How much is it costing?

There's nothing wrong with the current brand colours.

What's needed is more money for by-law enforcement and transit safety officers. Metrolinx also needs to consider creating a new position which I feel I would be a top candidate for - a manners and courtesy enforcement officer. All I need is a jaunty pink hat and clipboard. I'll take care of the rest.

Plus, I'm cheap. Just pay my fare.

Photo kindly supplied by Rail Pictures.ca

Monday, July 15, 2013

Just say no to feet


Unfortunately, I only have the after-pic to post.

This morning, at some point during the train ride, the person sitting next to me vacated his seat. This was after Pickering and well before Union on the Lakeshore East Express, so I can only presume he went off in search of a washroom.

After moving to let him out of the quad, I settled back into my seat and shut my eyes. When I opened them again, the lady sitting across from my former seat mate had removed her sandals and had her feet up on the seat beside me. Her dirty feet. The top of her toes were dirty. The bottom of her feet were dirty. Come on! Even clean, it's just gross.

Where the hell do these people think they are? This is a public commuter  train with other people. Have some sense of courtesy. You're not entitled to do what you what.

So I asked her to put them down. I leaned forward, tapped her shoulder and politely asked she put her feet down. She didn't say anything, just acted startled that I would ask such a thing. She put them down and went back to her snooze.

A person sitting on the stairs then moved forward to sit in the seat. Really? You couldn't ask her to move her feet?

Once again, no one stood up and gave me a standing ovation for doing my part to make everyone's commute more pleasurable.

This truly is a thankless job some days.

Go on! Make yourself at home. None of us mind



Photos courtesy of @Tazmanian_Hat on Twitter

You know what today is, right?

Shh!

So shut the hell up on on the train ride home tonight.

I'm done here.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Starbucks with stuff. You asked. I deliver


There. Now she's all set for the ride home.

ORIGINAL POST < click!

I laughed


But seriously, we all know what went down on the Richmond Hill corridor (the train, in water) but what wasn't profiled very much was why service was interrupted on the Lakeshore West corridor. Sure, we were told there was flooding but oh no, it was more than that.

Check this out:



According to George, who sent the link in to me, the whole Dixie Road overpass/bridge was rebuilt and new tracks were laid in just under 30 hours. Dixie Road itself is still closed because the water undercut the roadway. It has to be dug up, reinforced and then repaved. There was a risk of a giant sinkhole if it wasn't repaired quickly.

That would have severely affected the rail bridge too.

It was an amazing piece of work by the track crews and the construction contractors.

That's not how you're supposed to hang on to that pole, sir


from: DK
to: cj@thiscrazytrain.com
date: Thu, Jul 11, 2013 at 4:59 PM
subject: Go "Etiquette" Winner

Despite all the room in the car, this guy had to stand with his ass in my friend and I's faces. When I asked him to step away a bit, he snapped, "You pay for your seat, I pay to stand here. Haven't you ever been told no before?"
Then he proceeded to go on about how we were crazy.
After some more of his ranting, the whole car chipped in on how rude he was.
It might have been the rudest behaviour I have ever seen in public.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

A Spicy Affair

No, I'm not doing anything hot and illicit.

One of the perks of taking the GO bus on a route that goes through downtown Oshawa is I get to survey the cuisine moving into the city.

Taking over what used to be a subpar Thai restaurant on King Street, just across from the Scotiabank, steps west past Centre Street is Spicy Affairs - a brand-spanking new Indian restaurant. I noticed the grand opening earlier this week and mentioned it to my husband. Tonight we checked it out.

The building itself is old but the owners have done their best to "spice" up the decor. Authentic copper cookware, glass-topped tables and water glasses at the table lend to a fine-dining, Indian experience.

Our server was pleasant, gracious, welcoming and very accommodating. Service was prompt and the food - OH MY GOD - so good. We ordered the Chef's Platter (I would highly recommend it), naan bread, raita, lamb biryani, butter chicken and saag paneer. The Chef's platter came with saag chicken tikka, samosas, paneer tikka and pakora. The paneer (which is like a thick cottage cheese) were large and perfectly spiced. In fact, the level of heat was just perfect all around. The chicken was tender and marinated to perfection. I've eaten Indian from Peel Region to York Region to Durham Region. It truly was one of the best Indian dining experiences I've had in years.  The naan was moist yet crispy. It was done the way I like it. No burnt spots although many people like naan served that way. I like mine chewy. If I wanted toast, I'd order toast.

The bill came to $56 which was fair and reasonable for three people. I don't normally use the blog as a means to freely advertise a business but I am a big supporter of local, family-owned businesses setting up shop in Durham Region, especially when it's food. I loves me some food.


Packed train but the Starbucks got a seat


Let's make the coffee more comfortable, shall we?

How about a pillow?


Wait, it's a long ride to Oshawa. How about some music?


Wait, what if the battery runs out on that iPod? Here's a book to read.


There. That's better.

You've just found a stale bag of Cool Ranch Doritos

Congratulations.

Then you know what this ▼ smells like.


- Lovingly submitted from LC

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Spotted on a Richmond Hill GO train this morning


- Submitted

Milton GO passengers, this is why Kipling subway station wasn't an option for you


Everybody sing! "Row, row, row your train ... "

I feel for for my LSW'rs

Here's what they had to deal with while GO repaired the tracks and switches damaged from flooding.

This was from early yesterday as people had to get off at Port Credit and board shuttle buses to Long Branch and then continue on to Union.

Look at those crowds!



- Submitted

So this showed up on the Kitchener line today


On Monday, before the Great GO Flood of 2013 hit the system, I was on the 4:53 pm LSE express listening to the door donkeys natter on about the Quiet Zone roll-out across all GO corridors.

Keep in mind, these are adults. These are also adults that have been asked several times over the years by other passengers to keep their voices down during the ride home - myself included. There are two crowds of door donkeys, the bar crowd and the party crowd. The bar crowd rides in one coach and the party crowd rides in another. I split my time between the two coaches to ensure I'm gracing them with my presence equally.  

These, cough, adults, cough (one of them is apparently a lawyer at a big Bay Street firm) go out of their way to be obnoxious on purpose to rattle those of us who have confronted them. I sit where I sit to demonstrate I could give zero shits about what they think about me. 

Monday, one donkey decided to read aloud to the whole train the article in the evening paper about the Quiet Zone roll-out and offered commentary as he went. If he thought he was being funny, he wasn't.

Of course, like the good ol' days in high school, his door donkey friends laughed and slapped him on the back because he's just awesome like that. Then they kicked it up into high gear and began plotting how they would thwart any attempt at a Quiet Zone on the 4:53 LSE train.

These people are also parents. It really makes you wonder what kind of role models they are to their own children and the kind of advice they dish out.

These door donkeys have probably bred a whole new generation of foot riders, stair pigs, triple Ds and bag riders. Children who show the finger to drivers turning on green lights as they run across a clearly marked red one. Children who feel entitled to behave badly because no one taught them what it means to be courteous and respectful towards others.

So it's great the Quiet Zone has made its way to other corridors but unless GO makes attempts to "police" it, those big window stickers are a big waste of money.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

This guy. Like a boss. Swam from the Richmond Hill GO train last night


Photo by Veronica Chiu via Inside Toronto

Lots of folks tweeted about him. He apparently used his laptop bag as a paddle board. He was sick of waiting to be rescued.

Swim, Forrest! Swim!

And if the six feet of water wasn't enough on the Richmond Hill GO train, this little guy showed up to join the rescue effort last night


Photo from @khaterehsepehrv


YEP. That pretty much sums it up.

GO train and passengers caught in flash floods due to severe thunderstorms hammering west/central Toronto

UPDATE
5pm July 9 2013




Photos courtesy of D. Fraser

ORIGINAL POST
8 PM JULY 8 2013


Photo via @EatThatQuestion on Twitter

It's believed this is a Richmond Hill train that runs parallel to the 404/Don River but GO Transit says severe flooding is affecting the Lakeshore West trains trying to pass through Mimco in Toronto's west end and that boats have been deployed to rescue passengers. I've tried to reach the photographer to get the exact location. This picture has gone viral around the world so I imagine his Twitter account is on fire.

More storm photos here.

Queen subway is partially submerged apparently.

Out here at home, near Bomanville, we have light rain as of 8:30 pm. I called my parents who live near the Etobicoke border between Rob Ford's homeland and the former city of York. My parents had the mind to turn the cellphone on as they're without power. Their street is a river.

My mom, being Eastern European, has plenty of bottled water on hand and a year's supply of toilet paper in her linen closet. They'll be all right.

Here's a view from inside a GO train stuck near Bayview and Pottery Road (near the Don River/DVP).


Photo from @sukminc

This is scary stuff. More storms are on the way. I hope everyone gets out safely. 

As of 9:19 pm, The Toronto Police Marine Unit is evacuating passengers on the Richmond Hill train that was submerged and GO Transit says trains will terminate at Oriole. 

Here's some pics taken from passengers inside the train. From @juliakristine_


and @sukminc


Photo from @SimonOstler

I can tell you this, because I can only deal with stress and anxiety with humor, if I were there, I'd be the only one singing, "Row, row, row your train ..." Then I'd ask everyone to join in.