I have retired from blogging despite making an effort a few times to pick it up again. My heart isn't in it. I only commute twice a week (and I'm grateful) and the subculture of regional transit has changed dramatically.
Sunday, March 2, 2025
Editorial contact and following along with Cj!
I have retired from blogging despite making an effort a few times to pick it up again. My heart isn't in it. I only commute twice a week (and I'm grateful) and the subculture of regional transit has changed dramatically.
Saturday, March 1, 2025
My last GO train photo before the commute stopped for 26 months
Monday, March 16, 2020 was my last day at my office tower in downtown Toronto.
The Thursday before, many companies told their employees who could work remotely to do so with the intention we'd all be back at work in two to three weeks in an effort to "flatten the curve" due to COVID-19.
I went in that Monday morning to grab some files. As we left Ajax GO station it was about 8 am and my coach only had five people on it. I took a photo because it was surreal.
My first day back at the office was May 16, 2022.
Sunday, November 24, 2024
Be not afraid
Shoes on the seats of a GO train drive you crazy? Me too! Don't be afraid to call people out for it. The best approach is passive aggressiveness. Walk through a coach and as you spot foot riders just bellow out your disdain as you move past. There is no shame in this game.
Monday, May 13, 2019
Furious that we're back to the drawing board with the Lakeshore East extension
The GO Train to Bowmanville has been killed for another generation and MPP Park is blaming the Liberals. No surprise! As one who worked with Metrolinx on this project, this spin is not true. @lparkpc @DavidPiccini pic.twitter.com/rxx1TQ9PdK— David Crome (@davidcrome) May 7, 2019
David Crome @davidcrome
The GO Train to Bowmanville has been killed for another generation and MPP Park is blaming the Liberals. No surprise! As one who worked with Metrolinx on this project, this spin is not true.
Monday, April 22, 2019
I don't think any of us were ready to pay more
I figured I'd be well into 20-plus years of commuting before I saw the day it would cost me more than $20 round-trip into work each day. But here we are - 2019 - and it's $10.31 one-way with Presto from Oshawa to Union Station.
But wait! There's more!
If you live less than 10 km away from Union Station and would like to avoid the TTC, for the bargain price of $3.70, down $2 prior to April 20th, you can cram onto a GO train and join us all. Ain't it grand all of us in the 905 are subsidizing this for you?
You're welcome.
Oh, and all the kids under 13 who ride for free, you're welcome, too.
But wait! There's more!
If you live less than 10 km away from Union Station and would like to avoid the TTC, for the bargain price of $3.70, down $2 prior to April 20th, you can cram onto a GO train and join us all. Ain't it grand all of us in the 905 are subsidizing this for you?
You're welcome.
Oh, and all the kids under 13 who ride for free, you're welcome, too.
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Recovery
Most days I felt like I was floating. Floating in my own body and fighting waves of terror, terror of getting *that* call. The one where I'm told my mom didn't make it. Thankfully, it never came.
Terror is an emotion I just learned about. I had never experienced such uncontrollable fear before. The kind of fear that if left unchecked, can lead to post traumatic stress disorder, and for some people, long-term disability. I vowed to get it under control. I made use of the services available through my group benefits plan at work and put myself in counselling. It helped to have my doctor and other professionals convince me that I wasn't crazy.
I witnessed too much for my heart and soul to hold that night. Watching nurses and doctors flutter frantically around my mother... everything soaked in blood. Hearing her cry out for me and then drift into unconsciousness. Someone telling me she might not make it to Hamilton. Chatter about how she'd lost almost a litre of blood. My mom giving me her jewelry, delirious with pain and telling me she could hear her mother, who has been dead for 45 years, calling her name.
My mom was so pale I could see every vein in her skin. Her belly was so huge from massive internal bleeding, she looked pregnant. It wasn't real. When I had arrived at the hospital in St. Catharines, my mom had been in their ER unit for four hours as they worked frantically to keep her stable, and waited for a specialized ambulance to become available to take her to Hamilton General, where they were better equipped to handle her injuries. It was absolutely surreal.
There was a point, 8 days later, where I went on a tear through my home, screaming and crying uncontrollably, that I was convinced I'd throw myself out of a window just to make the terror stop. To not be in control of terror, of anxiety, is just plain awful. I had just received word that my mom had a blood clot in her lung, that she couldn't breathe, and was being rushed to ICU, after only being out of ICU for three days. I panicked. I couldn't get myself to understand that these things happen. All I could do was tremble uncontrollably, then I started to shake, and then I just started to wail. At one point, while I was on the kitchen floor feeling like I was falling, my husband had me in a bear hug to prevent me from hitting myself. It was fucking awful.
It was too much. For two weeks I had struggled to keep it together. I was trying to process the nightmare my father and siblings, along with our own families, had suddenly been thrown into.
Recovery is happening. We are in recovery. It's been 8 weeks since the near fatal car crash. I've thrown myself into work. I've lost 7 pounds. I barely eat actually. I sleep okay, but I remain on edge. My mother and sister are home. My mom may never be the person she was. She is forever changed by this car crash. She's extremely tired and that's completely normal. I worry about her mental health. My mom is from a generation of baby boomers where feelings aren't discussed, and strength is measured by how much emotion one holds in and hides from the world. It depresses me to talk to her because she holds how she really feels back from me. So, I just keep it pleasant, but it's frustrating.
Easter is all about re-birth. My sister and mother nearly died. This is not lost on me. I feel for anyone who has ever experienced trauma. I'm part of a club I'd rather to have never known about.
Terror is an emotion I just learned about. I had never experienced such uncontrollable fear before. The kind of fear that if left unchecked, can lead to post traumatic stress disorder, and for some people, long-term disability. I vowed to get it under control. I made use of the services available through my group benefits plan at work and put myself in counselling. It helped to have my doctor and other professionals convince me that I wasn't crazy.
I witnessed too much for my heart and soul to hold that night. Watching nurses and doctors flutter frantically around my mother... everything soaked in blood. Hearing her cry out for me and then drift into unconsciousness. Someone telling me she might not make it to Hamilton. Chatter about how she'd lost almost a litre of blood. My mom giving me her jewelry, delirious with pain and telling me she could hear her mother, who has been dead for 45 years, calling her name.
My mom was so pale I could see every vein in her skin. Her belly was so huge from massive internal bleeding, she looked pregnant. It wasn't real. When I had arrived at the hospital in St. Catharines, my mom had been in their ER unit for four hours as they worked frantically to keep her stable, and waited for a specialized ambulance to become available to take her to Hamilton General, where they were better equipped to handle her injuries. It was absolutely surreal.
There was a point, 8 days later, where I went on a tear through my home, screaming and crying uncontrollably, that I was convinced I'd throw myself out of a window just to make the terror stop. To not be in control of terror, of anxiety, is just plain awful. I had just received word that my mom had a blood clot in her lung, that she couldn't breathe, and was being rushed to ICU, after only being out of ICU for three days. I panicked. I couldn't get myself to understand that these things happen. All I could do was tremble uncontrollably, then I started to shake, and then I just started to wail. At one point, while I was on the kitchen floor feeling like I was falling, my husband had me in a bear hug to prevent me from hitting myself. It was fucking awful.
It was too much. For two weeks I had struggled to keep it together. I was trying to process the nightmare my father and siblings, along with our own families, had suddenly been thrown into.
Recovery is happening. We are in recovery. It's been 8 weeks since the near fatal car crash. I've thrown myself into work. I've lost 7 pounds. I barely eat actually. I sleep okay, but I remain on edge. My mother and sister are home. My mom may never be the person she was. She is forever changed by this car crash. She's extremely tired and that's completely normal. I worry about her mental health. My mom is from a generation of baby boomers where feelings aren't discussed, and strength is measured by how much emotion one holds in and hides from the world. It depresses me to talk to her because she holds how she really feels back from me. So, I just keep it pleasant, but it's frustrating.
Easter is all about re-birth. My sister and mother nearly died. This is not lost on me. I feel for anyone who has ever experienced trauma. I'm part of a club I'd rather to have never known about.
Friday, March 1, 2019
Nine years later and my, how things have changed
It's hard to be a blog in today's Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat world. As most of you know, I live and breathe on Twitter, and have been for a while.
Every so often I roll on here and post the odd thing or two. The rest of 2019 looks to be a rough go for me. On Feb 22, my mom and sister (who is cognitively delayed) were in a catastrophic head-on crash just outside of Fonthill, Ontario.
This was a devastating collision with no real answer to the cause. My mother sustained life-threatening injuries and Jen was admitted in critical condition. Although it's only been six days, it feels like sixty.
My mother's car did what it was designed to do. It was destroyed but it saved her life and the life of my sister. Unfortunately, a body in motion remains in motion and my mother's internal injuries were massive. She lost a lot of blood, was transported to a trauma centre in Hamilton, operated on and put into a medically-induced coma. Today was the first day where she's breathing on her own and awakens on her own. She is not out of danger just yet, but she's in the best place she could possibly be to have these complications taken care of.
Jen experienced severe trauma to her body and although not life-threatening, her injuries are extensive enough that she can expect to be in the hospital for at least three months. Coupled with her mental delay and her inability to comprehend the magnitude of my mother's injuries and the crash itself, this whole ordeal has been immensely stressful and challenging for her.
I'm un-tethered. The best way to describe how I feel is like untangling knots. I get through one only to be faced with another.
Every so often I roll on here and post the odd thing or two. The rest of 2019 looks to be a rough go for me. On Feb 22, my mom and sister (who is cognitively delayed) were in a catastrophic head-on crash just outside of Fonthill, Ontario.
This was a devastating collision with no real answer to the cause. My mother sustained life-threatening injuries and Jen was admitted in critical condition. Although it's only been six days, it feels like sixty.
My mother's car did what it was designed to do. It was destroyed but it saved her life and the life of my sister. Unfortunately, a body in motion remains in motion and my mother's internal injuries were massive. She lost a lot of blood, was transported to a trauma centre in Hamilton, operated on and put into a medically-induced coma. Today was the first day where she's breathing on her own and awakens on her own. She is not out of danger just yet, but she's in the best place she could possibly be to have these complications taken care of.
Jen experienced severe trauma to her body and although not life-threatening, her injuries are extensive enough that she can expect to be in the hospital for at least three months. Coupled with her mental delay and her inability to comprehend the magnitude of my mother's injuries and the crash itself, this whole ordeal has been immensely stressful and challenging for her.
I'm un-tethered. The best way to describe how I feel is like untangling knots. I get through one only to be faced with another.
I know, it's almost March... I've done very little blogging but it's truly the year of the Park and Ride
Stop and GO – Courtice park and ride gets high marks from local transit blogger
We asked for your feedback on the new GO Transit park and ride lot in Courtice, Ont., and you answered. Including hearing from CJ Smith, who has more time on her hands thanks to the new spots. The transit advocate, and This Crazy Train blog author, says the new lot is shaving 10 minutes off her … Continue reading
Monday, February 18, 2019
I didn't get an invitation to this ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Courtice Park and Ride
ATTN: East Durham Commuters https://t.co/e3KuxxVIp1— Lindsey Park (@lparkpc) February 17, 2019
In the past, Metrolinx has been great with sending me notices about station openings and ribbon cutting events. I went through three months of email and I am positive I don't have a media advisory on this.
I'm pretty angry. I would have liked to have been there to ask some questions about the service, accessibility and linking in local transit.
I can't help but feel this was deliberate.
Thursday, January 24, 2019
A short note to those who take the 91 Newcastle bus
Hi,
I'm a Courtice Park and Ride passenger. I know you loathe me. I know you loathe me because I've added 10 minutes to your already long commute. I know you'd prefer the park and ride had never been built. And, I also know that the 90 GO bus folks also hate the Ritson Road Park and Ride because it's completely changed how those buses run.
I honestly don't know what to say here. I realize that most days I'm one of five cars parked in the Courtice lot and that causes so much resentment. But you see, the point of expanding transit and building park and rides is to get people off the highways and arterial roads and onto buses. It also frees up parking at the Oshawa GO lot for those who really need it.
I dislike that I even have to DRIVE to the Park and Ride as there is no local transit that goes there. Nor can I walk or bike to it because it's located off a Regional Road with an 80 km/hr speed limit. It's too dangerous.
One day, we will have train service to Bowmanville and that may mean that many people won't ever have to take a bus again. In the meantime, please don't roll your eyes at me when I board the bus. Or, sigh loudly when I exit.
I'm not going anywhere and I really hope we can be friends.
Sincerely,
Cj
I'm a Courtice Park and Ride passenger. I know you loathe me. I know you loathe me because I've added 10 minutes to your already long commute. I know you'd prefer the park and ride had never been built. And, I also know that the 90 GO bus folks also hate the Ritson Road Park and Ride because it's completely changed how those buses run.
I honestly don't know what to say here. I realize that most days I'm one of five cars parked in the Courtice lot and that causes so much resentment. But you see, the point of expanding transit and building park and rides is to get people off the highways and arterial roads and onto buses. It also frees up parking at the Oshawa GO lot for those who really need it.
I dislike that I even have to DRIVE to the Park and Ride as there is no local transit that goes there. Nor can I walk or bike to it because it's located off a Regional Road with an 80 km/hr speed limit. It's too dangerous.
One day, we will have train service to Bowmanville and that may mean that many people won't ever have to take a bus again. In the meantime, please don't roll your eyes at me when I board the bus. Or, sigh loudly when I exit.
I'm not going anywhere and I really hope we can be friends.
Sincerely,
Cj
Tuesday, January 1, 2019
Friday, December 21, 2018
A note of appreciation from a Barrie passenger who has mobility issues
This morning I was walking a bit slower than usual to get on the Go train due to a later pick-up from home with York Region transit. As a result, I did not make it into the accessible coach where I usually sit. Therefore, I just got on any coach and sat down. About 15 minutes later, the Barrie Customer Service Ambassador (CSA) that makes the stop announcements on the train arriving at Union at 7:03 came walking through the train. When he reached the coach where I was sitting he says to me, "Good morning, can I help you through the train coaches, Daniella?"
My response? Don't mind if you do. As a result, he kindly helped me through the coaches until we got to the accessible coach.
Barrie CSAs are awesome. To each and everyone of you, thank you for all you do, this passenger truly appreciates all your assistance.
My response? Don't mind if you do. As a result, he kindly helped me through the coaches until we got to the accessible coach.
Barrie CSAs are awesome. To each and everyone of you, thank you for all you do, this passenger truly appreciates all your assistance.
Monday, December 17, 2018
Planning for the future at the Courtice Park and Ride? Because it's sure not for the present!
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE COURTICE GO TRANSIT PARK AND RIDE?
GLAD YOU ASKED (a pictorial)...
The parking lot and driveway are in place. Posts for lighting have been installed...
Let's zoom in...
Why it's a bicycle station! This is great but problematic. Currently the station is accessible from Courtice Rd which is a regional highway with an 80 km/hr speed limit. There are very narrow shoulders and NO. BIKE. LANES.
Look at that shoulder width! Would you bike this? Not me!
Here's Courtice Rd looking north. I've biked this stretch only a few times and never at night. Drivers aren't traveling at 80 km, more like 90... It's terrifying. Biking to the park and ride wouldn't be safe unless Metrolinx is working with the Region of Durham to install bike lanes?
I've sent Joe Neal, the regional councilor for Courtice a message via his office to call me to discuss this in the new year. Maybe he has some answers for how Go Transit passengers looking to cycle to the Park and Ride can do it safely.
Friday, December 14, 2018
Why is this considered "historic"? It's GO Train service, not the invention of commuter rail into terrain that's never been traversed
News Release
Ontario Delivers Historic Weekday GO Train Service to Niagara Falls
New Morning and Evening Train Service Will Start Four Years Ahead of Schedule
December 14, 2018 11:00 A.M.
ST. CATHARINES — Ontario's Government for the People continues to deliver on its promise to get people moving faster by adding regular weekday GO train service to Niagara Falls and St. Catharines for the first time.
Today, Jeff Yurek, Minister of Transportation, Kinga Surma, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Transportation, Sam Oosterhoff, MPP Niagara West, along with Leslie Woo, Chief Planning and Development Officer, Metrolinx, visited the rail station in St. Catharines to announce that the government will introduce long-asked-for weekday GO train service to Niagara Falls and St. Catharines on the Lakeshore West line.
“Our government is keeping our promise to get people moving and make life better for everyone in Ontario by expanding GO train service to Niagara Falls,” said Yurek. “We are working with our railway partner, CN, to use the existing rail infrastructure to expand GO Transit service for people in Niagara Falls and St. Catharines four years sooner than promised.”
Beginning on January 7, 2019, people travelling by GO Transit between Niagara Falls and Toronto's Union Station will benefit from a new morning trip with an evening return every weekday. The morning train that currently starts from West Harbour station in Hamilton at 6:39 a.m. will now start in Niagara Falls at 5:19 a.m., stopping at St. Catharines before continuing on to Toronto. In the evening, the existing train from Union Station at 5:15 p.m. to West Harbour will continue on to serve St. Catharines and Niagara Falls.
“This is great news for people in Niagara Region,” said Oosterhoff. “Weekday GO train service between Niagara Falls and Toronto will help connect the region and create new business opportunities.”
“We are very excited to introduce this essential commuter rail service to this market. Regular weekday GO trains have never operated out of Niagara Falls or St. Catharines before,” said Leslie Woo, Chief Planning and Development Officer of Metrolinx. “This is new territory and a sign of more great things to come.”
“Today's announcement is a demonstration of our commitment to improving the transportation experience and getting people moving. We make every decision with the customer – the Ontario taxpayer – in mind. Our Government for the People looks forward to continuing to provide better transportation across the province,” said Yurek.
Source: Ministry of Transportation
Ontario Delivers Historic Weekday GO Train Service to Niagara Falls
New Morning and Evening Train Service Will Start Four Years Ahead of Schedule
December 14, 2018 11:00 A.M.
ST. CATHARINES — Ontario's Government for the People continues to deliver on its promise to get people moving faster by adding regular weekday GO train service to Niagara Falls and St. Catharines for the first time.
Today, Jeff Yurek, Minister of Transportation, Kinga Surma, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Transportation, Sam Oosterhoff, MPP Niagara West, along with Leslie Woo, Chief Planning and Development Officer, Metrolinx, visited the rail station in St. Catharines to announce that the government will introduce long-asked-for weekday GO train service to Niagara Falls and St. Catharines on the Lakeshore West line.
“Our government is keeping our promise to get people moving and make life better for everyone in Ontario by expanding GO train service to Niagara Falls,” said Yurek. “We are working with our railway partner, CN, to use the existing rail infrastructure to expand GO Transit service for people in Niagara Falls and St. Catharines four years sooner than promised.”
Beginning on January 7, 2019, people travelling by GO Transit between Niagara Falls and Toronto's Union Station will benefit from a new morning trip with an evening return every weekday. The morning train that currently starts from West Harbour station in Hamilton at 6:39 a.m. will now start in Niagara Falls at 5:19 a.m., stopping at St. Catharines before continuing on to Toronto. In the evening, the existing train from Union Station at 5:15 p.m. to West Harbour will continue on to serve St. Catharines and Niagara Falls.
“This is great news for people in Niagara Region,” said Oosterhoff. “Weekday GO train service between Niagara Falls and Toronto will help connect the region and create new business opportunities.”
“We are very excited to introduce this essential commuter rail service to this market. Regular weekday GO trains have never operated out of Niagara Falls or St. Catharines before,” said Leslie Woo, Chief Planning and Development Officer of Metrolinx. “This is new territory and a sign of more great things to come.”
“Today's announcement is a demonstration of our commitment to improving the transportation experience and getting people moving. We make every decision with the customer – the Ontario taxpayer – in mind. Our Government for the People looks forward to continuing to provide better transportation across the province,” said Yurek.
Source: Ministry of Transportation
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Fare increase for 2019 GO Transit passengers doesn't appear to be on the agenda for this Thursday's Metrolinx board meeting
This has been one of my biggest worries seeing as commuting by GO now carries the financial equivalent of making a third or second car payment for many commuters. I'm at $344 a month in fare for myself (using November as a reference point).
Generally it's around this time of year that GO Transit presents a case to Metrolinx for increasing fares. I went ahead and reviewed the agenda for the December 6th board meeting and this isn't on it. There is a discussion about fare policy with 10 minutes allotted to the speakers, so I think we're safe to assume we've been spared an increase come February 2019.
But, we've been shafted before. The last increase happened in the fall of 2017 when we were all hit with a 3% hike, so we may not be completely out of the woods!
Generally it's around this time of year that GO Transit presents a case to Metrolinx for increasing fares. I went ahead and reviewed the agenda for the December 6th board meeting and this isn't on it. There is a discussion about fare policy with 10 minutes allotted to the speakers, so I think we're safe to assume we've been spared an increase come February 2019.
But, we've been shafted before. The last increase happened in the fall of 2017 when we were all hit with a 3% hike, so we may not be completely out of the woods!
Better late than never for a feel good Go Transit Lost & Found story!
This past weekend I received a DM on Twitter asking if I had the chance to read an email a person had sent me regarding GO RER and Toronto Mayor John Tory. I did not recall said email and decided to scroll through my Gmail spam folder and stumbled across not only the email in question, but also this email from MS who forgot his Apple laptop on the train back in July.
I suspect emails from readers found their way into spam due to the filters and mail rules I have set up to avoid Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Boxing Day emails. I apologized to MS who was very understanding. I also apologize to others whose emails were trapped.
from: MS
to: cj@thiscrazytrain.com
date: Jun 13, 2018, 1:37 PM
subject: Love for Go Transit: Backpack with MacBook Pro returned intact
Hi CJ,
I found your blog when googling about GoTrain lost & found histories. I like your blog a lot. I've lived in Canada for ~8 years and never used Go trains until last weekend. My family and I (wife, one 3-yrd old and a 2-weeks baby) recently moved to Whitby and decided to try the Go Train to go to the aquarium on Saturday along with my inlaws that are visiting. I work as a software engineer and sometimes we need to be 'on call' in case systems break. I was on call so I took my laptop with me. A new MacBook pro 2017. On the way back, while chasing my kid (who was excited about riding the train and going up and down the stairs) I left my backpack on the upper level seat while chasing my kid downstairs. We arrived to Whitby and checked the seats so we don't forget anything (we were all sitting on the lower level), wife, inlaws, newborn baby, my 3-yrd old, stroller, diaper bag, etc; but as you can guess, forgot my backpack in the upper level!
Needless to say it's a horrible situation. I'm 3 months into this new job and I lose the laptop! never happened to me in my life and just had to happen as I start a new job. I filed the lost & found report online that night, visited them on Sunday at Union Station and they said there was nothing else to do but wait. My backpack contained not only the laptop but also charger adapter, accessories, airpods, etc; Finally, they called me back Monday 2pm to tell me it was found!
It's a shame there's no reward for whoever found it and returned it. I'd gladly had paid a reward to whoever did this, even if people don't do it for the money, it's a huge favor done to those of us who accidentally forgot something and perhaps being able to share a reward and/or thank you note would encourage more people to report/return lost items.
Anyways, I figured this success story could help anxious people like myself when they wander at 3am in the morning if they'll see their lost items again.
Attached pic of the most important returned item.
Cheers!
MS
I suspect emails from readers found their way into spam due to the filters and mail rules I have set up to avoid Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Boxing Day emails. I apologized to MS who was very understanding. I also apologize to others whose emails were trapped.
from: MS
to: cj@thiscrazytrain.com
date: Jun 13, 2018, 1:37 PM
subject: Love for Go Transit: Backpack with MacBook Pro returned intact
Hi CJ,
I found your blog when googling about GoTrain lost & found histories. I like your blog a lot. I've lived in Canada for ~8 years and never used Go trains until last weekend. My family and I (wife, one 3-yrd old and a 2-weeks baby) recently moved to Whitby and decided to try the Go Train to go to the aquarium on Saturday along with my inlaws that are visiting. I work as a software engineer and sometimes we need to be 'on call' in case systems break. I was on call so I took my laptop with me. A new MacBook pro 2017. On the way back, while chasing my kid (who was excited about riding the train and going up and down the stairs) I left my backpack on the upper level seat while chasing my kid downstairs. We arrived to Whitby and checked the seats so we don't forget anything (we were all sitting on the lower level), wife, inlaws, newborn baby, my 3-yrd old, stroller, diaper bag, etc; but as you can guess, forgot my backpack in the upper level!
Needless to say it's a horrible situation. I'm 3 months into this new job and I lose the laptop! never happened to me in my life and just had to happen as I start a new job. I filed the lost & found report online that night, visited them on Sunday at Union Station and they said there was nothing else to do but wait. My backpack contained not only the laptop but also charger adapter, accessories, airpods, etc; Finally, they called me back Monday 2pm to tell me it was found!
It's a shame there's no reward for whoever found it and returned it. I'd gladly had paid a reward to whoever did this, even if people don't do it for the money, it's a huge favor done to those of us who accidentally forgot something and perhaps being able to share a reward and/or thank you note would encourage more people to report/return lost items.
Anyways, I figured this success story could help anxious people like myself when they wander at 3am in the morning if they'll see their lost items again.
Attached pic of the most important returned item.
Cheers!
MS
Monday, December 3, 2018
GO train to Courtice-Bowmanville in 2024? Don't hold your breath!
The current Ontario government party in charge has put the brakes on the expansion into Niagara Region after Metrolinx sent a letter to the region saying the project had been "halted".
This makes me nervous. As with the Mimico station renovation on the Lakeshore West corridor, where a private developer was selected to build the new station, I suspect this is what will happen in Courtice and Bowmanville since the letter outlines that Grimsby will only go ahead once a third party investor has been found.
The Toronto Star also reported this may be the new normal for regional transportation infrastructure where shovels haven't yet met dirt.
I have mixed feelings about this. The area where the Courtice station is to be built could benefit from this kind of partnership as it's in the middle of a field with no subdivisions or amenities within a 5 km radius. In Bowmanville, it's a different situation where the area is over-developed and traffic would be greatly impacted if say, a condo were to built on the station site. In Oshawa, the new station is to be built where a Knob Hill Farms grocery store once stood. The area would benefit from housing, especially if it's rental housing.
This all sounds great in theory but how long do we wait? That's the billion dollar question no one in the Ford government is willing to answer.
This makes me nervous. As with the Mimico station renovation on the Lakeshore West corridor, where a private developer was selected to build the new station, I suspect this is what will happen in Courtice and Bowmanville since the letter outlines that Grimsby will only go ahead once a third party investor has been found.
The Toronto Star also reported this may be the new normal for regional transportation infrastructure where shovels haven't yet met dirt.
I have mixed feelings about this. The area where the Courtice station is to be built could benefit from this kind of partnership as it's in the middle of a field with no subdivisions or amenities within a 5 km radius. In Bowmanville, it's a different situation where the area is over-developed and traffic would be greatly impacted if say, a condo were to built on the station site. In Oshawa, the new station is to be built where a Knob Hill Farms grocery store once stood. The area would benefit from housing, especially if it's rental housing.
This all sounds great in theory but how long do we wait? That's the billion dollar question no one in the Ford government is willing to answer.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Since Metrolinx employees can't stop raving about the new Union Station Food Court on Twitter, I decided to go check it out
Where is it? York Concourse, Basement, Toronto Union Station
Hours: Monday to Friday 7am to 10pm & Saturday to Sunday 10am to 10pm
What's there to eat? https://torontounion.ca/eatshop/
At first blush, I can appreciate the use of a vibrant colour and height so that the customer doesn't feel like he or she is trapped in a World War Two bunker, so A+ for that.
Moving stairs that actually work are an engineering marvel in this day in age. Five stars.
Tables. Chairs. Waste bins. Ambient lighting. Standing tables with charging stations really give off a, "Hey, we're here for you" kind of vibe. Almost like a hug from your favourite uncle.
My Ukranian heritage is too scared to ask what a Loaded Pierogi is.
Some things just shouldn't be messed with.
Violet is a strong colour theme down here. Clearly the designer spent some time researching colour theory. Purple happens to be my favourite colour. It's a colour that combines blue and red where blue is a stable colour and red is energetic. Purple is supposed to evoke a feeling of calm in its subjects. The color purple is also associated with royalty and ambition. It's always been interesting to me that car manufacturers never rolled out purple as a standard car colour.
There's plenty of seating and of course, Tim Horton's makes an appearance.
As does McDonald's.
Probably the most depressing area of the food court had to be this space right here. We've moved into Soviet-era territory with no paint, no colour, solitary tables and a ever practical ATM. It's almost mid-eighties mall-like. My advice? Paint the pillars.
In purple.
Photos too small? Here's the album link.
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Time for some heartfelt thanks and remembrance
by Pete S.
My
Decade-At-A-Glance® tells me we
are fast approaching the sixth anniversary of my first article for This
Crazy Train. I’d like to thank you,
Cj, for considering my submissions and publishing so many of them. It’s been a thrill writing the stories and
reading the comments to see how close I got to reporting the truth.
Thank
you for providing many of my noms de plume and allowing me to use some of my
own. Just as David Haydu filled the
airwaves with his plethora of zany characters, the pseudonyms allowed me to
write on a variety of topics from different perspectives. For those readers not familiar with David, I
loved listening to Pete and Geets on CHUM-FM
and later on CFNY-FM. Just as David
“borrowed” his main persona, Geets Romo, from a character on the 1961 Del Close
and John Brent album, How To Speak Hip, I used
Warren Downe based on David’s Warren Down.
If memory serves me correctly, Warren reported morning traffic, first
from the “mobile telephone booth”, and later “riding a John Deere tractor in
traffic”.
Most
of the experiences I shared stemmed from trips on GO Transit’s Route 12 between
Niagara Falls and Burlington. The ladies
and gentlemen who drive this route are very dedicated to their passengers. This became evident to me in my first month
(October 2010) riding the bus. The driver I rode with remembered
me after only a couple of trips. I took
a later trip for a few of weeks, and when I reverted to his bus, he greeted me
with, “Hello stranger! Where have you
been?” I was astounded that he
remembered me.
Commitment
to excellence is hard to find today. Allow
me to tip my hat and say thank you to the following drivers who I’ve been
introduced to, or who chauffeured me and allowed me to serve them by being
their lead hand (I managed the luggage), treasurer (I carried an emergency
float, as well as a “knuckle full of nickels” for the $x.05 fares of other pax),
waiter (drivers need their tea and coffee), and navigator (on demand):
Ali (Streetsville),
Anthony S, Bonnie J, Brandy-Jo B, Brenda M, Charlene (Steeprock), Charles T,
Christine H, Colin B, Dave W, Debbie I, Derek W, Frances D, Fred O, Garney T, Garry
S, Harley B, Heather K, Holly N, Izabela K, Jack-George M, Jack (Streetsville),
Janice N, Jason W, Jim C, John P, Joshua B, Jude (Hamilton), Ken
(Streetsville), Marjorie F, Mark A, Mark B, Mark K, Mark P, Mary-Jane M, Maureen
D, Nestor F, Nigel H, Paul L, Ray M, Richard (Brampton), Robert I, Robert L,
Rodney (Oshawa), Ron A, Ron C, Shawn S, Simon H, Steve D, Terry W, Tim C, Tim
K, Viktor A, and Wayne P.
I
apologize if I missed anyone or spelled your name incorrectly. There is one driver who I’ve chatted with
online, but I’ve never met, which is a little ironic, since we live in the same
town.
I’d
also like to thank drivers Randy (Megabus) and Frank N (St. Catharines Transit)
whose valuable insights during our early morning chats found their way into my
stories.
I
mustn’t forget the CSAs I met along the way.
You’ll recall the concerns over missing CSA Daniel. I located Daniel on one of my Friday trips
home, and we had a good chuckle over the reports of his disappearance. Again, I must thank CSA Katelyn who got us
through the ghost train debacle.
I
would like to thank the ticket agents at Pickering station for their polite and
efficient handling of transactions. I always
found it nice to start my trips with a quick chat with Ilene and Jennifer. I always loaded my ePurse with them — never
auto-load.
My
thanks to fare inspectors Gerry (LSE) and Terry (LSW). These gentlemen not only conduct business
politely, they also take the time to answer passengers’ questions. I enjoyed my brief discussions with Terry
about bicycles and appreciated his tips on how to teach oneself to ride a
unicycle.
I
would also like to thank my neighbour, Walter at Greyhound, who mentored
several employees now at GO Transit. Because
of Walter, as well as GO’s drivers, I believe I am a better automobile driver.
I’ve
often wondered whether any of the stories that I wrote made a difference. Certainly not those articles about
renovations at Burlington station — six years on, and we still cannot buy a cup
of coffee there. GO Transit did mothball
Route 11, the seasonal money-losing shuttle between St. Catharines and Niagara-on-the-Lake. The manual procedure for loading funds to
ePurses changed after pilferage by a systemic PRESTO problem was exposed in the
Presto Chronicles. Passenger safety enhancements were
implemented on double decker buses to mitigate the hazards of luggage after the
risks were documented in Meet the Deckers. In the aftermath of the story about the bus stop from hell, the Mayor
of St. Catharines reports that ticket vending machines
will be installed at Fairview Mall, although Metrolinx is
dragging their feet again over “infrastructure” issues.
Is
there a story I wanted to write but didn’t?
Yes. I wanted to pen an article
about the double decker bus that was blown off Hwy 115 during inclement weather
and poor road conditions. I couldn’t
proceed because I was not in possession of a key piece of evidence — the photo
showing the bus off the road. The photo
exists, but no amount of begging and pleading could produce the picture, so no
story was written.
Now
it’s time to share with you, Cj, and the followers of your blog that this is
my last submission to This Crazy Train.
Thank you, all, for taking the time to read my articles and to write
your comments. I mean this sincerely. Hopefully we’ve had some fun along the
way. It’s been a blast for me! I encourage everyone to give it a whirl.
On
behalf of Warren Downe, Ali Gator, Frank E Futor, Chris P. Bacon, A.L. Gorithm,
Billy Bob, Iona Pintó, Hy Perbole, Ian Cognito, Bea N. Counter, Yew
Wannanohooiam, and GO Voyageur, this is Peter signing off.
Friday, November 16, 2018
Hey - it's time for an update - right?
Apologies everyone, as I know it's been pretty quiet as I continue to choose Twitter over Blogger but it's where I tend to live. I know some of you aren't on Twitter but you don't need an account to review what I've been discussing. I provide a feed on this blog and it's to the right.
Anything investigative or worthy of words longer than what tweets can handle will be posted here.
I appreciate that many continue to check the blog everyday. I'm restricted at work. It makes it difficult to post and blogging on a phone is still crappy!
Anything investigative or worthy of words longer than what tweets can handle will be posted here.
I appreciate that many continue to check the blog everyday. I'm restricted at work. It makes it difficult to post and blogging on a phone is still crappy!
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