Metrolinx, the operator of GO Transit, has announced that track surfacing program kicks off on the LSE corridor tomorrow using the Metrolinx owned DynaCAT high production rail maintenance machine.
DynaCat program is set to begin on the Lakeshore East Corridor. Crews will be on site beginning November 14, until the end of December.
The equipment will be staying within the Metrolinx right-of-way and will be starting at Durham College (DC) Oshawa GO Station and moving westbound toward the Durham Junction in Pickering.
Overnight on track work utilizing the DynaCat equipment will take place on the following dates/locations:
- November 14-17 – DC Oshawa GO Station to west of Whitby GO Station
- November 18-22 – Whitby GO Station to Ajax GO Stationdynacat
- November 28 – December 6 – Ajax GO Station to Durham Junction (west of Pickering GO Station)
Metrolinx said the work must occur overnight while rail service is not running along the Lakeshore East corridor. Crews will be on site between the hours of 10 pm to 6 am on the days noted. Equipment will be running from 12 am (midnight) to 4:30 am each night. Work is expected to create additional levels of noise and vibrations when DynaCat equipment is passing. Metrolinx said it is working to ensure impacts are as minimized as possible and within municipal by-law limits.
It said there are no anticipated traffic, pedestrian or transit impacts from the upcoming works.
Why is it needed
Metrolinx said fluctuating temperatures, exposure to extreme weather, and dozens of heavy trains rolling over the tracks every day can alter their geometry, which can cause a bumpier ride for passengers, it explained.Untreated for an extended period of time, these imperfections in the track may require trains to reduce speeds through sections of track, potentially causing delays. As part of its annual track maintenance, Metrolinx surfaces tracks across its owned rail corridors to correct these defects.Metrolinx owns a Plasser DynaCAT 09-2X – a modern, high production track surfacing machine that integrates the work traditionally performed by two machines – a tamper and a dynamic stabilizer – into one. This allows for track surfacing to be completed more efficiently, which minimizes the work time required and ultimately produces a higher quality final product, reducing maintenance costs in the long run.
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