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Union Pearson Express

Coordinates: 43°40′37″N 79°28′12″W / 43.677°N 79.470°W / 43.677; -79.470
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Union Pearson Express
An UP Express trainset at Mimico GO Station
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerMetrolinx
LocaleToronto and Mississauga
Stations4
WebsiteUPExpress.com
Service
TypeAirport rail link
Rolling stockNippon Sharyo DMU
History
OpenedJune 6, 2015 (2015-06-06)[1]
Technical
Line length23.3 km (14.5 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Operating speed145 km/h (90 mph) [2]
Route map
Template:Infobox rdt

The Union Pearson Express (UP Express)[4] is a passenger train service in the Greater Toronto Area, running between Canada's two busiest transportation hubs, Union Station in Downtown Toronto, and Toronto Pearson International Airport. The UP Express began operation on June 6, 2015, in time for the 2015 Pan American Games.[1][5][6] The UP Express travels between Union and Pearson in 25 minutes[7] departing every 15 minutes, seven days a week. At the launch announcement, it was stated that UP is projected to carry 2.35 million passengers annually, and eliminate approximately 1.2 million car trips in the first year.[1]

UP Express is a division of Metrolinx, the Ontario government agency that manages and integrates transportation in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. An airport rail link was one of the priority projects identified in Metrolinx's regional transportation plan, The Big Move.[8] Construction began in 2011 as part of the Georgetown South Project, which expanded the rail corridor the UP Express shares with its sister division GO Transit, and with Via Rail.[5][9] UP Express uses diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains that meet United States Environmental Protection Agency Tier 4 emission standards. The Kitchener line and UP Express will be electrified, although no date has been set[10] The UP Express has been criticized for not using electric trains from the outset, and for fare prices that are high compared to other North American airport-city connections.[11][12][13]

History

Early proposals

Improved transit connections to Pearson Airport have been of interest since the late 1980s. Before the specific pursuit of an airport rail link, three formal studies were conducted, and released in 1989, 1990 and 1991. The last two presented options for either making a connection from the GO Georgetown train line, or the Toronto Transit Commission's (TTC) Bloor/Danforth subway line.[14]

SNC Lavalin era

The original Blue22 service proposed by SNC-Lavalin would have used refurbished Budd Rail Diesel Cars. Pictured are two cars used by Via Rail.[15]

Transport Canada made a request for proposal for an airport rail link in April 2001. In May 2003, the submissions were pared down to four pre-qualified private consortia, who were then invited to submit business cases. An SNC-Lavalin subsidiary named the Union Pearson AirLink Group was selected as the successful respondent to finance, design, construct, operate and maintain an airport rail link on November 13, 2003.[16] The service was to be called Blue22, as a trip would take 22 minutes to or from Pearson with a stop at the Bloor GO/Dundas West TTC Station. Trains were to be refurbished Budd Rail Diesel Cars, and were expected to begin running between 2008 and 2010.[15]

A GO Train operating along the Kitchener line. The UP Express project is combined with the Georgetown South Project, which is improving the infrastructure along the line for future GO Train service and the UP Express.[5]

By 2008, there had not been significant progress on the project because of failed consensus in negotiations, regulatory hurdles and community opposition. In June 2008, the Ontario government revised the environmental assessment process from a required three-year period to six months, and later that summer it resumed negotiations with Union Pearson AirLink Group on terms for a public-private partnership. Furthermore, the high-speed link received public statements of strong support from Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty, Toronto Mayor David Miller and the federal government.[17]

In November 2008, Metrolinx, the Ontario government agency for Greater Toronto and Hamilton transportation, released its Regional Transportation Plan titled The Big Move, outlining how an airport rail link was part of a strategy to establish multi-directional high-order transit connectivity to the Pearson Airport district, in addition to the Mississauga Transitway, rapid transit corridors along Highways 427 and 407, and light rail transit lines along Eglinton and Finch Avenues.[14] In December 2008, Metrolinx became the proponent of new EA that would simultaneously assess a combination of both the UP Express and GO Transit's Georgetown South expansion.[18] The final Environmental Project Report was released on July 30, 2009.[14]

Metrolinx takeover

After two years of failed negotiations and financing difficulties, the public-private partnership between Ontario and the Union Pearson AirLink Group was called off in July 2010, and Metrolinx was handed responsibility to directly own and operate the service.[19][20] Metrolinx established the new operating division that would become Union Pearson Express.[21] The name 'Air Rail Link' was used as a placeholder until the official name was unveiled on November 29, 2012.[4]

Metrolinx largely preserved the same project scope as had been approved in the environmental assessment, with the service designed for air travellers rather than for conventional commuters. Changes from SNC Lavalin's former proposal included refinements to take into account synergies with GO Transit.[21] In November 2010, the Board of Directors of Metrolinx authorized its staff to enter into negotiations with Sumitomo Corporation of America to supply Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs); the contract was approved by the Board in February 2011 and executed on 31 March 2011.[22] Kathy Haley was named the first president of the division in July 2011.[23]

Construction

Station construction in the SkyWalk beside Union Station in downtown Toronto.

It was announced on October 24, 2011 that the consortium AirLinx Transit Partners had been selected to complete building the UP Express. The consortium comprises some of Canada's largest construction companies such as Aecon and Dufferin Construction.[24] Construction on the spur line and passenger station at Pearson began in the spring of 2012, at a cost of $128.6 million.[25][26] As of 2010, the entire project was expected to cost C$456 million.[27]

Undertaken as part of the Georgetown South Project, the work consisted of five new road overpasses and two road underpass, one railway grade separation, one bridge reconstruction and the widening of 15 other bridges, construction/re-construction of four stations, major track and grading construction, signal installations utility relocations, as well as the new 3.3 km spur to and from the airport. This work was conducted while minimizing disruption to existing train operations, local residents and businesses. A new rail tunnel under Highway 401 is still required at a later date to meet future ridership demands.[28]

Service

Map of the Union Pearson Express route

Route and stations

The UP Express picks up and drops off passengers from Toronto Union Station via a fully enclosed platform and waiting area accessed from the SkyWalk. A guest service desk, furniture, automated ticket vending machines, Presto card validators, and washrooms are included. An upper floor lounge allows passengers to relax or meet others. CIBC provides access to Canadian and foreign cash through multi-currency ATMs.[29][30]

From Union Station, the UP Express heads northwest along the existing GO Transit Kitchener line. This 22-kilometre (14-mile) section of track between Bathurst Street and Highway 427 was upgraded as part of GO's Georgetown South Project, which improved infrastructure along the route to accommodate the UP Express, GO Transit, Canadian National, and Via Rail services.[5][14] The UP Express makes two intermediate stops at Bloor and Weston GO stations. Bloor Station was redesigned for better access and connection to GO Transit, and Metrolinx is working towards a future direct connection to the Dundas West station of the Toronto subway.[31][32]

Beyond Highway 427, a newly constructed 3.3 km (2.1 mi) rail spur carries the UP Express from the Kitchener line to the airport, forming the longest elevated rail bridge in Ontario.[30][33] The elevated spur to Pearson Airport reaches a maximum height of 28 metres (92 feet), offering a view of the CN Tower in Toronto and the Absolute World towers in Mississauga.[30][34] At Pearson, the UP Express arrives at Pearson Terminal 1 Station. The station is directly adjacent to the existing LINK Train, which allows connections to Terminal 3 and the Viscount parking garage.[21]

Station list

Station name District Distance (km) Connections
Between
stations 		From Pearson
Pearson Pearson Airport - 0.0 LINK Train
Weston Weston 6.9 6.9 GO Transit (Kitchener line), TTC buses
Bloor High Park–Junction Triangle 11.1 18 GO Transit (Kitchener line), TTC (Dundas West subway station, bus, streetcar)
Union Downtown 5.3 23.3 TTC (Union subway station and streetcar), GO Transit (all lines), Via Rail, Amtrak, PATH, TTC and intercity buses

Rolling stock

An UP Express train approaches Pearson Station.

The Union Pearson Express uses Nippon Sharyo DMU trains. The fleet consists of 18 diesel multiple unit (DMU) cars, as four three-car and three two-car sets.[35] On 1 March 2011, Metrolinx announced that it had chosen to buy 12 DMU cars (six two-car trains) from Nippon Sharyo at a cost of C$53 million, for the service.[36] This was later expanded to 18 DMU cars (adding one car to each train) via an option order. This brought the cost to US$75 million.[27][35] The DMUs were manufactured in Japan, assembled in Chicago, and towed by rail to Toronto, with the first trainset arriving on August 15, 2014.[34][37]

The trainsets seat between 115 and 173 people. On-board features include power outlets, Wi-Fi internet, luggage facilities, and washrooms.[31][38] The service operates daily between 5:30 and 1:00 am every 15 minutes, making a total of approximately 140 trips daily.[38]

The UP Express DMUs are based on the design created for the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit system in California. Powered by a diesel hydraulic drive with a six-speed automatic transmission and regenerative braking, the DMUs are believed to be the first trains in the world that comply with the United States Environmental Protection Agency Tier 4 emission standards, which will reduce emissions up to 90%.[34] Braking energy is converted into electricity by the auxiliary power generator, and helps to provide onboard lighting and heating.[39] They also comply with FRA Tier 1 crash energy management features. Modifications for UP Express use include enclosed overhead luggage bins that comply with Transport Canada rules and an enhanced enclosed luggage tower.

Environmental impact

The Tier 4 engines produce substantially lower emissions than most other diesel vehicles in Toronto.[40] The Environmental Impact Assessment for the UP Express was carried out assuming that trains would be Tier 3 standard rather than Tier 4, and showed that at peak frequency the air quality effect of the additional trains would not raise any pollution level above the provincial criterion levels.[41] The 2010 Metrolinx electrification study, which did assume the use of Tier 4 emissions technologies for diesel propulsion options, found that the Georgetown/UP Express diesel service would contribute on the order of 0.2% to local air pollution, and that electrification would result in only a small improvement to local air quality.[42] In an additional review of human health assessment in 2011, GO Transit examined the current plan for Tier 4 emission controls on both the UP Express trains and conversion of existing GO locomotives to Tier 4 and found that the human health risks of the diesel UP Express service are negligible, but that current background air quality (from other pollution sources in Toronto) is an issue.[43]

Fares

Fares are based on age, origin and destination, and the method of payment. An adult fare from Union Station to Pearson Airport is C$27.50, with discounts for families, round trips, Presto card users and airport staff.[44] VIA Rail tickets are accepted as payment for those traveling by train to and from other places in Canada.[45]

The fares has been criticized by some as the most expensive airport link in North America.[13], although they are similar to the fares previously charged by the Toronto Airport Express, a privately operated airport bus service from the airport to downtown Toronto operated by Pacific Western Transportation from 1993 until 2014. As of 2012, a "One Ride Scheduled Service" on the Toronto Airport Express to or from downtown Toronto cost $26.95

Ridership

By June 19, 2015, the Union Pearson Express was averaging about 3,250 riders a day, or 12 percent capacity.[46] Metrolinx has projected that a year after opening, the service will attract 5,000 riders a day — about 1 million customers. By 2020, Metrolinx expects 2.46 million rides will bring it up to full operating cost recovery.[47]

However, ridership declined in the service's opening months. Ridership in August 2015 was 17 percent lower than in June 2015 and a further 4 percent lower in the first two weeks of September. Ridership ended up averaging 2,300 per day during a four-week period in September 2015, a drop of 29 percent since June. The service needs about 7,000 riders per day to break even on operating costs,[48] which is a little over three times the most recent ridership figures. Even to match the initial Metrolinx projections, the service would need to more than double the ridership in nine months.

A report in February 2016 showed a drop in ridership from the summer to a low of 65,593 rides in November 2015.[49] Metrolinx said it would consider price adjustments to boost ridership numbers.[49]

Residents living along the Weston section of the route have objected to alterations to accommodate the GO Georgetown South corridor improvements and the addition of UP Express trains. Concerns include the division of Weston from the closing of level crossings, noise levels, air quality and property values.[17][19] In April 2009, the Clean Train Coalition (CTC), representing the communities along the rail corridor, formed to put pressure on Metrolinx and the province to immediately prioritize electrification of the densely populated Georgetown South corridor and Union-Pearson Rail Link on opening day.[50] However, both the province and Metrolinx Chairman Rob Prichard have indicated that using diesel trains is the only way to prevent significant delays. "We believe the Greater Toronto Area needs this project as fast as possible, and that means going with the cleanest diesel technology in the world," stated Prichard.[26]

In August 2012, the CTC took legal action against Metrolinx by submitting an application for judicial review. The application requested "quashing and setting aside any decision to implement or run Diesel Multiple Units along the Air Rail Link", on the basis that by taking direction from the Ontario government to complete the UP Express in time for the Pan American Games, a proper analysis between operating diesel and electric trains was not completed, running contrary to Metrolinx's legislated mandate. It also asserted that another review of air quality was warranted due to the World Health Organization's (WHO) reclassification of diesel exhaust as a carcinogen.[11]

However, since 1988 the WHO has classified diesel emissions as "probably carcinogenic to humans" and this classification (in part) has led to the new tighter standards on diesel emission (such as the Tier 4 emission standards of the UP Express). The carcinogenic classification is based largely on studies of high occupational exposure to diesel emissions, such as in underground mining. The WHO announcement on the change in diesel classification does not propose any changes to the WHO Air Quality Guidelines, which were used for the air quality thresholds in the 2011 Additional Review of Human Health Assessment for the UP Express (and noted to be more stringent than the guidelines used in earlier studies).[43][51][52]

Saba Ahmad, the lawyer representing the CTC, described the application as a test of whether government agencies must obey their own legislation. "We have been left with no choice but to seek a legal remedy to stop this dirty diesel plan," said CTC Chair Rick Ciccarelli. "We tried to persuade the government and Metrolinx to do the right thing and build an electric air rail link from the start."[12] On November 21, 2012, the Ontario Divisional Court turned down the application, and ordered the CTC to pay $30,000 in court costs.[53]

Transit alternatives

Main article: Toronto Pearson International Airport § Ground transportation

From 1993 until 2014, the Toronto Airport Express was a privately operated airport bus service from the airport to downtown Toronto operated by Pacific Western Transportation. The route was founded by Gray Coach in 1979.[54] As of 2012, a "One Ride Scheduled Service" to or from downtown Toronto cost $26.95 and a "One Ride On-Demand Airport Express Connect" fare cost $29.95. A one-way trip took approximately 45 to 90 minutes, depending on traffic. The service ceased operation on October 31, 2014 due to declining ridership, popularity of the Billy Bishop Airport, delays due to downtown road construction, and anticipated competition from the Union Pearson Express.[55]

Public transit bus services are operated by Toronto Transit Commission, GO Transit, MiWay, and Brampton Transit, connecting Pearson Airport to the City of Toronto and other cities in the Greater Toronto Area.[56]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Union Pearson Express to Launch June 6". Government of Ontario. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  2. ^ "Georgetown South Projected Train Volumes and Speeds" (PDF). GO Transit. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  3. ^ "No Christmas miracle for struggling UP Express on busiest travel day of the year". nationalpost.com. 19 December 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Metrolinx Unveils Next Wave of Big Move Projects". CNW Newswire. 29 November 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d "Georgetown South Project". GO Transit. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  6. ^ The Canadian Press (22 April 2015). "Union Pearson Express to launch June 6". Toronto Star. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  7. ^ "UP Express Information". Toronto: UP Express. 28 October 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
  8. ^ "The Big Move". Metrolinx. 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  9. ^ "The Air Rail Link (ARL) - Fact Sheet" (PDF). Metrolinx. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  10. ^ Kalinowski, Tess (19 August 2011). "Metrolinx ad ruled 'misleading' on electrification". The Toronto Star. Toronto. Archived from the original on 30 August 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  11. ^ a b Clean Train Coalition Inc. v. Metrolinx, 380/12 2 August 2012 (Ontario Superior Court of Justice).
  12. ^ a b Mackenzie, Robert (11 August 2012). "Clean Train Coalition seeks judicial review to stop diesel trains along Air-Rail Link". Transit Toronto. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  13. ^ a b "Is Toronto's air-rail link the priciest in North America?". BlogTO. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  14. ^ a b c d "Environmental Project Report – Georgetown South Service Expansion and Union-Pearson Rail Link" (PDF). Toronto: Metrolinx. 30 July 2009. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  15. ^ a b "Backgrounder 2 – Union Pearson Airlink Group's Blue22 Service" (PDF). Transport Canada. 13 November 2003. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  16. ^ "Transport Minister Announces Winning Proposal for Toronto Air-Rail Link" (Press release). Ottawa: Transport Canada. 13 November 2003. Archived from the original on 30 November 2011. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
  17. ^ a b Boyle, Theresa (5 August 2008). "High-speed rail link to airport on fast track". The Toronto Star. Toronto. Archived from the original on 30 November 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  18. ^ CNW Group (15 December 2008). "Metrolinx is new proponent of Georgetown Line". CNW Group. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  19. ^ a b Kalinowski, Tess (31 July 2010). "Province vows rapid rail link to Pearson by 2015 Pan Ams". The Toronto Star. Toronto. Archived from the original on 30 November 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  20. ^ CNW Group (30 July 2010). "Metrolinx to build, own and operate Air Rail Link". CNW Group. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  21. ^ a b c "Air Rail Link Service:Pearson to Union". Toronto: Metrolinx. 16 November 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 November 2011. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
  22. ^ Ontario Superior Court (21 November 2012). "Clean Train Coalition Inc. v. Metrolinx, 2012 ONSC 6593". Canadian Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  23. ^ "Key Dates". Toronto: Union Pearson Express. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  24. ^ CBC News (24 October 2011). "Toronto's airport rail link to be built by consortium". CBC. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  25. ^ "Financial Close Reached on Three-Kilometre Air Rail Link "Spur Line" and New Passenger station Project". Government of Ontario. 19 December 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  26. ^ a b Ferguson, Rob (19 December 2011). "Construction to start in spring on airport rail link". The Toronto Star. Toronto. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  27. ^ a b "The UPE Project". Metrolinx. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  28. ^ "Georgetown South Project - Project". GO Transit. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  29. ^ Union Pearson Express: The Project - Stations
  30. ^ a b c "UP and Coming - UP Express: Operational Readiness Update" (PDF). Toronto: Metrolinx. March 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  31. ^ a b "Air Rail Link". Metrolinx. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  32. ^ "GO Transit Bloor GO Station Construction Update". Go Transit. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  33. ^ "Georgetown South Project – Ail Rail Link". Toronto: GO Transit. 30 November 2011. Archived from the original on 30 November 2011. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
  34. ^ a b c Kalinowski, Tess (9 March 2015). "UPX offers 'clean' train ride with a view". The Toronto Star. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  35. ^ a b "The Vehicles". Union Pearson Express.
  36. ^ "Metrolinx orders DMUs to work airport rail link". Railway Gazette. 1 March 2011. Archived from the original on 1 March 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  37. ^ Stephen C Host (15 August 2014). "Toronto airport express trains arrive in Canada". Railway Journal. Archived from the original on 16 August 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014. THE FIRST two of 18 DMU cars being supplied by Sumitomo to Toronto transport authority Metrolinx for use on the Union Pearson Express (UP Express) airport rail link have arrived in Canada. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  38. ^ a b "UrbanToronto Rides the Union Pearson Express". Urban Toronto. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  39. ^ "SMART Technical Specification for Diesel Multiple Units" (PDF). 20 January 2010.
  40. ^ "Georgetown South Project FAQ's, 'GO Transit'". Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  41. ^ "AIR QUALITY ASSESSMENT GEORGETOWN SOUTH SERVICE EXPANSION & UNION PEARSON RAIL LINK TORONTO, ONTARIO, RWDI Consulting Engineers & Scientists'" (PDF). July 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  42. ^ "Appendix 9, Multiple Category Evaluation - Findings and Conclusions, Metrolinx" (PDF). December 2010. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  43. ^ a b "Georgetown South Project Additional Review of Human Health Assessment – Executive Summary" (PDF). GO Transit. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  44. ^ "UP EXPRESS: FARE STRUCTURE AT A GLANCE" (PDF). Metrolinx. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  45. ^ VIA Rail: Union Pearson Express
  46. ^ http://www.torontosun.com/2015/07/17/tourists-not-taking-to-union-pearson-express-during-pan-am-games-transit-group
  47. ^ "Union Pearson Express hits ridership targets but can be tough to find, survey of riders finds". Toronto Star. 24 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  48. ^ Oliver Moore (26 September 2015). "Metrolinx's reputation on the line with poor figures for Pearson express train". Globe and Mail. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  49. ^ a b Kalinowski, Tess (5 February 2016). "Ridership has dropped since the Union Pearson Express launched in June, the latest numbers show". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  50. ^ "Backgrounder – Position Statement", Clean Train Coalition, 3 June 2009
  51. ^ "UN health agency re-classifies diesel engine exhaust as 'carcinogenic to humans'". UN News Centre. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  52. ^ "W.H.O. Declares Diesel Fumes Cause Lung Cancer". The New York Times. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  53. ^ "Court clears way for diesel trains on new Pearson route". CBC. 21 November 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  54. ^ "Fares". Toronto Airport Express. Mississauga, Ontario: Pacific Western Transportation Ltd. 2011. Archived from the original on 30 November 2011.
  55. ^ "Toronto Airport Express bus to stop service this fall". Toronto Star. 14 June 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  56. ^ "Public Transportation". GTAA.com. Retrieved 3 January 2013.

Media related to Union Pearson Express at Wikimedia Commons

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43°40′37″N 79°28′12″W / 43.677°N 79.470°W / 43.677; -79.470

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