City
Morning Brew: Pearson Airport Train Link to go Diesel, No Refunds from Strike Savings, Bell and Telus to get iPhone, Toys for Charity Stolen
Photo: "..." by Tallchocolateguy, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.
What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):
Diesel trains connecting Pearson Airport to Union Station along the Georgetown corridor have been given the green light. By 2015, Toronto residents in Parkdale, the Junction, and Weston will see the number of trains passing by jump to about 400 (up from 50 currently). Metrolinx would have liked to have been able to go electric, but claim that it's just too expensive a proposition.
Savings incurred during the 39-day municipal workers' strike this summer will not result in direct rebates for Torontonians who weren't provided with paid services (like garbage collection). Instead, the savings will be rolled into next year's budget, and residents and businesses will be given a $22 reduction on their property taxes (which are expected to rise next year, so that strike-related cut won't appear to be much).
Rogers exclusive arrangement with Apple that has iPhones only active on their network may soon be a thing of the past. Bell could have iPhones ready to roll out on their new network in November, and Telus should follow soon after. While it's not likely to bring down pricing much, it does even out the smart phone contract competition some.
A truck containing toys destined for charity was stolen over a week ago, and hasn't been recovered. Chances are the thieves had no idea that the goods inside were for kids in need, but people who steal generally don't give a hoot who loses as long as they gain. (Click the link, so you can see that the Toronto Star web site got another face lift.)
Students at Jarvis Collegiate are mourning the loss of David Dewees, the teacher who stood accused of sexual-related offenses and committed suicide before he could be tried. Many are saying he's been unfairly judged by the media. When you have reporters like Rosie DiManno writing sensational pieces and responding to respectful reader inquiries by calling them pedophile sympathizers (read the comments on the Torontoist article), you have to wonder...
Little known fact: riding your bike on the sidewalk in Toronto downtown could land you an $85 fine. But doing the same in Scarborough results in a $3.75 fine. I wonder how much it costs to hand out and process a $3.75 fine?
Discussion
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People are complaining about the trains being dirty, but of course if they were to go the electric route, others would complain that the city is wasting money (sometimes it feels as if there are significant numbers that would complain about either)
You can see my opinion on her most recent column in yesterday's morning brew. I think most people agree that DiManno is a nutjob that really doesn't belong writing for a news organization.
The bigger question is Torstar's responsibility when it comes to publishing inaccurate, misleading or downright incorrect information when it comes to it's editorial staff.
2 The newest diesel trains ain't that bad. Electric ain't as clean as people claim it is.
3 NIMBYs want to live right downtown but have none of the unavoidable things that come along with such a prime location. BOO HOO.
4 Toronto is such a young city and has the worst transit and worst roads in the world. Yet cities hundreds of years older have much better systems because they made the sacrifices necessary.
Look for a win for the NDP in York South-Weston in the next provincial election. And a DiNovo lock in Parkdale-High Park. Hell, it might even get Ruprecht out of Davenport.
The expansion is that, NEW LINES that did not exist before. This means NEW greater pollution than ever before that will effect an even wider area. There is no such thing as clean diesel and that is why every single new commuter line in the world except for one is electric. Governments are abandoning it as a technology that is obsolete.
The Junction and Junction Triangle in case you hadnt noticed has been fighting pollution for 40 years especially after science allowed people to understand better what the effects were. You should cut down your intake of class warfare bitter pills because I live in the area and see lots of people of differing incomes and backgrounds who all share one thing: increased but unnecessary risk from toxic air pollution as clearly stated by the Toronto MOH and the TDSB. It should also be noted that this diesel expansion will effect thousands of people in a variety of communities all along the rail corridor from Liberty Village to Mount Dennis and beyond.
We all have lungs and cleaner technology exists right now. This is easy. If you just want to believe what the government says then fine but there is more than enough independent peer reviewed material out there to become informed instead of enraged.
Steve Munro's blog has an excellent analysis this morning of Metrolinx vs. the Ministry's conflicting statements, including the misiter now saying electrification isn't too expensive after all...
http://stevemunro.ca/?p=2705#more-2705
"I find it interesting that a country as poor as North Korea can operate hundreds of kilometers of electric trains yet they are considered “too expensive” here."
Reagarding trains, T.O. should really use that rail line as an extended subway line to the burbs. Maybe then we'll be less dependant on cars and we won't get soul-less suburb residential planning.
Happy Tuesday!
"Metrolinx is working collaboratively with Toronto's Medical Officer of Health".Thats not what Dr. McKeowan says.
"Will this expansion impact my health? No". Thats not what Dr. McKeowan or the TDSB says or even Metrolinx's own EA says. The flyer then says "without posing a risk on a normal day." What the heck does that mean?
I ask that Blog TO print the flyer that thousands got in their mail today and let respected transit advocate Steve Munro point out the lies.
That statement is too broad. What about diesel cars and natural gas buses? A smaller diesel engine is more efficient than a larger train diesel and natural gas is more green than diesel.
Furthermore, diesel engines are not more "green" than gasoline since diesel engines emit more nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons along with other fine particulate matter.
Way to lead by example.
However, an electric line would have most certainly included stops in every neighbourhood, essentially making that line a 3rd dedicated "subway" connecting all those neighbourhoods to each other and union stn. and bloor lines with just about the same frequency. But that would have been far to sensible and forward thinking for a city/province that will always be up its own arse.