According to blogTO, Southern Ontario will see an electrified rail network and new GO trains in the near future.
French multinational rail manufacturer Alstom, which acquired Bombardier's transportation business in 2020, has quietly unveiled a blueprint for a new all-electric GO train. These trains will replace diesel-powered vehicles on the regional rail network in the coming years.
Alstom is part of the ONxpress Transportation Partners consortium, which in 2022 was awarded a multi-billion dollar contract for the first phase of the GO electrification project.
These corridor works are key components of GO's ambitious expansion plans, including the supply of new electric locomotives, a train control system, a new traction power system, and the electrification of the network through overhead catenary.
Source: X@Alstom
More than 20 months after announcing the plan, Alstom shared for the first time the appearance of the new electric locomotives via the company's social media channels, with a promotional video showing a digital artist working on renderings of the yet-to-be-released new GO locomotives towing double-decker coaches.
This preview doesn't give much information about the new locomotive, but it shows off a sleek new design that looks several eras ahead of the current GO train.
Source: X@Alstom
A striking detail can be seen at a brief glance about the overhead contact system that is about to power the train.
These overhead systems simply transmit power to the trains, and more than 200 kilometers of new railroad tracks and more than 600 kilometers of overhead wires are needed to power the trains. These vehicles will be able to travel faster than current diesel-powered trains, with an estimated speed of up to 140 kilometers per hour. In the renderings, a new locomotive can also be seen pulling a double-decker carriage.
Source: X@Alstom
The new locomotive is indeed compatible with GO's existing unpowered carriages, so that Metrolinx can avoid having to replace entire trains. A similar arrangement can be seen in Philadelphia's SEPTA regional rail system.
In addition to the obvious environmental benefits of electrification, the new electric locomotives are able to run at shorter intervals than diesel locomotives, which means that the possibility of additional frequency between trains will be opened, with the minimum interval between each departing train being reduced to 3.5 minutes.
GO's expansion plans hope to introduce electrification in phases over the next few years, with the entire network expected to run emission-free on electric power by 2032.