This document proposes the Urban Express Rail Grid, an innovative transit system for Toronto using existing rail corridors. It would consist of an express loop connecting major parts of the city, as well as additional lines. The system would be electrified rapid rail, addressing congestion while staying affordable. Stations would be spaced closely to maximize coverage and ridership. The plan combines elements of regional and urban transit networks to serve both commuters and local residents cost effectively.

1. Urban Express Rail Grid
One Leap to the best Public Transit
-----
-------------------------------- Julian Li PEng
A A Scarborough Resident
416 299 7998 (H)
hs hsjulianli@gmail.com
1

2. Foreword
With about 8.5 billions existing public transit
fund, We can build a innovative transit
system to solve all transit congestion for the
city, and make Toronto to be one of best
Transit City in North America.
It is not a dream, it is a professional conclusion.
Let ‘s open our mind, lay down our political
views and really put the public benefit at the
fist place, then we can fulfill the miracle.

3. Content
• Foreword.
• Part 1. Seven questions to change GTA Rapid
Transit Strategy.
• Part 2. GTA Urban Rail Express Grid Plan.
• Part 3. Benefit Assessment.
• Part 4. Future possible developments.
• Conclusion.
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4. Part 1.
Strategy Changes for GTA Urban Rapid Transit.
Major Strategy Questions for GTA Rapid Rail Transit?
1. Surface or Underground ?
2. Population and Ridership ?
3. Why urban rail corridor can not serve urban people?
4. Commuter System or Metro System ?
5. Diesel or electrification ?
6. Point Radial System or Grid System ?
7. Why not to chose the best option with the limited fund ?
4

5. Q1. Put the rail on surface or underground ?
• There is a long time debate for the LRT on surface and Subway underground :
which one is better for GTA suburban?
Light Rail on surface in the Road:
------Relative lower investment.
------Not a rapid rail system, because it is a open ( not full grade separation
)system.
It will be interfered by other road traffic flows ( road vehicles,
pedestrian, bikes etc) and vice versa.
Subway :
------ Very expensive.
------ A enclosed ( full grade separation) system, a rapid rail system with big
capacity.
------ GTA suburban population does not support the high ridership.
So, both of them are not good for suburban transit !

6. The contradiction of surface and underground is
a fake proposition, a fallacy.
• Good Rapid Rail Transit should be a enclosed ( grade
separated )but affordable transit system, no matter it is a
surface system or underground system.
• In Toronto, now ,the fact is:
LRT in road is not enclosed dedicated rail transit, and
Subway is unaffordable.
So what we need is opening our mind to find other better
options beyond those two systems.
• Actually, surface system is more economic than
underground system, and surface system also can be a
enclosed dedicated system.

7. The right answer is:
Put the rail in existing surface rail corridors
• Toronto has valuable rail
corridors to develop
urban public rail transit,
which can be a
dedicated rapid rail
transit system on
surface.
• Go Train already use
some corridors, and
some Go Train sections
can be updated to
Urban Rail Express.
• My Urban Express Rail
Grid is one of the plan
based on existing
surface rail corridors.

8. Go Train already make use of some rail corridors
8

9. GTA Urban Express Rail Grid !!!

10. Main components of the GTA Express Grid
• U Express Loop ( or GTA Express Loop):
-----East section: From Unionville to Union Station in Go Train Stouffville corridor.
-----South part of West section: From Union Station to Lawrence West in Go Train
Georgetown corridor.
----- North part of West section: From Lawrence West to the north of Steeles West in CP
corridor of Mactier Subdivision.
-----North section: From Unionville to Martin Grove Rd in CN corridor of York Subdivision.
• Down Town Express ( DTE ) Loop:
------ West South Section: Along U Express from Dupont St to Don River west bank.
------ East Section: From U Express to Leaside in CP Don Branch.
------ North Section: From Leaside to Dundas St West in CP corridor of North Toronto .
• U2 Express:
-----U2 East Express: From Leaside to Langstaff in Go Train Richmond Hill corridor.
----- U2 West Express : From DTE to Highway 7 in Go Train Barrie Corridor.
• All rail express are 2-ways electrified Rail Transit.

11. Q2. Population and Ridership ?
• Like Sheppard Ave, The population of GTA of
suburban usually doesn’t support the high
ridership of subway or LRT.
• The population density will not change too much
in future, because many people like their life style
in low residential area.
• To support the high ridership, the Rapid Transit in
GTA must have bigger coverage of service area.
• Only Rapid Rail Express Grid system can satisfy
the ridership demand without causing any traffic
congestion.

12. Shortcomings of local rapid transit
• When we put a subway along one street
such as Sheppard Ave, it is a local rapid
transit , and the population doesn’t
support high ridership.
• The only way to increase ridership beside
of population increasing, is that local
buses have to delivery many riders from
other area to the subway.
• The above situation will come along with
two facts :
1. The Rapid Transit in relative area
should be very poor, people have to take
long time bus to cram in the subway.
2. There will be some heavy local traffic
congestion near subway station.
Those facts normally are the proofs for
the failure of our Rapid Transit Plan.

13. The main cause of local transit congestion
No enough inlets to Metro Rapid Transit
At Finch Ave West, we can find the
main cause of transit congestion:
Yonge Subway Finch Station is the
only rapid transit inlet in the area.
Therefore:
• Finch Ave residents have to take
long bus all the way to Finch
Station.
• Commuting flows from Steeles and
north of Sheppard have to merge
into Finch West.
• Some commuting flows come from
outside of the city.

14. You can release the transit congestion
without building a Light Rail along the road !!
If we add more Rapid Transit inlets in the area as our plan:
• Local commuting flow will be separated into 6 short distance ( mostly in 2 km) flows.
• No addition flow from other area.
• 5-10 minutes bus to the Rail network, then 25 minutes to Union Station.
• Local bus route without crowd load will be more high efficient with high turnover rate.
Why do you need a costly Light Rail built along the Finch West ??
Why do you want a unnecessary suffer of 5-10 years construction at
the road ??

15. Great Coverage is the assurance of the
High ridership of U Express Grid
Toronto 70 % Area and 80% population within 2km of the Network

16. Rail Express Grid working together with local transit
• The station of Urban Rail Express is normally located at or
near to major road, working as a rapid transit inlet for the
local block; it collectively pick up the commuters in the block
to ensure the ridership at the station.
• Local transits ( bus, car , bike and walkway etc) will deliver
commuters to the station in short distance .
• Commuting trip typically would include:
Short distance local transit ----Long distance rail express ---
Short distance local transit.
• With this strategy, the rail route option can be more flexible,
such as existing rail corridors , hydro corridors etc.

17. Q3.Why urban rail corridor can not serve urban people?
• Existing urban rail corridors are generally used by Go Tran to serve
the inter-city commuter from outside of Toronto.
• People living along those rail corridors feel that it is unfair for their
community has to absorb the environmental impacts of regional
transit that they can’t use.
• People always ask: why the rail corridor is not utilized by TTC?
• A rail transit that cannot serve the resident along it, usually is not
easy to gain the support from local communities, the Airport Rail
Link is a example.
• In the history of Toronto transit , using the surface rail corridor for
urban transit is not a new idea, Bloor Subway actually use surface
rail corridor running in Scarborough to Kennedy station.

18. Rail Transit serving local people has better economic benefit
• Rail transit is supposed to provide the economic development
benefit at the rail corridor, such as the value increasing of
local property and Transit –Oriented Development (TOD); but
the precondition is : the transit must serve local people.
• As for the property value, if there is a transit rail beside the
property but the rail was not built for nearby resident , the
property value will decrease by the environmental impacts of
the rail; When the rail is a good transit for their resident, the
property value will increase a lot by transit convenience.
• As for TOD, if the rail is just a passing by transit, it will be
nothing about local development.

19. Unbalance between Regional Transit and Urban Transit
• A large increasing in Go Train passengers to Toronto,
actually put more burden to the congested Urban Transit .
• Ontario has many Regional Rail Transit Plans, but the
Urban Rail Transit in Toronto should be developed firstly ;
otherwise, those regional rails would just pump more flow
to a dead end.
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20. No serving for urban passenger
No good serving for inter-city passenger
• A Regional Rail not serving for urban passenger will limit its stop in urban
area. Go Train almost take Union Station as the only destination in Down
Town. But many inter-city passengers actually need travel to various
locations in the city other than Union Station area. They really hope the
Regional Rapid Transit can connect with a urban transit network, not just
the Union Station.
• For most inter-city passengers, their whole commuting route include 2
parts: regional transit plus urban transit. In Ontario, more than 80 per cent
of regional transit trips include the TTC. So Rapid Regional Transit can just
solve half of the problem. Those two transits should be developed in
balance.
• Right now, because of the separated transits, many inter-city passengers
have to purchase 2 Passes for their commuting, one GO Pass, one TTC
Pass, which is unaffordable for most of working family. They hope there
should be someway to combine 2 transits together.

21. Urban Express Rail will serve
both urban passenger and Inter-City passenger
• Urban Express Rail will serve urban
passenger and Inter-City passenger
in one system.
• Our Urban Rail Express Grid will
contain the major section of some
existing Go Train route:
---- From Union Station to Unionville
in Stouffville route.
----From Down Town to Langstaff in
Richmond Hill route.
---- From Down Town to Highway 7
in Barrie route.
• Those sections become parts of
Rapid Urban Transit, which means
those areas will become urban area.

22. Q 4: Commuter System or Metro System ?
• Go Train is a Commuter Rail System using surface rail corridors. In
Big Move, many Go Train routes are planed to be updated as full
day, 2-way Service.
• Metro System is a kind of Urban Rail system with high frequency
service for a Metropolitan Area. In Toronto, subway system is a
existing Metro System. The gridlocked City need more Metro
Systems. But the city’s urban transit plan didn’t take the rail
corridors as a valuable route resource
• In GTA, the two systems can be merged in to one Urban Rail Express
System in metro area. It means we can just use one investment to
satisfy two type transit demands, which could save billions dollars
for the taxpayers in Ontario.

23. Many rail corridors will develop full day 2-way
passenger rail service in Big Move Plan

24. Our Urban Rail Express Grid
use same rail corridors in Go Train future plan

25. Urban Rail Express components
in Regional Transit plans of Big Move
• U Express Loop :
East section: From Unionville to
Union Station .
----Stouffville Regional Rail (12)
South part of West section:
From Union Station to Lawrence
West.
----Brampton Express Rail (2).
North part of West section:
From Lawrence West to the
north of Steeles West.
---- Bolton Regional Rail (7).

26. Urban Rail Express components
in Regional Transit plans of Big Move
• Down Town Express Loop:
West Section: Along U Express from Dupont St to Union Station.
----Brampton Express Rail (2).
East Section: From Union Station to Leaside.
---- Richmond Hill Regional Rail (10).
North Section: From Leaside to Dundas St West.
---- Cross Town Regional Rail (8).
• U2 Express:
U2 East Express: From Leaside to Langstaff.
---- Richmond Hill Regional Rail (10).
U2 West Express : From DTE to Highway 7.
---- Barrie Regional Rail (9).

27. From Planed Regional Rail to Urban Rail Express
------ Just need more updating
• Most Urban Rail Express Grid routes have been planed in Big Move, will be full day
and 2 way Regional Express or Regional Rail. So the province already plans to
invest a lot of money for the rail tracks, stations, grade separation and trains.
• We just need connect the rails to a Loop, add more stations , more trains, and
make the whole route to be full grade separated, then it is will be our Urban Rail
Express Grid. A small step forward, we can solve both regional transit and metro
transit problems in one system, we don’t need invest 20 billions for a new metro
system.
Why we don’t do it ?
• If we invest billion dollar but just use the new expensive rails as a regional rail
serving inter-city passenger with so called full day 2 way operation , How can the
system keep a reasonable ridership in off-peak period ? Obviously, the rail have to
attract urban passengers by add more stops in Urban area. So a efficient full day /
2 way Regional rail actually must serve both inter-city passenger and urban
passenger, that is to say : the rail should be designed as a urban rail at the
beginning, like what we are doing now.

28. Stations of Urban Rail Express

29. Station Spacing, speed and headway
• In Big Move Plan:
Regional Express: U Express West Section
Station Spacing: 2-5 km or more.
Station Spacing
Average Speed ( including Stops): 50-80 km/h.
Maximum Speed: up to 130 km/h.
Minimum Headway: 5 minutes.
Regional Rail:
Station Spacing: 2-5 km.
Average Speed: 30-50 km/h.
Maximum Speed: exceeding 100 km/h.
Minimum Headway: 10 minutes.
• Our Urban Rail Express plan:
Station Spacing: 1.8-5.2 km.
Average Speed: 55-60 km/h.
Average Full Speed: about 80 km /h.
Maximum Speed: up to 130 km/h.
Minimum Headway: 3 minutes.
In this way, The whole trip time of the U Express Loop is about
1.5 h ( the maximum trip for passenger is half Loop, about 45
minutes), average trip between 2 stations is 3 minutes .

30. A system combined with Regional and Metro Transits
is technically achievable
• Our Urban Rail Express is a new system between Regional Express and Metro Transit, but
works for both Regional and Metro Transits.
---- More stations, higher frequency than Regional Express.
---- Fewer stations but faster than Metro Transit.
• Existing rail technologies can make Urban Rail Express applicable in GTA.
----- Electrical Multiple Unit ( EMU ) vehicle with better acceleration and braking capability.
----- Full grade separation ROW.
----- Minimize any speed limited infrastructure components like crossing, switch , junction and
turnout etc.
----- Strengthen the bridges ( in the route )for full speed pass.
( many bridges at stations don’t need it ).
-----Possible tilting train for DTE and vehicle active suspension system for passenger comfort.
---- Modern signal and control system with Automatic Train Control (ATC ).

31. Q 5: Diesel or electrification ?
Our Urban Rail Express Grid will be a electrified Rail system.
• Electrification rail is the best option for the environment of
urban area.
• Urban Rail Express need high performance electrified vehicle.
• Relative lower cost of surface rail system make the
electrification to be affordable in existing fund.
• Lower operation cost.
• Relative affluent electricity power in Ontario.
• Electrification will use 2 X 25 kv overhead AC power.
• Modern OCS (Overhead catenary System) could work well in
bad weather.

32. Q 6. Point Radial System or Grid System ?
• Toronto existing rail system is a point radial system from Union Station. Almost all
rail transits converge to it, taking the Union Station as the only down town
destination.
• Union Station is overloaded already, 250000 passengers crowd in it every day, 29
trains come in each peak hour.
• Even after 640 M Revitalization ( The cost can build several new rail stations
elsewhere, but for Union Station, the project can only match its 2015 capacity), it
will be overloaded immediately once again. And there are many plans sending
more and more trains to it ( 90 trains in peak hour at 2031).
• Union Station is a big bottle neck for rail transits, and the local area is heavy road
congestion area, if the situation could not be changed, it will be a dead end in our
transit system.
• To off-load the Union Station effectively, we need build a Urban Rail Transit Grid,
all the regional rails and inter city rails should converge to the grid, not the one
congested point .

33. Rail transit bottle neck at Union Station
• The throat layout and signaling
constraints at Union station limit
trains headway and station capacity.
• USRC complex switch and
interlocking system ( 260 power
switches and 300 signals) severely
constrain train speed, and make rail
electrification to be difficult.
• Its very long dwell time is
unacceptable for any rapid transit.
• Too many OCS wires will have visual
problem in the station. The number
of possible electrified routes is
limited

34. Regional Rail Transits will connect with U E Grid
to off-load Union Station

35. Proposed Regional Transit Connection
• Urban Rail Express Grid can serve both regional and urban Passengers.
• Most Go Train routes ( except for Lakeshore West) will connect with U
Express Grid , and passenger can go to everywhere by the grid.
---- Georgetown Go Train and Airport Rail Link interchange to U Express
Lawrence West Station ( Weston Go Station).
----Milton Go Train interchange to U Express and DTE at Bloor West Station.
----Lakeshore East Go Train interchange to U Express Scarborough Station.
---- Stouffville Go Train interchange to U Express at Unionville.
----Richmond Hill Go Train interchange to U2 Express at Langstaff.
---- Barrie Go Train interchange to U2 Express at Hwy 7 station.
• Electrified U Express and Down Town Express will connect with Union
Station.
• The U Express Grid will be a new Rail Centre, Local Rails and Regional Rails
can compose a new radial systems from the grid to cover GTA.

36. Updating of Union Station Rail corridor.
• U Express 2 tracks line and Down Town Express 2 tracks line will be 4
continuous tracks though Union Station with out any switch and interlock.
• U Express and Down Town Express will build the higher speed rails at the
most north part of USRC rail works.
• The large throat works of Toronto Terminals Railway will update and shift
to South.
Union Station will
assign dedicate
platform and
passenger access paths
to U Express and Down
Town Express. The
dwell time will be less
1 minute.
36

37. Q7.
Why not to chose the best option with the limited fund ?
• The estimated cost of whole U Express Grid is about 10 billion. The parts in
Toronto cost less than 8.5 billion.
• With U Express Grid, both Eglinton Cross Town and Sheppard Subway
extension are unnecessary, if we put 8.2 billion province fund of Eglinton
Cross Town project and federal 300 M fund for Sheppard project together
for new system, the investment could be enough for Toronto project.
• U Express Grid can be constructed with existing Ontario public transit
fund.
• U Express Grid covers the whole city area, decrease 40 percent commuting
time in Toronto, save 20 billion future transit fund, can make Toronto to be
one of best transit city in North America.
We should stop all unnecessary transit projects, and build the
U Express Grid immediately with our limited transit fund!!

38. Part 2.
GTA Urban Rail Express Grid Plan.
1. U Express Loop.
2. Down Town Express Loop.
3. U2 Express.
4. Electrification and Vehicle.
5. Cost estimated.

39. U Express Loop

40. U Express West Section
Station Spacing

41. U Express West Section
• Route:
South Part:
13.6 km existing Go Train 2 tracks line from Union Station to Lawrence West Station ( new Go Train Weston
Station) in Georgetown Go Train Corridor .
North Part:
12.5 km new 2 tracks line built in CP Mactier Subdivision.
At the north end, the route will cross Humber river to Martin Grove Rd, set up a Rapid Transit inlet at North
Etobicoke.
• Station: 10 stations.
3 Interchange Stations:
--- Lawrence West Station.( Go Train new Weston Station).
Interchange to Georgetown Go and Airport Rail Link.
--- Bloor West Station.
Interchange to Bloor Subway, Milton GO and Down Town Express .
--- Queen-Dufferin Station.
Interchange to Down Town Express.
7 local Stations:
---Martin Grove, Steels-Islington, Finch- Weston, Sheppard West, Wilson, Eglinton-Black Creek, St Clair-
Keele.

42. Go Train Georgetown south service
expansion project

43. South part of U Express west section in
Georgetown Go corridor.
• Georgetown south expansion
project is a full grade separated
express line, and it is already in
implementation stage. 2 GO Tracks for U
Express
• The project will be built under the
criterion of “not preclude
electrification in the future”.
• U Express Grid can directly use 2
mainline tracks in the project for
U Express, and other 2 tracks for
Down Town Express. 2 GO Tracks
• With new plan, 2 Milton GO for U E,
Tracks might not be necessary in 2 GO Tracks
the project. for DTE
43

44. Interchange Station for 3 surface routes
2 Stations in this section is 3 surface
routes interchange station.
Lawrence West
• Lawrence West Station.
---- U Express, Georgetown Go Train,
Airport Rail Link.
• Bloor West Station.
----U Express, Down Town Express,
Milton Go Train. ( plus Bloor Subway).
Both local lands are appropriate.
Bloor West

45. Interchange station for 2 routes
Queen-Dufferin Station is a 2 routes interchange station for U
Express and Down Town Express, the location is spacious .

46. North part of west Section
----New tracks in CP Mactier Subdivision
• U Express Grid need add 12.5 km
2 new tracks in C Mactier
Subdivision from Lawrence West
to north of Steeles West.
• This Corridor has been studied in
Metrolink Bolton Regional Rail (
one track) Study.
• 4 electrify tracks need 24.75 m
space, we use 26m corridor width
to measure along the rail corridor,
and find that we can add 2 more
tracks without considerable
obstacle along this section of
Mactier Subdivision.

47. 26 m width buffer area along the rail corridor centre line
Lawrence West to Wilson Wilson to Sheppard West

48. 26 m width buffer area along the rail corridor centre line
Finch West to Steels West
Sheppard West to Finch West

49. Grade Separations in north part of U E west section
• 2 new grade separations at Oak St
and Islington Ave, both might be
underpass roads.
• 5 bridges need to be widen and
strengthen.
A. 3 bridges can hold 3 tracks, need to
be widen for 1 more track.
---- Finch Ave bridge.
---- Sheppard Ave bridge.
----Weston Rd bridge.
B. Wilson Ave bridge need to be
widen for 2 more tracks.
C. Ormont Dr bridge is wide enough,
but might be strengthen.
49

50. Other special structures in west section north part
• A new rail bridge crossing
Humber River to
Etobicoke.
• Existing tunnel under Hwy
401 may need to be
widen ,like the similar
project in Georgetown
south expansion.
• A rail to rail grade
separation near Martin
Grove Station.

51. U Express East Section
Station Spacing

52. U Express East Section
Route :
• 30 km 2 track U Express ROW will be created in Stouffville Go Train Corridor from Union
Station to Unionville Station .
• There is 14 km spacious 3 Go tracks corridor from Union Station to Scarborough Station, at
least 1 tracks can be used for U Express, need add 1 more track. The Scarborough Station will
be the final stop for Lakeshore East Go Train.
• The north part of the section is 16 km 2 tracks route from Scarborough Station to Unionville
Station, 1 more track need to be added. But 4.3 km existing standard 2-traks line of SRT from
Eglinton to Ellesmere possibly might be used for U Express. SRT will connect with U Express
at Ellesmere Station.
Station: 11 Stations.
• 5 interchanges stations:
----Unionville (Stouffville Go Train ), Ellesmere ( SRT),Eglinton East ( Bloor Subway),
Scarborough (Lakeshore East Go Train), Danforth ( Bloor Subway).
• 6 local stations:
---- Milliken, Finch East, Agincourt, Lawrence East, Warden, Queen East.

53. Grade Separations and bridges at U Express east section
• Sheppard Grade Separation is in
construction.
• 8 -9 level road crossings need to upgrade
to be Grade Separation.
----Denison St
---- Kennedy Rd
----Passmore Ave.
----McNicoll Ave.
----Finch Ave
----Huntingwood Dr.
----Progress Ave.
----Danforth Rd / Midland Ave.
----Havendale Rd ( need more study).
• 401 tunnel in the corridor can
accommodate 2 tracks.
• 2 small bridge crossing High Land
Creek need updating.
• Queen East bridge need to be widen
53

54. Projects about Unionville Station
• Extending U Express north out
of Hwy 407 at Unionville
Station is important for U
Express Grid to connect with
the centre area of Markham
Municipality.
• 3 under passes need to be
widen at 14th Ave, CN railway
and Hwy 407.
• A underground tunnel may be
needed from Unionville
Station to CN corridor.

55. U Express North Section
• 26 km 2 tracks added in CN York
Station Spacing Subdivision and Halton Subdivision.
• 7 stations:
3 interchange Stations.
--- U2 West, U2 East, and Jane (
Spadina Subway).
4 local stations.
--- Weston, Bathurst, Yonge,
Woodbine.

56. Infrastructure update in north section
• The rail corridor is almost full
grade separated.
• 7 road / rail crossing bridges need
to be widen.
--- Bathurst.
--- Bayview.
--- Henderson.
--- New Westminister.
--- Dufferin.
---Islington.
--- CP rail.
• The bridge crossing Humber River
need to be widen and straighten.

57. Grade Separation at rail crossing
• Located at U Express North Section crossing with U2 East Express.
• CN rails, U Express, U2 East Express, and U2 East Station ( 2 level platform for U
Express and U2 Express).
CN
U Express
U2 East Station
U Express
U2 Station
U2 East Express

58. Down Town Express Loop

59. Down Town Express Loop
25.4 km 2 tracks route will have 4 parts.
---- West South Section:
Along U Express from Dupont St to Union
Station, using 2 tracks from George Town
Expansion project.
---- East South Section:
2 tracks line in Union Station Corridor.
---- East Section:
From U Express to Leaside in CP Don
Branch. Add 1 more track.
------ North Section:
From Leaside to Dundas St West , add 2
more tracks in CP North Toronto
Subdivision.

60. DTE stations
• Possible Station: 12 stations.
7 interchange stations:
-----Union Station.
( U Express, Lakeshore West Go ,
Yonge Subway).
-----Queen-Dufferin Station .
( U Express).
-----Bloor West Station .
( Bloor Subway, Milton Go).
-----Dufferin Station .
( U2 West Express).
-----Spadina Station and Yonge
Station.
( Yonge Subway).
-----Leaside Station
( U2 East Express).
5 Local stations:
-----Bathurst South , Christie,
Mount Pleasant, Dundas East and
Parliament .

61. Down Town Express line near to Union Station
• U Express 2 tracks line and Down Town Express 2 tracks line will be 4
continuous tracks though Union Station with out any switch and interlock.
• Down Town Express should take up the most north line at Union Station
Corridor.
• At west of Union Station, the U Express and Down Town Express might cut
the connection of a Go Staging Yard with outside Go line, but the Yard can
transfer to be a Yard for DTE EMUs.
61

62. DT E east section
• 6 km 2 tracks in CP Don
Branch, 1 existing track , 1
new track, supposing CP
Don Branch not be used
by freight train in future.
• Because the elevation
difference between DTE
and Bloor Subway line is
more than 30 m, there
will be no interchange
station at Bloor East.

63. DT E east section
• Two bridges in CP Down
Branch crossing Don River
need to be widen and
strengthen, including a
long span bridge.

64. DTE North Section
---- 26 m wide buffer area
Dufferin to Yonge

65. DTE North Section
---- 26 m wide buffer area
Yonge to Bayview

66. DTE North Section
----new 4 tracks corridor
• About 10 km new 2 tracks will
be added in CP North Toronto
Subdivision.
• Rough measurement shows
there is no considerable
obstacles along the rail, except
for a small bottle neck at the
east of Dufferin St.
• 30 % of CP corridor already
have 3 tracks, one of them
might be used in the project.

67. DTE North Section
--- Grade separation and bridge
• There are about 15 existing Grade
Separations.
---- 2 bridges need to widen with 2 tracks.
Symington Ave, Mt Pleasant Rd.
---- 10 bridges need to widen with 1 tracks.
Dufferin St, Dovercourt Rd, Ossington Ave,
Shaw St, Christie St, Bathurst St , Howland
Ave, Spadina Rd, Davenport St, Bayview
Ave.
---- 3 bridges might need to be
strengthened.
Lansdowne Ave, Avenue Rd, Yonge St.
• One new Grade Separation need at Osler St.
• Level crossing at Barttett Ave could be
removed.
• 2 Valley bridges ( 1 near Mt Pleasant,1 near
Bayview ) need widen.

68. West connecting curve line
• The 2 tracks curve line
connect the DTE line in
west Go corridor with
the DTE line in CP
corridor.
• The curve line can be
built at ground level,
but a Grade Separation
should be built at Osler
St, otherwise the
properties at Carboo
Ave need move out.
• Or the curve line can be
built as a viaduct with
high cost.
68

69. Interchange stations to U2 Express
• Leaside Station located at west of
Millwood Rd connecting Leaside
area to Down Town area, it is the
interchange station to U2 East
Express.
• A new rail to rail grade separation
near to Leaside Station.
• U2 West Express will turn east
connecting with DTE at Dufferin
Station.
• A alternative path for U2 West
Express is crossing underpass
DTE north section and connecting
DTE at Queen –Dufferin Station.

70. U2 Express

71. U 2 West Express
• 16.3 km 2 tracks from DTE to Hwy 7 in
Go Train Barrie Corridor.
• 1 existing track , 1 new track.
• 9 stations .
•4 interchange stations.
---- Hwy 7 ( Barrie Go).
---- U2 West ( U E Loop)
---- Sheppard West ( Spadina Subway).
----Dufferin ( DTE)
• 5 local stations:
Finch West , Wilson, Lawrence West,
Eglinton West, St Clair West.

72. U 2 West Express
----Arrangement for local industrial rail
• From south of Sheppard west
to CN York subdivision , there
are some industrial rail users ,
and the rail route have 2
tracks. The biggest user is at
west side of north of Finch.
• 1 existing track will be kept for
industrial use, so the corridor
section will have 3 tracks.
• 1 rail grade separation and
some new local track might be
need .

73. U2 West Express
-----Grade Separation and bridge
• 1 new Grade Separation at Castlefield
Ave.
• Remove 1 level crossing at Carl Hall
Rd.
• 10 existing bridges :
4 bridges need to be widen for 2
tracks.
--- Rogers Rd, Wilson, Lawrence west,
Hwy 407.
3 bridges need to be widen for 3 tracks.
--- Sheppard W, Finch W, Steeles W.
3 bridges can be put 1 more track.
---St Clair West, CN York Rail and Hwy
7.

74. U2 East Express
• 18 km 2 tracks from Leaside to Langstaff
in Go Train Richmond Hill Corridor , CN
corridor and CP corridor.
• 10 Stations.
• 4 interchange Stations:
---Langstaff ( Richmond Hill Go Train).
--- U 2 East ( U Express Loop).
--- Sheppard East ( Sheppard Subway).
---Leaside ( Down Town Express).
• 6 local Stations:
--- Bayview, Steele East, Finch East,
York Mills, Lawrence East, Eglinton East.

75. U2 East Express
----- North Section
• 12 km 2 tracks from
Langstaff to the south of
York Mills in Richmond Hill
Go Train Corridor.
• Existing rail: 35 % 2 tracks,
65 % 1 track.
• 1 new grade separation at
Green Ln.
• 4 bridges need to be widen
and strengthen.
---Finch East, Sheppard East,
Cummer Ave, Esther Shiner
Blvd.

76. U2 East Express
---- Middle Section
• 4 km new 2 tracks in the
abandoned CN corridor
parallel to Leslie St, from
south of York Mills to
North of Eglinton.
• A new road grade
separation at Lawrence
East.
• A new rail grade
separation at the CP
corridor.

77. U2 East Express
---- South Section
• 2.3 km new 2 tracks added
along the east side of CP rails
in Belleville Subdivision, from
Eglinton to Leaside.
• Both Eglinton bridge and Don
River bridge need to be widen
and strengthen.

78. Electrification
• Urban Rapid Rail electrification is
the best choice to protect urban
environment.
• System operation requests the
trains have high acceleration
capability.
• Total 143 km 2track rail route in U
Express Grid.
---82.2 km U Express Loop
---25.4 km Down Town Express.
---24.4 km U2 Express.
• AC Electrification System with OCS
( Overhead Catenary System ) as
power supply.

79. Integrated power system for U Express Grid
• If using 2X25kv AC Autotransformer
–Fed System, there would be 4
Traction Power Stations ( 1 may back
up) , about 12 to 20 Switch Stations
and Autotransformer Stations in the
system.
• Hydro One indicated 2 power inlet
locations.
• The 2 tracks 2x25 kv OCS
( Overhead Catenary System) along
the line should be carefully designed
to have a good visual impact.
• Grounding everything within 250m of
the nearest rail.
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80. Electric Vehicle
• U Express Grid use same bi-level EMU ( Electric
Multiple)and passenger cars.
For U Express: 4 EMUs + 4 cars.
For DTE and U2 Express: 3 EMUs + 3 cars
• Minimum Head way in peak time could be 3 minutes.
The vehicles will be
specially designed with
more standee space
suitable for urban
transit.
80

81. Electric Vehicle
• U Express maximum capacity can reach 48000
per hour at rush commuting hours to
accommodate urban passengers and regional
passengers.
• Both Down Town Express and U2 Express can
reach 36000 maximum capacity per hours.
• Those Bi-level Vehicles will carefully designed
with suitable door system and inside passage to
decrease dwell time.

82. Preliminary cost estimation
The whole system is estimated to cost 10 billon.
• Route Infrastructure estimated cost: 5 billion.
• Electrification: 0.9 billion.
• Vehicle fleet: 3.1 billion.
• Yard: 0.6 billion.
• Control and other: 0.4 billion

83. Preliminary cost estimation
---- Infrastructure
• New track( class 4): 174 km cost 1044 M.
• New grade separation: 15 cost 525 M.
• Bridge Widen: 48 cost 240 M.
• Station : 54 cost 1830 M.
• Special project:
New Humber River bridge, old Humber River bridge updating.
2 Don River bridge and 1 Don River Branch bridge updating.
North Crossing Separation, Unionville Station, and other projects: cost 1220 M
• USRC updating: cost 150 M
Subtotal : 5009 M

84. Preliminary cost estimation
---- Fleet and Electrification
• Fleet:
Bi-level EMU: 406 cost 2030 M.
Bi-Level Passenger Car: 406 cost 1015 M.
Subtotal: 3045M.
• Electrification: 144 km cost 864 M.

85. Part 3:
Benefit Assessment
• Biggest public transit coverage, relieve all transit
congestions in Toronto.
• More rapid transit, cutting off 40 % commuting time.
• Better service for both urban passenger and regional
passenger.
• Profound saving in public transit investment and
congestion loss.
• Contributions to urban economic development.
• Contributions to environmental improvement.

86. 500m walking to take a Rapid Transit

87. 2KM Coverage
----5 minutes bus or 10 minutes bike

88. Relieve transit congestion in whole city
• Urban Rail Express Grid together with existing
subway will cover 70 % area and 80 % population
in the city with in 2 km coverage.
• 80 % people can take 5 minutes bus or 10
minutes bike to a Rapid Transit.
• Remained 20 % people in relative remote area
mostly can take bus express with less than half
distance that they used to take , their commuting
time will be cut off a lot.
• There will be no major transit congestion in the
city.

89. Cause of Sheppard East Congestion
• Donmills Station is the only
Rapid Transit inlet in the area.
• Commuting flows from other
east-west avenues merge
into Sheppard East.
• From the most remote point
on Sheppard to Union Station,
people have to take 45 min
17 km crowded bus to
Sheppard Subway, then 15
minutes to Yonge/ Sheppard,
then 40 minutes to Union.
Total trip is 100 minutes
without congestion and delay.

90. Relieve Sheppard Congestion with U Express Grid
-----No Need of Sheppard Subway Extension
• U Express Grid will provide many
Rapid Transit inlets in the east
part of city.
• Many commuters will directly take
U Express to Downtown.
• There will be no need of
Sheppard Subway Extension, 4
billion can be saved for the City.
• From the most remote point on
Sheppard to Union Station,
people can take 30 minutes 11 km
bus to Agincourt Station, and 25
minutes later they will be in Union
Station . Total trip is 55 minutes,
almost half of previous trip time,
and for sure there is no
congestion and less crowd.

91. Cause of Eglinton East Congestion
• Lawrence Ave East
and St Clair Ave
East are not
continuous avenues
at the east to west
direction.
• All commuting
flows near Eglinton
East have to merge
into one big flow
into Eglinton
Station of Yonge
Subway.
• Even some people
in Leaside area
have to travel to
Eglinton.

92. Relieve Eglinton Congestion with U Express Grid
-----No Need of Eglinton Cross Town Project.
With the U Express Grid.
• There 3 rapid transit
stations at each street area
of Lawrence East, Eglinton
East and St Clair East.
• One big commuting flow to
Eglinton Subway Station
will be divided into more
than 10 small short
distance flows.
• The longest trip to a rapid
transit station on Eglinton
East is 4 km 10 minutes
bus.
Why we need 8.2 billion Eglinton Cross Town Line ???

93. Eglinton East --- Almost paradise for passenger
Why We need 8.2 billion Eglinton Cross Town Line ???
• At Eglinton East, most area will be
cover by 1 km distance to a rapid
transit station, which means 2-3
minutes bus or 5 minutes bike trip.
It is almost a paradise for
passenger.
• Why We need Eglinton Cross Town
Line?
Remember:
--- The LRT station spacing is about1
km.
---- Ten years construction to block
the street, business opportunity will
largely decrease.
---- 8.2 billion from tax payer pocket.

94. Improving Down Town transit
• Relieve the transit pressure to
Down Town Core from regional
transit and Up Town transit.
• Provide fast and convenient rail
transit for Down Town people.
• Within 15 minutes, people can
skip to the opposite side of Down
Town, or take a fast transit
outside of Down Town.
• Relieve the transit pressure to
Yonge and Bloor Subways.
• Congestion relief at Union Station
and Bloor-Yonge Station.
94

95. U Express Grid can cut off 40 %
commuting time in Toronto.
Decreasing commuting time by UE Grid is base on tow factors.
• High coverage station distribution decrease the travel distance to Rapid Rail Transit.
---From Steeles to St Clair, there will be four more Rapid Rail stations on each major road, the
average trip distance to the stations is 20-25 % of previous distance.
• Higher travel speed of UE Grid.
--- In U E Grid ,the average speed is 55-60 km/h, higher than 35 km/h subway.
Commuting time reduction.
--- For people lives in suburban area, it is about 50 %.
--- For people lives along U E Grid, it is about 60-75 %.
--- Even for people lives near to subway, it also could be 15- 20 % because of the relief of bus
congestion at the station, and the trip will be more comfortable with less crowd.
--- People can estimate their commuting time by counting the bus trip distance, then roughly
taking 1 station trip in UE as 3 minutes, they can get the whole trip time and compare it with
previous trip time.
Estimated average commuting time reduction is about 40%.

96. Better service
for both urban and regional passengers.
Regional passengers can also get huge benefit from U E Grid.
• More access to Rapid Rail Transit and lower commuting time.
• Flexible route option, can travel to everywhere in the City.
• U E Grid is a integrated Rapid Transit system for both regional trip and urban
trip, which will advocate integrated transit fare system in GTA. People can
travel in different transit systems with one fare and save a lot of commuting
expense.
--- For example, we might develop 3 type month passes:
G Pass ( Go Train Pass) :can cover local municipal bus, Go Train, U E Grid and
TTC.
U Pass ( U Express Pass): can cover U E Grid , TTC and local municipal bus
south than the 16 Ave.
T Pass :TTC subway and bus.

97. Profound saving in public transit investment.
• With 10 billion U E Grid, we can reduce 40 % people
commuting time, which has profoundly higher cost efficiency
than previous 50 billion plan to reduce 7 minutes commuting
time.
• No need of 8.2 billion Eglinton Cross Town Line and 4 billion
Sheppard Subway extension. U E Grid can be built mostly with
existing public transit fund.
• Integrate Urban Transit and Regional Transit into one system,
using one fund to finish two things.
• The strategy can be use for future GTA transit development to
lower future investment.

98. Profound saving in congestion loss
• In Toronto, the annual congestion loss is 3.3
billion.
• GTA congestion annual loss is 5 billion.
• U E Grid can relieve all transit congestion, and
attract large mount of commuters from driving.
The traffic congestion will be profoundly reduced.
• It is estimated to save 2 billion congestion loss
annually in GTA after the new system coming to
use.

99. .
• Fast and convenient Urban Rapid Transit will
attract more investors to create more employment
in GTA.
• Develop several rapid transit hubs other than
Union Station, which will stimulate district
economy and develop urban economy in a more
balance way.
• Increase urban property value.
• Trigger more Transit –Oriented Development
(TOD).
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100. Contributions to Urban Environment
• Profoundly increase public transit ridership,
removing million car trips in GTA.
• No emission from Urban Rapid Rail Transit,
which substitute hundreds buses on the road.
• Improve public health.
• Beneficial to our green city, green energy and
green economy.
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101. Part 4.
Future possible development
• The Urban Express strategy can be used in future transit
plan in GTA, with flexible route option and lower cost.
• Future GTA rapid transit system can be a far reach radial
system from U E Grid.
• U2 East Express and U2 West Express can reach to 16 th
Ave in future.
• There could be 3 local express in each east or west side of
Toronto to cover the whole city with Rapid Rail Transit,
connecting with municipalities in GTA more closely.

102. Possible local express
at the west side of Toronto
• Covert Airport Link to be a local express
to increase the Rapid Transit coverage
in Etobicoke, add 3 stations at Kipling,
Hwy 27 and Goreway Rd.
• Similarly, we can develop a local
express in Milton Go corridor to
Mississauga.
• The third local express can be planed in
Lakeshore East Go corridor to Oakville.
With these 3 local express, all
Etobicoke area can be covered by
Rapid Rail Transit.
• Another regional express can be
developed in CN corridor to Brampton
from Martin Grove Station.

103. Possible local express
at the east side of Toronto
• A local express can be developed in
Lakeshore east Go corridor from
Scarborough station to
Morningside.
• The second east express can be
developed in Hydro corridor , from
Lawrence East station to Pickering.
• The third local express can planed
in CP corridor, from Agincourt
station to Morningside Heights.
With these 3 local express, all
Scarborough can be covered by
Rapid Rail Transit.

104. Conclusion
• We can built a innovative Urban Rail Express Grid with
existing public transit fund in Toronto, if we stop unnecessary
Eglinton Light Rail and Sheppard Subway extension.
• The system will cover whole city and south part of York
Region, relieve all transit congestion and cut off 40 %
commuting time.
• Save 2 billion congestion loss annually, and save 20 billion
future transit investment.
• Toronto can be one of best transit city in North America
• Profound contribution to Toronto economic and
environment.

105. Finally, generally talking about the U Express Plan
• It is a “ subway “ on the ground !
But it is faster than subway !!
• It is a Express “ Transit City “ !
its Express rail cover the whole City !!
• It is affordable plan !
It can be done mostly with existing public transit fund !!
• It is a Green Transit !
It is a Electrified Rail Express !!
• Most of all ,It is a public transit for all the GTA people !
U Express is your express !!
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106. Please support the U Express Grid plan.
Thank you very much !!
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