GO Transit review ft DownieLive and RM Transit

Hi everybody !
Welcome to this new trip report, where I will look at GO Transit, Canada's biggest commuter rail operator and the father of any modern commuter operations in North America...
Massive thanks to @DownieLive and @RMTransit for participating in this video. If you are not a subscriber to these two wonderful channels, I invite you to do so ✌🏻
Enjoy :)
- TRIP INFORMATION -
RECORDED IN DECEMBER 2022
Railroad company: GO Transit
Train type: MP40PH-3C
From: Toronto Union Station to Miliken GO
Time: 32 min
Price: 9 CAD - 6.2€ - $6,50
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00:00 : Intro
01:38 : GO Transit in Union Station
02:52 : GO Transit by RM Transit
04:58 : An army of BiLevels
05:52 : Mid roll ads
06:21 : An efficient way of moving people
06:58 : Engine & CN Tower
07:47 : Boarding
08:13 : Seat Check
08:53 : Older BiLevel
09:19 : Departure from Toronto
09:48 : A new Toronto
10:30 : Ridership
10:58 : Brighter future
11:18 : Toilets Time
12:05 : Approaching Miliken
12:18 : Thoughts on Toronto and GO
13:16 : Outro

[@RMTransit]

I love your videos, but something about this one - its even better than usual!

[@RobertDoornbosF1]

That voiceover guy should definitely start his own channel where he discusses transit🙃

[@robinpayne125]

One of the best collabs ever. @simply_railway is measuring seat pitch and checking the water tap in the bathroom while @RM_Transit is telling us exactly why this train, its route and the station design along its journey is or is not exactly right to serve the population. Meanwhile @Downie_Live is telling the world why travelling on this train is a fantastic experience.

[@calt03]

Merci

[@Daniel-hj8el]

Legit FACTS!

[@Daniel-hj8el]

FR that's having a meeting with three different types of Railfans or Urbanist and meet, and CRAMP in all in one video. 🗿

[@ArathornPL.]

WOW this is the collab we all wanted but haven't realised it. There should be more of that.

[@1browngirl29]

For ten years I took the GO train from my city into downtown Toronto I loved every single part of the commute cause it took only 45 mins to get home and if I was driving it would be almost double the time. Washrooms are ALWAYS clean. Here’s a fun fact: nearly all GO regular commuters sit in the same seat every day 😊

[@JonBarraquio]

I've been waiting for this to be posted!! As a GO patron, I'm glad it got the Simply Railway seal of approval 😊

[@collectivelyimprovingtrans2460]

Gotta love collaboration

[@bartvos89]

Very nice 👍

[@davidroddini1512]

I can’t believe my eyes/ears a colab between 3 of my favorite KZbin channels! If I am dreaming, DON’T wake me up!😮

[@Tbpker22]

Very satisfying to learn that there is an effective North American commuter system!

[@bahnspotterEU]

Tbh the LIRR and Metro-North are also quite good, and are already largely electrified.

[@sjokomelk]

4:56 - The old car with the riveted sides has a new, moderns Flexx bogie from Bombardier. You see it on the cool, exposed brake discs and pads. 😁

[@ce1834]

the sheer size of North American trains is pretty cool, compared to the sometimes cramped feel in European bilevels

[@SuperMarioAmtrakSwiftie2K5]

That was a great video! I hope you three had fun! It's nice to see KZbinrs do a collab together!

[@michaelmoore2202]

Watching your channel has inspired me to use the train this coming December. My wife and I are cruising from and back to NYC. We are going to go to and from NYC via Amtrack in Syracuse, NY. The station, cruise dock and our hotel are all close and convenient. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@Grahzzyvtvlog]

1% mike 15% rm 75 % simple great collab

[@Neillan]

Transit collab of the year! Amazing video from you guys.

[@Mgameing123]

Yes it even beats the RMtransit + Geoff collab.

[@pauly5418]

@@Mgameing123 That was last year's collab.

[@Mgameing123]

@@pauly5418 Yes but still its a big collab.

[@AntonWongVideo]

YAY! A collab of 3 KZbinrs I love, in my city! I actually enjoy taking the GO Train! It's incredibly smooth and some of the lines run through beautiful spots in the city! I took the Richmond Hill Line a lot which runs through the Don valley and the Don river: a real TREAT in autumn when the leaves change color! I just wish that line ran on weekends and more than 3 trains down / 4 trains up on business days!

[@pauly5418]

Metrolinx only owns part of the track route, so that's why there aren't more trains. Metrolinx owns the southern portion from Union Station and CN owns the northern end of the route.

[@AntonWongVideo]

Yeah, I know but the fact that there isn't any weekend GO bus service, either...like, C'mon!

[@joemeyers3127]

So much fun to see two of my favorite KZbinrs join forces! 👏👏👏

[@AndrewG1989]

Didn't know that you collaborated with RM Transit and DownieLive. Awesome. 👍😄

[@zhalt123]

Great collaboration! Been watching DownieLive and you for quite some time, and it looks like I'll have a look at RM Transit's videos as well. Thanks for the film!

[@timnewman1172]

Great collab video, especially loved the "Hawaiian salute" of the hand dryer, LOL!!! Thanks Thibault!

[@Delta-pantages]

The bright green laivery is superb!

[@emjeebutterz4405]

Awesome collab! It's been a while (>10 years) since I last visited Toronto, despite living only 5 hours away in Detroit. I hope I get a chance to do so soon, especially to experience GO Transit, as well as the other kinds of trains in the region! Also, Toronto is a great model for transit in North America, I really wish we had more systems in US cities like Toronto's.

[@EmpireStateExpress01]

Go Transit is nice and the trains run on time! Its nice to run into a fellow Detroiter.

[@emjeebutterz4405]

​@@EmpireStateExpress01 That's always nice to hear, especially for a North American system, lol. But then again, living in the Detroit area, I have little to no experience on any transit, let alone trains, so I always appreciate any chance I get to take the train!

[@StLouis-yu9iz]

@@emjeebutterz4405 Ya'll got the people mover and q-line there though right?

[@emjeebutterz4405]

@St. Louis Yeah, but the people mover is practically useless and the Q-Line is just one tram line. Other than that, we do have a fairly large bus network, but no commuter rail system.

[@ccudmore]

You can get half way to Detroit on GO trains. They now reach as far west as London,, which is the half way point between Detroit and Toronto.

[@trainspotting_and_tech2023]

5:40 RIP aerodynamics! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@marisssaaaa20]

Wow wow wow!! No way my fav transit enthusiast youtubers did a collab!! I couldn't stop smiling throughout this whole video! I love downielive AND simply railway!!😊😊😊😊😊

[@SimplyRailway]

Thanks Marisa :)

[@JohnCanadian]

I used to take this train line (Stouffville) every weekday for school for 4 years! Cool to see all you guys riding it up to Markham (my hometown)!

[@goosevillage]

CANADA......you build AMAZING transit systems.

[@TheArmouredArmadillo]

A) Love the video and collb, keep up the great content. B) North America needs more regional stuff like Go, especially more where standard all day running on electrified lines is a thing.

[@97nelsn]

Lots of places in North America need regional train service and ones that have it need better frequency (from those that run only on rush hours in peak direction to those that have decent service and could use more trains).

[@scottgreenway9963]

I have subscribed to both yours and Michael's channels for a while. I like them both but for very different reasons. I like your channel because I like to seeing how other rail operators compare against the pathetic rail services here in the U.S. I like Downie's channel because of some of the epic journeys he brings. His energy and enthusiasm seem boundless. And now that you introduced me to RM's channel, I'll be clicking on him as well. Perhaps you should consider voice narration to your content. I'm sure we will be able interpret your accent just fine. This one was fun to watch. Thanks.

[@CharlieND]

Didn't expect to see a GO Transit video on this channel. I've always liked the system and it's nice to see you check it out.

[@davidaarthur]

GO Transit has come a long way! If you'd visited at the turn of the century, you would have found much lower frequencies, and a Union Station in need of modernisation. Electrification will make things better still, though it won't fix the problem that most of the stations are in car parks rather than town centres.

[@serbansaredwood]

A lot of the stations are planning to have their surrounding lands developed into TOD. My station; Oakville GO will have its entire parking lot/industrial surroundings developed into a neighbourhood called Midtown Oakville along with a BRT Line.

[@puffypegion7815]

Although Toronto Transit is not perfect, and still lags behind European standards. I’m glad GO transit is getting the love it deserves!

[@Unmannedperson]

11:51: Looks like GO Transit is also great for bird watching!

[@marcleslac2413]

Infinity war is the most abition crossover yet. Simply railways: "hold my railroad spikes"

[@Infrared73]

Go Transit makes getting around in Toronto much more bareable vs the commute. I don't anymore, but used to have to get a few times a year to downtown Toronto from London. I'd park in Aldershot and take the GO train. Nothing quite as satisfying as watching the cars all slowly moving along the Gardiner heading into Toronto. I also avoided the bulk of rush hour on my way home as well. It is definitely a great service for Toronto.

[@valeriebassett3107]

Fantastic video, Great job guys. Of course you know, Canada is soooo beautiful, in every part of the country!!! Thanks for sharing this with us!

[@williamneal9076]

The best of all...and absolutely LOVE the understated reaction shots of the OLD front ends.

[@matthewbugeya1401]

Thank you for using the Rouge Hill Bridge for the thumbnail! I live somewhat near it and it's always been iconic to me.

[@rezaalan3991]

Great trip. Previously, I think GO isn't have full name, just GO, and then before I watched it, I think GO stands for Greater Ontario, and then after I watched it, the G stands for Government. The green colour is iconic, even though in other side across the Atlantic, there's green train too.

[@andycrawford9870]

GO as I understand it, means Government of Ontario.

[@josephr9551]

I went to Toronto often as an undergrad at Rochester Institute of Technology. Great city!

[@MrStark-up6fi]

The video of all time 3 of my favorite KZbinrs in one video

[@Alex_Bert_]

The perfect collaboration doesn’t ex-

[@txrazorback6357]

Nice collaboration guys. At the end I was surprised that the Cab car actually looks more like an engine than a typical car.

[@chrisrudy1]

So fun seeing you guys together!

[@PaulCashman]

You + DownieLive = amazing stuff. Great seeing two outstanding content creators working together!

[@scottyerkes1867]

Great collaboration!! Great ride on GO Transit. Thanks Thibault. 💋😀💚

[@bos2pdx2yvr]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that you two have done a collaboration video! Simply Railway and DownieLive are two of my favourite video presenters. Thanks for an awesome video, and welcome to / bienvenue au Canada! 😍😍

[@sirrliv]

"Transportainment" is now my favorite word of the day.

[@daytripper5441]

Love seeing NorthAm railnerds together!

[@TheBurlingtonTransitFan]

As a GO Transit Rider, I'm so happy to see this!

[@peterhonig4954]

Nice video and what a good cooperation between the three of you, great!!!!!

[@vanlevy2008]

Great to see everybody

[@TotalHomeJim3000]

Another excellent video!

[@shaunflanagan8735]

The Collab we all wanted and needed!🙌🙌

[@YoungfatherSPb]

An interesting moment: at 10:44 we see the TTC subway's yard and the T1 series car on the sidings. Guys, it's a great trio. Thanks for the review. 🇨🇦

[@MassbyTrain]

Been waiting ever since the downie live shorts

[@Trainviking]

How three favorite youtube channels come together.

[@railsofontario3029]

As someone who always Railfans GO Transit it makes me happy that you reviewed it and that you didn’t hate it:) and the collab just blew me out of the water! Great video! And the new cabcar design isn’t better then the original lol. Your train could’ve been led by a GO F59PH as well which are much cooler than the MP40’s

[@injustifiiable]

The collab we didn't know we needed!

[@24gamingtriviaandmore10]

Oh yes, the video we needed.!!!!!

[@Emierbeach]

What a combo!

[@charlesbaran1106]

Wow, riding with two Canadian All-stars! I think I heard Geoff Marshall's name mentioned as well. Nice video.

[@JoshGoesSlow]

Love the trainsportainment line, after he called you a trainfluencer 🤣

[@georgeuribe3305]

I subscribe to all 3 of you guys, Always great work

[@el_bibou]

Best colab EVER!

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

You met up with Reese from RM Transit! YAAYYY!!!! Givin you the lowdown on transit in TO!

[@dannydanny9875]

I came from Downie Live / Michael's Channel 🙂

[@imdadshah7481]

Beautiful rail journey 🌹💯👍

[@Brick-Life]

awesome DownieLive and RM Transit!

[@juliendefreyne]

woaw beau train il est magnifique l'intérieur j'adore 💕 💕 merci simpli rail railways

[@barendnu]

4:52 am I understanding correctly that you can now simply use conctactless payments, just like in The Netherlands? That’s nice and would make travelling even easier. Thanks for the video!

[@StLouis-yu9iz]

Great video! :]

[@StLouis-yu9iz]

Also, I am sorry that you settled in Kansas City (one of the more car-dependent cities in the U.S. rn). I hope you have had time to make it to the eastern side of the state to check out the great urbanism that the Lou offers!

[@simonsv9449]

You, RMTransit and DownieLive should do even more collabs!

[@Neville60001]

Wow, you're finally here in Toronto, Ontario taking GO Transit! This is amazing of you, Simply Railway, and it's about time. But I'd hoped that you'd be taking a trip to Niagara Falls, though.

[@mohammadchowdhury6729]

Happy seeing☺☺☺💙☺☺☺

[@kevinellis8869]

A good collaboration with fellow KZbinrs

[@Salac0]

That's awesome. Rail nerds unite!

[@caa1000]

Hey! I saw you collaborated with DownieLive and was pretty surprised since actually you recommended his channel a while back. Very good review!

[@SimplyRailway]

Thank you :-)

[@YTnightspotter]

This is an awesome clip keep up the work and I’m also a railfanner Railfanning the stouffville line

[@Brauiz90]

I love videos like this one - everyone can share their knowledge on each other's channel... These Bombardier cars look way different from the ones we have in Europe. They're also Bombardier (built in Bautzen, Germany) but a big difference in size and design.

[@AG7-MTM]

You should do collabs like this again, this was a really fun video

[@trainglen22]

I like this collaboration.

[@IGuessIDoThings]

5:31 yes finally someone else agrees with me on this!

[@yureeios]

OMG THE COLLAB WE DIDNT KNOW WE NEEDED!!

[@Hemant.s]

Three of my worlds just collided. I need to sit down

[@lhsboyproductions3446]

I've been wondering when this will be uploaded haha 😄

[@Abnerbandanovotempoinscrito1mi]

Boa tarde simply lindo trem boa viagem

[@Jacobgaming1847]

I find the part where you put pictures of the flat cab car very funny.

[@dennisud]

My favorite 2 International Railroad Tubers! 👍🏽 As a Floridian I HIGHLY recommend BOTH of you to ride The inaugural Brightlibne train from Miami To Orlando this year. Come on guys go see em! 😉

[@andreastrembaczowski588]

I love that 'Office'-medley for the other fronts ;) I could do the same for some DB-cars here... 😅

[@SimplyRailway]

Ahah true... ;-)

[@13squier]

Supergroup vid!

[@TheWolverine-ff2rs]

I like Mike's videos too. Never seen RM Transit. I'll have to check it out.

[@SimplyRailway]

You should check his videos!

[@TMBpk]

I notice the dryer only works when you lock the door. It turns on the ventilation fan as well.

[@b.w.9244]

Then what do you do at the Milliken stop?

[@marklee1194]

If you want to see more transit videos in Toronto and occasionally, Vancouver and Montreal, check out Transmania Ontario.

[@collectivelyimprovingtrans2460]

GO Transit is a bit of a failure with people not using it for all sorts of trips and very few places to walk to in suburban places. Not Just Bikes made a whole video on this

[@RMTransit]

It’s going to get a lot better! And I wouldn’t say it’s quite that bad today. There are a lot of stations in old town that are quite walkable. Like Hamilton, Kitchener , Port Credit, Markham etc. And the trains are great for getting to places like Niagara!

[@collectivelyimprovingtrans2460]

@@RMTransit I hope so

[@1browngirl29]

People used it heavily prepandemic Trust me, we take the GO to the Ex, Baseball games and business people take in lieu of head ache commute during weekdays

[@n.b.3521]

Some stops are destinations, but they definitely could improve it going forward. I've used the GO to get to Niagara, Guelph & Unionville for example, and plan to use it to get to Hamilton this spring.

[@Benjamin0c]

Top

[@ocean3237]

I love Toronto

[@jfmezei]

GO Transit did not start Lakeshore services, they had been operated by CN for ages. (CP also has commuter serviecs in RDCs to Peterborough and Niagara Falls (ex TH&B services). But CN wanted oyt and refused to invest as ridership was going down. The experiment was a about a government taking over and see if ridership could be built back up with modernised equipment. Toronto Stouffille and Toronto Barrie remained with CN until transfered to VIA's in 1978 and killed during the multiple rounds of VIA cuts in 1980s. Go Transit later started those services as "new". (different station at Barrie built). The Bi-Levels were created by Hawker Siddeley in 1970s which was purchased by UTDC (govt owned) then sold to Lavalin, then sold back to Government then Sold to Bombardier in 1992 and then sold to Alstom recently. (The thunder bay plant is from Canadian Car and Foundry which went to UTDC and production of bi-levels moved there). So if you are to use an old name, use Hawker Siddeley to refer to the creator of the bi levels. The new cab is due to some dude train driver who texted to his girlfriend in Los Angeles , didn't see the red signal and had head on collision with a freight train. FRA required modifications for crash energy management to save the driver and front passengers. (but Metrolink then purchased new cars from Hyunday, but Bombardier still created the new cabs for Metrolinx and for other potential sales. The bi-Levels are grand-fathered light designs from before FRA required heavy steel trains in the 80s. Metrolink still has bi-levels but they no longer at end of train, those are all Hyunday cars made of heavy steel to meet FRA standards new new models to USA). Metrolink didn't modify its bi-level cab cars. Also: the "Bombardier" brand was not part of sale to Alstom so cannot be used by Alstom anymore. The highly endebted Bombardier which only ahas 2 business jets left as assets has retained all rights to the brand.

[@ryledesirabelli4151]

Dude I wanna see you try the breinz steam train in Switzerland next

[@rlwelch]

Love the video, but why on earth did you go to Milliken

[@jstephens2758]

Took this trip a few years ago to the Pacific Mall. Unfortunately, the mall did not open until 11 AM and the last train back was just after 3 PM. It is a bit of a walk and so not much time.

[@DFWRailVideos]

the old cab car slander 😭 Me personally, the CEM (the new crash-resistant cars) look fine. Better than Hyundai/Rotem cab cars, but they don't beat the classic flat nose of the old cars, even though they are more aerodynamic. There's just something about the old cab cars that's nostalgic. My only complaint with the CEMs is the horn. Alstom only lets railroads use one type of horn, the K5CA. The K5CA sounds terrible, and they won't let you change it, not even in-house. Great video Thibault! Love your new intro. Hope you come down to Dallas again for the debut of the Silver Line commuter train!