Weston GO Station

Weston GO Station is a train station in Toronto, Ontario, serving the GO Transit Kitchener line and the Union Pearson Express.[1] It is located on the south side of Lawrence Avenue West, just east of Weston Road,[1] in the neighbourhood of Weston.

Weston
UP Express and GO Train platforms
General information
Location1865 Weston Road[1]
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Coordinates43°42′02″N 79°30′50″W
Owned byMetrolinx
Platforms1 side and 1 island platform
Tracks3
Connections TTC buses
Construction
Parking144
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeGO Transit: WE
Fare zone04
History
Opened1974
Rebuilt2015
Passengers
20181200 (daily avg.) Increase 23.2% (GO Transit)
Services
Preceding station GO Transit Following station
Etobicoke North
towards Kitchener
 Kitchener Bloor
towards Union Station
Preceding station Metrolinx Following station
Pearson Airport
Terminus
 Union Pearson Express Bloor
toward Union Station
Former services at CN/CP stations
Preceding station Canadian National Railway Following station
Magor
toward Sarnia
 Sarnia – Toronto
via Lucan Crossing		 West Toronto
toward Toronto
Preceding station Canadian Pacific Railway Following station
Emery
toward Sudbury
 Sudbury – Toronto West Toronto
toward Toronto

Overview
Planned track and platform configuration: As of 2021, track and platform 1 are under construction.

Weston station consists of three tracks served by one side and one island platform, and a fourth track and side platform are under construction on the east side of station. Each platform has two sections: UP Express trains stop at high-level platforms at the north end of the station, while Kitchener Line trains stop at low-level platforms at the south end of the station. In addition to the Metrolinx-owned passenger rail tracks, the double-tracked Canadian Pacific MacTier Subdivision passes along the east side of the station.

The station is fully accessible, with pedestrian entrances from Weston Road and Lawrence Avenue and a pedestrian bridge across Lawrence Avenue. The station includes a kiss and ride passenger drop off area,[2] and has a parking capacity for 220 cars.[3]

Further station enhancements have been in process since 2019, and are expected to be completed in 2022. Once completed, the station will have an additional track and platform plus more customer parking.[4]

History

Early stations

The first stations at this location were the Weston Stations of the Canadian National Railway (CNR) and Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR).

GTR Weston / CNR Weston

The CNR station was built in 1856 by the Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) south of John Street[5][6] which was absorbed by the CNR in 1923.

CPR Weston

The Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway (TG&B) went into service in 1871 on narrow gauge rail, which was converted to standard gauge track by 1881, and became part of the CPR in 1883. The CPR station was located on northside of John Street west of Rosemount Avenue, and was constructed circa 1900 replacing an earlier TG&B structure. The station last saw passenger service in 1957, and was subsequently used as an order office until its demolition in 1973.[7]

Legacy

A Tim Hortons store on the south side of Lawrence Avenue West, east of the tracks, pays homage to the old stations with a replica "Weston" station sign on the roof.

First GO Station
First GO Station platform

The first Weston GO Station opened in 1974 and stretched north from Lawrence Avenue to John Street. It consisted of a single track and platform accessed via a staircase and entrance from a headhouse on Lawrence Avenue west of the railway overpass. The station was demolished in October 2013[8] following the opening of the temporary GO platform.

A temporary platform was opened on July 23, 2013 on the south side of Lawrence Avenue and in use into 2014 pending construction of the new station. Ticket sales were moved to a temporary trailer until the new station was open. This was part of the Georgetown South railway improvement project, which included eliminating all level crossings of the Kitchener Line in the City of Toronto. The original GO station on the north side of Lawrence Avenue was demolished in late 2013 in order to construct a ramp into the new tunnel under the Weston area and allow for the pedestrian bridge construction over Lawrence Avenue.

Current GO Station

As part of the Union Pearson Express project and Georgetown South expansion, construction on a new station commenced in August 2013.[9] Completed in 2015, new station features many improvements over the previous station, such as more parking, more platforms, more tracks, heated shelters, enclosed entrances and space for future retail.[3] The station building opened in June 2015 and parking facilities were completed by end of 2015. A new pedestrian bridge opened in late October 2016[10] providing a means to cross Lawrence Avenue without having to walk over to either Weston Road or Ralph Street.

The initial plan for the airport rail link service to Pearson International Airport, Blue22, did not include a stop at Weston station. However, in 2005, area residents campaigned for a stop on the service in 2005 as compensation for negative impacts of the railway expansion.[11] Following the takeover of the project by Metrolinx, Weston became a stop on the planned service.[12] As a result, Weston has been a stop on the Union Pearson Express since the service began operation in June 2015. UPX president Kathy Haley said that 10 per cent of UPX riders are expected to board at Weston GO Station.[3]

Connections

There are no bus stops beside the station, but a short distance west at the intersection of Lawrence Avenue West and Weston Road, connections can be made to Toronto Transit Commission bus routes 52 Lawrence West, 79 Scarlett Road, 89 Weston, 952 Lawrence West Express and 989 Weston Express.

References
  1. "Weston GO Station". Stations and stops. GO Transit. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  2. Daniel Garcia and Sean Marshall. "GO Transit's Kitchener Line". Transit Toronto. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  3. Tess Kalinowski (May 5, 2015). "Union Pearson Express riders at Bloor face two-year wait for tunnel to TTC". Toronto Star.
  4. "Weston GO Station improvements are well underway". Metrolinx. December 10, 2021. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021.
  5. "Historical Background and Heritage Conservation District Statement" (PDF). Weston Heritage Conservation District Plan. City of Toronto. Retrieved October 23, 2014. The coming of the Grand Trunk Railroad (now the CN) in 1856 and the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway (now the CP) provided a tremendous economic stimulus to the village of Weston
  6. Paul J. Mc Grath (August 2007). "The Lost Village of Weston". OntarioRoots.com. Retrieved April 23, 2015. In 1856 the Grand Trunk Railway ran their major north-west line just east of, and almost parallel to, Weston Road. Fortunately for the village, the railway included a stop at Weston, providing an economic boom to the town.
  7. "Weston Station (Canadian Pacific Railway)". Toronto Railway Historical Association. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  8. "Weston GO Station - Lawrence Avenue Excavation for Future Bridge Ramp Works. Metrolinx. 2 Oct 2013. Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/metrolinx/10139801903
  9. UP Express Update Report, September 3, 2013, Kathy Haley, Metrolinx. https://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pdf/board_agenda/20130910/20130910_BoardMtg_UP_Express_Report_EN.pdf
  10. Natalie Nanowski (October 27, 2016). "Weston GO station pedestrian bridge set to open Friday after long delay". CBC News. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  11. Bow, James. "The Union-Pearson Express". Transit Toronto. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  12. "Airport link plan tackles fears in Weston area, premier says" By Tess Kalinowski & Rob Benzie, Toronto Star. January 22, 2009
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