Editing Barrie line (section)

==History==
In 1852, construction began on the [[Northern Railway of Canada|Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Railway]], which would run from Toronto to [[Collingwood, Ontario|Collingwood]].{{sfn|Milland|2009}} The line opened on May 16, 1853, when passenger train service began operating between Toronto and [[Aurora, Ontario|Aurora]] (then Machell's Corners).{{sfn|Town of Aurora}} On October 11, 1853, service was extended to Allandale, then opposite Barrie on the south shore of [[Kempenfelt Bay]].{{sfn|Smith}}

In 1888, the [[Grand Trunk Railway]] took over operation of the line.{{sfn|Town of Aurora}} In 1923, the bankrupt Grand Trunk Railway was merged into the [[Canadian National Railway]] (CNR) network.

===Commuter service planning===
In 1968, [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|MPP]] [[William Hodgson (Canadian politician)|William Hodgson]] introduced a [[private member's bill]] to [[Motion (parliamentary procedure)|move]] that the [[government of Ontario]] establish GO Transit services north of [[Metro Toronto]].{{sfn|The Era|1968|p=1}} That year, a community group known as the GO North Committee distributed "GO North" stickers for motorists to adhere to their automobile's [[windshield]] to advocate for GO Transit commuter rail service north of Toronto.{{sfn|Lade|1968|p=1}}

Planning for commuter services resulted in the establishment of the [[Newmarket Bus Terminal]] by 1970, from which commuters would be taken to the [[Richmond Hill GO Station]] to commute to Toronto.{{sfn|The Era|1969|p=1}}

John Crawford Medcof, operating a company named Railroad Boosters<!-- dba name, officially named Asphodel Enterprises Ltd. -->, rented a train for one-day service between Barrie and Toronto on 16 October 1969,{{sfn|Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees|1973}}{{sfn|The Era|June 1970|p=29}} earning a profit.{{sfn|Ottawa Citizen|1971|p=21}} He gave the proceeds to the [[government of Ontario]] to support a north GO train service promised by [[John Robarts]] in late 1969, but asked for the government to return the money when the provincial government announced it would not establish a [[Richmond Hill line]] service in 1970.{{sfn|The Era|1970|p=2}}{{sfn|The Era|June 1970|p=29}} He applied for a grant of {{currency|97200|CAD}} from the [[Government of Canada|federal government]] to operate a commuter train for twelve weeks,<!-- source incorrectly states 3 months but correctly states costs per week of $8000 for the train and $100 for a supervisor: 8100x12 = 97200 --> with one train leaving Barrie in the morning for Toronto, and a return trip at night.{{sfn|Ottawa Citizen|1971|p=21}} The grant was approved per the government's local initiatives program in December 1971.{{sfn|Ottawa Citizen|1971|p=21}} The train was operated by Canadian National Railways, and charged the same fares as those for the GO Transit bus service.{{sfn|Ottawa Citizen|1971|p=21}} Another trial commuter service from Barrie to Toronto was operated in late 1972, carrying 13,483 passengers.{{sfn|The Era|1973|p=2a}}

In 1973, the [[Canadian Transport Commission]] held a [[Hearing (law)|public hearing]] at [[Georgian College]]{{sfn|The Era|1973|p=2a}} during which its three-member committee heard presentations from Medcof and councillors from all "municipalities between Toronto and Barrie".{{sfn|The Era|1973|p=5}} All presentations favoured the creation of commuter train service between the two cities, including that of [[York—Simcoe (federal electoral district)|York—Simcoe]] MP [[Sinclair Stevens]].{{sfn|The Era|1973|p=5}}

On April 1, 1972, CN introduced commuter service from Barrie to Toronto, as required by the [[Canadian Transport Commission]].  The service was transferred to [[Via Rail]] in 1978.{{sfn|Garcia|Bow}} As a result of federal government financial cutbacks to Via Rail, the service was transferred to the provincial government and integrated into the GO Transit network on September 7, 1982, but service only extended to Bradford.{{sfn|Garcia|Bow}} On September 17, 1990, the line was extended to Barrie, but was again cut back to Bradford on July 5, 1993.

===Pre-2012 peak service expansion===
On September 8, 1998, GO Transit added a second daily round trip to the line.{{sfn|Garcia|Bow}} In the early 2000s, GO Transit opened three new stations on the line: Rutherford on January 7, 2001;{{sfn|Garcia|Bow}} [[York University]] on September 6, 2002;{{sfn|Ministry of Transportation|2002}} and East Gwillimbury on November 1, 2004.{{sfn|Canada Newswire|2004}} By the end of 2005, the number of daily trains on the line had doubled again to four in each direction.{{sfn|GO Transit|2005}}

In 2006, GO Transit built a bridge at the Snider diamond,{{sfn|GO Transit|2006}} which is the junction between the Barrie Line and [[Canadian National Railway|Canadian National]]'s primary east–west freight line, the [[CN York Subdivision|York Subdivision]]. Since CN controlled both corridors, the passage of passenger trains over the diamond was often delayed by freight trains passing through the intersection. Constructing the bridge and associated trackage resulted in a [[grade separation]] of the two lines, eliminating such delays. Construction of the bridge began in February 2006, and the bridge was opened in December 2006. The entire project was completed in June 2007.{{sfn|GO Transit|2007}}

On December 17, 2007, the Bradford Line was extended to the new Barrie South GO Station and was renamed the "Barrie Line".{{sfn|GO Transit: New stations}}  Construction had begun on February 2, 2007, to construct the new Barrie South station, a new layover facility and new tracks, signals and crossings along the existing {{convert|20|km|mi|0}} railway corridor. The project cost $25 million, funded by two thirds by the federal and provincial governments, and one third by the City of Barrie.{{sfn|City of Barrie|2007}}

On December 15, 2009, Metrolinx purchased the portion of the [[CN Newmarket Subdivision|Newmarket Subdivision]] within the City of Toronto from CN for $68 million. The Barrie line trackage, from Union Station to Barrie, is now fully owned by Metrolinx. As part of the agreement, the Canadian National Railway continues to serve five freight customers located on the Newmarket subdivision between Highway 401 and the CN York Subdivision.

On January 30, 2012, the Barrie line was extended north to the newly constructed [[Allandale Waterfront GO Station]].{{sfn|Mackenzie|2012}}

===Off-peak service and further expansion===
In the summer of 2012, a pilot train service was introduced on weekends and holidays between June and September.{{sfn|GO Transit: Seasonal service|2012}} Two trains in each direction completed the entire route, while an additional four trains ran between Union Station and [[East Gwillimbury GO station]].{{sfn|GO Transit|2012}} The summer service cost {{currency|520,000|CAD}} to operate, including train crews, safety and enforcement, station staffing and fuel.{{sfn|Bruton|2013}} Bidirectional weekend service was offered again in summer 2013, with four trains in each direction covering the entire route from Toronto to Barrie, making all stops and having a bus connection at [[Rutherford GO Station]] for non-stop service to [[Canada's Wonderland]].{{sfn|Bruton|2013}}{{sfn|GO Transit: Barrie Seasonal Service|2013}} It cost {{currency|400,000|CAD}} to operate.{{sfn|Bruton|2013}} For the summers of 2014, 2015 and 2016, the same train service was provided, but without non-stop buses to Canada's Wonderland, requiring those passengers to transfer instead to [[York Region Transit]] local bus service at [[Maple GO Station]].{{sfn|GO Transit|2014}}

On December 31, 2016, year-round weekend train service was introduced with service every 75 minutes in both directions between Toronto and Aurora, including three daily trains per direction covering the full route between Toronto and Barrie.{{sfn|Government of Ontario|2016}}

On December 30, 2017, the {{stl|TTC|Downsview Park}} GO Station (an intermodal station intersecting with the [[Toronto Transit Commission]]'s (TTC) new [[Line 1 Yonge-University]] [[Line 1 Yonge-University#Toronto–York Spadina Subway Extension|subway extension]]) opened, and service to York University station was correspondingly reduced to peak hours only.{{sfn|Toronto Transit Commission|2010}}{{sfn|Metrolinx|2010}} At the same time, the Barrie line's weekend train service was improved to every 60 minutes between Union and Aurora, and new hourly weekday off-peak service was introduced between Union and Aurora, as well as additional peak period trains between Union Station to Bradford GO Station.{{sfn|CTV News|2017}} Although the station was intended to entirely replace [[York University GO Station]], limited peak-period service was maintained to York University station following the opening of Downsview Park station.

Due to the temporary closure of the York University campus during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto]], all service to [[York University GO Station]] was suspended on March 18, 2020.<ref name="YorkU-shuttle">{{cite web |url=https://www.yorku.ca/transportation/go-train-shuttle-service/ |title=GO Train Shuttle Service |publisher=York University |access-date=July 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719204317/https://www.yorku.ca/transportation/go-train-shuttle-service/ |archive-date=July 19, 2021 }}</ref> On July 19, 2021, Metrolinx announced that the station was permanently closed.<ref name="Metrolinx-2021-07-19">{{cite web |url=https://blog.metrolinx.com/2021/07/19/york-university-go-station-closes-to-make-way-for-barrie-line-expansion/ |title=York University GO Station closes to make way for Barrie Line expansion |publisher=[[Metrolinx]] |date=July 19, 2021 |access-date=July 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719195054/https://blog.metrolinx.com/2021/07/19/york-university-go-station-closes-to-make-way-for-barrie-line-expansion/ | archive-date=July 19, 2021 }}</ref>

====Davenport Diamond grade separation====
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| caption   = Location of Davenport Diamond in Toronto
| mark-lat  = 43.66720
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| label     = Davenport Diamond
| label-pos = top
| mark-title = Davenport Diamond
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The Davenport Diamond was an at-grade rail-to-rail crossing of the GO Barrie line and east–west [[Canadian Pacific Railway|CP Rail]] North Toronto subdivision tracks near Davenport Road in Toronto. It was one of the busiest train intersections in North America.<ref name="metrolinx.com">{{Cite web|title=Metrolinx: For a Greater Region - Davenport Diamond: Guideway & Greenway|url=http://www.metrolinx.com/en/greaterregion/projects/davenport-diamond.aspx|access-date=2020-06-29|df=mdy-all|website=www.metrolinx.com|archive-date=June 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200624122833/http://www.metrolinx.com/en/greaterregion/projects/davenport-diamond.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> In order to increase service frequency on the Barrie line, GO Transit identified the need to remove the diamond and build a grade separated crossing. In 2015 Metrolinx initiated a Transit Project Assessment Process (an environmental assessment process specific to transit projects) based on the preferred option of constructing an overpass to carry the GO line over the east-west CP Rail line.<ref name="metrolinx.com"/>

The grade separated crossing (which Metrolinx calls the Davenport Diamond Guideway<ref name="Metrolinx-2022/03/22">{{cite web |url=https://blog.metrolinx.com/2022/03/22/upcoming-bloor-bridge-reconstruction-means-full-road-and-sidewalk-closures/ |title=Upcoming Bloor bridge reconstruction means full road and sidewalk closures |publisher=[[Metrolinx]] |date=March 22, 2022 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325165246/https://blog.metrolinx.com/2022/03/22/upcoming-bloor-bridge-reconstruction-means-full-road-and-sidewalk-closures/ | archivedate=March 25, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref>) is on a {{convert|1.4|km|1|adj=on|abbr=}} long, {{convert|8.5|m|adj=on}} high rail bridge. It lies between Bloor Street West and St. Clair Avenue West parallel to Lansdowne Avenue. The bridge will allow GO Transit to run all-day, two-way service on the Barrie line without freight traffic disruptions. The 2015 estimated cost of the project was $120 million.<ref name=TheStar-2015-08-07>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/transportation/2015/08/07/go-gives-city-more-time-to-consider-giant-rail-bridge.html |title=GO gives city more time to consider giant rail bridge |newspaper=[[Toronto Star]] |author=Tess Kalinowski, Transportation reporter |date=August 7, 2015 |access-date=2016-03-31 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name=TheStar-2015-11-17>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/transportation/2015/11/17/metrolinx-to-move-ahead-with-giant-davenport-rail-bridge.html |title=Metrolinx to move ahead with giant Davenport rail bridge |newspaper=[[Toronto Star]] |author=Tess Kalinowski, Transportation reporter |date=November 17, 2015 |access-date=2016-03-31|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

The project began construction in 2017.<ref name="metrolinx.com"/> The Davenport Diamond Guideway went into service on Monday April 3, 2023, and the grade-level Davenport Diamond went out of service on the prior weekend. The ground-level track approaching the diamond will be removed.<ref name="Metrolinx-2023-04-04">{{cite web |url=https://www.metrolinx.com/en/news/go-trains-now-traveling-across-davenport-diamond-guideway |title=GO Trains now traveling across Davenport Diamond Guideway |publisher=[[Metrolinx]] |date=April 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405034202/https://www.metrolinx.com/en/news/go-trains-now-traveling-across-davenport-diamond-guideway | archive-date=April 5, 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{needs update|date=April 2024}}

At the same time of building the guideway, further community improvements were added in the immediate vicinity, including noise wall and bearing pads, a rail overpass above Wallace Avenue and a pedestrian underpass at Paton Road, as well as a replacement of the Bloor Street West bridge.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Davenport Diamond: Guideway|url=http://www.metrolinx.com/en/greaterregion/projects/docs/davenport/Project-Backgrounder-Davenport-Diamond_V7.pdf|access-date=June 29, 2020|archive-date=June 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630230937/http://www.metrolinx.com/en/greaterregion/projects/docs/davenport/Project-Backgrounder-Davenport-Diamond_V7.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=April 2024|reason=Published well before project completion. A newer source is needed.}}

Other grade separations are planned. One was completed at Rutherford Road immediately north of [[Rutherford GO Station]],{{sfn|GO Transit|2020}} and another is planned at McNaughton Road north of [[Maple GO Station]].{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}