| | Page 1 | PAGE 2 ... At a projected cost of $30 million dollars, work began on several fronts. Union Station proper was receiving station platform upgrading and lengthening. Another area was the GO Bathurst Street storage yard. Here, seven tracks were constructed. This facility was opened 01 October 1980 to store GO trains not in service during off-peak commuter hours. At times, it also served as a run-around track for trains while work went on with the 'flyunder.'
Excavation of the two track tunnel 'flyunder' began in the summer of 1980 with scheduled completion for 1983. By December 1980, approximately 50 feet of the 400 foot tunnel was covered in concrete. The private contractor used a 'sliding-form' concrete roof not unlike the design used in the construction of the Toronto subway system. The actual tunnel structure was completed by December 1981. However, it would be another two years (1983) before the trains would be able to 'flyunder."
While construction continued on the 'flyunder,' plans had been completed for the highly sophisticated automatic signalling. The signalling and automatic switches once in place, would greatly improve train on time performance of the over 200 trains using the facility at this time.
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