More details on new Metrolinx plan

Love him or hate him -- and in Toronto's political transit world Steve Munro probably evokes both reactions -- he frequently has information and details that mainstream journalists don't.

The consummate transit groupie, who prefers the term fan, Munro's blog today contains a few details that weren't in Friday's reports about the province's revised plan to build the Metrolinx Big 5 transit projects.

He doesn't offer a source for the following information:

The construction start dates will be adjusted:

• Sheppard and VIVA are already underway and will continue.
• Eglinton will not start until 2012 rather than the originally planned 2010
• Finch West will not start until 2013 rather than 2010
• The SRT will continue operating until after the Pan Am Games in 2015 at which point it will close for reconstruction.  Second-hand Mark I ICTS cars will be purchased from Vancouver to supplement the existing fleet in the interim.

Also rumoured is a Metrolinx announcement regarding purchase of cars for these lines from Bombardier.