Narrative:

On taxi out for takeoff at yyz, runway 23, I taxied along taxiway H and then about 1/2 way along taxiway Q, at which point I stopped. About 30 seconds later, cyyz tower informed us that we had taxied past hold short markings on the pavement at the intersection of taxiway H and taxiway Q. At no time were we on the active runway 23 prior to being cleared for takeoff. I had not seen any hold short markings on the pavement at the intersection of txwys H and Q. I believe this was probably due to the ice and snow on the txwys obscuring taxiway lines and markings. I had noticed as I taxied up taxiway Q the absence of any signage or hold short (yellow) lights at the intersection of taxiway Q and runway 23. This is why I stopped 1/2 way along taxiway Q, well clear of runway 23, unsure where the hold short position was. I had noticed runway signage and a yellow flashing hold short light at the intersection of taxiway H and runway 23 off to my left as I taxied up taxiway Q. I did notice blue taxiway lights along the entire length of taxiway Q although the snow was so high that only the blue bulb was visible. I believe it would be safer if there were signage and/or yellow warning lights and/or pictorial hold short signage (yellow railroad style) at the intersection of taxiway H and taxiway Q just as taxiway Q begins. This would clearly show the hold short position and prevent the taxiway along taxiway Q until cleared for takeoff -- especially with ice and snow on the txwys. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the taxiway had patchy ice and snow covering. The captain said he was taxiing very slowly because of the runway condition. He could see a sign in the vicinity of taxiway H and taxiway 1 but at its angle it could not be read. The sign was not perpendicular to any possible hold short line. He recommends having raised markings at airports where markings may be obscured. Also the tower should tell the crew where to hold when markings may be obscured.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CREW HAD RWY INCURSION ON TXWY Q AND RWY 23 AT CYYZ.

Narrative: ON TAXI OUT FOR TKOF AT YYZ, RWY 23, I TAXIED ALONG TXWY H AND THEN ABOUT 1/2 WAY ALONG TXWY Q, AT WHICH POINT I STOPPED. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER, CYYZ TWR INFORMED US THAT WE HAD TAXIED PAST HOLD SHORT MARKINGS ON THE PAVEMENT AT THE INTXN OF TXWY H AND TXWY Q. AT NO TIME WERE WE ON THE ACTIVE RWY 23 PRIOR TO BEING CLRED FOR TKOF. I HAD NOT SEEN ANY HOLD SHORT MARKINGS ON THE PAVEMENT AT THE INTXN OF TXWYS H AND Q. I BELIEVE THIS WAS PROBABLY DUE TO THE ICE AND SNOW ON THE TXWYS OBSCURING TXWY LINES AND MARKINGS. I HAD NOTICED AS I TAXIED UP TXWY Q THE ABSENCE OF ANY SIGNAGE OR HOLD SHORT (YELLOW) LIGHTS AT THE INTXN OF TXWY Q AND RWY 23. THIS IS WHY I STOPPED 1/2 WAY ALONG TXWY Q, WELL CLR OF RWY 23, UNSURE WHERE THE HOLD SHORT POS WAS. I HAD NOTICED RWY SIGNAGE AND A YELLOW FLASHING HOLD SHORT LIGHT AT THE INTXN OF TXWY H AND RWY 23 OFF TO MY L AS I TAXIED UP TXWY Q. I DID NOTICE BLUE TXWY LIGHTS ALONG THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF TXWY Q ALTHOUGH THE SNOW WAS SO HIGH THAT ONLY THE BLUE BULB WAS VISIBLE. I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE SAFER IF THERE WERE SIGNAGE AND/OR YELLOW WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR PICTORIAL HOLD SHORT SIGNAGE (YELLOW RAILROAD STYLE) AT THE INTXN OF TXWY H AND TXWY Q JUST AS TXWY Q BEGINS. THIS WOULD CLRLY SHOW THE HOLD SHORT POS AND PREVENT THE TXWY ALONG TXWY Q UNTIL CLRED FOR TKOF -- ESPECIALLY WITH ICE AND SNOW ON THE TXWYS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE TXWY HAD PATCHY ICE AND SNOW COVERING. THE CAPT SAID HE WAS TAXIING VERY SLOWLY BECAUSE OF THE RWY CONDITION. HE COULD SEE A SIGN IN THE VICINITY OF TXWY H AND TXWY 1 BUT AT ITS ANGLE IT COULD NOT BE READ. THE SIGN WAS NOT PERPENDICULAR TO ANY POSSIBLE HOLD SHORT LINE. HE RECOMMENDS HAVING RAISED MARKINGS AT ARPTS WHERE MARKINGS MAY BE OBSCURED. ALSO THE TWR SHOULD TELL THE CREW WHERE TO HOLD WHEN MARKINGS MAY BE OBSCURED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.