O-Train Line 2/4 [Stage 2 | Greenboro to Limebank/Airport] | In Service

[AuxTown]

Originally Posted by daud

FWIW I've seen lots of trains running at Limebank station. Probably most days in the past week there's been trains coming in and out periodically. It really seems to me like the stations are mostly ready and the trains are certainly running.

No problem with them taking their time here. We've waited long enough that this better roll out smooth. That said, it would be a real shame if it weren't functional for the start of next academic year.

[lrt's friend]

As a south end resident, train-bus transfers better be seamless or this project will be a dismal failure. I am still not confident that this will take place, especially when they are butchering a lot of bus routes in order to pay for this new rail extension running through the bush. Obviously, you can see I am not pleased but I have also witnessed faux public consultations and bs responses to queries and suggestions.

[lrt's friend]

Line 2 opening delayed until at least early summer as per today's update.

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/ottawa-s-north...er-but-no-firm-date-for-launch-1.6789175

Buried in the story is the following

Morgan says OC Transpo and its partners have not been able to demonstrate the 12-minute headway everyday that will be part of the normal operations when the Trillium Line launches.

This has been my concern since this project was conceived, with the addition of two new stations (Walkley and Gladstone) and the extension of the north half of the line from Greenboro to South Keys that can operate a maximum of 4 trains.

[rocketphish]

Trillium Line testing underway, but opening still months off
New timeline for north-south line could see route open to passengers as late as September

Elyse Skura · CBC News
Posted: Feb 29, 2024 11:04 AM EST | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

The next phase of Ottawa's expanding light rail transit system is once again behind schedule, with transit staff suggesting the north-south Trillium Line will open sometime between July and September.

No firm deadline was given for opening during Thursday's regular progress update at the light rail subcommittee.

"We are down to the last few steps on the Trillium Line," Michael Morgan, director of the City of Ottawa's rail construction program, told councillors. "The progress is very good."

Morgan said training for the operators and maintenance should be completed in three months, with controllers slightly behind that.

Final testing will take another month, according to Morgan.

"It doesn't mean September. Equally, we've lost April," he said, alluding to the city's earlier aim to open in the spring. "We need to give the builders time to fix things."

Trains are being tested along the route, which is set to run from the junction at Bayview station to the existing east-west line, through Carleton University and south to Limebank station and the Airport spur line.

Morgan said the testing is going well, thanks in part to the winter snowfall, and defects are being detected and addressed.

When the line was closed in 2020 for the extension, it was set to reopen in 2022.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/tr...y-but-opening-still-months-off-1.7129293

[DTcrawler]

Why do they feel the need to say “north-south line” at every mention of the Trillium Line? We get it.

[OCCheetos]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Buried in the story is the following

This has been my concern since this project was conceived, with the addition of two new stations (Walkley and Gladstone) and the extension of the north half of the line from Greenboro to South Keys that can operate a maximum of 4 trains.

I think you're reading too much into this (vague) quote.
For starters, OC Transpo doesn't yet have enough operators trained to be simulating regular service every day. There were also known defects with the train/signaling software which are actively being fixed which would disrupt testing.

What you're assuming is that testing is progressing with inconsistent headways or headways longer than 12 minutes, but in reality it's the entire testing process itself that hasn't been able to happen consistently yet because there's still work being done.

Anecdotally, I watched five trains arrive and depart Bayview last week in regular 12-minute intervals.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by OCCheetos

I think you're reading too much into this (vague) quote.
For starters, OC Transpo doesn't yet have enough operators trained to be simulating regular service every day. There were also known defects with the train/signaling software which are actively being fixed which would disrupt testing.

What you're assuming is that testing is progressing with inconsistent headways or headways longer than 12 minutes, but in reality it's the entire testing process itself that hasn't been able to happen consistently yet because there's still work being done.

Anecdotally, I watched five trains arrive and depart Bayview last week in regular 12-minute intervals.

Thanks for the reassuring information. I wish they would be more careful in their reporting. Why mention this at all?

[lrt's friend]

I spent an hour watching train operations at South Keys this morning. They were attempting to simulate regular operations including 12 minute frequency, but not entirely successfully. Of course, it is still early going and we are not fully ready for live testing. Nevertheless, it is quite clear that 12 minute frequency is not fully proven. I watched the interaction between Line 2 and Line 4 trains at South Keys. I hope it works better in reality than what I saw. Train spacing will mean that transfer wait times will be longer than hoped. It was also quite clear that there is a choke point south of South Keys Station. Often trains had to wait for a signal change and at one point, both the Line 2 and Line 4 trains were held up travelling north to South Key Station. There were also hold ups going south as well, but on other occasions, trains moved into and out of South Keys without delay. There was also a skipped trip with a train proceeding north from South Keys without a corresponding train traveling south. With additional sections of single tracks and with the corresponding number of movements onto and off of passing tracks, I question how fast these trains will be able to move. It seemed pretty slow going this morning. Again, this is early testing and I will go back again to see how operations improve with additional testing.

[RomanR27]

I went for a walk at lunch today along the Sawmill Creek path, from Walkley heading north. There was a southbound train sitting on the siding for a good four or five minutes before a northbound train went past it and the southbound train went on its way.

[zzptichka]

The airport transfer could've been an easy across the platform walk-over transfer, but obviously they will screw it up and you will have to wait 10 minutes on a cold platform for the airport train to arrive.

[ponyboycurtis]

These trains cant possibly be simulating actual service? The airport singles move at a glacial pace.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by ponyboycurtis

These trains cant possibly be simulating actual service? The airport singles move at a glacial pace.

One of the trains on the main line this morning was a single LINT train. A Flirt train was not available?? Maybe, more than seven trains have been needed on the main line to maintain proper testing.

[ponyboycurtis]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

One of the trains on the main line this morning was a single LINT train. A Flirt train was not available?? Maybe, more than seven trains have been needed on the main line to maintain proper testing.

I did see a single running past Greenboro the other day which had me wondering.

Either way it's nice to see some action on the lines. I can also now walk from the pedestrian bridge and not have to take the detour anymore to get to South Keys. The old path isn't officially open but the fencing is more or less pushed to the side all the time. I would imagine it will get fully fenced off again in the near future for them to pave the path and install the light standards.

Some equipment also accidentally took the old permanent fence out around the culvert that leads to the storm pond so that will need some work.

[DTcrawler]

Is it possible that the single LINTs spotted on Line 2 were simply making their way from the MSF to Line 4?

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by DTcrawler

Is it possible that the single LINTs spotted on Line 2 were simply making their way from the MSF to Line 4?

No, the signage on the train was for the main line, and there were Line 4 trains fitting into the schedule at South Keys regularly.

Single Lint trains on the main line may cause capacity problems, with all the proposed bus adjustments that will force passengers onto Line 2.

[J.OT13]

Could it be that the singles are used for training?

[DTcrawler]

Do we even know for sure what the testing regimen is right now? Are they for sure trying to emulate regular service all day every day? If so then indeed it would be alarming to see single LINTs running. But if they’re simply testing a multitude of scenarios (what to do in x, y, z scenario, contingency planning, etc) then there’s no cause for concern. Maybe that recommendation from the Line 1 inquiry re: increased transparency over testing progress comes into play soon… right now we’re just speculating

[OCCheetos]

Originally Posted by DTcrawler

Do we even know for sure what the testing regimen is right now? Are they for sure trying to emulate regular service all day every day?

We don't know exactly what their daily tests involve right now. We do however know that there are a number of known defects that are actively being addressed, any of which could impact fleet availability and system stability.

We also know that trial running, i.e. the actual test that simulates regular daily service and that will decide when the keys can be handed over to the city, isn't expected to begin until at least May.

We'll know when it starts because staff will begin reporting daily updates on trial running.

[AuxTown]

Doubling down on spring
The head of OC Transpo says she's confident the north-south Trillium Line LRT will be open before the summer. CTV's Jackie Perez reports.

March 18, 2024 7:00 p.m. EDT

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video/c2887708-doubling-down-on-spring?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar

Positive news here!

[DTcrawler]

Let’s hope so. I’ve lost track of the number of flights I’ve booked thinking I’ll be able to take Lines 2/4 to YOW, only for further delays to arise. I’ve got another trip coming up in June so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

FWIW, I saw LINTs running on Line 4 yesterday.