Calgary Public Transit II - Page 10

frinkprof · #**181** Posted **Mar 16, 2010, 12:11 AM**

Nevermind.

yads · #**182** Posted **Mar 16, 2010, 5:05 PM**

Can anyone tell me how early to the westside rec and sirocco drive lots fill up in the mornings? They're free, so I'm guessing quite early.

You Need A Thneed · #**183** Posted **Mar 16, 2010, 5:11 PM**

How long have all the SD160s had LED interior lighting? Weren't they fluorescent to start?

I rode to the hockey game and back, and every car that I saw had LED interior lighting - LED replacement tubes that fit into the fixtures intended for fluorescent bulbs.

frinkprof · #**184** Posted **Mar 16, 2010, 5:21 PM**

Nevermind.

You Need A Thneed · #**185** Posted **Mar 16, 2010, 5:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by frinkprof

I think most of the SD160s had LED interior lighting my mid-2009. The installations started in late 2008.

Shows how much I ride the train.

The bulbs probably have just about paid for themselves by now then.

mooky · #**186** Posted **Mar 16, 2010, 6:49 PM**

I was thinking, making City Hall a double platform station makes for a great transfer and hub point.... but doesn't by bringing the 3rd street station west, it also help create the same bottle neck they just removed over at 8th street west by moving it one block? That is to reduce head-ways into and out of the core at track switch points?

Maybe I'm wrong, please correct me if I am.

DarkKeyo · #**187** Posted **Mar 16, 2010, 7:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mooky

I was thinking, making City Hall a double platform station makes for a great transfer and hub point.... but doesn't by bringing the 3rd street station west, it also help create the same bottle neck they just removed over at 8th street west by moving it one block? That is to reduce head-ways into and out of the core at track switch points?

Maybe I'm wrong, please correct me if I am.

I've also always thought that this would cancel out any time savings from moving 8th st...

I liked the original plan where they had double platforms at 3rd and 8th better than the current plan too. But, I like the new platforms enough that what we got is good enough.

mersar · #**188** Posted **Mar 16, 2010, 7:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mooky

I was thinking, making City Hall a double platform station makes for a great transfer and hub point.... but doesn't by bringing the 3rd street station west, it also help create the same bottle neck they just removed over at 8th street west by moving it one block? That is to reduce head-ways into and out of the core at track switch points?

Maybe I'm wrong, please correct me if I am.

It won't really introduce a new bottleneck, the existing one will just remain. Due to the timings of the lights and the fact there is a road to cross (which there wasn't before the old 8th Street SW) there aren't too many trains that get stuck waiting for 2nd Street SE that I've noticed, usually you're waiting on the east side of 3rd Street then straight through to Olympic Plaza on a green at both 3rd and 2nd

frinkprof · #**189** Posted **Mar 17, 2010, 4:03 PM**

Nevermind.

freeweed · #**190** Posted **Mar 17, 2010, 4:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by frinkprof

What I'm not sure of though, regarding the NW extension, is if this means that it will not be delayed or not be further delayed, since it was already pushed back to 2014. So will it now be bumped up, or remain at a 2014 completion date? Anyone know? I've already checked the XRT blog and project page which haven't been updated.

What I can't figure out is this:

In 2011, Crowchild @ Stoney opens. Fully. With no further work to be done. Which means the LRT bridges and rails are completely in place.

Why will it take 3 freaking years to lay down some track and build a station? Considering the major interchange is done, it should be FASTER than most stations, not slower.

I have to assume it's because of some financing model where only $X is budgeted per year. Why not just total it up and build the damn thing at once, instead of tying up traffic for 3 more years? Vegas can build multi-billion dollar resorts that are a hell of a lot more complex than an LRT station and some track in less than 3 years. I really have a hard time understanding why LRT work takes so long in this city.

Well, I don't, because I've watched the 7th Ave stations sit fallow for days and sometimes weeks at a stretch, so their one year build time really comes down to poor planning more than anything else.

It's just frustrating. Line your ducks up and GO. Don't inconvenience everyone longer than necessary.

frinkprof · #**191** Posted **Mar 17, 2010, 4:45 PM**

Nevermind.

You Need A Thneed · #**192** Posted **Mar 17, 2010, 4:45 PM**

Frink, I was wondering the same thing about the NW extension. Also, the same regarding the Metis/64th interchange, as the Herald article mentions that too. Perhaps that will go ahead now, instead of just being left as an intersection with a grade separation for the LRT.

Freeweed, the delay was money related. The city has said that it's delayed due to the money coming from the province slower. The interchange will be completed right away to reduce the major impact on traffic as soon as possible.

TETT2 · #**193** Posted **Mar 17, 2010, 6:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by frinkprof

The bolded part is basically the cause of this so far as I can understand. Speaking to XRT specifically, after the project was delayed (again, due to a change in the financing flow structure), the schedule for the LRT work was changed so that it wouldn't begin until 2012. So technically it wouldn't be taking 3 years to finish the track and way and station site work. Of course, that may all have changed again, or not. Not sure.

Ultimately, this really highlights the climate of uncertain funding we're in.

I still think the Tuscany/Rocky Ridge Station is a waste... Could have use the money elsewhere for things such as bus lanes and such.

lubicon · #**194** Posted **Mar 17, 2010, 9:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TETT2

I still think the Tuscany/Rocky Ridge Station is a waste... Could have use the money elsewhere for things such as bus lanes and such.

I live in Tuscany and would have to prety much agree with you. The one good thing that this project did was force the province's hand into upgrading the Stoney / Crowchild interchange into it's ultimate configuration. Without the LRT extension to Tuscany/RRRO we would have had traffic lights on the Crowchild portion of this interchange for many more years.

SmokWawelski · #**195** Posted **Mar 18, 2010, 3:55 AM**

If they can run an LRT line all the way down to the end of Calgary's south, so the Okotoks and surrounding area crowd can get to work faster

why not run it to the end of NW Calgary. I live in Royal Oak, and I've been waiting for this LRT for years. It would be a 10 minute enjoyable walk from my house to the station

Now let's get this thing built as soon as possible. No more delays.....

MasterG · #**196** Posted **Mar 18, 2010, 5:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokWawelski

If they can run an LRT line all the way down to the end of Calgary's south, so the Okotoks and surrounding area crowd can get to work faster

why not run it to the end of NW Calgary. I live in Royal Oak, and I've been waiting for this LRT for years. It would be a 10 minute enjoyable walk from my house to the station

Now let's get this thing built as soon as possible. No more delays.....

The people on the on the west side have been waiting for their WLRT for alot longer than rocky ridge has even existed

Only 3 more years....

freeweed · #**197** Posted **Mar 18, 2010, 5:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokWawelski

If they can run an LRT line all the way down to the end of Calgary's south, so the Okotoks and surrounding area crowd can get to work faster

why not run it to the end of NW Calgary. I live in Royal Oak, and I've been waiting for this LRT for years. It would be a 10 minute enjoyable walk from my house to the station

Now let's get this thing built as soon as possible. No more delays.....

Bingo. Crowfoot is in the middle of freaking nowhere and everyone has to bus to it. OK, so some of the NIMBYs in Scenic Acres might walk to it (those that aren't lobbying for that ridiculous bus-only access to the PnR...), but beyond that it's a car-oriented LRT station. Bus at the very least.

Tuscany, Rocky Ridge, and Royal Oak will have thousands of people within walking distance of the station. And a lot of LRT riders too, with the multifamily concentration close to Crowchild. Hell, I'll be 30-45 mins walk away (about as far away as you can get) and I can easily see myself walking to and from it when the weather's nice.

So many LRT extensions lately have been to commercial/industrial developments (hi Westwinds!), it's about time we have a new station built that's actually CLOSE TO WHERE PEOPLE LIVE.

You Need A Thneed · #**198** Posted **Mar 18, 2010, 2:31 PM**

There's a sign up advertising an open house - regarding an upgrade to Whitehorn Station. Will have to check out the date of the open house later today. So, it seems like there is something to those rumours from last year.

EDIT: Here's the information

OPEN HOUSE
Whitehorn LRT Station upgrades
March 31, 2010
6:30 to 8:30 pm
Whitehorn Community Centre.
228 Whitehorn Road NE

Ferreth · #**199** Posted **Mar 19, 2010, 1:56 AM**

I'm of the opinion that that City should not have committed to building LRT so far out in the first place. It's just encouraging the kind of sprawl that the city says it wants to limit. In the medium term, the NW line should have been capped at Crowfoot. South should have been capped at Fish Creek. NE is just to the point of justifying the McKnight - Westwinds.

The current expansions in the NW and NE should have been on the 20 year drawing board. 4 car platforms should be being completed NOW. SE LRT should be on the books in the 10 year time frame, however that "Quarry park" area should have been marketed as an initial terminus, with a lot of TOD development rather than high end industrial (I think?).

It's too late for any of this, however - along the same lines of thinking, a longer term plan would be to run a subway up Centre St., planning should be happening NOW to encourage density within 1 block of Centre. I'd be looking at an initial terminus around 32nd Avenue (line jogs to the east to follow Edmonton trail somewhere around 27th Ave) , with the city buying up some of the industrial in the area and moving the bus barns to create another TOD area. I also expect "TOD" to translate into high density living with LRT and basic necessities within walking distance.

mersar · #**200** Posted **Mar 19, 2010, 2:11 AM**

Well just let me disagree with your opinion for a bit

The NW line doesn't really encourage any more sprawl, as there's really no where left to sprawl that wouldn't be developed anyways (there won't be another subdivision build anywhere west of Sarcee for many many years, Rocky Ridge/Royal Oak and Tuscany are all bounded by what will be an impenetrable (to developers) sea of acreages that already exist. Even the current stations in the NE aren't exactly encouraging more development, they're going into already developed areas. If they were to start pushing the line past Saddle Ridge then I would buy into the argument for that area. And in the south most of the area surrounding the south line was already well underway when the extension was built. While some of the new communities further south of the terminus do contribute some ridership, the LRT alone has little influence on their development (I've never seen anyone say they moved to Silverado due to the proximity of the LRT, for that matter the two people I know who live in Silverado drive to downtown daily)

And in terms of suggesting the other extensions should be on a 20 year drawing board, really we're at that point. The extension to Crowfoot according to the city's original plans should have been built in 1982. Not 2009. If it had gone through back in the 80's then it would be more akin to if they decided to start building past Saddle Ridge, but building the line past there to the middle of three established communities with a total population of nearly 5% of the city, isn't encouraging anything. Its reacting to something.

The SE LRT will likely have an initial terminus around Quarry Park from the various plans and discussions people have had at events with the city, mainly as thats the likely minimum distance from downtown as its the only real place they could build the maintenance facilities for the line. There will be a decent amount of TOD like development there, the current component thats been built is essentially offices and retail, the southern half of the project is where the residential components will be and I wouldn't be too surprised to see at least some of those in the next couple years now that the rest is there and open. In some ways QP has actually turned into what was originally envisioned for Crowfoot with a mass of both jobs and retail, and will surpass it when the residential starts.