Calgary Public Transit II

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by fusili

Ah, I get it. Man, I am slow today. Ughhhh, this weather.

My humour today is basically reflecting the weather. On the bright side, the weekend looks gorgeous (relatively).

Speaking of weather, did I mention I had a chance to finally ride on an air conditioned LRT car a few weeks back? It was HEAVEN, and it was only 23 or so out. The funny part was watching the person next to me try to open the window. Not sure why she was doing that (maybe she hates A/C?) but she tried at every stop for 3 or 4 stops. I didn't have the heart to point out that they're obviously bolted shut for a reason.

OK, I lied. I just found it extremely humourous, so I let her have at it.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by freeweed

My humour today is basically reflecting the weather. On the bright side, the weekend looks gorgeous (relatively).

Speaking of weather, did I mention I had a chance to finally ride on an air conditioned LRT car a few weeks back? It was HEAVEN, and it was only 23 or so out. The funny part was watching the person next to me try to open the window. Not sure why she was doing that (maybe she hates A/C?) but she tried at every stop for 3 or 4 stops. I didn't have the heart to point out that they're obviously bolted shut for a reason.

OK, I lied. I just found it extremely humourous, so I let her have at it.

Maybe that is why that douch decided to ride between the cars in that video? Was the air conditioning not enough?

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by fusili

Maybe that is why that douch decided to ride between the cars in that video? Was the air conditioning not enough?

Well, that and the large bottle of whiskey he is clearly holding in the video.

[frinkprof]

Nevermind.

[You Need A Thneed]

The tender is out for the construction of a LRT tunnel under 64th Ave as part of the NE LRT extension. To get down below 64th Ave, the existing tail tracks immediately north of McKnight Westwinds are going to be removed, and the new tracks will slope down towards the tunnel just north of the pedestrian crossing to get on the platform.

I'm not exactly sure how the intersection is going to be converted into a full interchagnge in the future.

[mersar]

Well someone beat me to it and asked the city for an electronic copy of the designs for the two 'gateway' stations on twitter, and here they are.


City Hall Station


11th Street Station

And as a nice treat, a view of 4th Street SW as well:



And supposedly someone has spotted 2 of the Novabus LFS buses that are on order arriving in Calgary according to a post on cptdb. Not comfirmed yet though.

[Wooster]

Looks good. I almost wish though that the glass simply spanned right over the street. The positioning of the +15 kinda on the east gateway kind of ruins the visual effect though. Overall, I think the 7th ave corridor is turning out quite well.

[srperrycgy]

Thanks for posting mersar.

So much construction activity right now that it can be hard to keep track of what is going on. I've created a LRT Construction Information (PDF) sheet:

Link

Nice to hear about the Novas, but need some pics of them.

[freeweed]

That is one SEXY +15!

[frinkprof]

Nevermind.

[jeffwhit]

^I have to say that I do think pepper spray and a baton is enough for the c-train, (can anyone think of any incident that would have been avoided specifically through the use of firearms? I just don't want guns in confined spaces on a system that's got fairly heavy use) but there needs to be a stronger presence after dark with the authority to arrest. There's a little too much public intoxication, verbal intimidation and open container stuff happening from time to time, and the occasional open drug deal on a platform.

Also, no tasers, cops seem to be a little too happy to taser anything that moves for some reason.

[frinkprof]

Nevermind.

[TETT2]

Originally Posted by Wooster

Hopefully they can make BRT stops and some other heavily used routes something like this:

It would be nice to see on Routes 1-10 even. And some other ones that are busy.

Also, I noticed articulated buses on a couple of SW routes out of downtown the other day! lucky buggers!

[TETT2]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

^Like I said in the last disucussion of Mar's plan, I don't think it's a guns vs pepper spray problem, it's a lack of presence problem Now one argument to be made is whether the CPS can provide a more efficient service than the Calgary Transit security can just due to better internal policies and management. One thing I do like is, as Chief Hanson says in the article, is the possibility of plainclothes patrols. I think that could be effective.

I think its just the public mentality of CPS vs. Peace Officers...
I also think District 9 has a cool ring to it!

[mersar]

Originally Posted by TETT2

It would be nice to see on Routes 1-10 even. And some other ones that are busy.

Also, I noticed articulated buses on a couple of SW routes out of downtown the other day! lucky buggers!

Yep. They've started running the 101 with the D60LFR's in the afternoons now.

[Riise]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

^Like I said in the last disucussion of Mar's plan, I don't think it's a guns vs pepper spray problem, it's a lack of presence problem

If this is the case, would we be better served by simply stationing officers at certain stations at night? It might be costly but I think this is one expense Calgarians might be able to swallow without fuss. Also, this is in addition to plain clothes officers riding the rails during all of the CTrain's hours of operation.

[jeffwhit]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

^Like I said in the last disucussion of Mar's plan, I don't think it's a guns vs pepper spray problem, it's a lack of presence problem Now one argument to be made is whether the CPS can provide a more efficient service than the Calgary Transit security can just due to better internal policies and management. One thing I do like is, as Chief Hanson says in the article, is the possibility of plainclothes patrols. I think that could be effective.

Actually in that article it's Diane Colley-Urqahart who seems to advocating for armed officers, that's what I was referring to. I agree with you, and John Mar actually.

[Vascilli]

Originally Posted by mersar

Yep. They've started running the 101 with the D60LFR's in the afternoons now.

I think it might be a pair. I see them in the morning too.

[freeweed]

Put some uniformed officers on the LRT and it might settle down the violent drunks enough that we'd be willing to take the train to games again.

Also during Stampede, please. Although I hope they don't take their jobs TOO seriously - a group of people passing a bottle doesn't hurt anyone, if they're reasonably well behaved. I'd hate to see some draconian crackdown where even the slightest infraction deserves cuffing.

[Yume-sama]

I would be in favor of uniformed police on some LRT, or at least at the stations. Vancouver has *some* at some troublesome stations, and just normal transit police elsewhere. Putting out the idea that there COULD be some plainclothes officers (whether they are or not ) may help as well. I'm not sure if they do it in Calgary after say, a Flames game, but even in Edmonton when I took the LRT after a game there was heavy police presence at the station, and everyone was very well behaved... despite the Oilers losing 1 - 0 (this was early in the season, so they weren't used to it yet) I've never had a problem with the LRT, but there are always "stories" that everyone hears that gives it, and any public transportation, a bad reputation.