Calgary Public Transit II

[CTrainDude]

Originally Posted by kw5150

This is from the "end of line" at 10th st west. I swear this train station gets busier everyday! Good to see lots of healthy people walking.


By kw5150 at 2012-02-22

Too bad all of these people will have to walk from 7th Street when they tear down 10th Street in September. At least they'll be even healthier!

[DarkKeyo]

Originally Posted by CTrainDude

Too bad all of these people will have to walk from 7th Street when they tear down 10th Street in September. At least they'll be even healthier!

If they remove 10th Street 3-6 months before WLRT opens (and I realize they have to because it's in the way), do they now have a plan for where to terminate route 202 trains?

[CTrainDude]

Originally Posted by DarkKeyo

If they remove 10th Street 3-6 months before WLRT opens (and I realize they have to because it's in the way), do they now have a plan for where to terminate route 202 trains?

The trains will still terminate at the same spot (they can realign the south rails and catenary in a weekend once the platform is torn down), there just won't be a platform for customers.

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by CTrainDude

The trains will still terminate at the same spot (they can realign the south rails and catenary in a weekend once the platform is torn down), there just won't be a platform for customers.

So passengers will use the steps on the trains?

[CTrainDude]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

So passengers will use the steps on the trains?

I don't think that would be very efficient Nope, passengers must disembark at 7th Street, or remain on the train while the driver changes ends where 10th Street currently is and go back to 8th Street. There will be no way for passengers to leave the train at the end of the line.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by CTrainDude

I don't think that would be very efficient Nope, passengers must disembark at 7th Street, or remain on the train while the driver changes ends where 10th Street currently is and go back to 8th Street. There will be no way for passengers to leave the train at the end of the line.

So I take it we will have a period before the west line opens with 11th street station, where people in that area have no transit stop?

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by fusili

So I take it we will have a period before the west line opens with 11th street station, where people in that area have no transit stop?

Yes. The period won't be all that much though by the look of it. Enough time to shut down 10th Street Station, demolish it, re-align the tracks and catenaries, tie-in signals to the new line, some quick testing and open Kerby Station (if not the whole West Line, but I'd imagine that Kerby Station will open by itself for a short time).

Might be looking at a couple or three weeks for all this to take place I'd imagine.

The bigger concern for me is if there will be a way for trains to get from the existing tracks at the 10th Street terminus up to the west line before all this happens. If not, then testing of the new line will be delayed. The testing of the new line should take at least a couple or three months as I understand it.

There is a rumour going around that the new West line will in fact open as originally scheduled in December. My guess is still that any source of delay (leading to the official opening being put off until March 2013) was mostly caused by the Kerby Station being behind. Can you confirm any of this CTrainDude?

[CTrainDude]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

Yes. The period won't be all that much though by the look of it. Enough time to shut down 10th Street Station, demolish it, re-align the tracks and catenaries, tie-in signals to the new line, some quick testing and open Kerby Station (if not the whole West Line, but I'd imagine that Kerby Station will open by itself for a short time).

Might be looking at a couple or three weeks for all this to take place I'd imagine.

The bigger concern for me is if there will be a way for trains to get from the existing tracks at the 10th Street terminus up to the west line before all this happens. If not, then testing of the new line will be delayed. The testing of the new line should take at least a couple or three months as I understand it.

There is a rumour going around that the new West line will in fact open as originally scheduled in December. My guess is still that any source of delay (leading to the official opening being put off until March 2013) was mostly caused by the Kerby Station being behind. Can you confirm any of this CTrainDude?

The north tracks at 10th Street are already aligned and will be tied in probably in April. Once this happens, LRVs will be able to use the north track to access the West line so the DBC can start their testing. In the fall (late Sept/early Oct) 10th Street is demolished, the south track and catenary are realigned and tied in. There will be some weekend closures for some work and signals tie-in. Assuming that the West line is turned over to Transit by October for testing/commissioning, it should open in December as scheduled (latest I've heard is that it's back on schedule). There will be no intermediate period where 11th Street is the end of the line, no matter when the West opens.

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by CTrainDude

The north tracks at 10th Street are already aligned and will be tied in probably in April. Once this happens, LRVs will be able to use the north track to access the West line so the DBC can start their testing. In the fall (late Sept/early Oct) 10th Street is demolished, the south track and catenary are realigned and tied in. There will be some weekend closures for some work and signals tie-in. Assuming that the West line is turned over to Transit by October for testing/commissioning, it should open in December as scheduled (latest I've heard is that it's back on schedule). There will be no intermediate period where 11th Street is the end of the line, no matter when the West opens.

Good to know, thanks. So we are looking at a few months where 7th/8th Street is the passenger terminus for the 202?

[CTrainDude]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

Good to know, thanks. So we are looking at a few months where 7th/8th Street is the passenger terminus for the 202?

In a nutshell, yes.

[You Need A Thneed]

Saddletowne station will be the first terminal station in Calgary to not have a large Park and Ride (only ~130 stalls). I wonder how early in the morning it's going to fill up to capacity.

[kw5150]

Originally Posted by CTrainDude

Too bad all of these people will have to walk from 7th Street when they tear down 10th Street in September. At least they'll be even healthier!

Ill be on a bike in September, no worries there. I really wish the shutdown could start in the early summer instead though! If I have to walk two extra blocks for a couple months (or even a year) I welcome it. I have never felt more healthy and fit from all of this walking.

[floobie]

Maybe I missed this, but based on the ticket machines at the banff trail station it looks like a few connect card thingies have been installed. Is there a "beta test" for this or something?

[5seconds]

Originally Posted by floobie

Maybe I missed this, but based on the ticket machines at the banff trail station it looks like a few connect card thingies have been installed. Is there a "beta test" for this or something?

They are installing the hardware right now (most of the buses I have been on recently have had them). The pilot project starts in April, full roll out in the summer.

http://www.calgarytransit.com/html/connect.html

Interesting that they are introducing a key fob in addition to a traditional card.

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by 5seconds

They are installing the hardware right now (most of the buses I have been on recently have had them). The pilot project starts in April, full roll out in the summer.

http://www.calgarytransit.com/html/connect.html

Interesting that they are introducing a key fob in addition to a traditional card.

We used to use access cards at work, but over time they all ended up splitting and being useless. We switched to fobs and they've been great.

One issue I can thing of with the smart cards is people will likely be guestimating how much $$ they have left, and may have a rude awakening while at the entrance to the bus tapping it.

EDIT: I see Negative Balance Protection will be an option, good to know.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

We used to use access cards at work, but over time they all ended up splitting and being useless. We switched to fobs and they've been great.

One issue I can thing of with the smart cards is people will likely be guestimating how much $$ they have left, and may have a rude awakening while at the entrance to the bus tapping it.

Hopefully that will move people slowly over to auto-reload on the system.

Anyone know whether they have planned a system that charges by the ride then when it gets to the level of a monthly pass it caps it automatically?

I am impressed by the roll out, CT has at least kept the upfront cost down, and accomplished much more in a short amount of time compared to lets say the Presto roll out on the TTC. (which is still a long time away and predicted to cost at least $250 million).

[Wooster]

On the reloadable cards there will be an overdraft allowance. I believe the screen will display balance.

[mersar]

Originally Posted by 5seconds

They are installing the hardware right now (most of the buses I have been on recently have had them). The pilot project starts in April, full roll out in the summer.

http://www.calgarytransit.com/html/connect.html

Interesting that they are introducing a key fob in addition to a traditional card.

Yep. The readers have been installed at all the stations I believe now (I haven't seen one without at least one reader), and probably approaching a majority of the buses. Still haven't seen a new look with a reader, but to me that indicates that the roughly 30 that are left will be retired by this summer.

[bigcanuck]

So, a question about monthly pass options with the new connect system... It indicates that tapping the card will "...recognize that you have a valid pass" - so does that mean you can purchase a monthly pass via the MyConnect website? For frequent riders, a monthly pass is typically a cheaper option than per trip payment.

[eggbert]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

Hopefully that will move people slowly over to auto-reload on the system.

Anyone know whether they have planned a system that charges by the ride then when it gets to the level of a monthly pass it caps it automatically?

I am impressed by the roll out, CT has at least kept the upfront cost down, and accomplished much more in a short amount of time compared to lets say the Presto roll out on the TTC. (which is still a long time away and predicted to cost at least $250 million).

I don't think that will ever happen. What would be the point of buying a monthly pass anymore if you had a guaranteed cap?