West LRT | 7 Stations | 8.0 KM | In Service - Page 102

Innersoul1 · #**2021** Posted **Aug 28, 2012, 3:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by You Need A Thneed

City says WLRT could open up before Christmas:

Link.

This make a lot of sense to me. Looks like concrete work at Westside (69th St. Station) should be within the next couple of weeks leaving paving outstanding. I am sure that the weather has allowed for some serious catchup!

I am pretty excited about this!

Innersoul1 · #**2022** Posted **Aug 28, 2012, 3:12 PM**

WTF! Nenshi was driving that train like a BOSS!

Dado · #**2023** Posted **Sep 4, 2012, 1:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by srperrycgy

Approaching the 69th Street tunnel.

WLRT-08062012-12 by srp775, on Flickr

Showing the uphill climb towards the end.

WLRT-08062012-15 by srp775, on Flickr

Anyone else think it's a tad strange for the line to climb up steeply out of the 69th Street tunnel only to go across a level crossing (Christie Park Gate) and then start descending down towards Sirocco? It seems like a recipe for a lot of wasted power over the long term. I can't help but think it would have been better to just extend the tunnel past Christie Park Gate with the portal somewhere on the slope,

MalcolmTucker · #**2024** Posted **Sep 4, 2012, 1:15 AM**

Power is cheap, and over time. A tunnel under such a low traffic road sets a bad precedent and is expensive right now.

mersar · #**2025** Posted **Sep 4, 2012, 5:29 PM**

10th Street station closes Sept 15 and the new 11th Street station opens with the West LRT in December: http://www.calgarytransit.com/html/10_station_closure.html

kw5150 · #**2026** Posted **Sep 4, 2012, 5:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mersar

10th Street station closes Sept 15 and the new 11th Street station opens with the West LRT in December: http://www.calgarytransit.com/html/10_station_closure.html

Good update, thanks!!

You Need A Thneed · #**2027** Posted **Sep 4, 2012, 8:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dado

Anyone else think it's a tad strange for the line to climb up steeply out of the 69th Street tunnel only to go across a level crossing (Christie Park Gate) and then start descending down towards Sirocco? It seems like a recipe for a lot of wasted power over the long term. I can't help but think it would have been better to just extend the tunnel past Christie Park Gate with the portal somewhere on the slope,

What you are describing would be very similar to the extra underpass they built at 45th St, which cost $70 million dollars. I don't think that the cost of the saved power would ever approach even close to that much money. Hundreds of years, if ever.

Chadillaccc · #**2028** Posted **Sep 6, 2012, 2:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mersar

10th Street station closes Sept 15 and the new 11th Street station opens with the West LRT in December: http://www.calgarytransit.com/html/10_station_closure.html

It's opening in December? That is awesome

You Need A Thneed · #**2029** Posted **Sep 6, 2012, 3:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

It's opening in December? That is awesome

It should be open on Dec 10th.

Wentworth · #**2030** Posted **Sep 6, 2012, 3:56 AM**

Speaking of December, that hill usually becomes impassible to vehicles during heavy snowfall events, any idea if the C-Train will fare any better?

srperrycgy · #**2031** Posted **Sep 6, 2012, 2:07 PM**

All LRVs are equipped with sanders, so they will make it up and down the hills without any problem.

MalcolmTucker · #**2032** Posted **Sep 6, 2012, 2:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wentworth

Speaking of December, that hill usually becomes impassible to vehicles during heavy snowfall events, any idea if the C-Train will fare any better?

And the hill is usually only impassable to people driving SUVs like it is any other day. My 1991 Ford Escort with the cheapest all seasons Canadian Tire tires provided made it up and down that hill in all weather for more than a decade.

danofkent · #**2033** Posted **Sep 6, 2012, 3:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

And the hill is usually only impassable to people driving SUVs like it is any other day. My 1991 Ford Escort with the cheapest all seasons Canadian Tire tires provided made it up and down that hill in all weather for more than a decade.

Buses certainly have problems in winter. Two years ago, I watched five successive buses get stuck going up Bow Trail. Two snow ploughs were sent, but they also got stuck. I never did make it to work that day.

As long as the sanders keep the c-train running, it's going to be a godsend!

MalcolmTucker · #**2034** Posted **Sep 6, 2012, 4:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by danofkent

Buses certainly have problems in winter. Two years ago, I watched five successive buses get stuck going up Bow Trail. Two snow ploughs were sent, but they also got stuck. I never did make it to work that day.

As long as the sanders keep the c-train running, it's going to be a godsend!

Bow Trail may be another matter - I was thinking of the 17th Ave hills west of Sarcee.

MMMBeer · #**2035** Posted **Sep 6, 2012, 4:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

Bow Trail may be another matter - I was thinking of the 17th Ave hills west of Sarcee.

The bendy buses get stuck on 17th going uphill anytime there is more than a few cm of snow and/or black ice.

kw5150 · #**2036** Posted **Sep 6, 2012, 5:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

And the hill is usually only impassable to people driving SUVs like it is any other day. My 1991 Ford Escort with the cheapest all seasons Canadian Tire tires provided made it up and down that hill in all weather for more than a decade.

HAHA! Front wheel drives rule.

suburbia · #**2037** Posted **Sep 6, 2012, 5:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

And the hill is usually only impassable to people driving SUVs like it is any other day. My 1991 Ford Escort with the cheapest all seasons Canadian Tire tires provided made it up and down that hill in all weather for more than a decade.

I've never had a problem going up there in my older car, prior SUV or current SUV. The biggest problem group in general is pick-ups, but there could be a skew to *some* SUV drivers who might be more hesitant and overly cautious (and who'd have problems no matter what vehicle they were in). Odds are you'd be fine going up in an SUV also and I'd be fine in you escort (as I was in my 626).

The problem with buses, and especially the accordion ones, is that they are rear-wheel drive and for the longer ones in particular, don't have much weight (relatively speaking) on top of the wheels where the power is directed. The accordion ones get stuck all over the place.

Regarding LRT, I highly doubt there will be any issue of significance.

Cruzer · #**2038** Posted **Sep 6, 2012, 9:32 PM**

LRV track testing today in and around Sirocco station

Wentworth · #**2039** Posted **Sep 6, 2012, 10:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

And the hill is usually only impassable to people driving SUVs like it is any other day. My 1991 Ford Escort with the cheapest all seasons Canadian Tire tires provided made it up and down that hill in all weather for more than a decade.

As you noted in your other post, it usually fares better than Bow Trail, but last year I had one scary experience (on 17th) where the bus in front of me started to slide backwards down the hill, eventually ending up sideways across the roadway. Then it was impassable. If the C-train can get people home on days like that, I think it will be a big plus for encouraging ridership.

PPAR · #**2040** Posted **Sep 7, 2012, 4:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

Bow Trail may be another matter - I was thinking of the 17th Ave hills west of Sarcee.

There were definitely some out of control winter days on that hill down to the Sarcee/ 17th intersection. I remember once seeing 3 abandoned city buses just kind of scattered about the road one night. The new overpass has essentially done away with that ice prone downslope just west of Sarcee though.