The Great Canadian Transit Thread

[Chadillaccc]

Fatty-fatty 2x4 can't fit through the kitchen door(Mayor Ford) wants to kibosh that entire plan though, right?

[caltrane74]

The only thing Rob Ford runs in this city is his Fat Mouth!

[caltrane74]

New GO BUS in Mississauga

I wish they put these external handle bars on the Yonge Subway, so all the people at rush hour that can't fit on the train, could ride on the outside hanging off the handle bars, like little monkey's



http://www.mississauga.com/news/article/1600186--new-double-decker-go-bus-unveiled

[Aylmer]

Originally Posted by caltrane74

I wish they put these external handle bars on the Yonge Subway, so all the people at rush hour that can't fit on the train, could ride on the outside hanging off the handle bars, like little monkey's

How about hiring some Oshiya?

[LeftCoaster]

They kinda need those, middle of the trains are often pretty open with oblivious people reading a newspaper and not moving in as hundreds are passed up on the platforms.

[Chadillaccc]

Yeah, I can't stand that. Happens in Calgary as well.

[Wharn]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

How about hiring some Oshiya?

Because this isn't Japan, and instead of just uttering "Shikata ga nai", people would react with outrage when being forcibly pushed onto a train.

Still, cheaper than new lines.

[Coldrsx]

In shibuya we experienced them, it tickled, we laughed.

[Rotax]

It appears Montreal will be hosting the 2017 UITP world congress.

The 2013 congress is next month in Geneva and the 2015 congress is in Milan.

Link : http://amt.qc.ca/salle_de_presse/communiques.aspx?communiqueid=225

[caltrane74]

Metrolinx will build the Union Pearson Express Station (downtown Toronto) in the Skywalk that connects Union Station to the Rogers Centre and Convention Centre



Here is the rendering


http://www.metrolinx.com/en/projectsandprograms/upexpress/project.aspx

[GernB]

Originally Posted by miketoronto

It has nothing to do with future stations.

I don't know why people find it so hard to understand that an LRT train can't operate at fast speeds down a local road, unless the LRT tracks are completely separated from cars and pedestrians with barriers (as is done in Calgary and Edmonton). A little concrete lip (like Seattle) does not do the trick.
You can't have trains going 80 km/h down a road like that. Imagine a car ignores the signals lights at intersections (because there are no crossing arms), or a car ends up on the tracks, because they can drive over that concrete lip in a second. Disaster.

LRT has a place when done right. Calgary and Edmonton did it right. But tons of cities are spending billions building LRT like the Seattle example, in the middle of the street and slow running. And at the end of the day, it is not going to carry the loads of passengers you see on a system like Edmonton or Calgary, because at the end of the day its not rapid transit.

LRT as originally designed in the 60-70's was not to operate in streets for large lengths. It was to operate in old rail corridors, on new segregated corridors, and in streets in the downtown sections (to save money on tunnels). That is what set LRT apart from the trolley systems LRT was replacing.
The legacy systems like Calgary, Edmonton, Baltimore, San Diego, follow this type of design.

The newer systems save for Dallas tend not to, and I think we are going to be in a situation at least in the USA where these systems are not going to carry many people. Canadian cities better take a look at whats going on south of the border, because the same thing will happen here with lackluster ridership if we get away from building true LRT rapid transit.

I find it extremely concerning this blatant obsession with slow running LRT in the middle of the street which has taken over the North American LRT lovers.

Edmonton's LRT at 20 km carries almost 100,000 riders a day on a fully grade separated system.

Interesting that the planned LRT lines in Toronto, which utilize the Seattle style in street operation are going to have lines which approach 20 km length, and carry much less riders than the Edmonton LRT.

We are even seeing this with BRT to. Ottawa spent the money and did BRT the proper way, and it shows with the ridership. Other cities have dumbed down BRT to these slow running in the middle of the street operations, and we are seeing lackluster ridership on these systems.

Just something to think about.

Unless I'm mistaken, even Calgarys LRT was to have no at grade crossings. Can't remember where I saw the original plans, but I seem to remember there not being any at-grades. Could be wrong of course, but the original plan didn't follow the CPR right-of-way. Perhap someone
can follow this up? Or I can when after I get some sleep.

[caltrane74]

Eglinton Crosstown LRT Gets it's Drilling (Boring) Machine

From the National Post:


http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/04/09/...s-set-to-dig-the-eglinton-crosstown-lrt/

Almost two decades since the last effort to dig a transit tunnel along Eglinton Avenue was halted, construction of the Crosstown LRT tunnel is set to begin anew.

One of two tunnel-boring machines that will be used to dig the 11-kilometre underground portion of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is now in place, with the other soon to follow. Both are due to start digging on May 15.

“This a historic day for Toronto, for Ontario and for public transit,” said Glen Murray, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, during a media tour Tuesday of the launch site for the tunnel-boring machines at Eglinton Avenue West and Black Creek Drive.


Airport Rail Link Update


The first Article is from the Junction - It's called the Diamond Project : Read Here

Blogto has done a series on all the Underground Underpasses that will be required for the Airport Rail Link, Regular Go Service, and Freight Service to navigate crossings level and otherwise. Quite Interesting, the about of work that is needed, to ensure smooth transfer from the downtown core to Pearson International Airport

Here are some of the photos from the Report





Project Stats:

Rail companies using the corridor: 4 (CPR, CNR, GO Transit, and Via)
Project lifespan: 100 years
Project stages: 4 (2006-2015)
New tracks: 2
Number of pipe-piles reinforcing lowered corridor walls: 2,338
Deepest piles: 23m
Concrete used: 55,000 cubic metres - enough to fill Union Station's Great Hall
Excavation: 9m (max)
Soil removed: 200,000 cubic metres - enough to fill 80 Olympic swimming pools
Number of bridges: 4
Total bridge weight: 10,000 tonnes
Total bridge weight measured in empty 12-car GO trains: 14



Strachan Underpass





Read the Article Here

Report by the Numbers


■DURATION OF PROJECT: 2011-2014 (projected)
■LENGTH OF TRENCH: 1.4 kilometres (King Street West to Bathurst Street)
■SIZE OF OVERPASS: 19m width X 42m length
■MAXIMUM DEPTH: 8 metres
■DIRT DISPLACED: Over 70,000 cubic meters
■PILES USED: Approx. 1,500 (drilled 10-20m deep for watertight depressed corridor)
■TUNNEL BORING MACHINES USED: 1 (to create a 520 meter long Siphon tunnel)
■PUMPING STATIONS: 1 (a dedicated station is necessary for drainage)
■BIKE LANES: 2 (hooray!)
■ANTI-GRAFFITI COATING: To be applied to all wall surfaces
■PUBLIC ART PROJECTS: 1 (on the temporary retaining wall at Strachan Avenue)

[Chadillaccc]

Glen Murray, the first openly gay mayor of a major North American city(Winnipeg), now Ontario's minister of transport. Hmmm, I wonder if he'll end up being our first gay prime minister? Would be pretty sweet. His efforts did wonders for Winnipeg's cultural sector.

[GreatTallNorth2]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Glen Murray, the first openly gay mayor of a major North American city(Winnipeg), now Ontario's minister of transport. Hmmm, I wonder if he'll end up being our first gay prime minister? Would be pretty sweet. His efforts did wonders for Winnipeg's cultural sector.

Sorry, but this isn't the "gay" forums. His sexuality isn't relevant to this conversation.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Glen Murray, the first openly gay mayor of a major North American city(Winnipeg), now Ontario's minister of transport. Hmmm, I wonder if he'll end up being our first gay prime minister? Would be pretty sweet. His efforts did wonders for Winnipeg's cultural sector.

I think I read something about him wanting to become mayor of Hamilton. I might have mixed him up with someone else though.

[vid]

Originally Posted by greattallnorth2

sorry, but this isn't the "gay" forums. His sexuality isn't relevant to this conversation.

omg i herd they do it in teh but.

[Kibb]

Alstom video on Ottawa

• Video Link

[Innsertnamehere]

Looking good! Can't wait to ride it in 5 years!

[caltrane74]

How much of the new Ottawa LRT is underground?

[bartlebooth]

Originally Posted by caltrane74

How much of the new Ottawa LRT is underground?

The underground portion is 2.5 km with three stations. It will begin just west of downtown Ottawa and end somewhere near the University of Ottawa. Overall there will be 13 stations along a 12.5 km route.