The Great Canadian Transit Thread

[MolsonExport]

by European and Asian standards, Canadian cities have Crapid Transit. I suggest this label, and we can all (homers and haters...I don't know what is worse) adopt it with pride.

[Aylmer]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Every few months, the same debate. Rapid Transit is a rail based, 100% grade separated urban transit system. It has nothing to do with speed (partly determined by distance between stations). As for frequency, it's determined by automation/technology (heavy rail usually have lower frequencies than lrt). Up to 90 seconds, but does not exclude systems running at 120seconds.

This kinds blew my mind - if Montréal's Metro doesn't run on rails (they're only there as a safety mechanism only in case a tire blows), is heavy-rail? Or is it BRT?

More importantly, I think it highlights how these definitions are kinda silly and the only important metrics are passenger experience (speed, station density, capacity, frequency, reliability [including grade separation insofar as it's relevant to this], etc.)

[Nouvellecosse]

To be clear, it does run on rails (like most rubbered-tyred metros), it just happens to be tires on rails rather than steel wheels on rails.

And of course, rails are simply a type of guideway to allow much longer vehicles to be used since without them such a long vehicle couldn't easily be controlled during turns. So even systems where the train doesn't run right "on" the rails, it still uses a fixed guideway such as side rails or a centre rail for the same purpose.

[Blader]

What I see in this thread, is a classic case of failure to communicate, perhaps even willful.
In broad and loose strokes, when I refer to rapid transit with my friends and neighbors they understand. If I were to refer to Vancouver transit, specifically the SkyTrain, and call it automated guideway (AG) in APTA parlance they would be mystified and they're not dumb.

We all understand one another in this thread and yet there is an unwillingness to accept that language can be broad, loose, and universally understood, or defining and less understood, using definitions provided by a reputable source.

[caltrane74]

Ok, I've found some pictures on the Metrolinx Flickr Feed as Well as the Tumbler Account of a one jacoblorinc, so you can see not only what is happening above Union Station but deep below and underground, under the station and tracks. They are building a retail concourse to relieve some of the crowding that occurs in the station at present. It's a huge station, but the concourse used for GO is rammed to capacity at most times, and especially during the rush hours from 3pm to 7 or 8pm it's difficult to get through the station, and sometimes even later when there is a game at the ACC the station can be clogged until 11pm which is pretty close to when operations shut down.



Courtesy Metrolinx

And Here take a look what is happening below ground



jacoblorinc on tumblr

This new area being dug from under the existing tracks and station will form the new concourse area with retail. It will allow for a massive increase in passenger capacity. Which of course is greatly needed due to massive overcrowding in the current system.

Here is the existing Go Concourse which will now sit above the new concourse which is being constructed deep underground. The current capacity of Union Station including the existing concourse is believed to be around 300,000 passengers a day. With the renovation that presently underway, the capacity of the Union Station Terminal will double to over 600,000 passengers per day. The scale of the project is impressive, and the time to construct it is also monumental, as it will likely not be completely finished until 2018 or at least 4 years from now.


from bobolink at flickr.com

This project, along with the Airport Rail Link, and the Eglinton Crosstown LRT (Underground Portion Runs Through Old City's of Toronto, York, and East York) are the most fascinating Toronto Transportation projects, and while there are others, such as the Spadina Subway Extention, New LRT vehicles, New Subways, the scale of these construction projects is impressive, and of course badly needed do the the capacity issues transit in Toronto is currently experiencing.

[Innsertnamehere]

scheduled completion is 2015 IIRC. They want it done for the Pan Ams.

And somehow I have never noticed the ceiling of Union station being like that despite walking through there almost every day..

[caltrane74]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

scheduled completion is 2015 IIRC. They want it done for the Pan Ams.

And somehow I have never noticed the ceiling of Union station being like that despite walking through there almost every day..

The Airport Rail link will be done by 2015, and that's the most important factor for the Pan Am Games which will be at that time.

The full station, second platform, retail concourse will not be complete until 2017 or 2018.

[Chadillaccc]

Awesome Union update Cal. Sure is taking a long time, but it will be well worth it.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

And somehow I have never noticed the ceiling of Union station being like that despite walking through there almost every day..

Me either.

The changes are most welcome and long overdue.

[Innsertnamehere]

sorry, 2016. not 2018 though.

http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/...union-station-will-be-completed-by-2016/

The new York Concourse (essentially half of the project) is supposed to open sometime "in early 2014" to allow for reconstruction of the current Bay Concourse, so that is coming very soon. That is the underground space pictured in Cals update, which certainly looks far from completion but judging by how the workers are dressed were taken in the summer. (there is a giant hole in the side of Union station right now to allow access to the construction site, it would be very cold there in the winter)

edit: looks like the current concourse pic is quite old as well (not that it really matters, it looks pretty much exactly like that today) there are no PRESTO machines, they instead seem to have ticket validators (the green things by the pillars) and the current Tim Hortons is a Country Style! The Lids store is something else as well.


edit: just noticed the avatar posters, so from late 2009 or early 2010 I take it.

[caltrane74]

No problem Chad! What I posted here is just a penny on a Million, if you go to Metrolinx's Flick Page Here, you will see they have over 1000 photos of construction pictures of some pretty massive projects that are ongoing in the Toronto Area.

Yes, Insertnamehere, the pictures are old, but it looks the same today, just because the project is lagging, and will take a long time to complete. With the scale of the project, the delays and overruns, I don't have much faith in the scheduled completion date anyway.

The big renovation, now in the fourth year of a six-year schedule, seeks to turn it into a bigger and more efficient transfer point. New underground concourses will give travelers on foot a cleaner, quicker route to where they are going. A new connection to the PATH network will help, too.

A new train, the Union-Pearson Express, will whisk travelers to and from the airport. A second subway platform will make connections to the TTC much better.

Union will become a true hub, with spokes going out in all directions in various modes. Passengers trains, GO buses, commuter trains, the airport train, the subway, the streetcar to the west (and, with luck, one day the east) harbourfront -- all will go through Union.

The growing foot traffic will flow in all directions, too -- to the sports stadiums, to the bank and office towers, to the new attractions of the waterfront, to the CN Tower and aquarium. Few cities are lucky enough to have so much, so close to their central transportation hub.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-deb...ealthy-height-obsession/article16124595/

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

scheduled completion is 2015 IIRC. They want it done for the Pan Ams.

And somehow I have never noticed the ceiling of Union station being like that despite walking through there almost every day..

Stop to admire the ceiling and you'll be trampled to death!

[Beedok]

I still think it looks like they're building that big chamber in the Mines of Moria down there.

[miketoronto]

I had no idea London, Ontario started an express bus.
I am glad it is a success. But to start an express service on a half hour frequency is pretty pathetic. Why not go 15 min from the start?

[GreatTallNorth2]

Originally Posted by miketoronto

I had no idea London, Ontario started an express bus.
I am glad it is a success. But to start an express service on a half hour frequency is pretty pathetic. Why not go 15 min from the start?

...because it's London, Ontario. This is the same transit system that put a Park and Ride about a 10 minute walk from downtown.

[Beedok]

Some of Gatineau's Rapidbus routes show up like every three hours during the afternoon...

[miketoronto]

Originally Posted by Beedok

Some of Gatineau's Rapidbus routes show up like every three hours during the afternoon...

I hope Gatineau gets their Rapibus working properly.

I knew the Rapibus would have a lot of growing pains just by looking at the schedules for the feeder buses.
People are not going to enjoy transferring to feeders that operate every 20 to 30 minutes in peak, and 60 minutes off peak.
That is no way to introduce a transfer system, unless you have dedicated Rapibus trips which meet designated feeder bus departures.

[GreaterMontréal]

Here is the plan for the Blue line extension.
http://www.amt.qc.ca/docs/appel/1000680_DEV01.pdf
page 5

[Rico Rommheim]

Let's hope the blue line extension spurs on some densification projects to that god forsaken ugliness that is the urbanity of the north-east.

[GreaterMontréal]

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

Let's hope the blue line extension spurs on some densification projects to that god forsaken ugliness that is the urbanity of the north-east.

It will. And the yellow line extension will start right after. around 2020. in 2017, 25 trolleybus on St-Michel boul. right now, 40 000 daily ridership on St-Michel boul.



[url]http://www.stm.info/fr/a-propos/grands-projets/electrification-du-reseau-de-surface[/url

there is also iBUS, later in 2014.