O-Train Line 2 [Stage 1 | Bayview to Greenboro] | In Service

[1overcosc]

Where did you hear about that?

Also, have we ever known when the upgrade is happening? All anyone has ever said is 2014. Nobody has ever said what quarter or month AFAIK.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Where did you hear about that?

Also, have we ever known when the upgrade is happening? All anyone has ever said is 2014. Nobody has ever said what quarter or month AFAIK.

From the newspaper story

Expanded O-Train service is expected to be implemented before the end of 2014

Although no official announcement has been made, I thought the mayor made a comment suggesting the upgraded service would begin early in 2014, perhaps March.

I didn't think that was unreasonable given that the track upgrades occurred last summer and the trains were delivered last spring.

[rocketphish]

OC Transpo seeks damages after snow dumped on O-Train track

By David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen January 27, 2014

OTTAWA — OC Transpo intends to seek compensation from a private contractor who dumped snow on the O-Train’s track last Friday, the transit agency said Monday.

“OC Transpo is investigating the incident and intends to pursue recovery of all damages incurred as a result of the snow and ice that was dumped into the O-Train railway corridor last Friday night, which resulted in an interruption of O-Train service,” said a statement relayed by city spokeswoman Courtney Ferguson.

“We are not able to provide the name of the responsible party at this time,” she added. It wasn’t clear whether OC Transpo didn’t have it or was holding it back temporarily.

The northern half of the O-Train line, between Carleton University and Bayview, was closed for about three hours Friday evening after a load of snow was somehow dumped into the trench leading to the tunnel under Dow’s Lake. OC Transpo replaced the train with a shuttle bus while workers cleared the track.

[email protected]

ottawacitizen.com/greaterottawa
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/ottawa...ow+dumped+Train+track/9436458/story.html

[waterloowarrior]

O-Train extension statement of work
http://app05.ottawa.ca/sirepub/agdocs.aspx?doctype=agenda&itemid=314165

[McC]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

O-Train extension statement of work
http://app05.ottawa.ca/sirepub/agdocs.aspx?doctype=agenda&itemid=314165

This paragraph was nice to read:

The Study will be cost-shared with the Airport Authority through identifying two separate parts for the Study. Part A of the Study will address the technology change from electric LRT to diesel O-Train technology for the 8 kilometre extension of the corridor between Greenboro Station and Riverside South (Bowesville Road) along with the addition of new stations at Gladstone, Walkley, South Keys, Leitrim and Bowesville Roads. Part B of the Study will address various alignment options and potential station locations to service the Airport terminal and adjacent employment lands south of South Keys Station. An equal cost-sharing agreement between the Airport Authority and the City for Part B of the Study has been agreed to in principle and will be formalized following Committee approval of this report.

[Capital Shaun]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

O-Train extension statement of work
http://app05.ottawa.ca/sirepub/agdocs.aspx?doctype=agenda&itemid=314165

The map on page 11 is wrong. Shows Wakley as an existing station and Confederation/Heron as a proposed station.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Buggys

Too bad that room was full of water sensitive electronics equipment.

At that point, that was probably the least of their concern.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by Dado

If they were smart and realized the mistake quick enough, the "solution" would be to pump in still more water to dilute the cement mixture and prevent it from properly setting.

Apparently the contractors ran to get table sugar and poured that on it, delaying the setting long enough to clean it out. Amazingly it was operational again within a day.

[White Pine]

Has anyone seen this pic?

https://twitter.com/Kristy_LynnP/status/431324724048560128/photo/1

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by White Pine

Has anyone seen this pic?

https://twitter.com/Kristy_LynnP/status/431324724048560128/photo/1

Looking good!

It's strange that the new trains have only 2 doors. Hopefully boarding doesn't slow down too much.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

Looking good!

It's strange that the new trains have only 2 doors. Hopefully boarding doesn't slow down too much.

Ya, we might have to spend extra for the Spanish solution!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_solution

[Richard Eade]

The Spanish Solution might be useful for a station where trains from both directions are at the station at the same time, but is an expensive solution for all of the other stations along the O-Train line.

Using the Spanish Solution at Carleton Station, a 60 metre long ramp from a central platform would take alighting passengers south to the existing underpass. (Although I expect that the structure would need to be widened to separate the tracks for the ramp.)

At the other stations, where only a single train is at the station at any time, all that is needed is a platform (and access ramp or stairs & elevator, if required) on each side of the train. People would access the train from either side as all doors (on both sides of the train) would open. People would get on and off the trains on the side that was most convenient for them; thus distributing the crowds between the two sides. As the O-Train does now, successive trains would be going in opposite directions from the stations. This scheme would also provide redundancy of elevators since a person could always use the next train as a crossing from one side to the other if an elevator was found to be out of service.

This topology of trains passing on doubled tracks between stations but with only a single track through a station with platforms on each side of the train would have been a solution to provide a shallow rail line, narrow enough to fit within the existing RoW for Bank and Rideau Streets, but the City did not consider it when they tore up those streets to rebuild the underlying infrastructure. Alas, it is such a shame that those opportunities have been lost.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by White Pine

Has anyone seen this pic?

https://twitter.com/Kristy_LynnP/status/431324724048560128/photo/1

I was arriving at Greenboro by bus at two in the morning in mid-November and what to my wondering eyes did appear but a new O-Train! I ran across to the platform and got a good look inside. It was filled with sandbags and had numerous wires running down the sides linked to sensors. There were Alstom engineers on board, and they quickly turned around and departed. I did notice how tall the train felt, since they are not rounded like the talents. There are also steps not ramps over the bump between the carriages. The seats are similar to the current trains.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

The Spanish Solution might be useful for a station where trains from both directions are at the station at the same time, but is an expensive solution for all of the other stations along the O-Train line.

Using the Spanish Solution at Carleton Station, a 60 metre long ramp from a central platform would take alighting passengers south to the existing underpass. (Although I expect that the structure would need to be widened to separate the tracks for the ramp.)

At the other stations, where only a single train is at the station at any time, all that is needed is a platform (and access ramp or stairs & elevator, if required) on each side of the train. People would access the train from either side as all doors (on both sides of the train) would open. People would get on and off the trains on the side that was most convenient for them; thus distributing the crowds between the two sides. As the O-Train does now, successive trains would be going in opposite directions from the stations. This scheme would also provide redundancy of elevators since a person could always use the next train as a crossing from one side to the other if an elevator was found to be out of service.

This topology of trains passing on doubled tracks between stations but with only a single track through a station with platforms on each side of the train would have been a solution to provide a shallow rail line, narrow enough to fit within the existing RoW for Bank and Rideau Streets, but the City did not consider it when they tore up those streets to rebuild the underlying infrastructure. Alas, it is such a shame that those opportunities have been lost.

It was a joke referring to the new train sets only having 2 doors, thus making boarding and disembarking more complicated, just like on buses. I don't actually think Ottawa should use the Spanish solution for any stations, existing or planned, but I think the City should put the number of doors into consideration when choosing new rolling stock.

[c_speed3108]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

Looking good!

It's strange that the new trains have only 2 doors. Hopefully boarding doesn't slow down too much.

Probably not. It's been a few years since I have been on the o-train, but I recall there being a disproportionate number of pax using the middle door as it was right opposite the entrance to most platforms. Have a door on each side, the load will probably balance better. (but that's just a guess)

[MountainView]

Originally Posted by c_speed3108

Probably not. It's been a few years since I have been on the o-train, but I recall there being a disproportionate number of pax using the middle door as it was right opposite the entrance to most platforms. Have a door on each side, the load will probably balance better. (but that's just a guess)

Would probably agree with this. As a former Carleton student and daily O-train user most of the people (51%) would use the middle door and the rest would use the front and rear doors. I think 2 doors will balance it out. I just wonder what door everyone will go to who is running from the bus stop to the train in hope to catch it before it leaves! The middle door was so handy for them

[Catenary]

For the past week the O-Train has been slowing to a crawl as it passes the Brookfield pedestrian crossing, apparently due to a frost heave in the track.

[lrt's friend]

Thanks for clarifying that. It is quite the coincidence that I am only suggesting running the O-Train extension along the Airport Parkway from Hunt Club to the airport – exactly the section that is proposed to be twinned. And you say that the extra roadway lanes are for transit and taxis; well how about that, since I am suggesting that a transit line be constructed in place of the roadway lanes. If there were a cheap ($3.00), fairly direct, transit route to the airport every eight minutes, maybe there would be a lot fewer expensive taxis along that stretch, too.

And, again, why is the road so clogged that it needs to be twinned? Because people from south of the airport feel that they need to take their cars into the city because it is better than the available transit being provided. Maybe if the residents of Riverside South had a good LRT transit line, they could leave their cars at home and that would help un-clog the Airport Parkway. Personally, I have not seen any traffic congestion between Uplands Drive and the airport’s parking structure (excluding directly in front of the terminal, of course). The congestion on the Airport Parkway is north of Uplands Drive and is caused by peak-period commuters using Hunt Club and Uplands, and occasionally from cars exiting from the Parkway onto Uplands to get to the E & Y Centre. I have not seen any traffic problems heading north on the Airport Parkway (except for delays caused by the perpetual construction of the pedestrian bridge). If we can remove a portion of the commuter traffic, then the airport traffic might not be congested.

And, why would the City be thinking about extending the O-Train AND widening the parallel road? A little bit of road congestion could be a good thing to point people toward transit. And since the O-Train will not be stuck in that congestion, it might be the faster way to get home from downtown. People sitting in their cars, stuck in traffic, can watch the trains zoom by them. As so many on this forum are wont to say “Adding more road capacity only encourages more car traffic.” So let’s try to encourage LRT travel instead of car travel.

Then there is the theory of ‘Divide and Conquer’. The City has learned that doing things in pieces often minimizes the complaints it gets. If it widens a section of road south of a bottle-neck, say widening the Airport Parkway from Hunt Club to the airport, it will have greater justification to widen the remaining problem area; for example, the rest of the Airport Parkway, between Hunt Club and Bronson. In fact, this additional widening is already being planned for; the new (future) pedestrian bridge at South Keys is being built so that the roadway can be widened under it.

Of course, most of the traffic to the airport will continue to be from the north, but there is also the question of how traffic patterns to the airport are going to change once the Strandherd-Armstrong Bridge opens. Will more people be approaching the airport from the south-east; i.e., wrapping around the south of the airport? Should more people (and maybe buses) be encouraged to take Uplands Drive from Hunt Club (i.e., close the south-bound ramp from Hunt Club onto the Parkway)? Will a switch to Uplands happen naturally with the opening of the Strandherd-Armstrong Bridge? Will the Strandherd-Armstrong Bridge encourage more drivers from Barrhaven to come to the Airport Parkway to go into town?

And while I am thinking of future possibilities, how about using some of that expanse of parking at the E & Y Centre for an O-Train Park & Ride, a la Canadian Tire Centre, since a large portion of it is unused for most work days.

I moved this discussion here because it seems more appropriate.

The use of the E & Y Centre parking as a Park n Ride is worth consideration but it is less ideally located than the CTC Centre for commuters. I certainly would prefer that commuters use Park n Ride lots on the outside of the Greenbelt instead of putting increasing pressure on Albion and Lester Roads. We don't want to put every access road into the airport under commuter stress. Given that, the O-Train becomes important in intercepting commuter traffic not only from entering the Airport Parkway but also Albion Road.

The opening of the Strandherd-Armstrong Bridge is going to present new challenges. There is no doubt that it will be an important transportation link, however, given the current relative sizes of Barrhaven and Riverside South, I am expecting that the roads east of the bridge will be flooded with Barrhaven traffic. Based on current transit plans, the impact of the bus lanes will have minimal positive effect on traffic. This is another reason why the loss of proposed rail line on the bridge with through service on both sides will be a greater loss in both the short and long term. The impact of rail transit versus bus lanes would have been much more significant in curtailing traffic.

[S-Man]

When are these — new trains supposed to be up and running?

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by S-Man

When are these — new trains supposed to be up and running?

As written September 12, 2013

"So, for the foreseeable future, riders can expect to ride the current Bombardier O-Train, since the new Alstom trainsets are not expected to be in service until the fall of next year."