The Great Canadian Transit Thread - Page 206

Aylmer · #**4101** Posted **Apr 3, 2014, 11:53 PM**

We really need to establish some standards for floor height in Canada - it's been done throughout Europe and it makes such a difference in the time needed to board and alight: I'd wager it takes ten times more time to board and alight when you have to descend VIA's steep ladder/steps with baggage and everything than to simply stroll onto a platform, as you would in almost any other industrialised country. As someone who regularly takes the train in Montreal (level boarding) and Ottawa (low-level), the difference is definitely noticeable.

Not only that, but how do people with limited mobility get on?

If it's a problem of sharing the track with freight as it is with Ottawa's OTrain DMU, simple mechanical platform extensions take care of it.

caltrane74 · #**4102** Posted **Apr 4, 2014, 12:56 PM**

Good to see the initial steps moving forward now, should have been working on this 10 years ago, can't even blame Mike Harris, but at least the Liberals are making a serious investment into Transit alternatives for the Greater Toronto Area and even surrounding regions as we can see with tangible investment in the transit systems in Kitchener, Mississauga, and Hamilton.

Quote:

Public consulting and input sessions are beginning this weekend into exploring different routing as well as station options for a "Yonge Street Relief Line". The consultations are required due to crowding on the Yonge Transit Corridor. The new line will connect to the Bloor Danforth line (Line 2) east of the Don River.

GlassCity · #**4103** Posted **Apr 4, 2014, 7:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by caltrane74

Good to see the initial steps moving forward now, should have been working on this 10 years ago, can't even blame Mike Harris, but at least the Liberals are making a serious investment into Transit alternatives for the Greater Toronto Area and even surrounding regions as we can see with tangible investment in the transit systems in Kitchener, Mississauga, and Hamilton.

Any speculation on what street the Yonge Relief Line could run under?

caltrane74 · #**4104** Posted **Apr 7, 2014, 1:21 PM**

Well, the public consultations on routing began this weekend, so nothing is for sure, but in my opinion the Pape /King alignment is looking most likely right now.

Innsertnamehere · #**4105** Posted **Apr 7, 2014, 6:32 PM**

route planning won't occur until next year from my understanding, but my hope and the general consensus seems to be King street. We will see how that plays out.

GlassCity · #**4106** Posted **Apr 7, 2014, 6:38 PM**

Wait, I'm confused. Is this the same thing as the DRL? Because the use of "Yonge Street Relief Line" led me to believe that it would be parallel to Yonge, like on Jarvis or Bathurst.

Innsertnamehere · #**4107** Posted **Apr 7, 2014, 6:52 PM**

no, its the DRL haha. THe entire purpose of the DRL is to relieve pressure on the Yonge line, meaning they renamed it so that "downtown" is removed from the moniker for political reasons. (fear that the suburbs won't support it as it is for "the downtown elites")

GlassCity · #**4108** Posted **Apr 8, 2014, 12:34 AM**

Oh, yeah that makes sense, we're experiencing the same thing here with the Broadway Line. Looking forward to see what gets chosen!

caltrane74 · #**4109** Posted **Apr 10, 2014, 1:10 PM**

The new Toronto Streetcars take to the streets in the next 4 months or so, and major testing was underway yesterday as the new streetcars were pacing up and down Spadina. Unfortunately I didn't grab a photo, although I was there previewing the action, but here is one from Reddit: ethan42 . They will come online for Spadina and Bathurst first in August. Looking forward to seeing them in action.

King Street Loop

Metro-One · #**4110** Posted **Apr 10, 2014, 1:23 PM**

Another fantastic update on the Evergreen Line. Again it shows the true extent of this mega project.

Quote:

Originally Posted by madog222

Some photos from today, taken by me.

Lougheed Station and form work on the steel girder section.

Up North Road, they have started clean up at the North end of North Road.

Burquitlam Station

South tunnel portal

North tunnel portal

Moody Centre Station area

milomilo · #**4111** Posted **Apr 10, 2014, 2:42 PM**

I'm not sure I'd call a 10km subway extension a mega project! Good to hear it's progressing well though.

caltrane74 · #**4112** Posted **Apr 10, 2014, 4:03 PM**

IMO, anything over $1 billion dollars would qualify as a mega-project.

caltrane74 · #**4113** Posted **Apr 11, 2014, 11:26 AM**

Quote:

The 510 Spadina will get the streetcars first, starting with a ceremony on August 31 until November when the last of the old streetcars move elsewhere. Bathurst will come next in December until Spring 2015. The Harbourfront, Dundas, and Queen routes will get theirs in 2015, too. King won't start until 2017, St. Clair in 2018, Downtowner and Kingston Road in 2018 into 2019 and, finally, Carlton in 2019 and 2020.
Some routes, like King and Queen, will take a full year to become fully populated with new streetcars

The number of daytime tests of the new streetcars have noticeably stepped up in recent weeks as the TTC begins training its staff. New photos are posted to Twitter or Instagram of the two test vehicles creeping around the city on an almost daily basis, increasing the sense of excitement of this year's launch.

"Having it out during the day is certainly good exposure for the new streetcar, and it's starting to build some interest and excitement," says TTC spokesman Brad Ross. "We're not doing that testing during the day to solely build interest and excitement, we have to do it for practical reasons."
When the first production vehicles arrive next month, the TTC will begin training staff round the clock, further increasing public exposure

Read More

Streetcar Testing Ramps Up Across Toronto

Production Units coming soon, perhaps a couple of weeks.

On another note, $150 Million dollars in funding for landscaping Eglinton after the crosstown is completed looks to be getting the go ahead from Toronto City Council.

Eglinton Ave East in Scarborough where the LRT travels above ground

Chadillaccc · #**4114** Posted **Apr 11, 2014, 1:31 PM**

That looks awesome!

caltrane74 · #**4115** Posted **Apr 11, 2014, 1:42 PM**

Now if city council could find some money to fix the streets and sidewalks downtown, I would be a happy customer.

WhipperSnapper · #**4116** Posted **Apr 11, 2014, 1:50 PM**

ROTFLMAO @ Eglinton in Scarborough vision. Never gonna happen.

Innsertnamehere · #**4117** Posted **Apr 11, 2014, 2:59 PM**

idk where that image is from, but the funding is supposed to be for the central portion of eglinton that has the LRT underground and largely already has street fronting retail.

This is the general sort of standard they are going for in that section, and this is what they are looking for funding for. The surface portion is going to be rebuilt by Metrolinx as part of the LRT already, so its design standards are being handled by Metrolinx rather than the city and it is already funded.

another image of the plans for Black Creek Drive area: you can see the LRT on the right running along in a semi elevated area about to re-enter the tunnel to the final station, Mt. Dennis.

caltrane74 · #**4118** Posted **Apr 11, 2014, 3:32 PM**

The image is a rendering at Eglinton and Victoria Park (Golden Mile Area)

Quote:

idk where that image is from, but the funding is supposed to be for the central portion of eglinton that has the LRT underground and largely already has street fronting retail.

SteelTown · #**4119** Posted **Apr 14, 2014, 12:39 PM**

Today's a big day for GTHA. Premier Wynne will make a public transit funding announcement today.

Hamilton's LRT funding is set for Wednesday.

The Chemist · #**4120** Posted **Apr 14, 2014, 1:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by caltrane74

The new Toronto Streetcars take to the streets in the next 4 months or so, and major testing was underway yesterday as the new streetcars were pacing up and down Spadina. Unfortunately I didn't grab a photo, although I was there previewing the action, but here is one from Reddit: ethan42 . They will come online for Spadina and Bathurst first in August. Looking forward to seeing them in action.

King Street Loop

So Euro!