Millennium Line - Evergreen Extension | Completed

[jsbertram]

I smiled at the last photo showing all the off-set pillars to accommodate the left-turn lanes on North Road.

Hopefully drivers will appreciate the improved North Road when construction is finished.


(The irony of Skytrain construction improving a road wasn't lost on me)

[queetz@home]

It looks like all the columns are pretty much all erected now with only minor things needed to be added. So its just a matter of installing the guideways for the ones above Clarke and North Road, and finishing up the decking on the curved Lougheed girders.

Has the gantry crane crossed Smith Avenue already?

[nname]

Originally Posted by queetz@home

Has the gantry crane crossed Smith Avenue already?

Part of the gantry crane is on top of Smith Avenue, but for guideway construction, they are currently working one segment before the intersection.

[Kwik-E-Mart]

Complain all you want about the turn at North Road, but at least we can all snicker at one of the reasons why the Scarborough RT is doomed:


(Credit: The Archives of Ontario)

[queetz@home]

Is that *really* how the Scarborough RT turn or did part of the rail cars derail in that instance????? That is just unbelievable if that is how that curve was built!

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by queetz@home

Is that *really* how the Scarborough RT turn or did part of the rail cars derail in that instance????? That is just unbelievable if that is how that curve was built!

The Scarborough line was built after a streetcar line had already been partially constructed, and the loop was initially designed and built for streetcars. A "feature" of the ITCS design was that it was supposed to be able to negotiate such tight curves and utilize the existing loop, but it proved to be problematic and was eventually abandoned.

[officedweller]

I think that just looks worse than it is.

Here's another pic:

http://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thest...apidjpg.jpeg.size.xxlarge.letterbox.jpeg

http://www.urbanrail.net/am/toro/ttc13.jpg

That's the turn into Kennedy Station, I think. The loop that was decommissioned was on the other side of Kennedy Station to U-turn the trains.

http://stevemunro.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/pr4pg23c.jpg

http://stevemunro.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/pr1pg4c.jpg

[SFUVancouver]

^ That's clear evidence that the automated functionality of ALRT was never seriously considered when the decision was made to convert the Scarborough Rapid Streetcar (ALRV) project into the Scarborough RT (ALRT).

[jsbertram]

Photo shows in plain view why the longer Mk.II and Mk.III cars can't be easily used on the Scarborough RT.

Adding insult, even though the trackways were designed for use by the 1980-era streetcars for Scarborough streetcar access to the subway (before the Ont Govt forced the switch to ICTS and Scarborough RT), the latest version of the TTC streetcars ALSO can't make those curves.

With an election year in TO, the final decision of new Scarborough rail transit using new RT (Bombardier Mk.III cars on a rebuilt guideway), new LRT (extending the under-construction Eglington LRT line on a rebuilt RT guideway - using Bombardier LRT cars), or new subway (extending the Bloor-Danforth line in a new subway to Scarborough - eventually using the new Bombardier 'red rockets' subway cars) will likely change depending on who wins the mayor's election.

And may change again after the next Ontario election (this year or next), depending on who gets the majority - and if the same party takes the ridings along the RT route.

In any case, nothing will be started until the Pan-Am games wrap in later 2015, since RT is needed for moving athletes, families and the rest of the crowds around the Scarborough area where some of the venues are located.

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

^ That's clear evidence that the automated functionality of ALRT was never seriously considered when the decision was made to convert the Scarborough Rapid Streetcar (ALRV) project into the Scarborough RT (ALRT).

Sort-of true.

The purpose of the loop at the terminal was so the streetcar could empty on one platform, go through the loop, and pick up passengers on the opposite platform.

This simplifies operations, because the train operator doesn't have to walk from one end of the train to the other end just to reverse direction.


However, the tight radius of the loops and curves shouldn't have an impact on the automation of RT and ICTS, other than requiring slow speeds through the curves.


Since they stopped using the loop to turn trains around, the single-track terminal has platforms on both sides of the train (people can disembark from one side of the train while others embark from the opposite side). And the operator has to leave the cab, walk to the other end of the train to get to that cab, and prepare for departure.

Even with the full automation of ICTS, TTC still demands that there is a human in the cab to press the 'OK to GO' button at each station.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by officedweller

That's the turn into Kennedy Station, I think. The loop that was decommissioned was on the other side of Kennedy Station to U-turn the trains.

Yes, I think you're right.

The turn into the station is pretty sharp too, sharper I think than anything on any of our Skytrain lines. But it's not quite as tight as the loop.

[madog222]

Lincoln Station web cams are back online.


http://wcs.pbaeng.com/projects/R1_Transit

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

This simplifies operations, because the train operator doesn't have to walk from one end of the train to the other end just to reverse direction.

And TTC streetcars were not double ended.

[GMasterAres]

Originally Posted by Olden Retreiver

I think transit users who have to make the down-and-up transfer on a daily basis will question the design. Daily.

Because it's dysfunctional, I will question it each and every time I use it (not daily, thank goodness, unless my work changes.) Because it's fugly, I'll be individually glad that it's nowhere near my neighbourhood.

Nothing new. Every time you have to get off at Columbia and go down stairs, under the station, then up stairs to the other platform because it isn't a center platform station you're reminded of the exact same thing.

[officedweller]

Canada Line passengers headed north at Oakridge or south at 49th-Langara do it too - no transfer, either.

[Olden Retreiver]

Originally Posted by jhausner

Nothing new. Every time you have to get off at Columbia and go down stairs, under the station, then up stairs to the other platform because it isn't a center platform station you're reminded of the exact same thing.

The key point is that it didn't have to be this way at Lougheed. If the station were redesigned and built properly, it would be functional and would probably not be fugly either.

All to save a couple of dollars. And I can't imagine the savings are too great either, considering the extra complexities of construction.

If cost was the overriding concern, I'm not at all sure why it's necessary to add a 3rd platform at all considering the post-Evergreen frequency of traing coming in from Braid, and the volume of passengers.

[nname]

Originally Posted by Olden Retreiver

If cost was the overriding concern, I'm not at all sure why it's necessary to add a 3rd platform at all considering the post-Evergreen frequency of traing coming in from Braid, and the volume of passengers.

Where else can they to the layover for Millennium Line? There must be somewhere to temporary park the train in order to maintain the consistent interlining schedule between Expo and Millennium Line. Since the trains are to be run 6min apart, they may need to hold the train somewhere for up to 5-6min without affecting other lines.

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by nname

Part of the gantry crane is on top of Smith Avenue, but for guideway construction, they are currently working one segment before the intersection.

It looks like they are starting on the guideway segment on top of Smith Avenue today.....

Temporary Closure of Smith Avenue East of Clarke Road For Elevated Guideway Construction

Temporary daytime closures of Smith Avenue east of Clarke Road will be in effect starting on April 30 and continue for approximately five days. This is to allow crews to lift guideway segments into place using the launching truss as part of Evergreen Line construction. For more detailed information regarding the traffic pattern changes associated with this temporary closure, please review the construction and traffic bulletin here.

- See more at: http://egrtconstruction.ca/media-centre/...deway-construction/#sthash.DxKVrVqV.dpuf

[Olden Retreiver]

Originally Posted by nname

Where else can they to the layover for Millennium Line? There must be somewhere to temporary park the train in order to maintain the consistent interlining schedule between Expo and Millennium Line. Since the trains are to be run 6min apart, they may need to hold the train somewhere for up to 5-6min without affecting other lines.

Why would there be a layover for the Millenium train? It comes into the station, passengers get off, passengers get on, and it departs back to Braid. If the train needs to idle anywhere to keep schedules and spacings, can't it "layover" in Braid station?

Is the 3rd platform at Lougheed a $10 Million parking garage then?

[nname]

Originally Posted by Olden Retreiver

Why would there be a layover for the Millenium train? It comes into the station, passengers get off, passengers get on, and it departs back to Braid. If the train needs to idle anywhere to keep schedules and spacings, can't it "layover" in Braid station?

Is the 3rd platform at Lougheed a $10 Million parking garage then?

It may work under normal condition, but what about if there's a service delay on the expo line? After a service delay trains my come in at very close interval, so some trains may need to held up at terminus or even temporary moved to the storage track in order to maintain the proper headway. Even worse, what if the Surrey segment of Expo Line is closed and all trains are re-directed to Lougheed? Without the extra platform, can the station handle the turn-around of so many trains? The last thing we want is a break-down train on SkyBridge causing system-wide delay and affect trains in Coquitlam and UBC...