Millennium Line - Evergreen Extension | Completed

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by finalcoolman

As of today, all temporary jacks and spacers have been removed. Entire span is resting on just two pads located in the centre of the column instead of the traditional four corners. Kind of looks odd, I don't think there is another instance of this anywhere else in the system.

I finally drove at the area (heading to SFU) and saw the two pads. They are actually fairly thick and didn`t seem odd at all. I think its the expectation that there should always have four pads on the corners, why you thought it was odd. Given the natural slant of the guideway itself to take a turn into account, I think the two wide pads would have been better anyway, and was likely the original plan (since the four corners has always been temporary supports even before the incident).

[GeeCee]

My pic from today

[officedweller]

Tnaks.
Looks like they are adding concrete to the sides and between (?) the two steel box girders at each column cap.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Looks like they are adding concrete to the sides and between (?) the two steel box girders at each column cap.

They must have to lock down those box girders very strongly to the columns, because their centers of gravity extend pretty far out to the side of the centreline between the columns. Between the weight of the girders, the weight of a loaded train, and the centrigugal force of the train as it rounds the curve, there'd be quite a lot of stress on the mount point. So the structures at the sides of the box girders is likely there to help resist the twisting moment created by all those forces.

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Tnaks.
Looks like they are adding concrete to the sides and between (?) the two steel box girders at each column cap.

Well, it was always shown (via the rendering) that there would be concrete between the two steel box girders and it won't be limited to the column cap (at least at the point where the steel box girders are close and equal in height). I think it will look like the existing curve of the Millenium Line at the south end of Lougheed Highway anyway.

As you can see, the curved guideway is one solid segment as oppose to two small single track guideways that you see in, say by the Vancity Building and Science World. And EGRT did say the only reason why steel is used is because its longer and curvier, meaning concrete guideways are not feasible for this segment.

[officedweller]

I think the comparison is better with the guideway at Broadway & Commercial - isn't that steel? Plus the variation in elevation would suggest 2 separate guideways. I suppose 2 separate guideways would also need more anchoring.

The guideway by TCH is precast concrete box girder - dual width.

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I think the comparison is better with the guideway at Broadway & Commercial - isn't that steel? Plus the variation in elevation would suggest 2 separate guideways. I suppose 2 separate guideways would also need more anchoring.

The guideway by TCH is precast concrete box girder - dual width.

Well we don't need to go to the nitty gritty part of it. The only reason why I mentioned Vancity / Science World instead of Broadway and Commercial is because I was there yesterday and was still fresh in my mind.

But the separate guideways will likely be just the part after the Lougheed Station for reasons we already know so well, then shortly before or after the first column by White Spot, it will likely blend together to be one big, wide guideway similar to the pic that I quoted.

[adrianroam95]

Some pics of the Burquitlam area, captured May 16th (click for full-size image):

[SFUVancouver]

Adrianroam95, thanks for the photos.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

in that first photo that is a shame. the column is barely finished and the track isn't even done yet and it has already been marked up with spray paint.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

in that first photo that is a shame. the column is barely finished and the track isn't even done yet and it has already been marked up with spray paint.

It is a shame. I gotta say, though, that whoever's in charge seems to do a pretty good job of keeping graffiti at bay across the system. Not sure how they do it, but I'm sure appreciative.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

It is a shame. I gotta say, though, that whoever's in charge seems to do a pretty good job of keeping graffiti at bay across the system. Not sure how they do it, but I'm sure appreciative.

I agree, they seem to be on top of graffiti pretty fast and keep the system generally clean.

The only part that sucks complete ass for this is in and around the COmmercial / Broadway exchange.

I think it is a bit of a jurisdictional nightmare there (between translink, the city of Vancouver, and the railway) but it really is embarrassing just how dirty the fenced off areas around the hub are with garbage. It should be cleaned up regularly.

I really wish something would be done there.

Awesome pics above btw. It is always nice to see this line progressing! I love how extensive skytrain is becoming.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

..............

Awesome pics above btw. It is always nice to see this line progressing! I love how extensive skytrain is becoming.

And don't forget that great UBC line that's coming (albeit rather slowly) down the pipe!

[queetz@home]

Thanks so much for the pics, adrianroam95! These are awesome! It looks like one more segment before they cross Cottonwood, eh?

Originally Posted by adrianroam95

I can see why people may think this looks weird.

When I saw it from the car (I was turning right towards SFU), its hard to notice but when looking from afar, it does look unusual. Not so much that there is only two pads, but rather how big of a gap between the column and the guideways are. Its as if they made the columns too low and the pads have to increase in height to compensate.

I'm not sure if this was really intentional from the get go, after all, those were the first columns, and the one at the south corner of Como Lake and Clarke was the infamous "Frankenstein" column (or something like that), if people recall a few pages back.

But I'm sure the good people from EGRT know exactly what they are doing, so we should just leave it at their capable hands, aesthetics be damned...

[cairnstone]

Originally Posted by queetz@home

It looks like they are simply installing a more specialized column cap (for a column positioned to account for left turn bays on the road) instead of the standard column cap that is formed.

The pic must be a few weeks old, since all columns at North Road are pretty much completed by now, including that one. All they need now are the guideway segments when the gantry crane comes...

It must have been a major screw up as there are 2 columns missing caps now.

[Millennium2002]

It's pretty evident that they retrofitted the structure crossing Como Lake after the "earthquake" incident so that the guideway was one interconnected mass rather than a bunch of individual segments.

I assume that, after all their calculations, they decided that a retrofitted continuous beam was stronger at resisting gravity-induced twisting than the regular segments that were there originally.

[Olden Retreiver]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

in that first photo that is a shame. the column is barely finished and the track isn't even done yet and it has already been marked up with spray paint.

When I visited the area immediately east of Barnet Highway in PoMo a few weeks back, the guideway over Schoolhouse Creek and the new pedestrian ramps (not yet open) that will lead down to the Trans Canada Trail were completely covered in graffiti. Disgusting.

Haven't been back there in several weeks. It's very much worth a visit from anyone interested in the progress of Evergreen.

[Olden Retreiver]

Originally Posted by cairnstone

It must have been a major screw up as there are 2 columns missing caps now.

Is that what's been happening at the columns that are/were shrink-wrapped?

[Olden Retreiver]

Originally Posted by queetz@home

Thanks so much for the pics, adrianroam95! These are awesome! It looks like one more segment before they cross Cottonwood, eh?



I can see why people may think this looks weird.

When I saw it from the car (I was turning right towards SFU), its hard to notice but when looking from afar, it does look unusual. Not so much that there is only two pads, but rather how big of a gap between the column and the guideways are. Its as if they made the columns too low and the pads have to increase in height to compensate.

I'm not sure if this was really intentional from the get go, after all, those were the first columns, and the one at the south corner of Como Lake and Clarke was the infamous "Frankenstein" column (or something like that), if people recall a few pages back.

But I'm sure the good people from EGRT know exactly what they are doing, so we should just leave it at their capable hands, aesthetics be damned...

On my occasional trips along North Road, I've noticed that the pad heights and gaps between column tops and box girders vary a lot. It certainly doesn't display a very high quality of work, even if it is mechanically valid.

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by Olden Retreiver

Is that what's been happening at the columns that are/were shrink-wrapped?

Those could be the columns with missing caps that cairnstone could be talking about. We have no idea what they looked like because they were covered with shrink wrap, so their caps may have simply not been in place yet.

Originally Posted by Olden Retreiver

On my occasional trips along North Road, I've noticed that the pad heights and gaps between column tops and box girders vary a lot. It certainly doesn't display a very high quality of work, even if it is mechanically valid.

That is noticable but its clear its to compensate for the slants due to topography in order to keep the guideway in its proper alignment. You see that all over the Millenium Line too where there is a turn or a slight gradient on the ground, etc.

Not much people can do about grafitti, its common in all cities and its up to the cities and police forces to enforce rules about it. I guess its a sign that the Tri Cities are getting more and more urban...