Millennium Line - Evergreen Extension | Completed

[dpogue]

Just west of Lougheed Station, they've started installing the screws to hold the LIM rail in place over the switch leading to the side platform.

This was the work being done over the weekend that required closing one side of the station. There's another day of work planned next Saturday that will also have the inbound platform closed.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

I'm not clear why the gantry can't walk over the steel trusses.

It has to walk over the finished concrete beams as each segment is complete, so why not the steel beams too?

I doubt a curved beam is much of an issue, since we know it had to walk over the curved concrete segments at Como & Clarke as they were finished.

The launching gantry walks from column to column (I don't think 100% of the weight rests on the guideway when it is being moved)

It depends on whether the steel box girder can support the weight of the gantry on areas other than over the concrete columns, and whether the gantry is long enough to span column to column along that section.

The steel box girder was used because the distance between columns is longer than the segmental precast concrete sections could span - so the distance between columns is longer than for the typical column spacing for the sections the launching girder would normally work on. If the launching gantry can't span column to column, then it will have to rest on the steel box girder, which then depends on whether the box girder can support that weight through a particular spot under a gantry footing (having been designed for a more distributed weight over the length of a train).

[SOSS]

I haven't seen any activity at the tunnel portal over the last couple of days. They are actively doing some drilling near the top of snake hill. They have what looked like a couple of water trucks on site too.

[Olden Retreiver]

Finally, an informative update on what's really happening with the TBM.

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/evergreen_line/documents/InformationSheets/150113_TBMSubsurface.pdf

And yes, the production I saw at the portal last week was a very temporary event.

[MIPS]

The government is getting their stock footage out of the project at least.
All the Economic Action Plan commercials pertaining to apprenticeships use footage of the Evergreen Line construction.

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by dpogue

Just west of Lougheed Station, they've started installing the screws to hold the LIM rail in place over the switch leading to the side platform.

This was the work being done over the weekend that required closing one side of the station. There's another day of work planned next Saturday that will also have the inbound platform closed.

Have they actually laid new tracks to connect the existing inbound tracks to the new guideway?

[dpogue]

Originally Posted by queetz@home

Have they actually laid new tracks to connect the existing inbound tracks to the new guideway?

Yes, it does appear that way, and they've also been installing the controls for the switch there (which was installed when M-Line was built, but inoperable).

I'll try to take a video from the back of the train this week, which should show that area more clearly.

[nname]

I know this was posted a while back, but TransLink just released a RFEOI on Friday for the manufacturing and installation of the new signage on existing stations. Does this confirm the name and routing SkyTrain operation after Evergreen Line?

For all existing Expo Line stations, the signs read:
Expo Line Trains to Waterfront, Platform 1
Expo Line Trains to King George & Production Way−University, Platform 2

For Braid station:
Expo Line Trains to Waterfront, Platform 1
Expo Line Trains to Production Way−University, Platform 2

For all Millennium Line stations:
Millennium Line Trains to VCC–Clark, Platform 1
Millennium Line Trains to Lafarge Lake–Douglas, Platform 2

The Millennium Line signage seems like some bad copy and paste jobs, as the sign texts for Lougheed, Production, and Sapperton is exactly the same as other stations...

[Large Cat]

Originally Posted by nname

I know this was posted a while back, but TransLink just released a RFEOI on Friday for the manufacturing and installation of the new signage on existing stations. Does this confirm the name and routing SkyTrain operation after Evergreen Line?

For all existing Expo Line stations, the signs read:
Expo Line Trains to Waterfront, Platform 1
Expo Line Trains to King George & Production Way−University, Platform 2

For Braid station:
Expo Line Trains to Waterfront, Platform 1
Expo Line Trains to Production Way−University, Platform 2

For all Millennium Line stations:
Millennium Line Trains to VCC–Clark, Platform 1
Millennium Line Trains to Lafarge Lake–Douglas, Platform 2

The Millennium Line signage seems like some bad copy and paste jobs, as the sign texts for Lougheed, Production, and Sapperton is exactly the same as other stations...

Good find. I'm glad Millenium will be one integrated line, but I'm not sure what I think about Expo being extended to Production Way. I just hope it doesn't cause track/platform conflicts around Lougheed. But it may relieve congestion at Commercial-Broadway if SFU students start taking Expo to get downtown. Unsure

[MIPS]

I'm seeing mention of a lot of locations where original signage still exists that will be redone. Is someone nutty enough to blindly offer TransLink a sum of cash for all the original signage they take down? I dunno, souvenirs? I think I've exceeded the number of things I can ask the procurement department about. I seem to recall they still sell small pieces of track for $50.

[dpogue]

Originally Posted by Large Cat

Good find. I'm glad Millenium will be one integrated line, but I'm not sure what I think about Expo being extended to Production Way. I just hope it doesn't cause track/platform conflicts around Lougheed. But it may relieve congestion at Commercial-Broadway if SFU students start taking Expo to get downtown. Unsure

I don't see how it is possible to run trains to Production Way without causing all sorts of guideway & switch conflicts. There're no switches between Lougheed and Production Way, so trains would have to single-track between them, or go halfway to Lake City before turning around.

It's basically all the pain of interlining 3 routes, without the benefit of running service straight through

[TransitFreak]

Think Train2Main, train will run halfway and switch in between lake city and production...with frequencies every 3 mins, in theory it should be able to slot in relatively easy...this pretty much confirms right railing all the way through meaning new platform will receive westbound trains and centre platform will receive eastbound trains. Wonder how the expo line frequency will be...will it alternate to keep even headways in King George or still run uneven?

[Kwik-E-Mart]

Originally Posted by dpogue

I don't see how it is possible to run trains to Production Way without causing all sorts of guideway & switch conflicts. There're no switches between Lougheed and Production Way, so trains would have to single-track between them, or go halfway to Lake City before turning around.

It's basically all the pain of interlining 3 routes, without the benefit of running service straight through

A possible option I can see is to run the Expo Line stretch from Lougheed TC to Production Way/University along the southern track, and then immediately reverse in direction without switching tracks. This would certainly cause delays, but not substantial, for Coquitlam-bound trains waiting at Lake City Way.

If this is indeed the option, does it also mean that all the mish-mash that is anticipated at Lougheed TC Stn (ie. north platform for Coquitlam-bound trains, center platform for VCC-bound trains, and south platform for Waterfront-bound trains) is going to be scrapped? After all, there is no need for a seamless transfer between trains for westbound passengers if the Expo Line does terminate at Production Way/University.

Over time, to accommodate the increases in service capacity, a new set of guideways/layover tracks and switches must be installed west of Production Way/University Stn a la Metrotown Stn.

[officedweller]

I think they'd shoot past Production Way Station and use the switch to the west. That would have the least impact on headways for trains to Coquitlam.

Originally Posted by Kwik-E-Mart

... does it also mean that all the mish-mash that is anticipated at Lougheed TC Stn (ie. north platform for Coquitlam-bound trains, center platform for VCC-bound trains, and south platform for Waterfront-bound trains) is going to be scrapped? After all, there is no need for a seamless transfer between trains for westbound passengers if the Expo Line does terminate at Production Way/University.

Having a unified platform for Vancouver bound trains is both for passengers transferring from buses at Lougheed (so there is only one platform to choose, not two) as well as a cross platform transfer in one direction. Some passengers may ride an extra station to avoid an up and down transfer (Braid to Coquitlam), others may not.

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by MIPS

I'm seeing mention of a lot of locations where original signage still exists that will be redone. Is someone nutty enough to blindly offer TransLink a sum of cash for all the original signage they take down? I dunno, souvenirs? I think I've exceeded the number of things I can ask the procurement department about. I seem to recall they still sell small pieces of track for $50.

I'd buy a sign!

[officedweller]

Webcam pics today:


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


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


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


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

By Yellow Fever posted Jan 13th:

Originally Posted by Yellow Fever

IMG_8727 by Yellow Fever @ SkyscraperCity, on Flickr

IMG_8726 by Yellow Fever @ SkyscraperCity, on Flickr

Originally Posted by Yellow Fever

IMG_8717 by Yellow Fever @ SkyscraperCity, on Flickr

Originally Posted by Yellow Fever

IMG_8712 by Yellow Fever @ SkyscraperCity, on Flickr

Originally Posted by Yellow Fever

IMG_8719 by Yellow Fever @ SkyscraperCity, on Flickr

IMG_8718 by Yellow Fever @ SkyscraperCity, on Flickr

[SFUVancouver]

IMG_8712 by Yellow Fever @ SkyscraperCity, on Flickr

Now that's quite the curve. When there's a forest of towers behind it, and a street wall built out along North Road, well, that will will be quite the grand urban gesture.

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by TransitFreak

Think Train2Main, train will run halfway and switch in between lake city and production...with frequencies every 3 mins, in theory it should be able to slot in relatively easy...this pretty much confirms right railing all the way through meaning new platform will receive westbound trains and centre platform will receive eastbound trains. Wonder how the expo line frequency will be...will it alternate to keep even headways in King George or still run uneven?

What made Train2Main work was the 3rd track (storage track) between Nanaimo Stn and Broadway Stn. It was a convenient place to store the Train2Main while the mainline trains passed it. When Train2Main was ready to start the next run to Waterfront, it just used a time slot in between the other trains coming from Metrotown.

This spot is also where the rush-hour extra trains between Broadway and Waterfront were stored between their runs in the morning and evening.


A similar 3rd track (storage track) on the Millennium line is between Sperling and Holdom, so in theory the Expo train could run to Production, then continue west as a 'non revenue' train to this storage track and wait for the right time slot to begin its next run to Production, Lougheed, New West and Vancouver.

There is likely an operational issue with using these 3rd track (storage track) for turning trains, because they therefore can't be used for storing an emergency train, or storing rush-hour trains between the AM and PM peaks. With a fully-automated train system such as Skytrain, this an inconvenience for the OMC staff running the system, and will not usually be an issue by the general public.

[dleung]

those are some ugly ass columns. I would have just said "to hell with the lanes, will redraw it all after"

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

A similar 3rd track (storage track) on the Millennium line is between Sperling and Holdom, so in theory the Expo train could run to Production, then continue west as a 'non revenue' train to this storage track and wait for the right time slot to begin its next run to Production, Lougheed, New West and Vancouver.

There is likely an operational issue with using these 3rd track (storage track) for turning trains, because they therefore can't be used for storing an emergency train, or storing rush-hour trains between the AM and PM peaks. With a fully-automated train system such as Skytrain, this an inconvenience for the OMC staff running the system, and will not usually be an issue by the general public.

Maybe the frequency currently allows reversing on the M-Line mainline, and in future, when M-Line frequency increases to Expo Line levels, they'll extend it to that pocket track near Holdem - or truncate it at Lougheed.

Originally Posted by dleung

those are some ugly ass columns. I would have just said "to hell with the lanes, will redraw it all after"

For the left turn lanes. That wouldn't have happened if they had accepted a "side-of-road" alignment.