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

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by JM1

I rode the new train set for the first time today. While idling, the engine made a lot of noise. As it accelerated out of stations it also made a lot of noise. Only once it was "coasting" did the engine become quieter.

In my view, these new trainsets are not an improvement from the old ones. But maybe that is just me.

I also didn't like the long linger times at stations.

They need to keep these trains moving.

They might be noisier, but they're way smoother. The old Talents used to rock side to side pretty violently, these new ones don't at all. Did you notice that?

[JFFournier]

Originally Posted by MoreTrains

To true, but with only three passing sidings it is pretty much impossible to keep them moving or reduce wait times. They need to have the long dwell times to syncronize the 6 trainsets to almost perfectly arrive at the sidings to reduce passing dwell times.

Basically, you wait inside instead of outside now, and maybe a little less time overall if you've just missed one. Still a bit of an improvement, in my book.

[Andrew_G]

Trains are only running every 18 minutes today, not sure what's up. I'm guessing something to do with the passing tracks/signals somewhere.

Edit: train arrived and then left after about a 2 minute wait. No train at the passing track as I suspected.

[1overcosc]

Spring schedules now programmed into the trip planner.

May-August service frequency after 9pm Monday-Saturday and on Sundays will improve from 30 minutes to 15 minutes.

[JM1]

Does anyone know why they opted for a two-door train set? Wasn't the old three door arrangement better for moving people on and off the trains quickly?

[JM1]

When I arrive at a terminus station (Bayview) by bus and see that there is a train in the station, I don't know if I should run to catch it or just walk. It would be good if there was some indication of how long until departure (e.g. a countdown clock or a "Next Train Departs in XX minutes" sign. Most modern rapid transit systems (and indeed many big city bus systems) have such signs. It is inexplicable that OC Transpo doesn't -- especially in light of the low frequency of the Trillium line.

[Kitchissippi]

Everything's temporary at this point, and your need to run is because of the current distance between the bus an train platforms. It will get worse with the construction. The final stacked config should minimize the distance, but I don't think people should induced to rush for a transfer by a countdown clock for safety reasons especially when there are stairs involved. Most systems just have a bell or signal a few second before the train leaves.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

Everything's temporary at this point, and your need to run is because of the current distance between the bus an train platforms. It will get worse with the construction. The final stacked config should minimize the distance, but I don't think people should induced to rush for a transfer by a countdown clock for safety reasons especially when there are stairs involved. Most systems just have a bell or signal a few second before the train leaves.

Huh? Toronto, Montreal, and London (the 3 subway systems I've ridden before) have electronic signs at the platforms telling you the number of minutes to the next departure. I'll be very irritated if the Confederation Line does not have the same when it opens. Trillium Line really should get them.

They have them at Greenboro station for the buses.

Also, they really should enable real-time GPS tracking for the Trillium Line like they have for the buses. With the bus, at least if its running late you can use your phone to check where exactly it is and how long it is before it gets there. With the Trillium Line, you can't do that, so if the train isn't there when it's supposed to be you have no idea when it's going to show up which I find annoying and stressful.

[IntoTheCore]

Originally Posted by JM1

When I arrive at a terminus station (Bayview) by bus and see that there is a train in the station, I don't know if I should run to catch it or just walk. It would be good if there was some indication of how long until departure (e.g. a countdown clock or a "Next Train Departs in XX minutes" sign. Most modern rapid transit systems (and indeed many big city bus systems) have such signs. It is inexplicable that OC Transpo doesn't -- especially in light of the low frequency of the Trillium line.

I had the same thought yesterday. I've run down that hill a few times, only to end up sitting in the train for several minutes afterwards.

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Huh? Toronto, Montreal, and London (the 3 subway systems I've ridden before) have electronic signs at the platforms telling you the number of minutes to the next departure. I'll be very irritated if the Confederation Line does not have the same when it opens. Trillium Line really should get them.

On the platforms visible only to people waiting, yes, but to display it on the corridors so that people rush to the platforms, no.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

On the platforms visible only to people waiting, yes, but to display it on the corridors so that people rush to the platforms, no.

Oh, I see what you're saying.

I agree that they shouldn't be anywhere other than that platform level.

I think London does have them at the street entrances, but Toronto & Montreal don't.

In Toronto the subway is so insanely frequent (coming every 4 minutes in ALL off peak times, even at midnight on a Wednesday) that I don't think anyone would care enough to run.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by JM1

Does anyone know why they opted for a two-door train set? Wasn't the old three door arrangement better for moving people on and off the trains quickly?

There are basically none available on the market that are compatible with the existing system (basically anything used by Deutsche Bahn).

Originally Posted by JM1

When I arrive at a terminus station (Bayview) by bus and see that there is a train in the station, I don't know if I should run to catch it or just walk. It would be good if there was some indication of how long until departure (e.g. a countdown clock or a "Next Train Departs in XX minutes" sign. Most modern rapid transit systems (and indeed many big city bus systems) have such signs. It is inexplicable that OC Transpo doesn't -- especially in light of the low frequency of the Trillium line.

I use my radio scanner for this purpose, but that's not a very great solution for the general public. If the train ran on schedule it would be OK, but it would be really nice to make the data available to those with phones, which are probably more useful to most people than fixed screens. The GSP (http://www.gsp-berlin.de/en/) system on the trains already has GPS, but no WLAN connection.

[Andrew_G]

Trillium Line has been out of service all day due to signaling issues. Anyone know any more details? It has been having a few hiccups lately though I thought surely by now these issues would have been worked out. They've had months.

Edit: Just saw them doing some work at Carleton station near the southbound switch

[1overcosc]

We've had almost constant up time since mid-March with only a few isolated incidents.

Generally, the rule with rail is at least 99.0% uptime is considered reliable. (100% is obviously not possible). The Toronto subway averages about 98.5% last I checked.

[TransitZilla]

Although the trains have been in service, I've found schedule adherence of the new trains to be unreliable.

For example, the southbound trip at Confederation is supposed to arrive at 17:11. Very often, it arrives at 17:06, so it is either early or late from a previous trip, depending on how you look at it.

I usually see the train pull in early as I am walking to the station, and of course I usually end up missing it. This means I miss my connecting bus. The old trains I found ran like clockwork; not so much with the new ones.

I'm not sure how we're ever going to a 10-minute frequency when we seem unable to run a 12-minute frequency reliably.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

Although the trains have been in service, I've found schedule adherence of the new trains to be unreliable.

For example, the southbound trip at Confederation is supposed to arrive at 17:11. Very often, it arrives at 17:06, so it is either early or late from a previous trip, depending on how you look at it.

I usually see the train pull in early as I am walking to the station, and of course I usually end up missing it. This means I miss my connecting bus. The old trains I found ran like clockwork; not so much with the new ones.

I'm not sure how we're ever going to a 10-minute frequency when we seem unable to run a 12-minute frequency reliably.

Have you ever spent some time just watching trains (I dunno, maybe had time to kill lol)? I've heard conflicting statements on how they're operating now, but I have heard that since late April they've been hitting 10 minutes pretty consistently, which if so would put individual trips way off the 12 minute schedule.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Have you ever spent some time just watching trains (I dunno, maybe had time to kill lol)?

No, I can't say that I have. I don't have lots of time to kill.

I've heard conflicting statements on how they're operating now, but I have heard that since late April they've been hitting 10 minutes pretty consistently, which if so would put individual trips way off the 12 minute schedule.

If this is true, it makes no sense. If the schedule says they come every 12 minutes, run them every 12 minutes. If they want to run them every 10 minutes (which I would welcome), update the schedule accordingly.

[lrt's friend]

So much for the predictability of train schedules. I drive by Greenboro Station at least once a day, sometimes more and I see no pattern to train arrivals and departures. Perhaps, they are following the 'best that they can do' schedule, which is what I observed way back in February. Will this ever get better?

[MoreTrains]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Will this ever get better?

Of course it will get better! The timeline is really extended though, so likely wont be better in our lifetimes. Unless, somehow, the Feds or Ontario told us we had to upgrade the line and gave us a billion bucks; I can dream right?

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by MoreTrains

Of course it will get better! The timeline is really extended though, so likely wont be better in our lifetimes. Unless, somehow, the Feds or Ontario told us we had to upgrade the line and gave us a billion bucks; I can dream right?

It would take a billion to convert to full electric LRT and extend southeasterly to Barrhaven.

But you don't have to go that far to make improvements. Enhancing the current shortterm plan by extending the sidings south to allow Gladstone to be a double track station like Carleton, and grade separating the VIA crossing (which combined would add maybe $20M-$30M to the existing $100M budget) would do wonders.

The city may very well move up such an improvement package if this line continues to prove problematic.