Millennium Line - Broadway Extension: Planning & Pre-Construction

[Alex Mackinnon]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

TBMs are rarely "thrown away" after a project because they are expensive to build.

They are usually dismantled at the extraction pit and shipped to a local storage yard where the owner has all the parts inspected, and where necessary repaired or reconditioned before the TBM is containerized and shipped off to the next project on its schedule.

It's next project may be across the city, across the province, across the country, across the continent, or across the ocean.

Scheduled projects for these machines can be assigned years in the future, and are constantly being adjusted as future projects arise (or flounder) with the changing political winds.

He says as Big Bertha is being sold for scrap...

[officedweller]

Big Bertha is probably pretty unique at that diameter.

Originally Posted by jsbertram

TBMs are rarely "thrown away" after a project because they are expensive to build.

They are usually dismantled at the extraction pit and shipped to a local storage yard where the owner has all the parts inspected, and where necessary repaired or reconditioned before the TBM is containerized and shipped off to the next project on its schedule.

It's next project may be across the city, across the province, across the country, across the continent, or across the ocean.

Scheduled projects for these machines can be assigned years in the future, and are constantly being adjusted as future projects arise (or flounder) with the changing political winds.

Yeah, also depends on whether the TBM is purchased by the contractor or rented.
The TBMs for the Canada Line were rented, and their next job was apparently in Russia.

[Reecemartin]

[Deleted]

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by Alex Mackinnon

He says as Big Bertha is being sold for scrap...

There isn't a lot of demand for a 60' diameter custom-made pressure-balanced TBM that can create 4 lanes (2 in each direction) of traffic.

I don't know of a need for 60' tunnels for any other purpose (traffic, trains, sewers, water, subways)

However, instead of scrapping it, bring it to Vancouver and build a new Highway 99 tunnel from Richmond to N.Vancouver. We'll need it after the new 8-lane Massey bridge opens.

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

Hopefully TBMs will be in the ground relatively soon, they are probably the biggest barrier in terms of time.

Nothing will happen until Translink and Mayors Council announces they have the last 20% of the funding sorted out.

[Reecemartin]

[Deleted]

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

Of course, hopefully that's coming relatively soon though. The next decade is going to be very interesting for Vancouver Transit because we will be seeing tons of Bus route expansion, new rolling stock, and multiple simultaneous rapid transit projects.

Especially with the 15% tax on foreign buyers.

[Reecemartin]

[Deleted]

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

I wasn't aware that funding transit was something that money was intended for, it's certainly interesting.

It's good to see that we are seeing global improvements, I can rave about Torontos projects all day, but they are just that individual projects rather than global service improvements. However I'd still like to see improved night service.

The sooner we see shovels in the ground for the M Ext the better.

They may not have said it, but it will be used to help pay for it.

I really wish that in the major cities that have rail transit that once one line is complete, shovels are in the ground for the next one.

I cannot think of a major city in Canada that would not need this kind of construction.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

They may not have said it, but it will be used to help pay for it.

The province collects that tax. Nothing to do with the municipality's 20% share of the cost.

[Metro-One]

Maybe people are referring to the empty house charge being done by the city of Vancouver?

[urbancanadian]

I'm confused... with the Province's recent announcement, isn't the municipal share now 10%? I had thought the Feds were committed to 50% and the Province to one third (33%), which they now upped to 40%.

50+40=90%

Or am I wrong on something?

[Metro-One]

Feds are 40, province is 40, so 20% left.

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by urbancanadian

I'm confused... with the Province's recent announcement, isn't the municipal share now 10%? I had thought the Feds were committed to 50% and the Province to one third (33%), which they now upped to 40%.

50+40=90%

Or am I wrong on something?

Yeah, at some point the feds lowered their share from the 50% promised in the election to 40% without anybody saying a word about it

[urbancanadian]

Oh fuck, well that's infuriating. Thanks for the info I guess...

[flipper316]

Originally Posted by s211

I hope not. That's a very wide intersection, and has some of the most lazy-assed, entitled pedestrians taking their sweet time to cross. As a frequent pedestrian in that area, it's embarrassing to watch.

Not too mention very late left turners and slow red light runners and general piss poor lane discipline. Example just blatantly cars turning into the wrong lane. Was a gong show watching that intersection when I worked at Canada Line.

[Alex Mackinnon]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

There isn't a lot of demand for a 60' diameter custom-made pressure-balanced TBM that can create 4 lanes (2 in each direction) of traffic.

I don't know of a need for 60' tunnels for any other purpose (traffic, trains, sewers, water, subways)

However, instead of scrapping it, bring it to Vancouver and build a new Highway 99 tunnel from Richmond to N.Vancouver. We'll need it after the new 8-lane Massey bridge opens.

I'd like that, but many people think the TBM was the problem. We'll hear in a couple years when all the lawsuits get settled.

Refurbing a used TBM isn't much cheaper than buying new. Unless a contractor has an ideal machine and they want to reduce their construction lead time, they'll probably go new just to control the risk unless the machine is in really good shape.

The lead time for a new TBM is about a year currently.

[TransitFreak]

Originally Posted by Alex Mackinnon

The lead time for a new TBM is about a year currently.

Hmmmm, so Broadway subway line tunneling section to begin Jan 2019 once all soil conditions analyzed by end of 2017? Could start the elevated section right away from VCC-Clark to get the schedule accelerated

Given current configuration of VCC-Clark, does anyone think that the third track to the side will dump down to a storage facility at grade and have a mini OMC in the industrial areas? Set up similar to Canada Line and their OMC. This is the last vestige of space before the tunneling section to Arbutus and future to UBC

[Jebby]

Originally Posted by TransitFreak

Given current configuration of VCC-Clark, does anyone think that the third track to the side will dump down to a storage facility at grade and have a mini OMC in the industrial areas? Set up similar to Canada Line and their OMC. This is the last vestige of space before the tunneling section to Arbutus and future to UBC

It's very doubtful they'd do that. I don't think TransLink owns any land in the railyards.

What could be cool would be an elevated platform over the existing railyard with 5 or 6 tracks capable of storing some trains.

[Reecemartin]

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