O-Train Line 2/4 [Stage 2 | Greenboro to Limebank/Airport] | In Service

[CityTech]

Originally Posted by OCCheetos

The addendum to the Stage 2 Trillium Line EA has been published and includes changes to Walkley Yard, the Ellwood Diamond, Bowesville station, and the Limebank extension.

https://ottawa.ca/en/residents/transport...ng-and-environmental-assessment-ea-study

VIA is being grade separated.. that's great news. That's the biggest problem with the line's reliability.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by CityTech

VIA is being grade separated.. that's great news. That's the biggest problem with the line's reliability.

Indeed

[OCCheetos]

The preferred option is to build a DMU-only overpass over the VIA tracks without lowering the VIA tracks. A second parallel freight-only track would also be built and would cross the VIA tracks at-grade with a new diamond but since there is no freight traffic, the construction of the second track would be postponed until someone requests that it be built.

The freight requirement is to avoid needing to apply for a new exemption from the CTA and to also because of a requirement for the city to preserve crossing rights for CN and CP (that was agreed to when the city purchased the subdivision).

The new overpass will apparently not be built to accommodate future double tracking, but I guess there is room for a second overpass when that becomes necessary.

Given the DMU-only nature of the overpass (because of grades and such) I think I smell a MOOSE on the horizon.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by CityTech

VIA is being grade separated.. that's great news. That's the biggest problem with the line's reliability.

Great news! To not have done that would have been the height of stupidity. Just sad it took this long to make that decision.

[OCCheetos]

Appendix C contains some neat information about the new Stadler FLIRTs.
Starting at page 102

Top speed of 130km/h, estimated dwell times at stations, and the results of two computer simulations for a single round trip of a train.

[Reecemartin]

[Deleted]

[Reecemartin]

[Deleted]

[OCCheetos]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

Disappointed that the overpass won't be double tracked :/

Good to see the high top speed of the trains (as I have said repeatedly this is regional rail not LRT)

I thought the Limebank part was included (I see now its just an option) do we anticipate it being built?

Except it doesn't seem like the trains will ever be able to make much use of that high top speed.

The majority of the track is limited to <80km/h and in the 100km/h sections the trains will only be able to go that speed for a very short time (they'll accelerate, hit 100km/h only to have to start braking). Still good, but..

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

Good to see the high top speed of the trains (as I have said repeatedly this is regional rail not LRT)

Regional rail??? It doesn’t even leave the city of Ottawa let alone go to another city (with stops in towns along the way). Yes they use European regional rail trains but the similarities end there. I do agree it isn’t LRT but it isn’t even commuter rail, let alone regional rail.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by roger1818

Regional rail??? It doesn’t even leave the city of Ottawa let alone go to another city (with stops in towns along the way). Yes they use European regional rail trains but the similarities end there. I do agree it isn’t LRT but it isn’t even commuter rail, let alone regional rail.

Heavy rail equipment operating on track with stops closer to 5km apart, with all day 2-way headways < 30 mins. Looks like regional rail to me.

[OCCheetos]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

Disappointed that the overpass won't be double tracked :/

Good to see the high top speed of the trains (as I have said repeatedly this is regional rail not LRT)

I thought the Limebank part was included (I see now its just an option) do we anticipate it being built?

I think I may have been mistaken. It's hard to tell since the image of the preferred design is too small to view close up, but actually I think allowances for double tracking are being made (not only on the VIA ROW). The diagram seems to show the overpass being wide enough to support a second track on the East side.

[H>T&T>P]

I am not sure it is relevant to Stage 2 but there was some equipment working near the old crossing (future crossing) on the north side of Leitrim Rd

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by OCCheetos

I think I may have been mistaken. It's hard to tell since the image of the preferred design is too small to view close up, but actually I think allowances for double tracking are being made (not only on the VIA ROW). The diagram seems to show the overpass being wide enough to support a second track on the East side.

So much for maximizing the amount of double tracking as part of Phase 2.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by H>T&T>P

I am not sure it is relevant to Stage 2 but there was some equipment working near the old crossing (future crossing) on the north side of Leitrim Rd

Leitrim Road will need to be shifted slightly to the north in order to build an overpass yet still allow access to existing businesses and houses on the south side. In other words, an access road will remain on the existing Leitrim Road right of way that will be severed at the railway crossing.

The question will be whether the overpass will be 4 lanes. There are major traffic problems in the area, which will only get worse and it has become a political issue in the municipal election in that ward.

[roger1818]

Moose will likely object to this proposal. It looks like the plan is to use "approach grades that accommodate DMU movements only with a regulatory exemption for Freight" and to plan for a future freight only route, that would cross VIA tracks with a new at-grade diamond crossing. The equipment Moose wants to use likely will need the freight only route, and the constriction costs for this route would likely be their responsibility.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by roger1818

Moose will likely object to this proposal. It looks like the plan is to use "approach grades that accommodate DMU movements only with a regulatory exemption for Freight" and to plan for a future freight only route, that would cross VIA tracks with a new at-grade diamond crossing. The equipment Moose wants to use likely will need the freight only route, and the constriction costs for this route would likely be their responsibility.

What standing would they have to object?

I expect trolling from them. Doubt it'd be effective though.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Leitrim Road will need to be shifted slightly to the north in order to build an overpass yet still allow access to existing businesses and houses on the south side. In other words, an access road will remain on the existing Leitrim Road right of way that will be severed at the railway crossing.

The question will be whether the overpass will be 4 lanes. There are major traffic problems in the area, which will only get worse and it has become a political issue in the municipal election in that ward.

I doubt it.

Leitrim Road is planned to be realigned in the future to the south of the park and ride lot. The overpass to be constructed as part of Stage 2 will be throw-away when that realignment occurs.

The traffic problems in that area are mostly the result of a lack of intersection capacity at Leitrim/Albion and Leitrim/Bank. As I understand it, both intersections will be upgraded in 2019, with the Leitrim/Albion work bundled as part of Stage 2.

Of course the Trillium Line extension will help with the traffic issues as well.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

Disappointed that the overpass won't be double tracked :/

Good to see the high top speed of the trains (as I have said repeatedly this is regional rail not LRT)

I thought the Limebank part was included (I see now its just an option) do we anticipate it being built?

That was a latter addition to the plan. Local developers pledged $30 million to the project while the Ontario Liberals had promised to pay the $50 million balance part of their election campaign. Of course, they were voted out replaced with the PCs and Doug Ford who have promised funding for Stage 2, but never committed to this additional extension.

Since this is in a Conservative riding, I'd say the chances are good that it's pushed forward. Plus, it would be pretty dumb to turn down $30 million from the private sector (even though people buying homes in the area will ultimately foot the bill).

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

Leitrim Road is planned to be realigned in the future to the south of the park and ride lot. The overpass to be constructed as part of Stage 2 will be throw-away when that realignment occurs.

That is crazy! Why waste money on a temporary overpass? Why not just have a level crossing for now and build an overpass when Leitrim is realigned?

[McC]

Alternatively, they have to include some ridiculous ideas like that to give the Value Engineers something to do, and prove their worth (look at all the efficiencies we found!)