The Great Canadian Transit Thread

[Doady]

Originally Posted by CityTech

Ontario provides operarting subsidies to municipalities for transit through the gas tax program although it's nowhere near 28% of costs.. more like 10% I think.

Province used to provide 50% subsidy of net operating costs of transit before Mike Harris cancelled it. Liberals introduced gas tax which is enough for around 25%, depending on the municpality.

For example, Toronto gets around $180 million annually and net operating cost is around $700 million. Mississauga gets $18 million and net operating cost is around $80 million.

Gas tax funding based on 30% population, 70% ridership, so it is some disadvantage for the TTC.

Even as the province introduced gas tax funding, they cancelled Ontario Transit Vehicle Program which provided 33% subsidy to replace buses which was introduced by the Harris government in 2001. Before that, when the Harris government first came to power, they cancelled the province's 75% subsidy for transit capital costs. Now transit capital costs are mostly paid for using federal gas tax funding, but that is based 100% on population, so even more disadvantage to the TTC than the provincial gas tax.

With the old 50% provincial operating subsidy, Toronto would get over $500 million instead of $180 million. The total operating budget would be over $2.1 billion instead of $1.8 billion, meaning a service increase of 17%.

[caltrane74]

New Union Station Foodcourt



I got Thai Spicy Red Curry

[Nouvellecosse]

Guys, can someone refresh my memory as to why the Queen DRL alignment was chosen over King?

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Guys, can someone refresh my memory as to why the Queen DRL alignment was chosen over King?

2 words...

Lower Queen.

[ssiguy]

Queen was a far superior choice. Going down King would have brought the line to within a couple blocks of Union which is already the best served transit district in the country. Queen is a congested street, a retail and entertainment mecca, and home of City Hall and far more municipal and provincial government offices.

[CityTech]

King is also being turned into a transit mall, which would be much harder to do on Queen.

[Nouvellecosse]

Wasn't Lower Queen built to serve an underground streetcar line? It wouldn't have long enough platforms to serve a train would it?

[Mister F]

Lower Queen has nothing to do with the relief line going under Queen Street.

[J.OT13]

Confederation Line Update week of December 3, 2018.

Multiple trains are running a closed loop between Blair and Tunney’s Pasture Station in full automatic mode. The western stations progress with final fare gate adjustments. Smoke and pressure tests for the tunnel ventilation system (TVS) have happened. Duct work for O-Pylon installation occurs at Rideau Station.


Tunney's

West Stations

Tunney’s Pasture Station
Crews have installed the decorative wood perimeter fencing on both the Scott Street and the bus loop sides of the station. Final mechanical and electrical finishing works continue.

Bayview Station
The fencing along the edge of the south east entrance plaza, above the Multi-Use Pathway (MUP) is installed. Miscellaneous mechanical and electrical finishes continue. The station’s O-Pylons have been installed.

Pimisi Station
Installation of the remaining glass at stairways, completion of the elevator shrouds, and final adjustments to the fare gates is underway. Miscellaneous mechanical and electrical finishing activities continue.


Bayview

Central Stations

Lyon Station
Testing and commissioning activities are ongoing. Miscellaneous finishing works and final touch-ups are underway. The public art at the concourse will be installed in the coming weeks.

Parliament Station
Final finishes such as tiling and handrail installations progress. The ceiling continues to be installed. Glass installations for the elevators, escalators and stairs at the concourse occur. Installation of the art inter-track barrier is underway. Testing and commissioning activities are ongoing.


Lyon Concourse Level

Rideau Station
Digital signband lighting and inter-car barriers are installed at the platform. The installation of utility cabinets and remaining ceiling panels advances. Door signs, fare vending machines, stairway glazing, and handrail installations all continue throughout the station.

uOttawa Station
Miscellaneous finishing works are underway as testing and commissioning activities continue.


Rideau Concourse Elevators to Mall

East Stations

Stations along the eastern alignment including Lees, Hurdman, Tremblay, St-Laurent, Cyrville and Blair Station, are undergoing miscellaneous finishing work as testing and commissioning activities continue.


Hurdman

Guideway and Testing

New vehicles are being tested and introduced into the fleet. Multiple trains are running a closed loop between Blair and Tunney’s Pasture Station in full automatic mode.


LRV at Parliament Station

Upcoming Construction Activities
In the coming weeks, the following construction activities are scheduled to occur:

• Integrated entrance completion at Lyon, Parliament, and Rideau Stations
• Installation of public art at Tremblay Station
• Architectural finishes at the western stations

https://www.ligneconfederationline.ca/news/construction-update-203/

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by Mister F

Lower Queen has nothing to do with the relief line going under Queen Street.

More than anything I think it provides an opportunity for a westerly extension. I would not be opposed to seeing a subway continue westward onto Lake Shore Blvd in Etobicoke, and eventually replacing the entire 501 streetcar route. From my understanding, some of that area has very poor public transit service right now, despite a large number of new condo developments.

[someone123]

Don't think this has appeared in this thread yet:

Originally Posted by officedweller

Noteworthy:

U.S. Finally Legalizes Modern, European-Style Train Cars
https://usa.streetsblog.org/2018/11/23/u-s-finally-legalizes-modern-european-style-train-cars/

The requirement that only heavy passenger trains be used on the same track as other heavy trains is pretty limiting to the transit options of a lot of cities. There are also limitations around mixing road traffic and heavy rail traffic, so the overall situation right now is pretty inflexible. For example with lighter trains maybe more cities would be able to have hybrid commuter rail/LRT type services that run on city streets in the core and then switch over to a rail line to run through the suburbs.

[SpongeG]

• Video Link

[ssiguy]

Toronto already has potential subways that stretch well into the suburbs...……...it's called GO. The problem with GO for most riders is the relative infrequent service {although that is being addressed} and mostly it's high cost that puts it way beyond the price of the average transit rider. GO ridership would quadruple overnight if they brought the GO train fares down to the same as the TTC.

[Doady]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

Toronto already has potential subways that stretch well into the suburbs...……...it's called GO. The problem with GO for most riders is the relative infrequent service {although that is being addressed} and mostly it's high cost that puts it way beyond the price of the average transit rider. GO ridership would quadruple overnight if they brought the GO train fares down to the same as the TTC.

GO Trains are for long distances. Subways are for short distances. One is a form of regional transit, the other is a form of local transit. They are nothing at all alike. Subways are more akin to BRT and LRT than commuter rail.

GO Milton Line trains only have 8 trips per direction, and on weekdays only. So, no, lowering the fares for it would not make a Dundas BRT/LRT/subway in Mississauga obsolete. Even if it there were 80 Milton train trips in each direction every day, it would only increase the demand for local transit along Dundas, and thus increase the need for BRT/LRT/subway, unless you want everyone to drive to the stations and were willing to bulldoze all the neighbourhoods surrounding the stations to make room for parking.

[corynv]

Originally Posted by Doady

GO Trains are for long distances. Subways are for short distances. One is a form of regional transit, the other is a form of local transit. They are nothing at all alike. Subways are more akin to BRT and LRT than commuter rail.

GO Milton Line trains only have 8 trips per direction, and on weekdays only. So, no, lowering the fares for it would not make a Dundas BRT/LRT/subway in Mississauga obsolete. Even if it there were 80 Milton train trips in each direction every day, it would only increase the demand for local transit along Dundas, and thus increase the need for BRT/LRT/subway, unless you want everyone to drive to the stations and were willing to bulldoze all the neighbourhoods surrounding the stations to make room for parking.

isn't the RER system they're trying to make happen a hybrid of the two? They want to have something like what they have in Paris if i remember right?

[Nouvellecosse]

That video is crazy. It might make sense to extend some metro systems deep into the burbs but not the TTC subway. It works for the likes of BART and the DC Metrorail due to their high speeds and infrequent stops. BART has an average speed of 56km/h and a top service speed of 110km/h compared to the TTC subway average of 32km/h and max service speed of 75km/h.

[Metro-One]

A little ironic to the above but some great news out of Metro Van, looks like Skytrain to Langley could be operational by 2025!

Originally Posted by xd_1771

So this is a big one and I will try to summarize it as best as I possibly can.

TransLink releases briefing outlining development of Surrey-Langley SkyTrain work plan.

It is in the Mayors' Council Dec 13 agenda. LINK: https://www.translink.ca/-/media/Documen...ors-Council-PUBLIC-MTG--Dec-13-FINAL.PDF

Important things to know:

• Project work to proceed with the aim to start service for the Expo Line: Langley Extension in 2025
• SkyTrain delivery will be 3-4 YEARS SOONER than a Surrey-Langley LRT (was expected to be completed 5 years after an SNG LRT, so that means 2028-29)
• 15-month schedule to fully develop the SkyTrain work plan; 8-month schedule to develop an overall South of Fraser transit strategy
• Draft business case for SkyTrain expected in month 7-9, final business case review & approval expected around month 12
• 8 stations on initial Expo: Langley extension, provision for 1 FUTURE station at Fraser Highway and 148 St.
• TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond wrote to the provincial Deputy Minister Jacquie Dawes to CONFIRM that the province will support the Expo: Langley Extension under the provincial CAMF framework, which as the same as for the other projects.

TEXT OF TRANSLINK RESOLUTION TO BE CONSIDERED BY MAYORS' COUNCIL AT DEC 13 MEETING:


If approved, SkyTrain is a go!

Sooooooo much better than be surface grade LRT plan.

16 km with 8 stations and one possible future station.

That said I do think that Langley should be as far east as Skytrain goes. Beyond that commuter rail is better.

[Mister F]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

More than anything I think it provides an opportunity for a westerly extension. I would not be opposed to seeing a subway continue westward onto Lake Shore Blvd in Etobicoke, and eventually replacing the entire 501 streetcar route. From my understanding, some of that area has very poor public transit service right now, despite a large number of new condo developments.

It doesn't though. The first phase of the relief line will go as far west as Osgoode, west of Lower Queen. It won't use the roughed in station, which was built for streetcars and entirely incompatible with a modern heavy rail subway. The old station essentially has no impact on the new subway.

Originally Posted by corynv

isn't the RER system they're trying to make happen a hybrid of the two? They want to have something like what they have in Paris if i remember right?

Yes, they're upgrading the Lakeshore, Stouffville, Barrie, and Kitchener lines to have frequent, electrified all day service with integrated fares. It's modelled on similar regional systems common in Europe, even going so far as lifting the RER name. Hopefully it survives the Doug Ford chopping block because it's badly needed.

[ainvan]

First new SkyTrain Mark III train enters testing routine in Vancouver

The first train of a new forthcoming batch of seven four-car Mark III trains (28 cars) are now being tested on the SkyTrain Expo Line.

According to TransLink’s Buzzer Blog, the first train that arrived is now being tested and commissioned on the Expo Line during non-peak hours.

All of these new generation trains require at least eight hours of testing during operating hours as part of the second stage of system testing. The first completed stage involved running 80 kms on the Expo Line and Millennium Line during the non-operating overnight hours, while the third and final coming stage will involve running the train in regular service while transporting passengers.

The first new train arrived in Vancouver in September, and it will be another year before all seven trains are fully commissioned. Each four-car train is delivered to Burnaby on four separate flatbed trucks, and then assembled by TransLink into a fully-articulated train.

Six more trains (24 cars) will arrive in early-2019, and a second batch of seven trains (28 cars) will arrive by the end of the same year. Both batches of new trains for the Expo Line and Millennium Line will cost $210 million, while a separate order of 12 two-car trains for the Canada Line from South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem will cost $88 million.

The new cars will increase capacity on the train systems significantly, with a 10% increase on the Expo Line, 23% increase for the Millennium Line, and 30% increase for the Canada Line.

Dailyhive

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

Queen was a far superior choice. Going down King would have brought the line to within a couple blocks of Union which is already the best served transit district in the country. Queen is a congested street, a retail and entertainment mecca, and home of City Hall and far more municipal and provincial government offices.

Disagree. They're trying to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Toronto needs a DRL and a Queen Line. Running the DRL on Queen means that Toronto will likely have to wait many decades to get a Queen Line that starts in the Beaches and ends at the East Mall near the Etobicoke/Mississauga border.

Rather than developing a long term transit plan they've chosen a compromise piece meal 'solution'. That's no way to run a city and ends up costing us a lot more in the long run. For once I'd like to see Toronto do it right the first time.