Confederation Line (Stage 1) | In Service 1.0

[Badyouken]

Originally Posted by kmcamp

Seems like no testing at all today. Maybe they are shutting down foe the long weekend, given that they have to the through the paperwork cycle again

I've seen some doubles today, but haven't been paying close attention to the frequency. I doubt they'd take time off at this stage...

[HighwayStar]

Originally Posted by Badyouken

I've seen some doubles today, but haven't been paying close attention to the frequency. I doubt they'd take time off at this stage...

I was going south on Nicholas about 9:15 this morning and a double blasted out of uOttawa and passed me... must have been going 80-90 kmh.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kmcamp

Their rationale was O-Train sounded like au train ("to the train") in French, but I think I like your idea better.

Most francophones will call it O-Train and probably pronounce it English style to some degree. They are used to stuff in Ottawa having anglo names after all.

Initially they tried to get La Voie Rapide to catch on for the Transitway but francophones kept using the English one so they abandoned the French name and it was Transitway in both languages.

[Kitchissippi]

Personally I think I'll just say "take the train" in everyday speech much like I say "take the bus", and maybe refer to the downtown tunnel as the subway. But who knows, maybe saying "the O" might catch on especially with the strong ⭕ identifier.

[McC]

True, it’s hard to predict how these things may (or may not) evolve organically. I remember when the Canada Line first opened, most Vancouverites I talked to at the time referred to it distinctly from the Sky Train. There was the Sky Train (Expo and Millennium, which practically the same thing before the Evergreen extension, anyway), and the Canada Line. If I’d say “I don’t need a taxi, I’m taking the Sky Train to the airport.” Some people (men, obviously) would correct me, “the Sky Train doesn’t go to the airport. That’s the Canada Line.” Now everyone I meet talks about the whole network as the Sky Train again, with three distinct lines.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by McC

True, it’s hard to predict how these things may (or may not) evolve organically. I remember when the Canada Line first opened, most Vancouverites I talked to at the time referred to it distinctly from the Sky Train. There was the Sky Train (Expo and Millennium, which practically the same thing before the Evergreen extension, anyway), and the Canada Line. If I’d say “I don’t need a taxi, I’m taking the Sky Train to the airport.” Some people (men, obviously) would correct me, “the Sky Train doesn’t go to the airport. That’s the Canada Line.” Now everyone I meet talks about the whole network as the Sky Train again, with three distinct lines.

I feel like that echoes what's happening here. Most people probably still associate the "O-Train" moniker with what is now known as "Trillium Line". The new line is widely known and referred to as the "Confederation Line" and not "O-Train". It will probably take some time before the "O-Train" identity sticks with the entire system. OC Transpo has been doing a great job with branding efforts, so that should help it along.

[J.OT13]

Suggestion from my girlfriend; we call it the O-Train in English and the Train-O in French, which would sound like "traineau".

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Suggestion from my girlfriend; we call it the O-Train in English and the Train-O in French, which would sound like "traineau".

To make it bilingual, would it become the O-Train-O or the Train-O-Train?

[Badyouken]

Both singles and doubles today. The messages (train incoming / departing) seemed to be on point this time at Bayview.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by Badyouken

Both singles and doubles today. The messages (train incoming / departing) seemed to be on point this time at Bayview.

I also dropped by Bayview earlier today to take a look and only saw singles, but I wasn’t there very long. I also noticed the announcements were good. I was surprised how many times it repeats it for a single train though. Seemed a bit overkill.

The trains sure are quiet. Much quieter than the other traffic.

The catenary sure does sing when a train is approaching though eh?

[OCCheetos]

Originally Posted by roger1818

I also dropped by Bayview earlier today to take a look and only saw singles, but I wasn’t there very long. I also noticed the announcements were good. I was surprised how many times it repeats it for a single train though. Seemed a bit overkill.

The trains sure are quiet. Much quieter than the other traffic.

The catenary sure does sing when a train is approaching though eh?

I think some of the sound of an approaching train comes from the rails. Since it's all welded together the vibrations of a train going around a curve go pretty far along the track!

[TheMatth69]

I really don't get why Alstom isn't capable of making these trains work properly. I mean Citadis trains are THE or at least one of the most used tram/LRT model in the world. Having lived in France for 13 years, out of 28 tram/LRT network only 6 do not use Citadis trains and only 4 do not use Alstom trams at all.
Citadis Spirit is essentialy a mix of a Regio-Citadis and Citadis-Dualis with an Alstom Metropolis automated control system. This isn't a train that has technologies out of Alstoms reach... Yet they have problems making doors work properly! They have trains rolling in Russia so winter isn't and shouldn't be a problem ... Maybe it's not Alstom that we should blame but rather RTG.

[Badyouken]

Originally Posted by roger1818

I was surprised how many times it repeats it for a single train though. Seemed a bit overkill.

Yeah it does sound a bit overkill. We'll get used to it!

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by TheMatth69

I really don't get why Alstom isn't capable of making these trains work properly. I mean Citadis trains are THE or at least one of the most used tram/LRT model in the world. Having lived in France for 13 years, out of 28 tram/LRT network only 6 do not use Citadis trains and only 4 do not use Alstom trams at all.
Citadis Spirit is essentialy a mix of a Regio-Citadis and Citadis-Dualis with an Alstom Metropolis automated control system. This isn't a train that has technologies out of Alstoms reach... Yet they have problems making doors work properly! They have trains rolling in Russia so winter isn't and shouldn't be a problem ... Maybe it's not Alstom that we should blame but rather RTG.

North American rail standards and regulations are different so I imagine the Citadis Spirit is a total rethink of the Citadis line. With Alstom gearing this for the bigger US market, they probably want to comply with the content rules there too. This means working with new suppliers for components which can get tricky the first time around putting it all together.

[Gat-Train]

Originally Posted by TheMatth69

I really don't get why Alstom isn't capable of making these trains work properly. I mean Citadis trains are THE or at least one of the most used tram/LRT model in the world. Having lived in France for 13 years, out of 28 tram/LRT network only 6 do not use Citadis trains and only 4 do not use Alstom trams at all.
Citadis Spirit is essentialy a mix of a Regio-Citadis and Citadis-Dualis with an Alstom Metropolis automated control system. This isn't a train that has technologies out of Alstoms reach... Yet they have problems making doors work properly! They have trains rolling in Russia so winter isn't and shouldn't be a problem ... Maybe it's not Alstom that we should blame but rather RTG.

Alstom trams in France are designed to run on the street; here on a semi-automated light metro, at significantly higher speeds, so I'm not surprised there are going to be more bugs. Still not a good excuse for a further handover delay.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by TheMatth69

I really don't get why Alstom isn't capable of making these trains work properly. I mean Citadis trains are THE or at least one of the most used tram/LRT model in the world. Having lived in France for 13 years, out of 28 tram/LRT network only 6 do not use Citadis trains and only 4 do not use Alstom trams at all.
Citadis Spirit is essentialy a mix of a Regio-Citadis and Citadis-Dualis with an Alstom Metropolis automated control system. This isn't a train that has technologies out of Alstoms reach... Yet they have problems making doors work properly! They have trains rolling in Russia so winter isn't and shouldn't be a problem ... Maybe it's not Alstom that we should blame but rather RTG.

Citadis is a line of trains not a model of train. A good way of looking at is is Citadis to Alstom is what Chevrolet is to GM. When Chevrolet comes out with a new model of car, everyone expects there to be issues at the beginning with it (even if it is similar to a different one), and it takes a bit to resolve the issues.

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

North American rail standards and regulations are different so I imagine the Citadis Spirit is a total rethink of the Citadis line. With Alstom gearing this for the bigger US market, they probably want to comply with the content rules there too. This means working with new suppliers for components which can get tricky the first time around putting it all together.

Not just that, but North America uses different standard for wire and metal gauges than Europe and Asia. You can't just substitute the closest equivalent as when folded/bundled/wrapped, the differences compound and the pieces may not fit. I once worked on a project where the contract manufacturer substituted a similar (but slightly thicker) metric gauge sheet metal for the gauge specified in the design (without telling us) and it caused a major problem as the fans didn't quite fit properly in the case and started seizing.

As a result, it is easier to redesign everything from the ground up. I know someone who did some preliminary design work on the Citadis Spirit, and he said it shares little with the other Citadis trains for those reasons.

[TheMatth69]

Originally Posted by Gat-Train

Alstom trams in France are designed to run on the street; here on a semi-automated light metro, at significantly higher speeds, so I'm not surprised there are going to be more bugs. Still not a good excuse for a further handover delay.

But Alstom has been mastering this technology before even their Alstom Metropolis series of Heavy Metros.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by roger1818

The trains sure are quiet. Much quieter than the other traffic.

I've seen some usual-suspects-type people Very Angry On The Internets about how "loud" the trains are.

They should spend some time at Bayview, and listen for when the diesel bus noise drowns out the trains' "loud"ness.

[kmcamp]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

I've seen some usual-suspects-type people Very Angry On The Internets about how "loud" the trains are.

They should spend some time at Bayview, and listen for when the diesel bus noise drowns out the trains' "loud"ness.

Ah, the ones who also complain about traffic, any new development in their neighborhood, etc? Any good "think of the children" quotes ?

I'm actually impressed at how quiet the trains are compared to the traffic running parallel to the line, especially on Scott street or uOttawa.

I'm sure they also complain about the visual pollution of the overhead catenary.

[Badyouken]

Morning!

Spotting some doubles at Bayview today.