Confederation Line (Stage 1) | In Service 1.0

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Last night, I noticed confusion that arose at Rideau Station because there were down escalators from street level but not to platform level. People were searching for the down escalator to the platform and staff had to tell them that there were none. We didn't apply the same design standards throughout the same station.

Over the weekend, one of the red-vesters was at the point of exasperation, herding confused passengers down on the last-before-the-trains level of the station.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

Over the weekend, one of the red-vesters was at the point of exasperation, herding confused passengers down on the last-before-the-trains level of the station.

Some strange cost cutting measures designed to confuse the public.

[Razor]

Originally Posted by DarthVader_1961

I liked the train experience.. fast, easy to use... the big belly flop us transferring to buses at Tunney's.. slow connections.... October 7 is going ti be interesting.

Same here..I took some time out yesterday,
just to check it out, and I liked the experience. I got on at Terminal, and rode it all the way to Tunney's, stayed on the train and rode it back to Hurdman where I got off..I timed it, and it took 14 minutes to get from Tunney's to Hurdman, and the biggest delay was the bus connection from Hurdman which took about 10-15 minutes...In all fairness, the buses were on a Sunday schedule.

[OTownandDown]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Some strange cost cutting measures designed to confuse the public.

I suppose if you've never ever been on a metro underground before... meanwhile if you're anywhere in Europe the stations are literally 100's of years apart in design and wayfinding. Like, if you can't handle Ottawa's small, straightforward stations, forget about going to London, ever.

[OTownandDown]

Some interesting 3D maps of some dazzlingly complex stations in other cities...

I mean, I've no doubt that ease of use for day-to-day commuters is just fine (disregarding the busyness of the line).

Tourists, on the other hand... if you can't handle Rideau Station or the 15 seconds of careful, thoughtful reflection of what the signage is telling you.

Well. Maybe you shouldn't have come outside, or traveled to a different city. Maybe you should stay more close to home.



https://architexturez.net/pst/az-cf-172170-1442473422



https://architexturez.net/pst/az-cf-169228-1434774055

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

Over the weekend, one of the red-vesters was at the point of exasperation, herding confused passengers down on the last-before-the-trains level of the station.

I am a retired senior and have been to the Rideau station three times now. I have not had to ask help finding my way around. No need to be confused. Relax. Take your time observing everything. You will soon figure it out and get the hang of it.

[HighwayStar]

Originally Posted by LeadingEdgeBoomer

I am a retired senior and have been to the Rideau station three times now. I have not had to ask help finding my way around. No need to be confused. Relax. Take your time observing everything. You will soon figure it out and get the hang of it.

I went there once and went straight to the train without thinking about it.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by HighwayStar

I went there once and went straight to the train without thinking about it.

The only thing I noticed at Rideau was that on the concourse level after the fare gates, there is a sign pointing down to the Eastbound train platform that is at the top of an escalator that is coming up. This is after entering from the William St. entrance.

That sign should either be removed or made variable if the plan is to run the escalator down on occasion.

Regardless, it didn't take long to find the correct place to go down.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by LeadingEdgeBoomer

I am a retired senior and have been to the Rideau station three times now. I have not had to ask help finding my way around. No need to be confused. Relax. Take your time observing everything. You will soon figure it out and get the hang of it.

I've had no problems, myself, just observing those of others, and minor ones they are.

Overall, the navigation of the system is very well done.

[SidetrackedSue]

The elevator in the north tower at Blair is out and may be for a few days.

This is the elevator you take when exiting the station and going to the Gloucester Centre. They are running a shuttle bus from ground level around to the doors at the other side so people who can't manage all the stairs have a way to get to the Gloucester Centre.

https://www.octranspo.com/en/alerts/#alerts-15530

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

The only thing I noticed at Rideau was that on the concourse level after the fare gates, there is a sign pointing down to the Eastbound train platform that is at the top of an escalator that is coming up. This is after entering from the William St. entrance.

Parliament Station does this too. It has wayfinding signs pointing down to trains for escalators that are coming up.

I'm really happy with the wayfinding as a whole. I haven't really gotten lost or taken a wrong exit yet.

I went into Lyon Station today and really like the artwork at the streetlevel.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

The only thing I noticed at Rideau was that on the concourse level after the fare gates, there is a sign pointing down to the Eastbound train platform that is at the top of an escalator that is coming up. This is after entering from the William St. entrance.

That sign should either be removed or made variable if the plan is to run the escalator down on occasion.

Regardless, it didn't take long to find the correct place to go down.

Originally Posted by JHikka

Parliament Station does this too. It has wayfinding signs pointing down to trains for escalators that are coming up.

I'm really happy with the wayfinding as a whole. I haven't really gotten lost or taken a wrong exit yet.

I went into Lyon Station today and really like the artwork at the streetlevel.

The three underground stations all have this "quirk". The signs are also single sided, so if you have to walk down the concourse and then do a 180 to go down the stairs, you can't see the signs indicating the direction until you walk past the stairs, while you can probably see the sign above an escalator.

None of these issues are significant or critical, but will likely be ironed out in time. The top of the stairs from the bus loop to the train platform at Blair now has "Please Keep Moving" decals on the ground, and there's temporary stickers with better directions to the two different bus platforms there, so changes are being implemented.

[lrt's friend]

Overall, I think the Confederation Line is very well done. I have used it three times in less than a week, when I rarely go downtown. Nevertheless, it isn't perfect and if nobody points out flaws, we will never see improvements. Some things can be improved at minimal cost and I expect some of those will be implemented. More expensive things, we will just have to live with, which is fine.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Overall, I think the Confederation Line is very well done. I have used it three times in less than a week, when I rarely go downtown. Nevertheless, it isn't perfect and if nobody points out flaws, we will never see improvements. Some things can be improved at minimal cost and I expect some of those will be implemented. More expensive things, we will just have to live with, which is fine.

Some of the minor things would have been ironed out at the start if more actual human transit users had been in on the shakedown phase.

[OTownandDown]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Parliament Station does this too. It has wayfinding signs pointing down to trains for escalators that are coming up.

I'm really happy with the wayfinding as a whole. I haven't really gotten lost or taken a wrong exit yet.

I went into Lyon Station today and really like the artwork at the streetlevel.

Ah, this explains the moment I was standing on the Rideau platform heading west, day one, when a busy-body type middle-aged, khaki pants clad, white running shoe man was literally screaming at the platform attendant who was a 21 year old student, telling her that her escalator is GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION DIDN"T YOU SEE THAT THE ESCALATOR IS WRONG IT"S GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION YOU NEED TO PUT IT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION DON"T YOU FRIGGING SEE THAT IT"S GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION *harumph* stomp away to the train. LOL poor girl looked a bit lost as to what the hell he was talking about (especially as her job is to whistle at people standing too close to the edge, let alone reverse the travel of an escalator) But now I understand that someone's actually explained it!

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

a busy-body type middle-aged, khaki pants clad, white running shoe man

Ottawa seems to be a sort of world capital for this type of personnage.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Ottawa seems to be a sort of world capital for this type of personnage.

I figured, a lot of this forum is probably that type.....

[CityTech]

khakis and striped dress shirts are the de facto uniform of an Ottawa male

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by CityTech

khakis and striped dress shirts are the de facto uniform of an Ottawa male

I believe when you pass the age of 55 you're supposed to add a Tilley hat to that look.

If it's any consolation, in Gatineau the khakis worn by your standard local dude would probably be capris.

[rocketphish]

OC Transpo changing bus service at Blair, Tunney’s Pasture to ease crowded stations

By: OBJ staff
Published: Sep 23, 2019 4:17pm EDT

Ottawa’s transit agency is making changes to ease problems with confusion and overcrowding at the two terminus stations on the Confederation Line after the capital’s first week of light-rail transit service.

Transit riders took to social media last week to complain about a logjam of passengers at Blair and Tunney’s Pasture stations during peak travel periods, especially the commute home at the end of the day.

A memo sent Friday from OC Transpo boss John Manconi said the agency will add more signage, provide additional buses and deploy extra service staff at Tunney’s Pasture and Blair stations to help passengers navigate the transit hubs.

Manconi attributed the congestion issues to confusion about bus transfer protocols at both stations. Not all passengers were aware that they did not have to tap or pay to board a bus after exiting the LRT in these paid fare zones.

Other issues with the line throughout the week included two trespassers, a delay related to a customer holding open a set of train doors, odours at Parliament and Rideau stations and an operator forced to do a brake reset on one of the trains.

Apart from that, service ran well with “no major issues,” Manconi wrote.

https://obj.ca/article/oc-transpo-changing-bus-service-blair-tunneys-pasture-ease-crowded-stations