Noticed these VIA Rail ads in Toronto: they’ll have to update the Ottawa ones with a Line 1 reference, just like they mention connections with TTC and STM:
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Originally Posted by Truenorth00
Earlier I pointed out how confusing the headboards can be when they are above you on the platform. In Toronto, they are in front of you when on the platform, not behind you. So you can tell which direction you are travelling. I have no idea why they put they behind you.
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Noticed this too - in Toronto they’re above the track as a bit of “reassurance” when you get to get to the platform that the train’s going the right way:
Those overhead beams would have been the obvious place to put these signs, so you see them as soon as you get to the platform, but they’re blank:
Ours are placed as if to be visible when you’re actually at the platform edge about to board:
Though there are direction signs on the track dividers:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Radster
Only in Canada. My European blood can't get over this limitation. Every big train station across the world has train platforms that are accessible to everyone who wishes to greet or say bye to their loved ones as they board or get off the trains. Only in Canada do we block this behaviour by pretending train stations are airports, and in turn we remove one of the advantages and perks of train travel.
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Creating a link from Tremblay through the VIA station to Terminal Av and Trainyards doesn’t require platform access, just concourse access. It's much narrower in Ottawa
than in Toronto (between the main hall and access to Scotiabank Arena):
or Winnipeg (between the main hall and the Museum of Human Rights):
where passage is open to the public, so security or paid access doesn't seem to be the driving factor. That said, I think the VIA station closes outside of schedule train arrivals/departures so you’d lose access in the off hours.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gat-Train
Speaking of under-engineering stations, they really cheaped out at Tunney’s Pasture. The sidewalk between the north side of the building and the bus loop is already a tight squeeze and is made even worse by the doors opening outward. I can’t imagine automatic sliding doors adding that much to the $2 billion price tag.
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Agreed, it is very narrow, especially with foot traffic both leaving and entering the station, and the one sign showing which platform to use being right at the door, which would increase crowding (at least at first) as new/infrequent users figure out where to go
Probably best just to remove the doors entirely as the station is open to the east and south anyway. They could also extend the sidewalk into the bus loop a few feet, the loop seems wider than it has to be.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Multi-modal
I'm not even going to get into the fact that OC Transpo had the gall to build platforms at the other side of the bus loop (SW corner of the station). Let's all hope those stops are never put in to service.
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The sign on those far platforms says “Regional” - I assume those are for the commuter coach buses?
In general, continue to be satisfied overall: smooth, fast, a bit louder than expected but nothing like the buses at worst, a bit tighter for standing room than expected but again an improvement over the buses. Wayfinding hiccoughs as others have pointed out, but overall it’s clean, attractive and generally consistent. And so many excited kids aboard, with their parents riding - judging by the queues for tickets I assume most are not regular transit users, so perhaps their kids’ enthusiasm will rub off on them and gain some more commuter share for transit
Frustrations have more to do with cutbacks to my non-Line 1 commutes: my commute from Civic Hospital to Carling Campus almost doubles from 20 to 40 min plus transfers - that’s 2.5 hours more time commuting per week - no longer reliable for childcare pickups at end of day, so now need to drive.
As well, fellow passengers, e.g. standing on escalators. Every time I use one with my 2 year old I carry him and walk, teaching “Remember how we use an escalator, stand on the right, walk on the left”... just loud enough for the ones blocking the way to hear. Then the other day we were walking up and I was about to say “excuse me” to the blockers, and my boy yelled “STAND RIGHT!”. He gets it! Hopefully this behaviour will improve when the rush hits for real on the 6th.
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