Confederation Line (Stage 1) | In Service 1.0

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

This all sounds great in theory. But if you're not feeding the Confederation Line then you are back to moving commuters on a bus 50 pax at a time. That's expensive.

As for parallel service being cost efficient/effective from boosted ridership, let me introduce you to Toronto's Sheppard subway.

Now, I don't doubt that the Baseline BRT is cheap to build, and I believe it's in the TMP. But moving ridership from the Confederation Line specifically onto that instead of employing the corridor as an alternative for those not bound for the core, would make it very cost inefficient.

If your start point and end point goes no where near the Confederation Line, then alternate routes indeed make sense. The Baseline BRT will minimally bleed ridership from the Confederation Line. This has always been an excuse for not making improvements in the transit network. It was something that came up before the Trillium Line was first built, until they realized that it actually generated new ridership, which I think should be a goal.

The Sheppard subway does not provide parallel service and it was a political creation after the Conservatives cancelled the more useful Eglinton subway. Nobody is suggesting that the Baseline route should be a subway.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

The Sheppard subway does not provide parallel service and it was a political creation after the Conservatives cancelled the more useful Eglinton subway. Nobody is suggesting that the Baseline route should be a subway.

They were both NDP creations. The Tories cancelled Eglinton and kept Sheppard. Neither was particularly useful as planned.

[GoTrans]

Originally Posted by acottawa

They were both NDP creations. The Tories cancelled Eglinton and kept Sheppard. Neither was particularly useful as planned.

See the article in Toronto Life https://torontolife.com/city/transportat...-torontos-discarded-subway-plans/showing all the iterations of the Eglinton Crosstown route. To claim that the route is or was neither useful and that the route was the brainchild of the NDP is far from the truth. Premier Davis first suggested it in 1972.

Sheppard was the brain child of North York mayor Mel Lastman, but you are correct the NDP government of the day went along with it and provided funding. It is not useful, primarily because it is so short.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by GoTrans

See the article in Toronto Life https://torontolife.com/city/transportat...-torontos-discarded-subway-plans/showing all the iterations of the Eglinton Crosstown route. To claim that the route is or was neither useful and that the route was the brainchild of the NDP is far from the truth. Premier Davis first suggested it in 1972.

Sheppard was the brain child of North York mayor Mel Lastman, but you are correct the NDP government of the day went along with it and provided funding. It is not useful, primarily because it is so short.

Ok, let me rephrase, the iteration that was cancelled was an NDP initiative. I agree that various other iterations had been proposed before that. There is some background here on how the provincial government pushed a busway project to become a subway.

https://transit.toronto.on.ca/subway/5112.shtml

Shortness was part of the problem, but also the way both projects were designed. They both terminated at the YUS line, making them ineffective for cross-town travel and contributing to YUS overcrowding.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Ok, let me rephrase, the iteration that was cancelled was an NDP initiative. I agree that various other iterations had been proposed before that. There is some background here on how the provincial government pushed a busway project to become a subway.

https://transit.toronto.on.ca/subway/5112.shtml

Shortness was part of the problem, but also the way both projects were designed. They both terminated at the YUS line, making them ineffective for cross-town travel and contributing to YUS overcrowding.

The original comment concerned redundancy and parallel service and bleeding traffic away from the principal line. Actually, it is doing what is bolded, the exact opposite. In the longer term, without developing some sort of redundancy plan, we are doing exactly what Toronto has done only worse.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

The original comment concerned redundancy and parallel service and bleeding traffic away from the principal line. Actually, it is doing what is bolded, the exact opposite. In the longer term, without developing some sort of redundancy plan, we are doing exactly what Toronto has done only worse.

Maybe, over the very long term. But population growth projections for Ottawa are nowhere near what Toronto experienced over the last 65 years. The Confederation is nowhere near operating at its theoretical capacity.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Maybe, over the very long term. But population growth projections for Ottawa are nowhere near what Toronto experienced over the last 65 years. The Confederation is nowhere near operating at its theoretical capacity.

Flying Spaghetti Monster be praised; I'd dread to see what the rush-hour platforms and stairwells would be like if it were.

[Radster]

We were supposed to have 15 doubles running, but only started with 13. Then we were promised a 14th being added late 2019, never happened.

Today's news is that we are now down to 11!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/oc-transpo-train-shortage-delays-1.5432729

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Maybe, over the very long term. But population growth projections for Ottawa are nowhere near what Toronto experienced over the last 65 years. The Confederation is nowhere near operating at its theoretical capacity.

Redundancy does not mean parallel rail lines for a long time. There are other ways to provide effective redundancy. As I said, the Baseline BRT is a critical solution that provides an alternate way across the city that would also encourage ridership growth. Too bad it looks like it is going out the window.

Don't sell Ottawa short. We are probably 4 times the size we were 65 years ago.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by Radster

We were supposed to have 15 doubles running, but only started with 13. Then we were promised a 14th being added late 2019, never happened.

Today's news is that we are now down to 11!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/oc-transpo-train-shortage-delays-1.5432729

Oh my! I would have never expected how bad this has turned out.

I went back and looked into the newspaper archives and yes, there were streetcar problems back in the 50s but it didn't seem to be anywhere near this frequent. And that was with a very aged system and system that faced on-street collisions and tracks that were blocked by idiot drivers.

Didn't we order two extra trains a couple of years ago to make sure we had enough trains in service? They were well on the way to being assembled when the final push to open the line took place last summer.

[OCCheetos]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Oh my! I would have never expected how bad this has turned out.

I went back and looked into the newspaper archives and yes, there were streetcar problems back in the 50s but it didn't seem to be anywhere near this frequent. And that was with a very aged system and system that faced on-street collisions and tracks that were blocked by idiot drivers.

Didn't we order two extra trains a couple of years ago to make sure we had enough trains in service? They were well on the way to being assembled when the final push to open the line took place last summer.

The extra trains were for Stage 2, not Stage 1. In any case, we will be able to draw on any available Stage 2 trains as soon as they are completed.

[PHrenetic]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

..........

Didn't we order two extra trains a couple of years ago to make sure we had enough trains in service? They were well on the way to being assembled when the final push to open the line took place last summer.

Good Day.

yep..... they've ( 4 vehicles = 2 doubles ) been in the barns for some time, and per OC-Transpo and RTG/RTM-Alstom :

https://www.octranspo.com/en/ready-f...ine_01-08-2020

Test Trains , January 8, 2020

OC Transpo has begun testing the new Trains that will be brought into service as part of the Stage 2 Project. The trains will be tested on the Confederation line in the evenings and on weekends and will have no impact on normal operations. The test trains are clearly marked as Not in Service. These trains may stop at stations but will not pick up customers.

We will have to see what effect this has on <<repairing>> the 6 doubles apparently in the shop for maintenance / repairs / whatever .

I saw a tweet or whatever recently of a user spotting one out there - apparently they're running as singles.

FWIW !!!!

[OCCheetos]

RTM advised OC Transpo that there will only be 10 trains available for PM peak service.
https://twitter.com/sarahmeaghang/status/1219352244723900416

Yikes

So, anyone want to start betting on when RTM will actually get to receive their first payment?

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by OCCheetos

RTM advised OC Transpo that there will only be 10 trains available for PM peak service.
https://twitter.com/sarahmeaghang/status/1219352244723900416

Yikes

So, anyone want to start betting on when RTM will actually get to receive their first payment?

Not good, but 10 trains in PM peak is probably equivalent to 11 trains in AM peak since the PM peak is drawn out over a longer period. Still >13 trains is needed for AM peak. Hopefully they can get more trains on the rails for tomorrow.

I wonder if the OCDSB teachers strike today helped manage crowds, as some parents may have had to stay home with their kids.

[daud]

Switch glitch, jammed doors and smoke: A weekend to forget for Ottawa's LRT

Some issues, including smoke in tunnel, haven't been publicly reported
Joanne Chianello · CBC News · Posted: Jan 20, 2020 3:11 PM ET | Last Updated: 18 minutes ago

Service on the Confederation Line's east end was suspended twice this weekend due to switch issues. (Andrew Lee/CBC)

Ottawa's Confederation Line experienced several serious problems during the biggest snowfall of the season this weekend, from tripped switches to jammed doors to smoke filling the tunnel.

The most significant delay for riders occurred around 6:30 p.m. Saturday — only a few hours after the snow began falling — when track switches were "disturbed" at the eastern end of the Confederation Line, triggering replacement bus service for two hours.

OC Transpo tweeted about the delay at the time, and on Sunday morning emailed CBC News a statement explaining that "snow interfered with the normal operation of a switch at Blair station."

The email, attributed to transit operations director Troy Charter, explained safety sensors that are supposed to detect whether people are on the tracks were being activated by snow, and could cause trains to come to a sudden halt. To get around this problem, train operators were instructed to move slowly, which would have contributed to the delays for customers.

A persistent problem
Another switch issue caused the Confederation Line to shut down on Sunday evening, again between Hurdman and Blair. This time, according to OC Transpo's Twitter feed, replacement bus service lasted 40 minutes.

Switch problems are among the four main issues that have been plaguing the LRT system, along with jamming doors and two separate computer problems.

City officials have known about the potential problem posed by snow on the switches for some time.

Fibreglass switch covers installed by Rideau Transit Group (RTG) to prevent snow buildup have actually caused some recent delays, and have since been removed along the line. The city has urged RTG to post extra staff on the ground this winter, especially at those switches, but it's unclear at this moment if that has occurred.

On Sunday morning, a train was disabled at Tunney's station

Door, smoke issue not reported
There were other issues on the Confederation Line this weekend that were not made public, CBC has learned.

On Sunday morning, a train was disabled at Tunney's Pasture station, shutting down service for a while. Around midday on Sunday, the doors on a train at Hurdman station failed to open, and customers were unable to board or exit the train. It's unclear how long this problem lasted.

Far more concerning was the presence of smoke in the tunnel. According to social media, smoke filled part of tunnel shortly after 10 a.m. on Sunday. An internal incident report shown to CBC indicated the smoke and a burning smell were caused by a "wheel flat" — a wheel that has ceased turning and is grinding against the track.

According to a CBC source, another train was removed from Blair station Monday morning after reports of a burning smell and "train slippage."

OC Transpo has not yet responded to questions posed Monday about these issues.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/lr...ZLkBuLNzhHalDSbi33jYKcLPnrpmNJUg5qGHVuks

[lrt's friend]

Looks like they had switch and mechanical problems off and on all weekend based on twitter messages. This is getting ridiculous. We seem to not get through more than a few days without problems.

* well Daud got to this just ahead of me from a different source *

[Multi-modal]

Originally Posted by roger1818

Not good, but 10 trains in PM peak is probably equivalent to 11 trains in AM peak since the PM peak is drawn out over a longer period. Still >13 trains is needed for AM peak. Hopefully they can get more trains on the rails for tomorrow.

I wonder if the OCDSB teachers strike today helped manage crowds, as some parents may have had to stay home with their kids.

Maybe... but I can attest crowds this morning at Hurdman (approx. 8:20) were quite bad. I wasn't able to get on the first two trains that came.

[rocketphish]

LRT issues need to be 'immediately rectified,' Transpo boss says after train fleet reduction

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Updated: January 20, 2020

Commuters dealt with packed platforms and delays on Monday afternoon after Ottawa’s LRT fleet was reduced to 10 trains.

Rideau Transit Maintenance, the affiliate of the Rideau Transit Group contracted to maintain and repair the $2.1-billion rail system, told the city it had three fewer operational trains than its required 13.

“Trains will be operating approximately every five minutes for the afternoon peak. Customers should expect longer wait times than normal by approximately one minute and should expect approximately 20 per cent more people than normal on platforms and on trains,” said OC Transpo general manager John Manconi in a memo.

OC Transpo advised commuters of more than two dozen cancelled trips between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. At 6:38 p.m., by which time LRT crowds had thinned out, the transit service tweeted: “The afternoon peak has ended. We are sorry for the higher than normal crowds and longer wait times earlier due to a shortage of trains.”

Earlier in the day, commuters were also left in a lurch.

RTM initially ran service with only 11 trains before taking two more off-line.

“Towards the end of the morning peak period, two additional trains were removed from service due to technical reasons (compressor fault and a wheel issue),” the memo said.

It was not immediately clear what caused problems in the afternoon.

On the weekend, issues with track switches and switch heaters forced Transpo to use its R1 replacement bus service.

Manconi, the mayor and other high-level city officials met the chief executives of RTG and RTM on Monday to get briefed on what’s happening and to “demand that the issues with the trains and track be immediately rectified.”

Manconi said Transpo is considering proactively using its R1 replacement buses to augment rail service during Tuesday morning’s commute. He said information would be shared later once a decision is made.

“The city continues to hold RTG and RTM to account for ongoing O-Train Line 1 maintenance issues. City staff are in regular communication with RTG and RTM to put pressure on them to get the job done and to live up to the standards expected by our transit customers,” Manconi said.

Meanwhile, Coun. Allan Hubley, chair of the transit commission, also sent a memo Monday afternoon saying a special transit commission meeting will take place on Thursday.

“The agenda for this meeting will be solely to give an update regarding the status of LRT,” he said.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...onger-wait-times-ahead-of-afternoon-rush

[rocketphish]

When the trains don't work and demands fall flat

Kelly Egan, Ottawa Citizen
Updated: January 20, 2020

Let’s make a list. It’s always helpful in troubling times.

The trains break, like lots of them, all at once. The wires fall down, like 80 metres at a time. The switches need covering, then uncovering, and don’t always work. A switch “heater” fails. A compressor doesn’t compress. Many doors don’t close. Some doors don’t open. Sometimes an escalator stops.

The on-board computer doesn’t aways shake hands with the system computer and only three people on Earth really understand how any of it works. Sometimes, the trains need rebooting. Sorry, that would be the train’s “brain.”

The wheels have “wheel issues.” Dirt has clogged the rooftop electrical system, inconveniently, like on New Year’s Eve. Welds have failed on the track. The station steps can be slippery when wet. In winter, the station steps are frequently wet. One of the stations stinks mysteriously, and often. At rush-hour, the platforms seem too small.

There aren’t enough handstraps onboard the trains. We seem to have lost a couple of trains along the way. Car 15, where are you? At Tunney’s, a long shack had to be erected as a waiting area. Blair did not get winter protection, even though winter also occurs east of Bank Street. R1 does not work very well, witness Hurdman station last week, which looked like one rock-throw short of a full-blown riot.

Before it launched, we had way too many buses and drivers. Then we rushed to put some of the old klunker buses back on the road. Then we bought a bunch more buses. Then we had no handy place to put the standby buses, so they went in a baseball stadium. Drivers, by the hundreds, were going to be laid off. Then not a single driver was laid off. Now we are rushing to hire more drivers. Trainers were working right through the Christmas holidays!

The mayor is sorry. The chairman of the transit commission is sorry. The boss of RTG and RTM is sorry. Several OC operators are sorry. I’m probably leaving some apologetic souls off the list here, and for that I’m sorry.

The mayor is demanding better from RTG and RTM. So is OC Transpo general manager John Manconi. So is top city bureaucrat Steve Kanellakos. And transit chair Allan Hubley. The mayor, Manconi and Hubley demanded a meeting with the consortium and they got it. The city is holding RTG to account. City staff are “putting pressure” on RTG. Everyone is demanding things! Did the mayor not haul the CEO of Alstom all the way from France, to give him the what-for, in two languages? Did Manconi not bring in experts from around the world?

The transit commission is not happy. Some of the transit commissioners are especially not happy with the transit commission.

Twitter is now a flamethrower, spying on the system every day of the week, every mile of the way.

LRT, all $2.1 billion worth, will be handed over May 24, 2018. Sorry, LRT will be yours by November, 2018. Okay, sorry again guys, LRT will for sure be handed over to the city by March 31, 2019. This time we mean it, Ottawa, you’re getting LRT by Aug. 16. The hell with it, here’s your system on Sept. 14, all tuned up and ready to roll. And stop asking about the 12 days of testing. On Oct. 6, the parallel buses stopped and we went full-on rail.

Trains will run every four minutes. Trains will run every five minutes. Where is the train? We will pay RTG $4 million or so a month for running a world-class service. We are not paying RTG a bloody dime.

LRT is a transformative moment for a G7 capital of a million people. LRT is delivering unacceptable service for a city of a million people.

R1 buses may be running Tuesday morning. R1 buses may not be running Tuesday morning. Everyone in Ottawa with a car and a place to park, every day loves their car a little more.

But rest easy, you poor, frozen commuting mobs, for a memo has been sent and a meeting called. The transit commission gathers Thursday to get an update on the status of LRT.

There, there. All better now?

To contact Kelly Egan, please call 613-726-5896 or email [email protected]
Twitter: @KellyEganColumn

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/egan-when-the-trains-dont-work-and-demands-fall-flat

[lrt's friend]

Express buses to run from Hurdman and from Tunney's Pasture on Tuesday morning and in reverse Tuesday afternoon. https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/ottawa-s-lrt-n...-return-for-tuesday-rush-hours-1.4775670